How to Pronounce the /tʃ/ Sound
In this lesson, I'm gonna teach you all about the /tʃ/ sound. How we can pronounce it, which languages have it, etc. So, make sure to join me.
In this lesson, we are going to learn about the production of the /tʃ/ sound in the English language using the appropriate articulatory organs.
What Type of Sound Is /tʃ/?
/tʃ/ is a consonant sound in the English language.
How to Produce /tʃ/?
As you can see, in picture (b), the tongue plays an important role in the production of this sound. The tongue rises up and its tip touches the roof of the mouth. As you can see, the back part of the mouth remains in its place. Note that the uvula has blocked the air from coming out of the nose. With the tongue in that position, the air is stopped, and then, we lower the tongue, releasing the air forcefully out of our mouth. In picture (b), it is clear that the circle of the vocal cords is grey meaning that the /tʃ/ sound is voiceless, so we do not need to vibrate our vocal cords in the production.
As you can see, in picture (a), the corners of the mouth are directed inwards and the teeth touch slightly.
If you take a look at picture (c ), you will understand that the tongue plays a major part in the production of this sound. The red part indicates where the tip of the tongue makes contact with the roof of the mouth.
The /tʃ/ sound is produced by these letters in English:
Child /tʃaɪld/
Change: /tʃeɪndʒ/
Chore /tʃɔːr/
Pitch /pɪtʃ/
Dispatch /dɪˈspætʃ/
Thatch /θætʃ/
- Sometimes c + e: ce
Cellist /tʃel.ɪst/
Concerto /kənˈtʃer.t̬oʊ/
- Sometimes ture:
Rapture /ræp·tʃər/
Posture /pɑs·tʃər/
Culture /kʌl·tʃər/
- Sometimes tion:
Question /kwes.tʃən/
Exhaustion /ɪɡˈzɔs·tʃən/
Ingestion /ɪnˈʤes.tʃən/
/tʃ/ Sound in 17 Most Common World Languages
As you can see in the table below, the /tʃ/ sound exists in some common languages in the world. However, it cannot be found in several languages like Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Marathi and Korean. With the instructions that we have provided for you, along with a little practice, you can easily learn to produce this sound. Look:
The Languages | Do You Have It? | Examples |
---|---|---|
Mandarin | X | - |
Spanish | ✔ | chocolate |
Hindustani | ✔ | चाय/چائے |
Bengali | ✔ | চশমা |
Portuguese | ✔ | tchau |
Russsian | X | - |
Japanese | X | - |
Vietnamese | X | - |
Marathi | X | - |
Turkish | ✔ | çok |
French | ✔ | caoutchouc |
German | ✔ | Tschinelle |
Italian | ✔ | ciao |
Persian | ✔ | چوب |
Arabic (Standard) | X | - |
Korean | X | - |