Speech sounds · IPA /θ/
The voiceless TH sound /θ/
About 9 in 10 US children say /θ/, as in “thumb,” by age 6 (6;0 to 6;11). Crowe & McLeod, 2020 (opens in a new tab)
The symbol
Theta: a Greek letter
The symbol θ is the Greek letter theta. It stands for the th in thick, thought and bath. Univ. of Manitoba (opens in a new tab)
English spells two different sounds with th. This page is the quiet one. The buzzing one, /ð/ in “this,” has its own page.
How to say it
How TH is made
The tongue tip comes forward to meet the teeth.
- Tongue to teethThe tongue tip rests lightly between or just behind the front teeth.
- Air through the gapAir flows over the tongue with a soft, flat hiss.
- Voice off/θ/ is voiceless. With voice, it becomes /ð/.
- Gentle, not a biteThe teeth touch the tongue lightly. They do not bite down.
See it move: Seeing Speech (opens in a new tab) · Univ. of Iowa (opens in a new tab) · ASHA place, manner and voicing chart (opens in a new tab)
Age
When children say TH
Common errors
What errors on TH sound like
- F for thChildren often say f (“fumb” for “thumb”). ASHA calls a swap like this a substitution. ASHA Practice Portal (opens in a new tab)
- StoppingUsing t (“tink” for “think”) fits ASHA’s description of stopping: a long sound replaced by a stop. ASHA patterns (opens in a new tab)
- DialectSome English dialects say th differently. ASHA notes dialect features are not errors. ASHA patterns (opens in a new tab)
Pairs: th and f, th and t (8 pairs)
Watch the mirror: the tongue should show for th.
- thin / fin
- three / free
- thought / fought
- thirst / first
- thank / tank
- thick / tick
- thorn / torn
- math / mat
Practice
TH word lists
Practice the position your SLP chose. Open one list at a time.
Start of words (12 words)
- thumb
- thin
- think
- thick
- thank
- thirty
- thorn
- thunder
- thirsty
- thought
- thud
- theater
Middle of words (10 words)
- bathtub
- birthday
- toothbrush
- nothing
- something
- athlete
- python
- healthy
- panther
- author
End of words (12 words)
- bath
- math
- mouth
- teeth
- tooth
- path
- moth
- earth
- north
- south
- both
- cloth
Phrases (6)
- thirty teeth
- a thick book
- thank you
- both thumbs
- a moth on the path
- birthday bath
Sentences (6)
- I think it is Thursday.
- Brush your teeth.
- The moth is on the path.
- Thank you for the gift.
- The panther is thirsty.
- Both thumbs are up.
Prints every list on one page.
Carryover tip
Practice TH with a song
Turn “thank you” into a sung thank-you song after meals, with a slow, clear th.
In one study, the same number of speech sessions given 3 times a week worked better than once a week. Allen, 2013 (opens in a new tab) Why songs can help
For parents
A 5-minute TH routine
- 01
Silly tongue
Show the tongue tip at the teeth in a mirror.
- 02
Snake without teeth
Blow air over the tongue: a soft, flat hiss.
- 03
Ears first
“Thin or fin?” Your child picks.
- 04
Five words
Use your SLP’s list. End words like bath can be easiest.
- 05
Thank-you game
Say “thank you” with a clear th at every meal.
For SLPs
Clinical notes on /θ/
Because /θ/ reaches 90% only at age 6 (6;0 to 6;11), a /θ/ error alone in a younger child can be age-typical. Crowe & McLeod, 2020 (opens in a new tab)
Mirror feedback suits /θ/ because the tongue tip can be seen; ASHA lists mirrors for visual feedback of placement. ASHA Practice Portal (opens in a new tab)
Consider dialect before targeting f/θ or t/θ; the ASHA Leader advises that dialect features should not be scored as errors. ASHA Leader (opens in a new tab)
Questions
At what age should a child say th?
About 9 in 10 US children say /θ/ by age 6 (6;0 to 6;11), later than any other consonant in the review. Crowe & McLeod, 2020 (opens in a new tab)
Why does my child say f for th?
F and th sound alike, and ASHA lists f/θ as a commonly confused pair. A UK hospital speech service lists th among later sounds that are still developing at 5 to 6. ASHA Practice Portal (opens in a new tab) NHS Newcastle (opens in a new tab)
Are there two th sounds?
Yes. Thumb has the quiet /θ/. This and mother have the buzzing /ð/.
Should we worry about th at age 4?
Usually not, given the late norm. If you have concerns about how well your child is understood, talk to your doctor or an SLP. Crowe & McLeod, 2020 (opens in a new tab) NIDCD (opens in a new tab)
Sources
All sources (15)
- Crowe, K., & McLeod, S. (2020). Children’s English consonant acquisition in the United States: A review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(4), 2155-2169. ASHA Journals (opens in a new tab)
- Same paper on PubMed. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- ASHA Practice Portal. Selected phonological patterns. ASHA (opens in a new tab)
- ASHA Practice Portal. Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonology. ASHA (opens in a new tab)
- Russell, K. IPA symbol [θ]. University of Manitoba. Univ. of Manitoba (opens in a new tab)
- ASHA Practice Portal. Place, manner, and voicing chart for English consonants (Roth & Worthington, 2018). PDF (opens in a new tab)
- International Phonetic Association. The IPA chart. IPA (opens in a new tab)
- Seeing Speech: IPA charts with ultrasound and MRI. Seeing Speech (opens in a new tab)
- University of Iowa. Sounds of American English. Univ. of Iowa (opens in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Sound Development Chart (2021). PDF (opens in a new tab)
- ASHA (public). Speech sound disorders. ASHA (opens in a new tab)
- Allen, M. M. (2013). Intervention efficacy and intensity for children with speech sound disorder. JSLHR, 56(3), 865-877. PubMed (opens in a new tab)
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Typical patterns of speech sounds in young children. NHS (opens in a new tab)
- Goldstein, B. A., & Fabiano, L. (2007). Assessment and intervention for bilingual children with phonological disorders. The ASHA Leader, 12(2). ASHA Leader (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH). Speech and language developmental milestones. NIDCD (opens in a new tab)
Links go to third-party sites and are not endorsements. Last checked October 17, 2026.
For clinics
Songs for /R/, /S/ and /L/
CantaLingo’s 20-song pilot covers the three sounds most often worked on at ages 4 to 6. The SLP picks the song; families replay it at home.