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TH Pronunciation in English: Voiced and Voiceless TH

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The letters TH spell two different sounds in English: a voiced TH, as in this, and a voiceless TH, as in think. They are among the hardest English sounds for many learners, because the TH sound does not exist in many other languages.

This guide shows you how to make both sounds, which words use each one, and minimal pairs to train your ear. There are three exercises on this page so you can practice straight away.

On this page

What is the TH sound?

TH is one of the most common sources of English pronunciation mistakes. There are two TH sounds, and they are the only pair of English sounds that share a single spelling: the voiced TH /ð/ (as in that) and the voiceless TH /θ/ (as in thanks).

Both are continuous consonants (fricatives): most of the sound comes from air pushing through a narrow gap, so you can hold them for a few seconds with a smooth, even sound.

How to make the TH sound

Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your top and bottom teeth and push air through the gap. That friction is the TH sound. For the voiced TH /ð/, add your voice so your vocal cords vibrate (as in this, mother, breathe). For the voiceless TH /θ/, use only air, with no vibration (as in think, path, tooth).

Quick test: put a hand on your throat. If it vibrates, the TH is voiced; if not, it is voiceless. Don’t worry if it feels strange at first, the sound is new for most learners.

The voiced TH /ð/

The voiced TH /ð/ appears in many very common words, including the, this and they. You will find it at the beginning, middle and end of words.

Position Examples
Beginning of a word than, the, they, them, these, this, those, themselves
Middle of a word bathing, brother, clothing, father, feather, mother, together, weather
End of a word bathe, breathe, loathe, scathe, seethe, teethe

The voiceless TH /θ/

The voiceless TH /θ/ is made with air only. It also appears at the beginning, middle and end of words.

Position Examples
Beginning of a word theatre, thief, thin, think, thirsty, thorn, thousand, thunder
Middle of a word bathtub, healthy, marathon, python, toothache, toothbrush, truthful
End of a word beneath, cloth, fifth, math, month, path, tooth

Pronunciation is the one skill you cannot learn silently. You need to say the sounds and get feedback. Book a free trial lesson and practice the TH sounds with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.

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Voiced vs voiceless: quick reference

Sound Symbol Examples
Voiced TH /ð/ that, this, mother, breathe
Voiceless TH /θ/ thanks, think, path, tooth
The only difference is your voice: the voiced TH vibrates the vocal cords, the voiceless TH does not. The mouth position is the same for both.

Minimal pairs: hear the difference

These pairs differ only in voicing. Practising them trains your ear and your mouth to keep the two TH sounds apart.

Voiceless Voiced
thigh /θ/ thy /ð/
ether /θ/ either /ð/
teeth /θ/ teethe /ð/
breath /θ/ breathe /ð/
loath /θ/ loathe /ð/

Practice exercises on TH pronunciation

Try these three exercises. For each word, decide whether the TH is voiced or voiceless.

Exercise 1. Read these TH words and decide if each one is voiced or voiceless.

Exercise 2. More TH words: decide if each one is voiced or voiceless.

Exercise 3. Mixed TH words: decide if each one is voiced or voiceless.

Quick self-check

Choose the answer, then reveal the solutions.

1. Is the TH in mother voiced or voiceless?
2. Is the TH in think voiced or voiceless?
3. Which word ends in a voiced TH: bath or bathe?

Show answers

1. voiced /ð/.   2. voiceless /θ/.   3. bathe /ð/.

How did that feel? Telling the sounds apart in an exercise is one thing. Producing them clearly when you speak is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will listen and help you fix the sounds that are holding you back.

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Frequently asked questions

How many TH sounds are there in English?
Two. A voiced TH, as in this and mother, and a voiceless TH, as in think and path. They share the same spelling, so you have to learn which words use each one.
What is the difference between voiced and voiceless TH?
The mouth position is the same: the tongue is between the teeth. The difference is your voice. In the voiced TH the vocal cords vibrate (this, they, breathe); in the voiceless TH they do not (think, thanks, tooth). Put a hand on your throat to feel the difference.
How do you make the TH sound?
Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your top and bottom teeth and push air through the gap. Add voice for the voiced TH; use air only for the voiceless TH.
Why is TH so hard to pronounce?
The TH sounds do not exist in many languages, so learners often replace them with s, z, t, d or f. With practice and feedback, most people learn them quickly.
Which common words use the voiced TH?
Many function words: the, this, that, these, those, they, them, there, then and than, plus words like mother, father, brother, weather and breathe.

Key takeaways

  • TH spells two sounds: the voiced TH /ð/ (this) and the voiceless TH /θ/ (think).
  • The tongue goes between the teeth for both sounds; only the voicing changes.
  • The voiced TH vibrates the vocal cords; the voiceless TH uses air only.
  • Many very common words (the, this, they, mother) use the voiced TH.
  • Practice with minimal pairs (breath/breathe, teeth/teethe) to keep the sounds apart.

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Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.