American English sound
/tʃ/: how to pronounce “ch” in chip, teacher and watch
/tʃ/ is the “ch” of chip, teacher and watch. It's a stop and a hiss in one: the tongue closes like for t, then releases into sh.
French and Portuguese speakers often drop the stop and say sh (chair becomes share). The spelling also hides it: tch in watch, t in picture and question.
/tʃ/
the “ch” sound
How to make the sound
- 1Touch the front of your tongue to the area just behind the gum ridge, as for t.
- 2Round your lips slightly.
- 3Build up a little air, then release it in one quick movement into “sh”.
- 4Keep your voice off.
- Tongue
- tip-palatal
- Lips
- rounded
- Voice
- voiceless
Hear it in words
Tap a word to hear it.
At the start
In the middle
At the end
How it's spelled
- ch: chip, teacher, much
- tch: watch, kitchen, catch
- t before -ure or -ion: picture, future, question
Common mistakes
Saying sh: “share” for chair
Without the stop, ch becomes sh. Start with the tongue closed, like t.
Adding voice: “jeep” for cheap
With voice on, ch becomes the j of jump. Whisper it.
Saying “ts”
With the tongue too far forward, chip becomes tsip. Pull the tongue back and round the lips.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs by one sound. If both words sound the same when you say them, practice this pair.
Try it
“The children watched the teacher cut cheese in the kitchen.”
Record a sentence and get a score for every sound, /tʃ/ included. Free, no account.
Questions
Why does picture have a ch sound?
t before -ure blends into /tʃ/: picture, future, nature, culture. The same happens with question and suggestion.
How do I tell ch from sh?
ch starts with a closure (like t), sh doesn't. Say “t” and “sh” together quickly: t-sh = ch.