Mastering /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ Sounds: A1 English Pronunciation Guide — A1 English pronunciation lesson by Langcom

Mastering /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ Sounds: A1 English Pronunciation Guide

Raúl Maguiña

Fondateur de Langcom | Examinateur pour les examens de Cambridge et du SIELE

septembre 8, 2026

A1🔊 Prononciation⏱️ 4 min de lecture📅 Updated septembre 2026
The English sounds /tʃ/ et /dʒ/ are important for clear pronunciation. These are ‘affricate’ sounds, meaning they start with a quick stop of air and then a release, like a small explosion. The key difference is that /tʃ/ is a voiceless sound (no vibration in your throat), as in chair ou catch. In contrast, /dʒ/ is a voiced sound (your throat vibrates), as in juice ou large. Learning to feel this vibration will help you make these sounds correctly and improve your speaking. Pay attention to how your mouth moves and where the sound comes from to master these common English sounds.

What is the /tʃ/ sound?

Les /tʃ/ sound is a voiceless affricate. This means:

  • Your vocal cords do not vibrate when you make this sound.
  • You stop the air quickly with the front of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then release it suddenly.
  • It sounds like a ‘t’ and a ‘sh’ sound together, but very fast.

Common spellings for /tʃ/ include:

  • ch: as in chair, much, teacher
  • tch: as in watch, catch, kitchen
  • t (sometimes, before u): as in picture, future

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What is the /dʒ/ sound?

Les /dʒ/ sound is a voiced affricate. This means:

  • Your vocal cords vibrate when you make this sound. You can feel it if you touch your throat.
  • You stop the air quickly with the front of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then release it suddenly.
  • It sounds like a 'd' and a 'zh' sound together, but very fast.

Common spellings for /dʒ/ include:

  • j: as in juice, job, jacket
  • g (before e, i, y): as in large, page, gym
  • dg: as in bridge, judge, edge
  • d (sometimes, before u): as in education, procedure

How to Make the Sounds: Step-by-Step

To make both /tʃ/ et /dʒ/ sounds:

  • Step 1: Tongue Position. Raise the front part of your tongue to touch the hard ridge behind your upper front teeth.
  • Step 2: Stop the Air. Briefly stop the air completely behind your tongue.
  • Step 3: Release the Air. Quickly release the air, letting it escape through a narrow opening.

The only difference between /tʃ/ et /dʒ/ is your voice:

  • For /tʃ/, keep your voice off. It's just air.
  • For /dʒ/, turn your voice on. Make your vocal cords vibrate.
Comparing /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ Sounds
Fonctionnalité <span data-no-translation>/tʃ/</span> Son <span data-no-translation>/dʒ/</span> Son
Voicing Voiceless (no throat vibration) Voiced (throat vibrates)
Common Spellings ch, tch, t (in some words) j, g (before e, i, y), dg, d (in some words)
Examples chair, watch, picture juice, large, bridge

Exemples

  • I like to eat cheese for lunch.
  • The teacher gave us a new challenge.
  • My jacket is too large.
  • Can you pass me the orange juice?
  • The children play on the bridge.
  • He needs to change his job.

Entraînement

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Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers often make the /tʃ/ sound well, as it is similar to the 'ch' in words like 'mucho'. However, sometimes they might confuse /tʃ/ with the /ʃ/ sound (like in shoe). N'oubliez pas que, /tʃ/ has a quick stop before the air is released, unlike /ʃ/.

For /dʒ/, the main challenge is making it voiced. Sometimes it sounds like a voiceless /tʃ/ or a soft 'y' sound. Always remember to vibrate your vocal cords for /dʒ/. Practice feeling the vibration in your throat to ensure you are making the correct voiced sound.

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the main difference between /tʃ/ and /dʒ/?

The main difference is voicing. /tʃ/ is voiceless (no throat vibration), as in chip. /dʒ/ is voiced (throat vibrates), as in jeep. The mouth position is the same for both.

How can I practice these sounds?

Practice by saying minimal pairs like chair et jar, ou choke et joke. Pay attention to your throat: feel for vibration for /dʒ/ and no vibration for /tʃ/. Listen to native speakers and try to imitate them.

Why is it important to pronounce /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ correctly?

Correct pronunciation helps you speak clearly and be understood. Mispronouncing these sounds can sometimes change the meaning of a word, for example, confusing chop with job, ou cheer with jeer.

À propos de l'auteur : Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña est le directeur de l'Asociación Educativa Langcom, un centre agréé de préparation à l'examen Cambridge English situé à votre pays. Fort de plus d'une décennie d'expérience dans l'enseignement des langues et les certifications internationales, il a aidé des milliers d'étudiants, d'enseignants et d'établissements d'enseignement dans 25 pays à obtenir les certifications d'anglais Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL et Michigan.

En savoir plus sur le Langcom →

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