Think and this: two th sounds you already know from Arabic

The rule

/θ/ is like Arabic ث: think, three, thank. /ð/ is like Arabic ذ: this, that, mother. For both, put the tip of your tongue between your teeth and push air out.

Standard Arabic has both sounds, but many spoken dialects turn ث into ت or س and ذ into د or ز. That is why learners say tink or sink for think, and dis or zis for this. French has no th at all.

Examples

In a conversation

A: Thanks for your help with the maths homework.

B: No problem. Was the third question OK?

A: Yes, I think so. That one was difficult!

B: Then let's do the other ones together on Thursday.

Practice

Choose the best answer. The answers are at the end of the lesson.

1. Which word has a different th sound?
   • a) think
   • b) they
   • c) three
2. Which word starts with /θ/, like ث?
   • a) thing
   • b) that
   • c) the
3. Which word has /ð/, like ذ?
   • a) month
   • b) bath
   • c) mother

Tip

Say the Arabic letter first, then the English word: ث… think, ذ… this. Most small grammar words start with /ð/: the, this, that, they, there. Most other words start with /θ/: think, thing, Thursday.

Answers

1. b) they. they starts with /ð/; think and three start with /θ/.
2. a) thing. thing has /θ/; small grammar words like that and the have /ð/.
3. c) mother. mother has /ð/; month and bath end in /θ/.

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