TH Sounds + Short Vowels

Soft TH 🌬️

/θ/

بدون اهتزاز في الحلق
زي حرف ث بالعربي

think · three · tooth · thank · bath

Hard TH 🔊

/ð/

مع اهتزاز في الحلق
زي حرف ذ بالعربي

this · that · the · they · them

⚡ الفرق الأساسي – The KEY Difference

	Soft TH /θ/	Hard TH /ð/
الصوت	بدون اهتزاز (Voiceless)	مع اهتزاز (Voiced)
زي حرف	ث	ذ
IPA	/θ/	/ð/
اختبار الحلق	لا تحس باهتزاز ✋	تحس باهتزاز ✋🔊
نوع الكلمات	Content words (أسماء، أفعال، صفات)	Function words (ضمائر، أدوات)
أمثلة	think, three, tooth, bath, math, thin, thick, thank	the, this, that, they, them, there, then, than, though

👄 كيف تنطق – How to Pronounce Both Sounds

🌬️

Soft TH /θ/ – زي "ث"

Put your tongue between your teeth and blow air WITHOUT using your voice.

ضع لسانك بين أسنانك وأخرج هواء بدون صوت من الحلق

✋ Put hand on throat → NO vibration
ضع يدك على حلقك ← لا تحس باهتزاز

🔊

Hard TH /ð/ – زي "ذ"

Put your tongue between your teeth and use your voice WITH vibration.

ضع لسانك بين أسنانك وأخرج صوتاً مع اهتزاز من الحلق

✋ Put hand on throat → FEEL vibration! 🔊
ضع يدك على حلقك ← تحس باهتزاز

📋 الخطوات – Step by Step

👅

Tongue Between Teeth

Gently place the tip of your tongue between your upper and lower front teeth.

ضع طرف لسانك بين أسنانك الأمامية العلوية والسفلية بلطف

💨

Blow Air Out

Let air escape through the small gap. It should feel like a gentle breeze.

اسمح للهواء بالخروج من الفراغ الصغير

🎵

Add Voice for /ð/

For Hard TH /ð/: turn on your voice (like humming). For Soft /θ/: keep silent.

للهارد /ð/: فعّل صوتك | للسوفت /θ/: هواء فقط

✋

Test Your Throat

Place your hand on your throat. Vibration = Hard /ð/. No vibration = Soft /θ/.

اهتزاز = هارد /ð/ | بدون اهتزاز = سوفت /θ/

📌 متى يكون Soft ومتى يكون Hard؟

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ – Content Words

Usually in nouns, verbs, adjectives – words with meaning:
think, three, thing, through, throat, thank, thick, thin, throw, thumb, thousand, thunder, Thursday, tooth, teeth, month, math, bath, path, north, south, truth, breath, death

يظهر في الكلمات التي لها معنى: أسماء وأفعال وصفات مثل (فكر، ثلاثة، سن، حمام، شهر، رياضيات)

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ – Function Words

Usually in short grammar words that connect sentences:
the, this, that, these, those, they, them, their, there, then, than, though, although, either, neither, rather, together, whether, with, within, without, breathe, clothes, father, mother, brother, other, another

يظهر في الكلمات القصيرة الوظيفية التي تربط الجمل مثل (أداة التعريف، الضمائر، أدوات الربط) وكذلك في كلمات العائلة

💡 Easy Trick! – حيلة سهلة:
If TH is at the END of a word → almost always Soft /θ/
(bath /θ/, math /θ/, tooth /θ/, month /θ/, north /θ/, south /θ/, truth /θ/)
إذا جاء TH في آخر الكلمة ← يكون تقريباً دائماً Soft /θ/ مثل (حمام، رياضيات، سن، شهر)

⚠️ الأخطاء الشائعة – Common Mistakes

! Don't Replace TH with Other Sounds

❌ Wrong	✅ Correct	Word	المعنى	TH Type
Zis / Dis	This /ðɪs/	this	هذا	Hard /ð/
Sink	Think /θɪŋk/	think	يفكر	Soft /θ/
Free	Three /θriː/	three	ثلاثة	Soft /θ/
Da	The /ðə/	the	أداة التعريف	Hard /ð/
Toot	Tooth /tuːθ/	tooth	سن	Soft /θ/
Dat	That /ðæt/	that	ذلك	Hard /ð/

🔄 Minimal Pairs

≈ Words that differ by ONE sound

Soft /θ/	Hard /ð/	الملاحظة
breath /brɛθ/ – النَّفَس (اسم)	breathe /briːð/ – يتنفس (فعل)	اسم = سوفت \| فعل = هارد
thigh /θaɪ/ – الفخذ	thy /ðaɪ/ – ملكك (قديم)	كلمتان مختلفتان
ether /iːθər/ – مادة كيميائية	either /iːðər/ – أيضاً / أو	كلمتان مختلفتان

🔤 Short Vowels – حروف العلة القصيرة

ℹ ما هي Short Vowels؟

Short vowels are the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) when they make a short, quick sound – NOT the letter name. They appear mainly in CVC words (Consonant – Vowel – Consonant).

حروف العلة القصيرة هي حروف (a, e, i, o, u) عندما تنطق بصوتها القصير السريع. تظهر في الكلمات البسيطة من نمط حرف + حرف علة + حرف (مثل cat, bed, sit).

/æ/

🐱 cat

مثل "آ" قصيرة – فم مفتوح

More words:

hatmapbagtapthatmath

/ɛ/

🛏️ bed

مثل "إ" قصيرة

More words:

henmettenthemthenwhen

/ɪ/

🐟 fish

مثل "إ" قصيرة جداً

More words:

bitsithimthinthickthis

/ɒ/

🐕 dog

مثل "أ" من الحلق – أ مفخمة

More words:

hottopgotmothclothbroth

/ʌ/

🚌 bus

مثل "أ" قصيرة مفتوحة

More words:

cuprunfunbutthumbthus

🔗 كلمات فيها TH + Short Vowel مع بعض

★ TH Words with Short Vowels

Word	TH Type	Short Vowel	IPA	المعنى
this	Hard /ð/	i = /ɪ/	/ðɪs/	هذا
that	Hard /ð/	a = /æ/	/ðæt/	ذلك
them	Hard /ð/	e = /ɛ/	/ðɛm/	هم / لهم
then	Hard /ð/	e = /ɛ/	/ðɛn/	ثم / إذن
thin	Soft /θ/	i = /ɪ/	/θɪn/	رفيع / نحيل
thick	Soft /θ/	i = /ɪ/	/θɪk/	سميك
thumb	Soft /θ/	u = /ʌ/	/θʌm/	الإبهام
moth	Soft /θ/	o = /ɒ/	/mɒθ/	فراشة الليل
math	Soft /θ/	a = /æ/	/mæθ/	الرياضيات
bath	Soft /θ/	a = /æ/	/bæθ/	حمام

C The CVC Pattern – نمط الكلمة القصيرة

TH counts as ONE consonant in CVC words:

C₁	V (Short)	C₂	Word	المعنى	TH Type
TH /θ/	i /ɪ/	n	thin	رفيع	Soft
TH /θ/	i /ɪ/	ck	thick	سميك	Soft
TH /ð/	e /ɛ/	m	them	هم	Hard
b	a /æ/	TH /θ/	bath	حمام	Soft
m	a /æ/	TH /θ/	math	رياضيات	Soft
w	i /ɪ/	TH /ð/	with	مع	Hard

💡 Remember: When TH is at the END of content words → almost always Soft /θ/ (bath, math, path, tooth, month, north, south)لما TH يكون في آخر كلمة محتوى ← يكون دائماً تقريباً Soft /θ/

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ – بدون اهتزاز (زي ث)

🤔Soft /θ/

think

/θɪŋk/

يفكر

3️⃣Soft /θ/

three

/θriː/

ثلاثة

🦷Soft /θ/

tooth

/tuːθ/

سن

🙏Soft /θ/

thank

/θæŋk/

يشكر

📅Soft /θ/

month

/mʌnθ/

شهر

🛁Soft /θ/

bath

/bæθ/

حمام

➕Soft /θ/

math

/mæθ/

رياضيات

👍Soft /θ/

thumb

/θʌm/

إبهام

🌩️Soft /θ/

thunder

/θʌndər/

رعد

📏Soft /θ/

thin

/θɪn/

رفيع

🧱Soft /θ/

thick

/θɪk/

سميك

🔢Soft /θ/

thousand

/θaʊzənd/

ألف

😤Soft /θ/

throat

/θroʊt/

الحلق

🛤️Soft /θ/

path

/pæθ/

مسار

💪Soft /θ/

strength

/strɛŋθ/

قوة

😤Soft /θ/

breath

/brɛθ/

النَّفَس (اسم)

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ – مع اهتزاز (زي ذ)

📌Hard /ð/

the

/ðə/

أداة التعريف

👉Hard /ð/

this

/ðɪs/

هذا

👈Hard /ð/

that

/ðæt/

ذلك

👥Hard /ð/

they

/ðeɪ/

هم

🫂Hard /ð/

them

/ðɛm/

لهم / إياهم

🏠Hard /ð/

there

/ðɛr/

هناك

⏱️Hard /ð/

then

/ðɛn/

ثم / إذن

🆚Hard /ð/

than

/ðæn/

من (مقارنة)

🌬️Hard /ð/

breathe

/briːð/

يتنفس (فعل)

👨‍👧Hard /ð/

father

/fɑːðər/

الأب

👩‍👦Hard /ð/

mother

/mʌðər/

الأم

👦Hard /ð/

brother

/brʌðər/

الأخ

👗Hard /ð/

clothes

/kloʊðz/

ملابس

🤲Hard /ð/

with

/wɪð/

مع

🤔Hard /ð/

although

/ɔːlˈðoʊ/

على الرغم من

🔄Hard /ð/

other

/ʌðər/

الآخر

📝 Practice Sentences

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ Sentences

Sentence	الترجمة
I think three thousand people came.	أعتقد أن ثلاثة آلاف شخص حضروا.
She has a thin toothache this month.	تعاني من ألم في سنها الرفيع هذا الشهر.
Thank you for your strength.	شكراً على قوتك.
Take a deep breath.	خذ نَفَساً عميقاً.

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ Sentences

Sentence	الترجمة
This is their house over there.	هذا هو بيتهم هناك.
They gave them the gift.	هم أعطوهم الهدية.
Although it rained, they went out.	على الرغم من المطر، خرجوا.
I like this more than that.	أحب هذا أكثر من ذاك.

📝 Worksheet – أوراق العمل التفاعلية

📌 Exercise 1: Sort the Words – رتب الكلمات

Click each word to mark it ✅ or ❌ based on its type, then press Check

this

think

they

three

that

tooth

them

thumb

the

thank

bath

there

After clicking each word, use the key below:
🌬️ = Soft /θ/ (no vibration) | 🔊 = Hard /ð/ (with vibration)

📌 Exercise 2: Fill in the Blank

Choose: think / three / them / tooth / this / that / the / thank

1. I ______ it will rain today.

2. She has ______ brothers.

3. Give ______ the book, please.

4. My ______ hurts a lot!

5. Is ______ your pen? (nearby)

6. Look at ______ bird over there!

7. ______ you for your help!

8. I love ______ movie so much.

📌 Exercise 3: Write S (Soft /θ/) or H (Hard /ð/)

1. this

2. think

3. the

4. tooth

5. they

6. three

7. although

8. thumb

9. mother

10. bath

📌 Exercise 4: Identify the Short Vowel

Write the letter of the short vowel (a / e / i / o / u):

1. thin – vowel?

2. math – vowel?

3. them – vowel?

4. thumb – vowel?

5. moth – vowel?

6. thick – vowel?

🌸 Your Score – نتيجتك

0 / 0

Answer each question and press Check

🔊 A – Soft /θ/ or Hard /ð/? (بدون اهتزاز أو مع اهتزاز؟)

1What type of TH is in "think"?

2What type of TH is in "this"?

3What type of TH is in "the"?

4What type of TH is in "tooth"?

5What type of TH is in "they"?

6What type of TH is in "three"?

7What type of TH is in "although"?

8What type of TH is in "thumb"?

9What type of TH is in "mother"?

10What type of TH is in "bath"?

11What type of TH is in "breathe"? (verb – يتنفس)

12What type of TH is in "breath"? (noun – النَّفَس)

🔤 B – IPA & Pronunciation

13The IPA for Soft TH is:

14The IPA for Hard TH is:

15Soft TH /θ/ sounds like which Arabic letter?

16Hard TH /ð/ sounds like which Arabic letter?

17For Soft TH /θ/, your throat should:

18For Hard TH /ð/, your throat should:

📖 C – Meanings – ما معنى الكلمة؟

19What does "thumb" mean?

20What does "thunder" mean?

21What does "thin" mean?

22What does "breathe" mean?

23What does "strength" mean?

🔤 D – Short Vowels Questions

24What is the short vowel in "thin"?

25What is the short vowel in "thumb"?

26What is the short vowel in "math"?

27What is the short vowel in "them"?

28What is the short vowel in "moth"?

29Which word has Short Vowel + Soft TH at the end?

30In CVC words, the vowel in the middle is usually:

✏️ E – Fill in the Blank

31I ______ it will rain. (content verb – يفكر)

32Give ______ the books. (pronoun – لهم)

33My ______ hurts! (dental – سن)

34She has ______ cats. (number – ثلاثة)

35Look! ______ is my friend! (pointing nearby – هذا)

36"thin" /θɪn/ – the TH is Soft /θ/. The short vowel is ___.

37"math" /mæθ/ – the TH is Soft /θ/. The short vowel is ___.

38"thumb" /θʌm/ – the TH is Soft /θ/. The short vowel is ___.

☑️ F – True or False?

39Soft TH /θ/ has NO throat vibration.

40Hard TH /ð/ has throat vibration.

41"the" is a Soft TH /θ/ word.

42"tooth" ends with Soft TH /θ/.

43Function words like "this, they, them" use Hard TH /ð/.

44Content words like "think, three, tooth" use Hard TH /ð/.

45"breathe" (verb) and "breath" (noun) have the SAME TH sound.

46Short vowels say their letter name (like "a" in "cake").

🌸 G – Advanced Mixed Questions

47Which sentence has ONLY Hard TH /ð/ words?

48Which sentence has ONLY Soft TH /θ/ words?

49TH at the END of content words is almost always:

50To TEST if TH is voiced or voiceless, you should:

51"father, mother, brother" – their TH is:

52The word "thick" has TH + short vowel. What are they?

53"Thursday" contains which TH sound?

54Which is the correct minimal pair explanation?

55A student says "zis" instead of "this". What mistake is this?

The TH Sounds 🗣️

Soft TH 🌬️

Hard TH 🔊

⚡ الفرق الأساسي – The KEY Difference

👄 كيف تنطق – How to Pronounce Both Sounds

Soft TH /θ/ – زي "ث"

Hard TH /ð/ – زي "ذ"

📋 الخطوات – Step by Step

Tongue Between Teeth

Blow Air Out

Add Voice for /ð/

Test Your Throat

📌 متى يكون Soft ومتى يكون Hard؟

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ – Content Words

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ – Function Words

⚠️ الأخطاء الشائعة – Common Mistakes

! Don't Replace TH with Other Sounds

🔄 Minimal Pairs

≈ Words that differ by ONE sound

🔤 Short Vowels – حروف العلة القصيرة

ℹ ما هي Short Vowels؟

🔗 كلمات فيها TH + Short Vowel مع بعض

★ TH Words with Short Vowels

C The CVC Pattern – نمط الكلمة القصيرة

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ – بدون اهتزاز (زي ث)

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ – مع اهتزاز (زي ذ)

📝 Practice Sentences

🌬️ Soft TH /θ/ Sentences

🔊 Hard TH /ð/ Sentences

📝 Worksheet – أوراق العمل التفاعلية

📌 Exercise 1: Sort the Words – رتب الكلمات

📌 Exercise 2: Fill in the Blank

📌 Exercise 3: Write S (Soft /θ/) or H (Hard /ð/)

📌 Exercise 4: Identify the Short Vowel

🌸 Your Score – نتيجتك