Written by Gabriela Estrada

In English, the sounds "thee" y "th" when pronouncing "the" make some difference, but this is often subtle or unnoticed. When learning English as a second language, it is necessary to recognize the proper sound and how to distinguish it. The key is the vowel or consonant of the word that follows.

In this blog, I want to share ways to distinguish the pronunciation "thee" y "th" in the article "the" to hear yourself better in English and make yourself understood. Take note of the vowel and consonant key to apply in your pronunciation exercises. Let's get started.

How to pronounce "the" in English

The pronunciation of the article "the" may seem simple, but it presents an important subtlety that affects the fluency and comprehension of the English language. This definite article is pronounced in two main ways, graphed as follows:

• /ðiː/ (thee) y
• /ðə/ (th).

Next, I will focus on the distinction in pronouncing "the" and when it should sound with "thee" o "th".

This distinction will help you lay a solid foundation for pronouncing new vocabulary correctly and lead you to identify how English grammar behaves to generate auditory memory and understand fluent conversation among more advanced peers.

Distinction for pronouncing "the with the sound "thee" (/ðiː/)

"Thee" is used when the following word begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u). (a, e, i, o, u). For example, in "the apple" (/ðiː ˈæpl/).

Pronunciation is achieved as follows:

• Place the tongue between the upper and lower teeth and produce a sound similar to a "th" sound. "th" at "this".

The "e" sounds as in "see" and is lengthened.

Distinction for pronouncing "the with the sound "th" (/ð/)

"Th" is used when the following word begins with a consonant sound. For example, "the car" (/ð kɑr/).

Pronunciation is achieved as follows:

• Place the tongue between the upper and lower teeth and produce the "th" sound. "th" sound.

The "e" in this case is omitted.

Practices with examples 

At Planeta Immiland Education, we use some practices like these:

With vowels: 

• "the apple" (/ðiː ˈæpl/).

• "the elephant" (/ðiː ˈɛləfənt/).

With consonants:

• "the car" (/ð kɑr/).

• "the book" (/ð bʊk/).

The practice is in pronouncing according to the above indications. Explore different examples to help you recognize the pronunciation more and more.

Do you want to learn other English grammar and pronunciation rules? If so, learn about our teaching-learning methodology with certified teachers and the Languages Canada accreditation of the certified English courses from Planeta Immiland Education certified English courses.

Perfect the pronunciation of "the in its forms "thee" y "th" is necessary for the student to advance in English proficiency. I hope that now that you know the key to pronouncing "the correctly will improve your level of English and demonstrate it in your next oral conversation.

Thank you for reading. Share this key with other students - see you in the next blog!

With love,

Planeta Immiland Education