How to pronounce the Arabic letter tẖāʾ (ث)?

There are some easy tips and techniques through which pronouncing Arabic letters becomes an easy task to do. In this article, will do the same. At the end of this article, you will be able to pronounce the letter ث {tẖāʾ} easily with the different harakat (Vowel movements):

Fat̊ḥa   فَتْحَة   َ
Kasrah  كسرة  ِ
Dammah   ضمة ُ
Jazm / Sokoun    جزم  ْ
Shadda  شدة ّ

Here it is important to understand some parts of the mouth through which we will be pronouncing the letter ث {tẖāʾ}.

1. الثنايا العليا  (ạltẖãnāyā ạl̊ʿul̊yā): The front four teeth are called ثنايا (ạltẖãnāyā), the two upper teeth are called الثنايا العليا (ạltẖãnāyā ạl̊ʿul̊yā).
2. The tip of our tongue.

Now, let’s pronounce ث {tẖāʾ}: Touch the tip of your tongue at the edge of the upper two teeth (ạltẖãnāyā ạl̊ʿul̊yā) and say ث {tẖāʾ}. Just like ‘th’ in the English word “thanks”. Practice this sound again and again. 

Practice ث {tẖāʾ} with vowel movements.

• Fat̊ḥa   فتحة: It is a small diagonal line on the top of the letter and sounds as ‘AA’. For example: 

ثَ = tẖa, read as;  tẖ fatah tẖa

• Kasrah  كسرة: It is a small diagonal line below a letter and sounds like ‘EE’. For example: 

ثِ = tẖe, read as; tẖ kasrah tẖe

• Dammah ضمة: It is a small comma like symbol on the top of the letter and sounds like ‘UU’. For example:

 ثُ   =  tẖu, read as; tẖ dammah tẖu

• Jazm / Sokoun جزم: Jazm is also called sokoun, a letter with Jazm is called Sakin. It is a small round symbol above the letter. It means that this letter is joint with the letter before it. For example: 

 ثْ  =  tẖ sakin,   أثْ  = Alif fat̊ḥa  + tẖ sakin = ạå̉tẖ̊

• Shadda شدة: When a letter having symbol ّ , it is called Mushadad. It is pronounced by saying the letter twice with one movement of the tongue. It is read by joining two letters and also read with harakat.

حَثَّ = ḥatẖã

To learn more about the Arabic Harakat, here you can find the easiest way to practice Tashkeel:

Practice the letter ث {tẖāʾ} by saying these words:

ثُوْمْ (tẖaū̊m̊ – Garlic)
ثَلْج (tẖal̊j – Similar)
ثلاثة (tẖalātẖa – three)
ثُعْبَان (tẖuʿ̊bān – snake)
ثَمَرْ (tẖamar̊  – Fruit)
ثَابِتْ (tẖābit̊  – Whole)
ثَنَاء (tẖanāʾa  – Tribute)

 

Listen to some Arabic Words starting with the letter ث {tẖāʾ}

Learn how to write the letter ث {tẖāʾ}

For more explanation about how Arabic letters are written, please check out this article:

How Arabic letters are written in their different positions?

Practice the difference between the sounds س {sīn}, ث {tẖāʾ} and ص {ṣād}:

Practice makes perfect. Hence, keep practicing and keep improving!