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The /θ/ sound is a common English consonant that many learners find challenging. It appears in words like think, bath, and tooth, and it’s known for its soft, breathy sound made with the tongue and teeth. In this reference, we’ll explore what the /θ/ sound is, how it works, where it appears in words, and how you can practice and pronounce it clearly and confidently.
The Consonant Sound /θ/
What Is the /θ/ Sound?
The /θ/ sound is a voiceless consonant in English. It is known as a voiceless dental fricative, which means:
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Voiceless: Your vocal cords do not vibrate when making this sound.
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Dental: The sound is produced by placing your tongue lightly against your upper front teeth.
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Fricative: Air is forced through a narrow space, creating friction.
You can hear the /θ/ sound in words like think, math, and tooth. It is one of the more challenging sounds for English learners because it doesn’t exist in many other languages.
How to Pronounce /θ/
To pronounce the /θ/ sound:
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Place the tip of your tongue just behind or slightly between your upper and lower front teeth.
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Blow air out gently over the tongue and through the teeth.
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Keep your vocal cords silent—no buzzing or vibration.
Let’s play the recording so you can hear the /θ/ sound clearly with an example word: thing.
Voiceless /θ/ and Voiced /ð/
Both /θ/ and /ð/ are made with the tongue between the teeth, but they differ in voicing.
| /θ/ | /ð/ |
|---|---|
| Voiceless | Voiced |
| No vibration in the vocal cords | Vocal cords vibrate |
| Example: think | Example: this |
Words with the Consonant Sound /θ/
Words with/θ/ Sound at the Beginning
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| think | /θɪŋk/ |
| thin | /θɪn/ |
| thank | /θæŋk/ |
| thick | /θɪk/ |
| thief | /θif/ |
| thorn | /θɔrn/ |
| thought | /θɔt/ |
| theme | /θiːm/ |
| theater | /ˈθiːətɚ/ |
| therapy | /ˈθɛrəpi/ |
| thunder | /ˈθʌndɚ/ |
| thirsty | /ˈθɝːsti/ |
| thorny | /ˈθɔrni/ |
| thriller | /ˈθrɪlɚ/ |
| three | /θriː/ |
| throne | /θroʊn/ |
| throw | /θroʊ/ |
| thrive | /θraɪv/ |
| throb | /θrɑːb/ |
| threshold | /ˈθrɛʃhoʊld/ |
| thump | /θʌmp/ |
| thud | /θʌd/ |
| thicket | /ˈθɪkɪt/ |
| theology | /θiˈɑlədʒi/ |
| thermostat | /ˈθɝːmoʊstæt/ |
| thorough | /ˈθɝːoʊ/ |
| thimble | /ˈθɪmbəl/ |
| thistle | /ˈθɪsəl/ |
| thigh | /θaɪ/ |
| thunderstorm | /ˈθʌndɚstɔrm/ |
| theorem | /ˈθiːərəm/ |
| thresher | /ˈθrɛʃɚ/ |
| thumbnail | /ˈθʌmneɪl/ |
| thoroughly | /ˈθɝːəli/ |
| therapist | /ˈθɛrəpɪst/ |
| thermometer | /θɚˈmɑːmɪtɚ/ |
| theatrical | /θiˈætrɪkəl/ |
| thankful | /ˈθæŋkfəl/ |
| thaw | /θɔ/ |
| thirtieth | /ˈθɝːtiəθ/ |
| thirteenth | /θɝːˈtiːnθ/ |
| theological | /θiːəˈlɑːdʒɪkəl/ |
| thunderous | /ˈθʌndɚəs/ |
| therapist | /ˈθɛrəpɪst/ |
| thinker | /ˈθɪŋkɚ/ |
| theoretical | /ˌθiːəˈrɛtɪkəl/ |
| throat | /θroʊt/ |
| thresher | /ˈθrɛʃɚ/ |
| thunderbolt | /ˈθʌndɚboʊlt/ |
| thralldom | /ˈθrɔːldəm/ |
Words with /θ/ Sound in the Middle
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| author | /ˈɔːθɚ/ |
| athlete | /ˈæθliːt/ |
| birthday | /ˈbɝːθdeɪ/ |
| breathless | /ˈbrɛθləs/ |
| catheter | /ˈkæθətɚ/ |
| earthling | /ˈɝːθlɪŋ/ |
| toothache | /ˈtuːθeɪk/ |
| toothpick | /ˈtuːθpɪk/ |
| aesthetic | /ɛsˈθɛtɪk/ |
| python | /ˈpaɪθɑn/ |
| pathway | /ˈpæθweɪ/ |
| panther | /ˈpænθɚ/ |
| thistle | /ˈθɪsəl/ |
| mythic | /ˈmɪθɪk/ |
| breathy | /ˈbrɛθi/ |
| scytheman | /ˈsaɪθmən/ |
| mouthful | /ˈmaʊθfʊl/ |
| mothball | /ˈmɑːθbɔl/ |
| clothespin | /ˈkloʊθspɪn/ |
| toothless | /ˈtuːθləs/ |
| deathly | /ˈdɛθli/ |
| wrathful | /ˈræθfʊl/ |
| stealthy | /ˈstɛlθi/ |
| filthier | /ˈfɪlθiɚ/ |
| oathbreaker | /ˈoʊθˌbreɪkɚ/ |
| mouthwash | /ˈmaʊθwɑʃ/ |
| birthmark | /ˈbɝːθmɑrk/ |
| warpath | /ˈwɔrˌpæθ/ |
| hearthside | /ˈhɑːrθsaɪd/ |
| toothmark | /ˈtuːθmɑrk/ |
| mothwing | /ˈmɑːθwɪŋ/ |
| truthfully | /ˈtruːθfəli/ |
| underneath | /ˌʌndɚˈniːθ/ |
| bathrobe | /ˈbæθroʊb/ |
| outthink | /ˌaʊtˈθɪŋk/ |
| outthrust | /ˌaʊtˈθrʌst/ |
| neothink | /ˈniːəˌθɪŋk/ |
| wrathstorm | /ˈræθstɔːrm/ |
| toothprint | /ˈtuːθprɪnt/ |
| behemothic | /bɪˈhiːˌmɑθɪk/ |
| monolithic | /ˌmɑːnəˈlɪθɪk/ |
| cathedral | /kəˈθiːdrəl/ |
| empathetic | /ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/ |
| methodical | /məˈθɑːdɪkəl/ |
| hypothetical | /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkəl/ |
| arithmetic | /əˈrɪθmətɪk/ |
| apathy | /ˈæpəθi/ |
Words with /θ/ Sound at the End
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| bath | /bæθ/ |
| math | /mæθ/ |
| path | /pæθ/ |
| cloth | /klɔθ/ |
| tooth | /tuːθ/ |
| mouth | /maʊθ/ |
| wrath | /ræθ/ |
| truth | /truːθ/ |
| youth | /juːθ/ |
| faith | /feɪθ/ |
| birth | /bɝːθ/ |
| earth | /ɝːθ/ |
| death | /dɛθ/ |
| worth | /wɝːθ/ |
| growth | /ɡroʊθ/ |
| width | /wɪdθ/ |
| depth | /dɛpθ/ |
| tenth | /tɛnθ/ |
| fifth | /fɪfθ/ |
| sixth | /sɪksθ/ |
| eighth | /eɪtθ/ |
| ninth | /naɪnθ/ |
| fourth | /fɔrθ/ |
| teeth | /tiːθ/ |
| beneath | /bəˈniːθ/ |
| bequeath | /bɪˈkwiːθ/ |
| unearthed | /ʌnˈɝːθt/ |
| rebirth | /ˌriːˈbɝːθ/ |
| foregrowth | /ˈfɔːrˌɡroʊθ/ |
| untruth | /ʌnˈtruːθ/ |
| bloodbath | /ˈblʌdbæθ/ |
| afterbirth | /ˈæftɚbɝːθ/ |
| birdbath | /ˈbɝːdbæθ/ |
| zenith | /ˈziːnɪθ/ |
| mammoth | /ˈmæməθ/ |
| sabbath | /ˈsæbəθ/ |
| telepath | /ˈtɛləˌpæθ/ |
| psychopath | /ˈsaɪkəˌpæθ/ |
| sociopath | /ˈsoʊʃiəˌpæθ/ |
| monolith | /ˈmɑːnəlɪθ/ |
| warmth | /wɔːrmθ/ |
| filth | /fɪlθ/ |
| health | /hɛlθ/ |
| stealth | /stɛlθ/ |
| wealth | /wɛlθ/ |
| mirth | /mɝːθ/ |
| dearth | /dɝːθ/ |
| scythe | /saɪθ/ |
| swarth | /swɔrθ/ |
| betroth | /bɪˈtroʊθ/ |