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Why Is ‘Th’ So Hard?
Why it’s so hard and what you can do about it.
Ever said “sick” when you meant “thick”?
Or maybe someone looked confused when you said “zen” instead of “then”?
If so, you’re not alone.
The ‘th’ sound is one of the most difficult sounds to pronounce in English.
In fact, there are two of them:
- /θ/ like in think, maths, or tooth
- /ð/ like in this, breathe, or those
These two sounds are often confused with other sounds like /s/, /z/, /f/, or /t/. That’s why think can become sink, thin sounds like fin, and those turns into dose.
Why is ‘th’ so difficult?
Because most languages don’t use these sounds — not in the same way English does.
Plus:
You have to stick your tongue between your teeth ? (which feels super weird at first)
One sound is voiceless (no vibration), and the other is voiced (your throat vibrates)
There are no hard spelling rules. Sometimes it’s /θ/, sometimes /ð/, and you just have to learn which is which
But don’t worry, this blog series will guide you through it step by step.
Let’s break it down
The two “th” sounds look the same when you write them, but they’re totally different when you say them.
Sound | Example word | Voicing | Tongue placement |
|---|---|---|---|
/θ/ | think, maths | ❌ voiceless | between the teeth |
/ð/ | this, brother | ✅ voiced | between the teeth |
Voiceless means your vocal cords don’t vibrate
Voiced means your vocal cords do vibrate
Want to try?
- Put your fingers on your throat and say think → no vibration
- Now say this → you should feel it buzz
Why it matters — especially for tests
If you're preparing for an English-speaking exam, pronunciation plays a big role in your score, especially clarity.
Mispronouncing /θ/ or /ð/ can confuse the listener, change the meaning of your message, or make you sound less confident — even if your grammar and vocabulary are great.
That’s why I created this mini-series.
What’s coming next
This is Part 1. In the next two parts, you’ll learn exactly how to:
✅ Fix your /θ/ (think, maths, tooth) and stop saying sink instead of think
✅ Fix your /ð/ (this, that, those) and stop saying zen instead of then
You’ll also get:
Tongue tips
Practice words
Common mistakes
Minimal pairs to train your ears and mouth
Encouragement to keep going!
The Two "th" Sounds
It a good idea to learn the phonetic symbol for each of these sounds. This will help you when you search how to pronounce a word with "th" or look in a dictionary. More on that later.
To find out more about the Phonetic Alphabet, check out this Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet
Let's take a look.
1 : The voiceless "th". Represented by the phonetic symbol /θ/
2 : The voiced "th". Represented by the phonetic symbol /ð/
Both sounds, one after the other to show you the difference.
Using A Dictionary
Let me show you what I mean about the phonetic alphabet and how knowing the symbols can help you.
When you look up a word in a dictionary, you'll see how it is said using the phonetic alphabet.
Here are two examples (three if you include the plural version of "bath"), to show you. I'm using the Oxford Learner's Dictionary.
Bath
Baths
Notice how some words change which "th" sound when it become plural. I know, English is crazy!
Mother
How to Pronounce /θ/
What is /θ/?
It’s that sound in:
- think
- thank you
- maths
- tooth
It’s made without using your voice. It’s just air and tongue placement.
That’s why it’s called “voiceless”.
How to Make the /θ/ Sound
Here’s what to do step-by-step:
- Start by pronouncing the sound /s/ as in “sing”.
- Then start again by sticking the tip of your tongue out a little or pressing it against your upper teeth.
- Note that some people can make the "th" sound without poking their tongue out. Instead they slightly push their tongue against the back of the top teeth.
- Practice say "sing" but with your tongue in this new position.
- "Sing" becomes "thing".
- No voice!
- Put your fingers on your throat.
- You shouldn’t feel any vibration.
- It’s all air, like a whisper.
Here are some examples:
Common Alternatives
- /s/ → “think” becomes “sink”
- /t/ → “thank” becomes “tank”
- /f/ → “thing” becomes “fing”
These errors can confuse the listener or change the meaning.
✅ Minimal Pairs for Practice
Audio | Minimal Pair |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | /θ/ thank vs. sank |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thick vs. sick |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thigh vs. sigh |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thin vs. sin |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thing vs. sing |
0:000:00 | /θ/ think vs. sink |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thinking vs. sinking |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thought vs. sought |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thumb vs. some |
0:000:00 | /θ/ faithless vs. faceless |
0:000:00 | /θ/ unthinkable vs. unsinkable |
0:000:00 | /θ/ maths vs. mass |
0:000:00 | /θ/ path vs. pass |
0:000:00 | /θ/ tenth vs. tense |
0:000:00 | /θ/ worth vs. worse |
0:000:00 | /θ/ mouth vs. mouse |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thickest vs. sickest |
0:000:00 | /θ/ theme vs. seem |
Practise these pairs out loud and exaggerate the tongue position!
Try This Sentence
“Think thin thoughts on Thursday.”
Say it slowly, clearly, and then build speed.
Use a mirror to check your tongue position.
How to Pronounce /ð/
What is /ð/?
It’s that sound in:
- this
- that
- they
- mother
- breathe
Unlike /θ/, this one uses your voice. This means your throat should vibrate whilst creating the /θ/ sound.
That’s why it’s called “voiced”.
? How to Make the /ð/ Sound
Here’s what to do step-by-step:
- Start by pronouncing the sound /z/ as in “zen”.
- Then start again by sticking the tip of your tongue out a little or pressing it against your upper teeth.
- Note that some people can make the "th" sound without poking their tongue out. Instead they slightly push their tongue against the back of the top teeth.
- Practice saying "zen" but with your tongue in this new position.
- "Zen" becomes "then".
- Add your voice
- Vibrate your vocal cords while pushing air out.
- Put your fingers on your throat.
- You should feel your vocal cords vibrate.
? Test It: Put your hand on your throat and say “zzz.” Feel that buzz?
Now try it with “that.” You should feel the same buzz.
? No vibration = wrong sound!
Here are some examples:
? Common Alternatives
- /d/ → “this” becomes “dis” or "zis".
- /z/ → “they” becomes “day” or "zay"
These sound close… but not close enough.
✅ Minimal Pairs for Practice
Audio | Minimal Pair |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | /ð/ with vs. whizz |
0:000:00 | /ð/ then vs. zen |
0:000:00 | /ð/ clothing vs. closing |
0:000:00 | /ð/ teethe vs. teas |
0:000:00 | /ð/ teething vs. teasing |
0:000:00 | /ð/ bathe vs. bays |
0:000:00 | /ð/ breathe vs. breeze |
0:000:00 | /ð/ loathe vs. lows |
0:000:00 | /ð/ seethe vs. seas |
0:000:00 | /ð/ soothe vs. sues |
? Practise these pairs out loud and exaggerate the tongue position!
Practice /θ/ and /ð/ in Real Speech
Put your TH skills into action, clearly and confidently.
Quick Recap
You’ve learned:
- /θ/ as in think → voiceless (no vibration)
- /ð/ as in this → voiced (feel the vibration)
Same tongue position — different energy.
Why TH Is So Tricky
These two sounds only exist in a few languages such as Spanish, Icelandic and Greek.
They’re super common in English, especially in:
- Grammar words: the, this, that, those, they, them
- Daily words: think, birthday, mouth, nothing, thanks
So... if your TH isn’t clear, it really affects how you’re understood.
Train Your Tongue. ? Listen. Can you hear the difference?
Say these aloud: (/θ/ vs /ð/)
/θ/ thin vs /ð/ then
/θ/ thought vs /ð/ that
/θ/ thank vs /ð/ they
Optional: Record yourself and compare it to native speakers.
Speak
Try these mixed sentences:
- “They think this thing is theirs.”
- “Thanks for that thoughtful gift.”
- “Nothing that they say matters.”
- “I thought they said Thursday, not Saturday!”
Speak slowly first.
Focus on:
- Tongue position (just peeking out or slightly pushing against the back of the top teeth)
- Voice or no voice
- Clear transitions
Then try again — faster and more natural.
Smart Practice Tips
- Touch your throat: Buzzing = /ð/, silent = /θ/
- Record and repeat: Track your progress by recording yourself regularly.
- Shadow native speakers: YouTube, podcasts, audiobooks
More Minimal Pairs Practice
✅ Minimal Pairs for Practice
A quick reminder before we dive into minimal pairs. The English language is blessed with many, many different accents. Although the following examples are titled as "Minimal Pairs", not all English speakers pronounce "th" in the same way.
So, it is perfectly normal to hear "firty-free fin forns" in place of "thirty-three thin thorns". Or "Dere were tree of us at deh teatre" in place of "There were three of us at the theatre".
As a non-native speaker, your focus needs to be on clarity, not on sounding like a native. Because which native are you going to choose to sound like? For example, I even have a different pronunciation from that of my brother's!
That's the reality.
Choose clarity first!
/f/ and /θ/
Audio | Minimal Pair |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | /θ/ three vs. free |
0:000:00 | /θ/ death vs. deaf |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thought vs. fought |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thaw vs. four/for |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thin vs. fin |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thirst vs. first |
0:000:00 | /θ/ throw vs. (to and) fro |
0:000:00 | /θ/ therm vs. firm |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thought vs. fort |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thrill vs. frill |
0:000:00 | /θ/ third vs. furred |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thorn vs. fawn |
0:000:00 | /θ/ threat vs. fret |
/t/ and /th/
Audio | Minimal Pair |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | /θ/ thank vs. tank |
0:000:00 | /θ/ tenth vs. tent |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thigh vs. tie |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thigh vs. Thai |
0:000:00 | /θ/ three vs. tree |
0:000:00 | /θ/ fourth vs. fort |
0:000:00 | /θ/ fourth vs. fought |
0:000:00 | /θ/ maths vs. mat |
0:000:00 | /θ/ path vs. part |
0:000:00 | /θ/ tooth vs. toot |
0:000:00 | /θ/ threw vs. true |
0:000:00 | /θ/ death vs. debt |
0:000:00 | /θ/ north vs. nought |
0:000:00 | /θ/ teeth vs. teat |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thick vs. tick |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thin vs. tin |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thaw vs. tour |
0:000:00 | /θ/ through vs. true |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thrust vs. trust |
0:000:00 | /θ/ cloth vs. clot |
0:000:00 | /θ/ faith vs. fate |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thorn vs. torn |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thread vs. tread |
0:000:00 | /θ/ theme vs. teem |
0:000:00 | /θ/ thug vs. tug |
0:000:00 | /ð/ their vs. tear |
0:000:00 | /ð/ these vs. tease |
0:000:00 | /ð/ those vs. toes |
0:000:00 | /ð/ than vs. tan |
0:000:00 | /ð/ weather vs. wetter |
Where to find /θ/ and /ð/
You'll be delighted to learn that there are no hard-set rules on whether the "th" is /θ/ and /ð/.
Oh, how we love English!
However, there are certain patterns that can help you... Yippy!
They can be put into three groups:
- "th" at the beginning of a word.
- "th" in the middle of a word.
- "th" at the end of a word.
1. "th" at the beginning of a word:
"th" /θ/ - voiceless.
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | threat /θ/ |
0:000:00 | thought /θ/ |
0:000:00 | think /θ/ |
0:000:00 | throw /θ/ |
Function words generally begin with the voiced /ð/ like pronouns, adverbs and conjunctions.
Pronouns
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | they /ð/ |
0:000:00 | them /ð/ |
0:000:00 | their /ð/ |
0:000:00 | the /ð/ |
0:000:00 | this /ð/ |
0:000:00 | that /ð/ |
0:000:00 | these /ð/ |
0:000:00 | those /ð/ |
Adverbs and conjunctions
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | then /ð/ |
0:000:00 | there /ð/ |
0:000:00 | than /ð/ |
0:000:00 | thus /ð/ |
0:000:00 | though /ð/ |
0:000:00 | therefore /ð/ |
0:000:00 | thereby /ð/ |
0:000:00 | thereafter /ð/ |
2. "th" in the middle of a word:
Most words use /ð/ - voiced when "th" in the middle.
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | father /ð/ |
0:000:00 | mother /ð/ |
0:000:00 | brother /ð/ |
0:000:00 | rather /ð/ |
0:000:00 | further /ð/ |
0:000:00 | together /ð/ |
0:000:00 | weather /ð/ |
0:000:00 | whether /ð/ |
The majority of borrowed words, mainly from French, "th" is found in the middle of the word. They usually have the /θ/ - voiceless "th"
Borrowed Words
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | cathedral /θ/ |
0:000:00 | enthusiasm /θ/ |
0:000:00 | ethics /θ/ |
0:000:00 | mathematics /θ/ |
0:000:00 | lethal /θ/ |
0:000:00 | method /θ/ |
0:000:00 | mythical /θ/ |
3. "th" at the end of a word:
Nouns and adjectives generally end with a /θ/ - voiceless "th".
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | bath /θ/ |
0:000:00 | cloth /θ/ |
0:000:00 | breath /θ/ |
0:000:00 | tooth /θ/ |
0:000:00 | teeth /θ/ |
Verbs generally end in /ð/ - voiced "th".
Audio | Word and phonetic symbol |
|---|---|
0:000:00 | breathe /ð/ |
0:000:00 | loathe /ð/ |
0:000:00 | soothe /ð/ |
Conclusion
Although the “th” sound appears everywhere in English, it’s not essential for being understood. Many learners speak fluently without ever mastering it. And that’s okay.
Think about when someone speaks your language with an accent. You might notice little slips, but you still understand them — because communication is about context, not perfection.
That’s why clarity is more important than sounding “native.” And clarity comes from small changes, like fixing your articulation and becoming more aware of how you speak.
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