Fricatives

How to pronounce /ð/ TH as in this

thismotherbreathe

How to make it

Tongue tip between your teeth like think, but with your voice on.

Tongue
Tip touches the edge of the top teeth
Lips
Relaxed and open
Voice
Buzzing on

Watch the mouth

Tongue tip between your teeth, and let your voice buzz through.

Where learners slip

Often replaced by /d/ or /z/ — this can land as dis.

  • Vietnamese speakersUsually replaced by /d/ — this can land as dis.
  • Portuguese speakersUsually replaced by /d/.
  • Japanese speakersUsually replaced by /z/ — this can land as zis.
  • Chinese speakersUsually replaced by /z/ or /d/.
  • Thai speakersUsually replaced by /d/ — this can land as dis.
  • Hindi speakersTurned into a hard D.
  • Indonesian speakersUsually replaced by /d/ — this can land as dis.
  • Russian speakersUsually replaced by /z/ or /d/.
  • Turkish speakersUsually replaced by /d/ or /z/.
  • French speakersUsually replaced by /z/ — this can land as zis.
  • German speakersUsually replaced by /z/ or /d/.
  • Persian speakersUsually replaced by /z/ — this can land as zis.

Say it on real English. See if it lands.

Lang Shadow scores /ð/ every time you say it — in Shorts, in role plays and in your own words — and colours it next to the other 40 sounds.