Say it like this
- Can you sign in and check if the issue is still there?
- I can't sign in — it keeps saying my password is wrong.
- You need to sign in with your work email, not your personal one.
- Just sign in and I'll share the screen.
- Sign in to Jira and create a ticket for this bug.
Use it at work
Support
- Can you try to sign in again?
- I can't sign in with Google.
Product
- Sign-in takes too many steps.
- Let's add passwordless sign-in.
Bugs
- The sign-in page shows a blank screen.
- Users get logged out right after they sign in.
Don't say this
Sign in already includes the direction. Use 'sign in to', not 'sign in into'.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| sign in | Enter an account | Users | Apps |
| log in | Same meaning, also common | Users | Apps |
| sign up | Create a new account | New users | First time |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. How would you ask a teammate to check something in a system?
2. I signin to Jira every morning to check my tickets.
3. Users will need to sign ___ with their Google accounts to access the dashboard.
4. The authentication to the system is not working for me.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 5
"Can you sign in and check if the issue is still there?"
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about sign in
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"I couldn't sign in to the staging environment yesterday, so I'll try again this morning."
- Slack message
"Can you sign in to the admin panel and check the user permissions?"
- GitHub PR
"Users will need to sign in before they can access the new dashboard feature."
- Jira ticket
"Bug: Users can't sign in after password reset. Error message: 'Invalid credentials.'"
- Retrospective
"We lost time because half the team couldn't sign in to the new testing tool."
- Sprint planning
"This story covers the SSO integration so users can sign in with their company accounts."
- Pair programming
"Let me sign in to my account so we can test with my permissions."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕Please sign in me to the portal.✓Please sign me in to the portal.
The object (me) goes between 'sign' and 'in' when using a pronoun.
- ✕I signin to GitHub every morning.✓I sign in to GitHub every morning.
'Sign in' is two words when used as a verb. 'Sign-in' (hyphenated) is a noun or adjective.
Other forms(6)
- sign in verb (base)
"Please sign in to continue."
- signs in verb (present)
"She signs in every morning at 9."
- signed in verb (past)
"I signed in but the page still showed an error."
- signing in verb (-ing)
"I'm having trouble signing in."
- sign-in noun
"The sign-in process takes too long."
- sign-in adjective
"We need to fix the sign-in page."
Often used with(6)
- sign in to · The standard preposition after sign in
- sign in with · Used when specifying credentials (e.g., sign in with Google)
- sign-in page · The page where users enter credentials
- sign-in flow · The entire authentication process
- single sign-in · Less common variant of single sign-on (SSO)
- sign-in credentials · The username and password used to authenticate
Similar words(4)
- log in · Interchangeable with sign in; slightly more technical
- authenticate · More formal/technical; often used in documentation
- log on · Older term, more common in IT support contexts
- access · Broader meaning; doesn't always imply credentials
Opposites(4)
- sign out
- log out
- log off
- disconnect
Questions(6)
- What is the difference between 'sign in' and 'log in'?
- Sign in and log in mean the same thing. Both mean entering credentials to access a system. 'Sign in' is slightly more common in consumer products (Google, Microsoft). 'Log in' is slightly more common in technical contexts. You can use either one.
- Is 'sign in' one word or two words?
- As a verb, 'sign in' is two words: 'Please sign in.' As a noun or adjective, use a hyphen: 'the sign-in page' or 'the sign-in process.' Never write 'signin' as one word.
- Do I say 'sign in to' or 'sign in into'?
- Always say 'sign in to.' The phrase 'sign in' already includes the directional meaning, so 'into' is redundant. Correct: 'Sign in to your account.' Incorrect: 'Sign in into your account.'
- Can I use 'sign in' in formal documentation?
- Yes, 'sign in' is appropriate for all contexts including formal documentation, UI text, and help articles. It's neutral and widely understood.
- What is a sign-in flow?
- A sign-in flow is the complete process a user goes through to authenticate. This includes the sign-in page, entering credentials, any verification steps like two-factor authentication, and the redirect after successful login.
- How do I tell someone to sign in on my behalf?
- Say 'Please sign me in' or 'Can you sign me in to the system?' The object (me) goes between 'sign' and 'in' when you use a pronoun.
