How to Pronounce the /g/ Sound

consonant sounds plosive sounds velar sounds voiced sounds

In this lesson, we're gonna learn about the /g/ sound in the English language. So, wanna learn about it? I invite you to come in, then.

In this lesson, we are going to learn all about the pronunciation of /g/ using the proper articulatory organs.

What Type of Sound Is /g/?

/g/ is a consonant in the English language.

How to Produce /g/?

how to pronounce /g/

As you can see in picture (b), the back part of the tongue is raised to the point where it makes contact with the soft palate. So, the air can neither move through the nose, nor through the mouth. Then, when the tongue is lowered, the air is suddenly released from the mouth. As you can see here, the circle of the vocal cords is red which signifies that we must vibrate our vocal cords when producing the /g/ sound. So, it is voiced.
In picture (a), the lips are parted and the teeth are close, but not touching.
In picture (c), you can easily understand where exactly the soft palate is so as to put the back of the tongue there.

The letters that represent the /g/ sound in the English language are as follows:

Google /ɡuːɡl/

Gargle /ɡɑr·ɡəl/

Gasp /ɡæsp/

Goat /ɡoʊt/

Warning!

Note that sometimes, the letter G represents the /dʒ/ sound. Compare the examples below:

Gem /dʒɛm/

Gap /ɡap/

/g/ Sound in 17 Most Common World Languages

As it is clear in the table below, the /g/ sound can be found in most languages spoken around the globe. However, there are a few languages that do not have this sound like Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese and Standard Arabic. There is no need to worry, though. With all the instructions provided to you and a little bit of practice, you will be able to produce this sound just like a native English speaker. Look:

The Languages	Do You Have It?	Examples
Mandarin	x	-
Spanish	✔	gato
Hindustani	✔	गाना / گانا
Bengali	✔	গান
Portuguese	✔	língua
Russian	✔	голова
Japanese	✔	外套
Vietnamese	x	-
Marathi	✔	गवत
Turkish	✔	salgın
French	✔	gain
German	✔	Lüge
Italian	✔	gare
Persian	✔	گوشت
Arabic (Standard)	x	-
Korean	✔	메기

Listening

Below, there is an audio file that helps you learn the proper pronunciation of the /g/ sound:

Comments

What Type of Sound Is /g/?
How to Produce /g/?
/g/ Sound in 17 Most Common World Languages
Listening

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