The English verbs immigrate and emigrate are closely related and both describe the act of moving from one country to another in order to live there permanently. Because they refer to the same movement, learners often confuse them. The key difference lies in the perspective: emigrate focuses on leaving a country, while immigrate focuses on arriving in a new one.
The Meaning of Emigrate
The verb emigrate /ˈemɪɡreɪt/ means to leave your own country to live permanently in another country. The emphasis is on departure. For example:
- Her grandparents emigrated from Poland after the Second World War.
- Many people emigrated from Europe during periods of economic hardship and famine.
- Thousands of people emigrate each year in search of better opportunities.
In these examples, the focus is on the country that people are leaving.
The verb is commonly followed by from:
- They emigrated from Poland in the 1980s.
- He emigrated from Ireland when he was twenty.
It may also be followed by to when the destination is specified:
- After graduation, she emigrated from Poland to the Netherlands to begin a new career.
- Many Europeans emigrated from Europe to North America during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
- Millions of Poles emigrated mainly to the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.
The Meaning of Immigrate
The verb immigrate /ˈɪmɪɡreɪt/ means to come to a country in order to live there permanently. The emphasis is on arrival and settlement in the new country. For example:
- Her family immigrated to Canada in 1995.
- Many skilled workers immigrate to Australia every year.
- He immigrated to Germany after completing his studies.
In these examples, the focus is on the destination country.
The verb is commonly followed by to:
- They immigrated to the United States.
- She immigrated to New Zealand with her family.
Translation into Polish
In Polish, the verbs correspond to:
- emigrate → emigrować
- immigrate → imigrować
However, in everyday usage Polish tends to prefer emigrować even when referring to arrival in another country. For example:
- Her family immigrated to the United States in 1995.
can be naturally translated as:
- Jej rodzina wyemigrowała do Stanów Zjednoczonych w 1995 roku.
Two Perspectives on the Same Movement
A useful way to understand the difference is to remember that the same event can be described using either verb, depending on the perspective. For example:
- The family emigrated from Poland in 2005.
- The family immigrated to Canada in 2005.
Both sentences describe exactly the same move. The first focuses on leaving Poland, while the second focuses on arriving in Canada.
Similarly:
- Thousands of people emigrated from Argentina during the economic crisis.
- Thousands of people immigrated to neighbouring countries during the economic crisis in Venezuela.
The choice depends on which country or viewpoint is being emphasized.
Related Nouns: Emigrant and Immigrant
The distinction also applies to the nouns emigrant and immigrant.
An emigrant is a person who leaves a country:
- The ship carried emigrants to the New World.
An immigrant is a person who arrives in a new country to live there:
- The United States has welcomed immigrants from many parts of the world.
Again, the difference is one of perspective rather than action.
The Main Difference
The distinction can be summarized as follows:
- Emigrate = leave a country permanently.
- Immigrate = enter a new country permanently.
Compare:
- Many people emigrated from Venezuela in recent years.
- She immigrated to Sweden with her family in search of better living conditions.
The movement is the same, but the point of view changes.
Common Learner Mistakes
A frequent mistake is using the wrong preposition.
Incorrect:
- He immigrated from Poland in 2020.
Correct:
- He emigrated from Poland in 2020.
Another common error is treating the verbs as complete synonyms.
Incorrect:
- Many people immigrated from the country during the war.
Correct:
- Many people emigrated from the country during the war.
Since the focus is on leaving the country, emigrated is the appropriate choice.
Memory Tip
A useful way to remember the difference is this:
- Emigrate begins with e-, which can remind you of exit or leave.
- Immigrate begins with im-, which can remind you of into a country.
Think:
- Emigrate = exit a country.
- Immigrate = move into a country.
Conclusion
Although immigrate and emigrate describe the same process of moving permanently from one country to another, they focus on different parts of the journey. The verb emigrate emphasizes leaving a country, while immigrate emphasizes entering a new one. Understanding this difference helps learners use both verbs accurately and describe migration from the correct perspective.
Photo: Entrance to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Upper New York Bay