How to Pronounce TH in English: /θ/ and /ð/

What are the two TH sounds in English?

In broad phonetic descriptions, both English TH sounds are dental fricatives. Dental describes the tongue’s relationship with the teeth, while fricative means that air moves continuously through a narrow space and creates friction. Their place and manner of articulation are closely related; the main contrast is whether the vocal folds vibrate.

/θ/ — voiceless TH

The symbol /θ/ represents the voiceless TH in British and American pronunciations such as think /θɪŋk/, three /θriː/ and thin /θɪn/. In a British dictionary model it also appears in author /ˈɔː.θə/ and bath /bɑːθ/.

/ð/ — voiced TH

The symbol /ð/ represents the voiced TH in this /ðɪs/, they /ðeɪ/ and breathe /briːð/. It is also heard in the middle of mother /ˈmʌð.ə/. The common word the begins with /ð/, although its vowel changes between reduced and emphasized forms.

The informal labels “hard TH” and “soft TH” are sometimes used inconsistently. Voiceless TH and voiced TH tell you the feature that actually distinguishes the two sounds.

How do you pronounce the voiceless TH sound /θ/?

1. Relax the jaw. Leave enough space for the tongue to move without strain.
2. Bring the tongue tip toward the upper front teeth. It can touch them lightly or extend slightly between the upper and lower teeth.
3. Keep a narrow opening. Do not form the complete closure used for /t/.
4. Let air pass continuously. The steady airflow creates the fricative quality.
5. Keep the vocal folds unvoiced. Start with breath and friction rather than a strong throat vibration.

The tongue should not be bitten, clamped or pushed forcefully. You should feel continuous air rather than the stopped airflow and sudden release of /t/. Practice a gentle /θ θ θ/, then place it in think, thin, three, author and bath.

How do you pronounce the voiced TH sound /ð/?

The two TH sounds use closely related articulatory settings. A practical way to find /ð/ is to begin with /θ/ and change one feature: voicing.

1. Make a gentle /θ/. Keep continuous air around the tongue and teeth.
2. Keep approximately the same mouth position. Avoid pulling the tongue back to the position for /d/.
3. Add vocal-fold vibration. The friction continues, but the sound becomes voiced.
4. Move into a word. Try this, that, these, they, mother or breathe.

Do not force a loud buzz. Voicing may be easier to notice in a sustained sound than in fast connected speech, and speakers do not use literally identical tongue positions in every context.

What is the difference between /θ/ and /ð/?

The main difference is voicing. The vocal folds do not normally vibrate for /θ/, but they do for /ð/. Both sounds keep a narrow passage for continuous airflow near the teeth.

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The throat test

Place two fingers lightly on the front of your throat and alternate /θ θ θ/ with /ð ð ð/. Vibration should be more noticeable during /ð/. Keep the tongue and airflow broadly similar so that voicing—not a completely different mouth movement—is the main change. This is a simple learner cue, not a laboratory measurement.

Does TH always sound the same in English spelling?

No. Written th commonly represents either /θ/ or /ð/. The spelling itself does not mark whether the sound is voiced. Some names and words with different histories also use another pronunciation.

Spelling gives clues, but the pronunciation of an unfamiliar TH word should be checked with IPA or model audio rather than guessed. The guide to why English spelling and pronunciation do not always match explains why familiar letter groups can represent more than one sound.

How do you know whether TH is /θ/ or /ð/?

There is no perfect spelling rule, but a few tendencies can help.

/ð/ is especially common in frequent grammar words

Many common function words begin with voiced TH, including the, this, that, these, those, they, them, their, there, then and though. This is a useful pattern, not a rule for every grammatical word containing th.

/θ/ is common in many content words

Examples include think, thin, three, thank, theory, author, method and bath. Voiced TH also occurs in content words such as mother, weather and breathe, so the tendency cannot replace checking.

For an unfamiliar word, IPA and model audio are more reliable than trying to memorize a universal TH spelling rule.

Where can /θ/ and /ð/ appear in words?

Both sounds can occur at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of English words. The following broad transcriptions use a British dictionary model.

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Initial /ð/ is particularly common in grammatical words. Final /ð/ is less common than final /θ/, so useful practice lists do not need to be perfectly symmetrical.

Why is TH difficult for some learners?

The English dental fricatives may not function as separate phonemes in a learner’s existing language system. A listener may initially map an unfamiliar TH sound to a more familiar category, and a speaker may use a familiar articulation when producing it. The sound a learner substitutes varies with first language, dialect, exposure and individual speech.

Possible substitutions can resemble /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, /f/ or /v/. These are possibilities, not predictions about a particular person.

Difficulty hearing a contrast and difficulty producing its articulation are related but not identical. You may hear the target accurately but not yet coordinate the movement, or produce a useful contrast before you can identify it reliably in unfamiliar speech. Test listening and production separately. The guide to finding the English sounds you may be mispronouncing provides a practical diagnostic process.

Is using /f/, /v/, /t/ or /d/ instead of TH always a pronunciation error?

No. Established English varieties can use other realizations of historical /θ/ and /ð/. Linguists use terms such as TH-fronting for realizations resembling /f/ or /v/, and TH-stopping for realizations resembling /t/ or /d/. These can be systematic features of a community’s dialect rather than random failures.

Whether you want to change a pronunciation depends on your goal and reference model. If you are deliberately practicing British RP or General American, /θ/ and /ð/ are useful targets. A different established dialect realization is not evidence that a speaker has a defective accent.

What sounds should you compare with TH?

Common English minimal pairs that contrast /θ/ directly with /ð/ are relatively limited. TH practice often works better when you compare each target with the sound you actually substitute.

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Compare TH with the sound you actually hear in your recording rather than assuming which substitution you make. The minimal-pairs guide explains how to use a small, relevant contrast efficiently.

How should you practice TH at the beginning, middle and end of words?

Begin with the isolated sound, then practice one word position at a time. Choose two or three examples from the table above and work slowly enough to notice airflow and voicing. Start with the position where TH is easiest for you, then test the same sound medially and finally. If the sound changes in one position, keep that position as your current target instead of restarting the whole list.

How should you practice TH in phrases and sentences?

Isolated production is the first stage, not the final goal. Move through this progression:

Try short phrases such as three things, think clearly, this week, those people, my mother and breathe slowly. Then place one phrase in a natural sentence: “I need three things,” or “Those people arrived early.”

Early repetitions may make the tongue movement more deliberate, but gradually return to a comfortable rhythm. Do not exaggerate TH indefinitely. The aim is to keep the target recognizable while the surrounding phrase becomes more natural. See the guides to pronunciation drills and listening for a specific sound for ways to organize this progression.

Why should you avoid pushing your tongue too far out?

Large, forceful movements can make TH uncomfortable and difficult to carry into normal speech. A light contact or small extension is usually a more useful reference than trying to display as much of the tongue as possible.

• Excessive protrusion: bring the tongue closer to the teeth and reduce the movement.
• Clamping the tongue: release pressure so air can pass without pain.
• Complete closure: reopen the narrow channel if the result is drifting toward /t/ or /d/.
• The tongue retreats too far: move it toward the teeth if /θ/ is drifting toward /s/.
• Voicing disappears: sustain /ð/ briefly and use the throat test before returning to the word.
• Speech sounds overcareful: shorten the movement gradually while keeping the target audible.

If the result does not match the model, change one feature at a time: tongue position, airflow or voicing.

How can you tell whether you are making /θ/ or /ð/ correctly?

• Is air moving continuously? Both targets are fricatives.
• Is there a complete closure? If so, the result may be drifting toward /t/ or /d/.
• Is the tongue too far behind the teeth? Compare the target with /s/ if they sound too similar.
• Can you hear a difference from /s/ or /f/? Record the contrast instead of relying only on sensation.
• For /ð/, can you feel voicing? Use the throat test as an approximate cue.
• Does TH remain recognizable in the complete word? A correct isolated sound still needs to work beside vowels and consonants.

Self-checking is approximate. Listen to a consistent model, record several attempts and compare the same word. The guide to recording yourself explains how to make the comparison more useful.

Is TH different in British and American English?

/θ/ and /ð/ are part of both the British RP and General American reference systems used in this article. The primary consonantal targets are broadly shared.

The complete word can still differ. For example, the TH remains /θ/ in bath, but the vowel is commonly transcribed /ɑː/ in RP and /æ/ in General American. Surrounding vowels, the treatment of r, regional dialects and individual speech all create additional variation. The article on choosing a British or American pronunciation model explains how to keep a reference consistent without treating other accents as inferior.

A simple TH practice routine

1. Hear /θ/ and /ð/ separately. Notice that one is voiceless and the other voiced.
2. Form /θ/. Use continuous air and no vocal-fold vibration.
3. Add voicing for /ð/. Keep the tongue position and airflow broadly similar.
4. Identify the sound in words. Check IPA instead of guessing from spelling.
5. Compare the relevant substitute. Use the sound you hear in your own recording.
6. Change word position. Practice TH initially, medially and finally.
7. Move into short phrases. Keep a natural pace as control improves.
8. Record and retest. Compare with the same model, change one feature and try again.

How Speakometer helps you practice the TH sounds

Speakometer combines automatic pronunciation feedback with sound-level teaching and targeted practice. For /θ/ and /ð/, the workflow helps you move from identifying a sound that needs attention to hearing, forming, comparing and practicing it.

1. Practice a TH word with a British or American model. Choose British RP or General American, listen to the model pronunciation and record a word such as think, this, three, those, author or mother.
2. Review color-coded IPA feedback. Speakometer analyzes the pronunciation attempt at sound level and highlights the individual IPA sounds, helping you identify whether /θ/ or /ð/ may need more attention. Automatic feedback is useful guidance rather than an infallible diagnosis.
3. Tap /θ/ or /ð/ to hear the sound in isolation. Individual IPA sounds in the feedback are interactive, so you can immediately hear the reference sound without having to find another example word.
4. Learn how the TH sound is formed. Each sound guide includes original articulation illustrations, step-by-step mouth and tongue-position guidance, model audio, common spelling patterns and example words. Related sound comparisons are included where applicable.
5. Compare TH with nearby sounds. If your /θ/ sounds closer to /t/, /s/ or /f/, for example, you can focus on that specific contrast rather than practicing TH generally. Speakometer includes 8,000+ minimal pairs and sound contrasts for targeted listening and production practice.
6. Practice the sound in more words. Use the 65,000+ searchable word library to test /θ/ or /ð/ in different words and positions instead of relying on a single example.
7. Replay your recording and retest. Listen to your own attempt beside the selected British or American model, make one focused adjustment and try the word again.

Speakometer connects pronunciation feedback directly to the next practice step: identify the TH sound, hear it in isolation, learn how it is formed, compare it with related sounds, practice it in more words and then retest.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the two TH sounds in English?

English commonly uses voiceless /θ/, as in think, and voiced /ð/, as in this. Both are normally described as dental fricatives.

What is the difference between /θ/ and /ð/?

The main difference is voicing. The articulatory settings are closely related, but /ð/ uses vocal-fold vibration while /θ/ does not.

Where should my tongue be for the TH sound?

Bring the tongue tip lightly toward the upper front teeth or slightly between the upper and lower teeth, leaving a narrow path for continuous air. Exact articulation varies naturally, so use this as a practical reference rather than a fixed measurement.

How do I know whether TH is /θ/ or /ð/?

Voiced /ð/ is common in function words such as the, this and they, while voiceless /θ/ is common in content words such as think and method. These are tendencies, so check IPA or model audio for an unfamiliar word.

Why do some people pronounce TH like F, V, T or D?

A learner may map an unfamiliar dental fricative to a familiar sound. Separately, established English dialects can use TH-fronting, TH-stopping or other systematic realizations. A dialect feature is not evidence of defective speech.

Is TH pronounced differently in British and American English?

British RP and General American both use /θ/ and /ð/ as reference phonemes. The surrounding vowels and other parts of a word may differ, and regional varieties contain wider variation.

Are /θ/ and /ð/ minimal pairs common?

Direct common minimal pairs between /θ/ and /ð/ are relatively uncommon. Practice is often more useful when each TH target is compared with the sound a learner actually substitutes, such as /t/, /s/, /f/ or /d/.

Sources and further reading

The classification of /θ/ and /ð/ follows the International Phonetic Association’s official IPA chart and Iowa State University’s open text on English consonant place, manner and voicing. Word transcriptions and British/American examples were checked against Cambridge Dictionary pronunciation entries, including thin, this and the other example words used above.

Spelling tendencies were checked against the University of Groningen’s open textbook chapter on English consonant spelling and pronunciation. The discussion of second-language perception was informed by Cambridge research on English obstruent perception by second-language listeners.

The dialect section was checked against peer-reviewed Cambridge studies of TH-fronting in London and Edinburgh and TH-stopping in urban British speech.

Conclusion

To pronounce English TH, learn two related targets rather than treating th as one sound. Make /θ/ with continuous air and no voicing, then keep a similar articulatory setting and add voicing for /ð/. Check unfamiliar words with IPA and model audio, compare each target with the sound you actually substitute, and move from isolated practice into words, phrases and spontaneous speech. Record, compare with one consistent reference and retest.