a same life

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a same life" is not correct in written English.
It is incorrect because "same" is an adjective that does not require an article like "a" before it. Example: "We all want to live a life that is fulfilling and meaningful, but we don't necessarily want the same life as others."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"Kodem kol," he said, "a similar life is not a same life.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

We assume that the populations have the same life expectancy A, 0 < A < + ∞. μ i ( a, t, x ) is the average morality of the i th population, and β i ( a, t, x ) describes the average fertility of the i th population.

Boundary Value Problems

"A shared sense of mortality has been the basis for feeling a commonality with other human beings," she said, "a sense of going through the same life cycle, a sense of the preciousness of time and life, of its fragility.

The New York Times - Tech

By contrast, all women who have a diploma have the same life expectancy, whatever the diploma is.

Princeton University

Perhaps obituaries should be written twice, each by a different writer who can offer a different angle on the same life.

The New York Times

Same Life was a resounding debut, even better in retrospect than it seemed then.

Huffington Post

Every human being was born with this same life force: an ability to adapt, the stamina to persevere.

Huffington Post

Magic Johnson does not have the same life that an average person [with] the disease....Magic Johnson can buy any doctor, any medication in the world.

Huffington Post

"It's a fuller life when you know, in the same life, Martha Stewart and Jared Diamond, Edgar Doctorow and Joan Didion and Sylvester Stallone".

The New Yorker

"I want the same life".

The New York Times

All the same, life goes on, somehow.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "a same life". Instead, opt for "the same life" or "a similar life" to ensure grammatical correctness. The article 'a' is not used before the adjective 'same'.

Common error

A frequent mistake is placing the indefinite article "a" before "same" when describing a shared experience. Remember that "same" typically requires the definite article "the". For example, instead of saying "We had a same experience", say "We had the same experience".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a same life" functions as a noun phrase, but its grammatical correctness is questionable. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect, because the word "same" generally does not take the indefinite article "a". Examples typically use "the same life" or "a similar life" instead.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a same life" aims to express shared or identical life experiences, it's grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI confirms this, suggesting that "the same life" or "a similar life" are more appropriate alternatives. Although examples can be found across various sources, predominantly in news and media, academia, and science, it's best to reserve this phrase for informal contexts, if at all. For professional or formal writing, prioritize grammatical accuracy and clarity by using established alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the same life

Omits the indefinite article "a", correcting the grammatical error and creating a standard, acceptable phrase.

a similar life

Replaces "same" with "similar", conveying a near likeness rather than exact identity.

an identical life

Substitutes "same" with "identical", emphasizing an exact correspondence in experiences and circumstances.

a parallel life

Uses "parallel" to suggest lives unfolding along similar paths or trajectories.

a shared life

Emphasizes the commonality of experiences and circumstances in the context of living.

a comparable life

Focuses on the ability to compare one's life to another, highlighting similarities.

a like life

Uses "like" as an adjective, suggesting resemblance or similarity.

a uniform life

Implies consistency and lack of variation in the lifestyle.

a matching life

Highlights the correspondence or agreement between different aspects of the life.

a common life

Suggests a life that is typical or ordinary, experienced by many people.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "a same life"?

The grammatically correct way to express a similar concept is to say "the same life" or "a similar life". The indefinite article "a" is not used before "same".

Is it ever correct to use "a same"?

In most contexts, "a same" is grammatically incorrect. The word "same" typically takes the definite article "the". You would say "the same thing" rather than "a same thing". Avoid using "a same" in your writing.

What does it mean when people say "we lived the same life"?

Saying "we lived the same life" means that you and another person experienced very similar events, circumstances, or stages in your lives. It implies a high degree of commonality in your life experiences.

What are some alternatives to saying "a same life"?

Instead of "a same life", you can use phrases like "the same life", "a similar life", "an identical life", or "a parallel life", depending on the nuance you want to convey.