Pronunciation · consonant
The /ð/ sound — th as in this
In short
/ð/ is a voiced dental fricative — the consonant you hear in this, mother, breathe. It is voiced: your vocal cords vibrate while you make it. Below: exactly how to position your mouth, audio you can copy, the mistakes learners actually make, and drills to fix them.
How to pronounce /ð/
- 1Same tongue-between-teeth position as /θ/.
- 2Switch your voice on — the tongue tip should buzz.
- 3It appears in the most common English words: the, this, that, they.
Sounds like: the voiceless th with a buzz added
/ð/ in words — with audio
Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.
- this/ðɪs/ · sound is initial
- mother/ˈmʌðə/ · sound is medial
- breathe/briːð/ · sound is final
- they/ðeɪ/ · sound is initial
- weather/ˈweðə/ · sound is medial
- although/ɔːlˈðəʊ/ · sound is medial
The mistake almost everyone makes
Substituting /d/ ('this' → 'dis') or /z/ ('breathe' → 'breeze'). Because 'the' is the most frequent word in English, this error is heard constantly.
Spellings of /ð/
These letter patterns commonly spell /ð/: th. English spelling is unreliable — trust the IPA, not the letters.
Don't confuse it with…
Minimal pairs isolate the exact contrast — the fastest way to train both your ear and your mouth.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce the /ð/ sound?
Same tongue-between-teeth position as /θ/. Switch your voice on — the tongue tip should buzz. It appears in the most common English words: the, this, that, they.
What is the most common mistake with /ð/?
Substituting /d/ ('this' → 'dis') or /z/ ('breathe' → 'breeze'). Because 'the' is the most frequent word in English, this error is heard constantly.
Which spellings make the /ð/ sound?
Common spellings include “th” — as in this /ðɪs/, mother /ˈmʌðə/, breathe /briːð/.
Does /ð/ matter for IELTS?
Yes — this is a high-priority sound. Errors here frequently change one word into another, which examiners hear as reduced clarity (the exact Band 6 wording is “mispronunciation … reduces clarity at times”).
Next step
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