Word
spoken
Phoneticsspo·ken, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈspoʊkən/
UK/spˈəʊkən/
Definitions
01oral communication
B1 · Intermediate
adj. relating to talking rather than writing.
adj. relating to or expressed through oral communication as opposed to written text.
日本語:口頭※
“The exam has both a written part and a spoken part.”
“The professor emphasized that spoken language often follows different grammatical conventions than formal academic writing.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it describes.
Antonyms
02speaking in a certain way
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having a specific style or way of talking.
adj. characterised by a specified manner of speaking; almost always used with an adverb.
“She is a very soft-spoken person who never raises her voice.”
“The plain-spoken diplomat was respected for his directness, even when his messages were difficult for the committee to hear.”
Usage
Typically appears as the second part of a hyphenated compound adjective.
Synonyms
03past action of speaking
A2 · Elementary
v. the past participle of 'speak', used after 'have' or 'be'.
v. the past participle of the irregular verb 'speak'.
“I have already spoken to the manager about the problem.”
“By the time the meeting concluded, every member of the board had spoken their mind regarding the proposed merger.”
Pitfall
I have spoke to him already.
I have spoken to him already.
The past participle 'spoken' must be used with the auxiliary verb 'have' in perfect tenses, not the simple past 'spoke'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “spoken” in context.
Verb
01. prefer spoken
“Many language learners prefer spoken practice to grammar exercises.”
verb + adj
02. spoken language
“Spoken language often uses shorter sentences than formal writing.”
adj + noun
03. spoken word
“The power of the spoken word can be much greater than a written letter.”
adj + noun
Adjective
04. softly spoken
“The nurse was softly spoken and made the patient feel at ease.”
adv + adj
05. plainly spoken
“He is a plainly spoken man who says exactly what he thinks.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. fluency in spoken
“The job requires a high level of fluency in spoken English.”
noun + prep + adj
07. spoken openly
08. a softly spoken person
“She is a softly spoken person who rarely raises her voice.”
09. difference between spoken and written
“We studied the difference between spoken and written communication.”
10. the spoken word
“Poetry is often more effective through the spoken word.”
Etymology
Morphologically spoke + -n.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/spoken
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0