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Have you ever noticed the soft, buzzing sound in words like “measure”, “vision”, or “massage”? That’s the /ʒ/ sound — a rare but important consonant sound in English. Let’s explore what the /ʒ/ sound is, how to pronounce it, where to find it in words, and how to practice it clearly and confidently.
The Consonant Sound /ʒ/
What Is the /ʒ/ Sound?
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IPA Symbol: /ʒ/
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Type: Voiced postalveolar fricative
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Voicing: Voiced (your vocal cords vibrate)
How to Pronounce /ʒ/
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Place your tongue near the roof of your mouth, just behind your upper front teeth (postalveolar position).
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Round your lips slightly, like when saying “sure.”
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Push air out while vibrating your vocal cords.
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You should hear a soft, buzzing friction.
You can hear the /ʒ/ sound clearly in this audio, together with the example vision.
Tip: Put your hand on your throat when you say “measure” — if it vibrates, you’re doing it right!
Common Spelling Patterns for /ʒ/
| Spelling | Examples | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| -sion (after vowel) | vision, decision | /ˈvɪʒən/, /dɪˈsɪʒən/ |
| -sure | measure, pleasure | /ˈmɛʒər/, /ˈplɛʒər/ |
| -ge (in French words) | garage, collage | /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/, /kəˈlɑːʒ/ |
| -si- | division, television | /dɪˈvɪʒən/, /ˈtɛlɪˌvɪʒən/ |
| -z- (rare) | azure | /ˈæʒər/ or /ˈæʒʊr/ |
Tongue Twisters for /ʒ/ Practice
Say them slowly at first, then try them faster. Feel the vibration on each /ʒ/ sound!
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The treasure of pleasure is a measure beyond leisure.
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She had a vision of a luxurious occasion in a beige mansion.
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Usually, a casual measure of leisure brings great pleasure.
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The television showed a visual illusion of precision.
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The beige garage was full of treasure and confusion.
Words with the Consonant Sound /ʒ/
Words with /ʒ/ Sound in the Middle
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| measure | /ˈmɛʒər/ |
| treasure | /ˈtrɛʒər/ |
| pleasure | /ˈplɛʒər/ |
| leisure | /ˈliːʒər/ |
| vision | /ˈvɪʒən/ |
| decision | /dɪˈsɪʒən/ |
| television | /ˈtɛlɪˌvɪʒən/ |
| revision | /rɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| provision | /prəˈvɪʒən/ |
| precision | /prɪˈsɪʒən/ |
| collision | /kəˈlɪʒən/ |
| illusion | /ɪˈluːʒən/ |
| confusion | /kənˈfjuːʒən/ |
| conclusion | /kənˈkluːʒən/ |
| inclusion | /ɪnˈkluːʒən/ |
| exclusion | /ɪkˈskluːʒən/ |
| seclusion | /sɪˈkluːʒən/ |
| infusion | /ɪnˈfjuːʒən/ |
| delusion | /dɪˈluːʒən/ |
| intrusion | /ɪnˈtruːʒən/ |
| erosion | /ɪˈroʊʒən/ |
| corrosion | /kəˈroʊʒən/ |
| explosion | /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/ |
| dispersion | /dɪˈspɜːʒən/ |
| persuasion | /pərˈsweɪʒən/ |
| occasion | /əˈkeɪʒən/ |
| invasion | /ɪnˈveɪʒən/ |
| abrasion | /əˈbreɪʒən/ |
| evasion | /ɪˈveɪʒən/ |
| derision | /dɪˈrɪʒən/ |
| incursion | /ɪnˈkɜːʒən/ |
| immersion | /ɪˈmɜːʒən/ |
| coercion | /koʊˈɜːʒən/ |
| aversion | /əˈvɜːʒən/ |
| supervision | /ˌsuːpərˈvɪʒən/ |
| division | /dɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| conversion | /kənˈvɜːʒən/ |
| excursion | /ɪkˈskɜːʒən/ |
| reversion | /rɪˈvɜːʒən/ |
| incision | /ɪnˈsɪʒən/ |
| decision-making | /dɪˈsɪʒən ˌmeɪkɪŋ/ |
| envision | /ɪnˈvɪʒən/ |
| redivision | /ˌriːdɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| intervision | /ˌɪntərˈvɪʒən/ |
| provisioning | /prəˈvɪʒənɪŋ/ |
| revisionist | /rɪˈvɪʒənɪst/ |
| televisual | /ˌtɛlɪˈvɪʒuəl/ |
| transvision | /trænzˈvɪʒən/ |
| reprovision | /ˌriːprəˈvɪʒən/ |
| circumcision | /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʒən/ |
| indecision | /ˌɪndɪˈsɪʒən/ |
| misdivision | /ˌmɪsdɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| electrovision | /ɪˌlɛktroʊˈvɪʒən/ |
| prevision | /prɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| antirevision | /ˌæntaɪrɪˈvɪʒən/ |
| exposure | /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/ |
| closure | /ˈkloʊʒər/ |
| erasure | /ɪˈreɪʒər/ |
| disclosure | /dɪsˈkloʊʒər/ |
| composure | /kəmˈpoʊʒər/ |
| enclosure | /ɪnˈkloʊʒər/ |
| overexposure | /ˌoʊvərɪkˈspoʊʒər/ |
| underexposure | /ˌʌndərɪkˈspoʊʒər/ |
| foreclosure | /fɔːrˈkloʊʒər/ |
| preexposure | /ˌpriːɪkˈspoʊʒər/ |
| reexposure | /ˌriːɪkˈspoʊʒər/ |
| reclosure | /ˌriːˈkloʊʒər/ |
| misclosure | /ˌmɪsˈkloʊʒər/ |
| disposure | /dɪsˈpoʊʒər/ |
| supposure | /səˈpoʊʒər/ |
Words with /ʒ/ Sound at the End
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| beige | /beɪʒ/ |
| barrage | /bəˈrɑːʒ/ (UK), /ˈbærɑːʒ/ (US) |
| camouflage | /ˈkæməflɑːʒ/ |
| collage | /kəˈlɑːʒ/ |
| corsage | /kɔːrˈsɑːʒ/ |
| dressage | /drɛˈsɑːʒ/ |
| entourage | /ˈɒntʊrɑːʒ/ (UK), /ˈɑːntʊrɑːʒ/ (US) |
| espionage | /ˈɛspiənɑːʒ/ |
| garage | /ˈɡærɑːʒ/, /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/ |
| homage | /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/ (UK), /ˈɑːmɪdʒ/ or /oʊˈmɑːʒ/ (US) |
| mirage | /mɪˈrɑːʒ/ |
| montage | /ˈmɒntɑːʒ/ (UK), /mɑːnˈtɑːʒ/ (US) |
| massage | /ˈmæsɑːʒ/ |
| outrage | /ˈaʊtreɪdʒ/ |
| sabotage | /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ |
| prestige | /prɛˈstiːʒ/ |
| rouge | /ruːʒ/ |
| décolletage | /ˌdeɪkɒlˈtɑːʒ/ |
| fuselage | /ˈfjuːzəlɑːʒ/ |
| bricolage | /ˌbriːkəˈlɑːʒ/ |
| reportage | /ˌrɛpɔːˈtɑːʒ/ |
| fromage | /frəˈmɑːʒ/ |
| corsetage | /ˌkɔːrsəˈtɑːʒ/ |
| assemblage | /əˈsɛmblɑːʒ/ |
| decoupage | /ˌdeɪkuːˈpɑːʒ/ |
| cordonage | /ˌkɔːrdənˈɑːʒ/ |
| tournage | /ˈtʊərnɑːʒ/ |
| maquillage | /ˌmækiˈjɑːʒ/ |
| pelage | /ˈpɛlɑːʒ/ |
| moulage | /ˈmuːlɑːʒ/ |
| microlage | /ˈmaɪkrəlɑːʒ/ |
| mutage | /ˈmjuːtɑːʒ/ |