pronouncekit

SOUND LESSON

How to pronounce /θ/: the sound in think

Learn the English /θ/ sound with a 3D tongue-position model, a clear airflow guide, common mistakes, and focused think and three practice.

/θ/
American English
/θ/ · fricative · dental · voiceless
British English
/θ/ · fricative · dental · voiceless
Pronunciation model

Try it in a word

Think of three things.

Mouth & tongue

Enable JavaScript to view the 3D panda. Pronunciation steps remain available below.

Vocal folds: apart

TongueTeethUvula

Simplified human pronunciation. The small uvula hangs from the palate; it is not the vocal folds. The wave indicates voicing.

Voice settings

The mouth starts slightly open. Movement is slowed for observation; the synthetic sound plays once at its original speed. Pause holds the current mouth shape; reset returns to the relaxed position. The panda is a symbolic teaching aid for human pronunciation, not animal anatomy.

What your mouth is doing

The /θ/ in think is a quiet, continuous stream of air. Your tongue makes a narrow passage at the front teeth. There is no burst, and your voice stays off.

Comparing with Mandarin and Spanish

Use the th in thin as an anchor. It is different from the voiced /ð/ in this. English accents vary; this lesson teaches a widely used dental-fricative target for clear practice, not the only valid accent.

Pinyin s can show you continuous airflow, but /θ/ uses a different tongue position, and Mandarin si is a whole syllable. Spanish speakers with distinción can start from the z in zapato; speakers with seseo can start from /s/ and move the tongue forward.

Build the sound, step by step

  1. Relax your lips and open your jaw slightly. Bring the tip of your tongue gently to the edge of your upper front teeth; it may show a little between the teeth.
  2. Let air pass continuously through the narrow gap. Do not bite your tongue or seal the passage. Hold a soft /θ/ for one comfortable breath.
  3. Touch your throat gently: the target /θ/ has no vocal-fold vibration. Then move straight into /ɪ/ and finish /ŋk/ to say think.

What to watch for

  • If it sounds like /s/, your tongue may be too far behind the teeth. Bring the tip forward, without pressing harder.
  • If it sounds like /t/, you may be blocking the air and releasing it in a burst. Keep a small gap open.
  • If it sounds like /f/, check that your lower lip is not replacing your tongue against the upper teeth.

Hear the difference in your own voice

Try thin /θɪn/ and sin /sɪn/, then thin and tin /tɪn/. Keep the vowel steady and change only the first sound. Say each pair slowly, then use “a thin line” in a short phrase.

Compare these sounds

Keep practicing

References & editorial notes

PronounceKit wrote this lesson as practical guidance. The references below describe the sounds; the comparisons with other languages are editorial teaching suggestions. It describes common American and British patterns, not every accent, and it has not been independently reviewed by a pronunciation specialist. The mouth model is a simplified teaching aid, not a validated simulation.

Published 3 November 2026