Many people get confused between persue or pursue because the two words sound similar. However, only pursue is correct in English. Persue is simply a spelling mistake.
Even though this mistake looks small, it can make your writing look less professional. Whether you are writing an email, essay, resume, or social media post, using the correct spelling is important.
The word pursue means to follow, continue, or work toward something. For example, you can pursue a dream, pursue a career, or pursue a goal.
In this guide, you’ll learn the difference between persue or pursue, the meaning of pursue, common examples, and an easy trick to remember the correct spelling.
Quick Answer: Persue or Pursue?
The correct spelling is pursue.
The spelling persue is incorrect and should not be used in standard English.
| Word | Correct? | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pursue | Yes | To follow, continue, or work toward something |
| Persue | No | Incorrect spelling of pursue |
✅ Correct: She wants to pursue a career in law.
❌ Incorrect: She wants to persue a career in law.
No matter whether you use American English or British English, the correct spelling is always pursue.
Pursue vs Persue: What’s the Difference?
The difference is simple.
Pursue is a real English word and a verb.
Persue is not a standard English word. It is only a spelling mistake.
A good way to remember the correct spelling is:
pur + sue = pursue
Not:
per + sue = persue
What Does Pursue Mean?
The word pursue means to follow, chase, continue, or work toward something.
It can describe a physical action or a goal you want to achieve.
Pursue Means to Follow or Chase
Examples:
- The police pursued the suspect.
- The dog pursued the ball.
- The reporter pursued the story.
Pursue Means to Work Toward a Goal
Examples:
- pursue a dream
- pursue a goal
- pursue a career
- pursue a degree
- pursue success
Example sentence:
She moved to another city to pursue a career in fashion.
Pursue Means to Continue an Action
Examples:
- The company will pursue new opportunities.
- The lawyer decided to pursue the case.
- The team pursued a better strategy.
Read this also: Segway or Segue: Meaning, Difference, Examples, and Easy Usage Guide
Why Do People Spell Pursue as Persue?
Many people spell pursue as persue because of how the word sounds.
When spoken, it sounds similar to:
per-SOO
Because of this, some people think the word starts with “per.”
However, the correct spelling starts with pur.
Another reason is that the word contains two “u” letters:
pursue
This spelling can look unusual at first, but it becomes easy to remember with practice.
How to Pronounce Pursue
Pursue is pronounced:
per-SOO
The stress is on the second part of the word.
Examples:
- pursue a goal
- pursue a dream
- pursue a career
- pursue justice
Even though it sounds like “per-SOO,” the correct spelling is still pursue.
How to Use Pursue in a Sentence
Pursue is a verb.
Examples:
- She will pursue a career in medicine.
- They plan to pursue legal action.
- He wants to pursue his dream.
- The journalist pursued the story.
- The police pursued the suspect.
Verb Forms of Pursue
| Form | Correct |
|---|---|
| Base Form | pursue |
| Past Tense | pursued |
| -ing Form | pursuing |
| Third Person | pursues |
| Noun Form | pursuit |
Examples:
- She pursued her dream.
- He is pursuing a degree.
- The company pursues growth.
- Their pursuit of success continues.
Common Examples of Pursue
Here are some common phrases:
- pursue a dream
- pursue a goal
- pursue a career
- pursue a degree
- pursue happiness
- pursue justice
- pursue legal action
- pursue an opportunity
Example sentences:
- He worked hard to pursue his dream.
- She plans to pursue higher education.
- The company may pursue legal action.
- They want to pursue new opportunities.
Pursue vs Peruse
People sometimes confuse pursue with peruse, but they have different meanings.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pursue | To follow or work toward something |
| Peruse | To read or examine carefully |
Examples:
- She wants to pursue a career in medicine.
- Please peruse the report before the meeting.
Common Mistakes With Pursue
Incorrect → Correct
- persue → pursue
- persued → pursued
- persuing → pursuing
- persues → pursues
- persuit → pursuit
Always use the correct spelling family:
- pursue
- pursued
- pursuing
- pursues
- pursuit
How to Remember the Correct Spelling
Use this simple memory trick:
pur + sue = pursue
You can also remember:
You pursue your goals.
The two “u” letters can remind you of the word “you.”
With a little practice, the correct spelling becomes easy to remember.
FAQs
What is correct: persue or pursue?
The correct spelling is pursue. Persue is incorrect.
Is persue a real word?
No. It is a common misspelling of pursue.
What does pursue mean?
It means to follow, continue, or work toward something.
What is the past tense of pursue?
The past tense is pursued.
What is the difference between pursue and peruse?
Pursue means to work toward something. Peruse means to read carefully.
How can I remember the correct spelling?
Remember:
pur + sue = pursue
Final Takeaway
The difference between persue or pursue is simple. Pursue is the correct spelling, while persue is a common mistake.
The word pursue means to follow, continue, or work toward something. You can pursue a dream, career, goal, degree, or opportunity.
To remember the spelling, use this simple trick:
pur + sue = pursue
Once you learn the correct spelling, you can use pursue confidently in school, work, and everyday writing.