Pronounce SH and ZH in American English
Let’s learn to pronounce sh and zh. We study these sounds together because they use the same mouth position. The difference is that sh is pronounced with only air, and zh is pronounced using sound from your vocal cords.
You will see words spelled with sh in English, but you won’t see words spelled with zh. Zh is only a sound. The most common way to spell the zh sound is with the -sion word ending in words like television and decision. We’ll talk more about the -sion word ending in the spelling section. (coming soon)
How to Pronounce SH
To make the sh sound, you will need to make a tight circle with your lips. The corners of your mouth come in, and your lips push out. Your teeth are almost touching, but they are still open a little bit. Raise the middle of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth. Push air through the space above your tongue. If you put your hand in front of your mouth, you should feel air coming out of your mouth. Try it with me.
Now practice these words with the sh sound from John chapters 5 and 6 in the Bible:
Jewish, sheep, show, fish, shore
Practice these words with SH
Try not to say the s sound when you need to say the sh sound. You might be saying a completely different word. For example, you might be saying the word see when you need to say the word she.
The biggest difference between s and sh is the position of your lips. When you pronounce s, your lips are a little bit wide. When you pronounce sh, your lips are in a tighter circle. Practice the difference with me.
How to Pronounce ZH
The mouth position for zh is the same as for sh. This time, add sound from your vocal cords. If you place your hand on your neck, you should be able to feel your vocal cords vibrate. Say these words with me.
decision, television, conclusion, pleasure, usual, casual, treasure
Practice these words with ZH
What Should I Practice Next?
The next sound is the sound that is most commonly mispronounced by English learners – th. There are two sounds of th, voiced and unvoiced, even though it is only spelled one way.
If you have trouble with th, don’t worry! We’ll look at easy tips and practice words to help you learn this sound. Click the button to go there now.
