Utiliser le son "th" en français

In French, the "th" spelling appears often, especially in words borrowed from other languages—many of them from Greek. However, French does not use the English "th" sound (as in "the" or "think"). Instead, "th" in French is pronounced exactly like "t". You never use the English "th" sound when speaking French; always replace "th" with a simple "t" sound.

Here’s how you pronounce some common words with "th" in French:

• la thermomètre (pronounced as if it’s "ter-mo-mètre")
• la théorie (same "t" sound, not "th", so "té-o-rie")
• la thérapie ("té-ra-pie")
• le théâtre ("té-a-tr(e)")
• travailler ("tra-va-yer") — note that even though this word doesn’t contain "th", it's provided for practice with the "t" sound as opposed to "th"
• trois ("trwa") — another word for practicing "t", but not "th"
• vous avez raison ("voo zavé ré-zon") — a useful polite phrase, related to agreeing with someone

Examples in context:

• Je vais au théâtre ce soir.
• Il a besoin d'une thérapie.
• Le thermomètre indique 20 degrés.
• La théorie de la gravité est intéressante.

When reading aloud or speaking, confirm that you never pronounce "th" like the English "th". Always use the crisp French "t" sound.