Pronounce CH and J in American English
In this post, we’ll learn how to pronounce ch and j. We study these two sounds together because they have the same mouth position. You add sound from your vocal cords for the j sound, but the ch sound is unvoiced.
If you are familiar with the IPA alphabet, you will see that the IPA symbol for ch [ʧ] is two symbols together, the t [t] sound and the sh [ʃ] sound. Like ch, t and sh are also unvoiced. If you say t and sh quickly together, it will sound like ch.
In the same way, the IPA symbol for j [ʤ] is also two symbols together, the d [d] sound and the zh [ʒ] sound. D and zh are the voiced partners of t and sh. When spoken quickly together, d and zh will make the sound of the voiced letter j.
How to Pronounce CH
To make the ch sound, make a tight circle with your mouth. Your top and bottom teeth are close together but not touching. Your lips will flare out, and the tip of your tongue will lift to touch the back of your front teeth. Let your tongue block the flow of air. Lower just the tip of your tongue, and continue to lower it to the bottom of your mouth. As the air is released slowly, you will make the ch sound. Put your hand in front of your mouth. You should feel air coming out of your mouth. Try it with me.
If you simply lower the tip of the tongue without taking it all the way to the bottom of your mouth, you will pronounce the letter t instead of the diphthong ch. Think about pronouncing t and sh together as one sound.
Now practice these words with the ch sound. The first two come from John chapter 5.
porch, search, chair, lunch, March, teacher, cheese
Practice These Words with CH
How to Pronounce J
The mouth position for j is the same as for ch. This time, add sound from your vocal cords. You will not be able to feel much air coming out of your mouth. However, if you place your hand on your neck, you should be able to feel your vocal cords vibrate. Say these words with me. Some are from John chapter 5.
Jesus, John, judge, just, Jewish, joy, bridge, adjust
Practice These Words with J
Tips for Pronouncing CH and J
When you make these sounds, it is important to use your tongue to completely stop the flow of air before you release it. The friction of the air being released is what makes this sound unique. If you don’t stop the air, you will make an sh or zh sound.
Be sure to use the first part of this sound, the t and the d sounds, to stop the flow of air. Remember that t and d are called “stop consonants,” because they make their sounds by stopping and releasing the flow of air. When you add this to the beginning of your sh or zh sound, you have the consonant sounds of ch and j.
Try this exercise. Make the t sound, with your lips wide. Continue to make the t sound as you tighten and round your lips and lower your tongue. The sound should change from t to ch. Use the words church and judge to practice the ch and j sounds.
What Should I Study Next?
The last consonant pair we will study is sh and zh. You will not find the letters z and h together in English spelling, but the sound is used in words like television and usual.
Click the button to go to the lesson on the sh and zh sounds.
