tʃ
The /tʃ/ sound: ch as in chair
- Consonant
- Voiceless
- Medium priority
Hear it
in chair
- Lips
- Pushed forward, rounded
- Tongue
- Front of the tongue just behind the ridge
- Voice
- Off: only air
- Air
- Stopped, then released slowly with friction
The sound on its own: recording by Peter Isotalo, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Credits
How to make /tʃ/
- 1
Start as if saying /t/, tongue on the ridge.
- 2
Release into a /ʃ/ 'sh' sound in one quick movement.
- 3
It is one crisp sound: chair, teacher, watch.
- Sounds like
- a sneeze cut short, 'tch!'
/tʃ/ vs /ʃ/: chair vs share
Every pair/tʃ/ begins with a complete tongue-stop (a hidden t) then releases; /ʃ/ flows from the first instant. You can stretch 'shhhh' forever, but 'ch' always pops.
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Which word do you hear?
How /tʃ/ is spelled
chtcht + uret + ion
The usual mistake
Softening it to /ʃ/ so 'chair' sounds like 'share' and 'watch' like 'wash', common for French and Portuguese speakers.
Words to practise
Say it and get scored
Read chair, teacher, watch, question, choose aloud. Free, no account.
Questions
How do you pronounce the /tʃ/ sound?
Start as if saying /t/, tongue on the ridge. Release into a /ʃ/ 'sh' sound in one quick movement. It is one crisp sound: chair, teacher, watch.
What is the most common mistake with /tʃ/?
Softening it to /ʃ/ so 'chair' sounds like 'share' and 'watch' like 'wash', common for French and Portuguese speakers.
Which spellings make the /tʃ/ sound?
Common spellings include “ch”, “tch”, “t(ure)”, “t(ion)”, as in chair /tʃeə/, teacher /ˈtiːtʃə/, watch /wɒtʃ/.
Does /tʃ/ matter for IELTS?
It matters moderately. Errors are noticeable but only sometimes affect understanding. Fix the high-priority vowel contrasts and final consonants first, then polish this one.