The /ð/ Sound, Voiced Dental Fricative
/ð/
/ð/ is a voiced dental fricative. To make it, the tip of the tongue touches the upper front teeth and the air is pushed through a narrow gap, which makes friction. It is voiced, so the vocal folds vibrate.
Often called the voiced th sound.
Example Words
| Word | UK | US | |
|---|---|---|---|
| this | /ðɪs/ | /ðɪs/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| mother | /ˈmʌð.ə/ | /ˈmʌð.ɚ/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| breathe | /briːð/ | /briːð/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
Distinctive Features
/ð/ is told apart from every other English sound by three distinctive features.
Words With The /ð/ Sound
/ð/ At The Start Of A Word
/ð/ In The Middle Of A Word
- other
- bother
- either
- father
- fathom
- gather
- lather
- mother
- others
- rather
- rhythm
- tether
- wither
- within
- another
- brother
- clothes
- farther
- feather
- further
- heathen
- leather
- neither
- slither
- smother
- weather
- whether
- without
- although
- clothing
/ð/ At The End Of A Word
Minimal Pairs
Questions Students Ask
Is /ð/ voiced or voiceless?
/ð/ is voiced.
What is the place of articulation of /ð/?
/ð/ is dental, which means the tip of the tongue touches the upper front teeth.
What is the manner of articulation of /ð/?
/ð/ is a fricative, which means the air is pushed through a narrow gap, which makes friction.
Which words have the /ð/ sound?
For example this, mother, breathe.
Related Sounds
The /f/ Sound, Voiceless Labio-Dental FricativeThe /v/ Sound, Voiced Labio-Dental FricativeThe /θ/ Sound, Voiceless Dental FricativeThe /s/ Sound, Voiceless Alveolar FricativeThe /z/ Sound, Voiced Alveolar FricativeThe /ʃ/ Sound, Voiceless Palato-Alveolar FricativeThe /ʒ/ Sound, Voiced Palato-Alveolar FricativeThe /h/ Sound, Voiceless Glottal Fricative