Lips
Spread your lips slightly and bring your teeth almost together, exactly like /s/.
Voiced consonants
/z/as in zoo
Voiced. Same as "s", with voice on.
Example words: zoo, buzz, rose, zero, lazy
Accent
Mouth
How do you pronounce the /z/ sound?
Tongue
Keep your tongue tip close to the ridge with a narrow groove for the air, exactly like /s/. Nothing moves. Only the voice changes.
Video lesson
Try it
- Get into the /s/ position: lips slightly spread, tongue tip near the ridge.
- Start the hiss, then switch your voice on so it buzzes like a bee.
- Keep the buzz strong and steady. Feel it vibrate on your throat.
- Hold "zzz" for two seconds, then say: zoo, buzz, rose.
Check
Hand on your throat. Say "sss" then "zzz". Nothing in your mouth should move, but the buzz must switch on for /z/.
Common trap
Do not turn it into a quiet /s/. The only difference is voicing, so if your throat is not buzzing, it is not /z/. This matters at the ends of words too: "buzz" needs the buzz.
Practice: /z/
Words
zoozˈu
buzzbˈʌz
roseɹˈoʊz
zerozˈɪɹoʊ
lazylˈeɪzi
Sentences
The zoo closes at six today.ðə zˈu klˈoʊzᵻz æt sˈɪks tədˈeɪ.
Bees buzz around the roses.bˈiz bˈʌz əɹˈaʊnd ðə ɹˈoʊzᵻz.
He is busy on Tuesdays.hˌi ɪz bˈɪzi ˌɔn tˈuzdˌeɪz.
My cousin plays music every day.mˌaɪ kˈʌzən plˈeɪz mjˈuzɪk ˈɛvəɹi dˈeɪ.
These shoes are easy to wear.ðˌiz ʃˈuz ɑɹ ˈizi tə wˈɛɹ.
Words
zoozˈuː
buzzbˈʌz
roseɹˈəʊz
zerozˈɪəɹəʊ
lazylˈeɪzi
Sentences
The zoo closes at six today.ðə zˈuː klˈəʊzɪz at sˈɪks tədˈeɪ.
Bees buzz around the roses.bˈiːz bˈʌz əɹˈaʊnd ðə ɹˈəʊzɪz.
He is busy on Tuesdays.hˌiː ɪz bˈɪzi ˌɒn tjˈuːzdeɪz.
My cousin plays music every day.mˌaɪ kˈʌzən plˈeɪz mjˈuːzɪk ˈɛvəɹi dˈeɪ.
These shoes are easy to wear.ðˌiːz ʃˈuːz ɑː ˈiːzi tə wˈɛː.
🔊 plays the app's native voice. 🎤 records you so you can play it back next to it. Your recording stays in your browser.
Sounds in the same group
Is /z/ one of yours?
Accenty listens to you speak and shows the sounds you miss, in American or British English.
