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Go native Meaning in English

expression

ˈɡoʊ/ /ˈneɪtɪv
GOH NAY-tiv
ɡˈəʊ/ /nˈeɪtɪv
gOH NAY-tiv

Definition

To start living and behaving like the local people, often by adopting their customs, language, or habits.

Usage & Nuances

Often informal, 'go native' can suggest a positive adaptation or, sometimes, a negative judgment that someone has become 'too' local. Used for people living abroad or in a new community. May sound dated or colonial in some contexts.

Example Sentences

After a year in Thailand, he began to go native.

basic

Some travelers like to go native when living abroad.

basic

It's not easy to go native in a completely different culture.

basic

When he started eating spicy street food every day, people joked he had really gone native.

natural

She really went native after moving—she even started wearing traditional clothes.

natural

I tried to go native by learning the language, but the accent is tough!

natural