Lips
Round your lips and push them forward, exactly like /sh/. Keep your teeth close.
Voiced consonants
/ʒ/as in vision
Voiced. Same as "sh", with voice on.
Example words: vision, measure, beige, usually, television
Accent
Mouth
How do you pronounce the /ʒ/ sound?
Tongue
Keep the blade of your tongue raised toward the palate, a little further back than for /z/. Same position as /sh/. Only the voice changes.
Video lesson
Try it
- Get into the /sh/ position: lips rounded, tongue blade near the palate.
- Start the "shhh", then switch your voice on so it buzzes.
- Keep it smooth and continuous, like a soft engine hum.
- Hold the buzz, then say: vision, measure, beige.
Check
Hand on your throat. Say "shhh" then this sound. The mouth stays still, but the buzz must switch on. Try "measure" and feel the vibration in the middle.
Common trap
Do not replace it with /sh/ or with a "j" sound. It is a smooth, buzzing hush with no stop at the start. Keep the air flowing the whole time.
Practice: /ʒ/
Words
visionvˈɪʒən
measuremˈɛʒəɹ
beigebˈeɪʒ
usuallyjˈuʒəwəli
televisiontˈɛləvˌɪʒən
Sentences
We usually watch television in the evening.wˌi jˈuʒəwəli wˈɑtʃ tˈɛləvˌɪʒən ɪn ði ˈivnɪŋ.
Measure the wall before making a decision.mˈɛʒəɹ ðə wˈɔl bəfˈɔɹ mˈeɪkɪŋ ɐ dəsˈɪʒən.
Reading is a pleasure I usually enjoy.ɹˈidɪŋ ɪz ɐ plˈɛʒəɹ ˌaɪ jˈuʒəwəli ɪndʒˈɔɪ.
She wore a beige dress on television.ʃˌi wˈɔɹ ɐ bˈeɪʒ dɹˈɛs ˌɔn tˈɛləvˌɪʒən.
His vision of Asia changed after the trip.hˌɪz vˈɪʒən ʌv ˈeɪʒə tʃˈeɪndʒd ˈæftəɹ ðə tɹˈɪp.
Words
visionvˈɪʒən
measuremˈɛʒə
beigebˈeɪʒ
usuallyjˈuːʒʊəli
televisiontˈɛlɪvˌɪʒən
Sentences
We usually watch television in the evening.wˌiː jˈuːʒʊəli wˈɒtʃ tˈɛlɪvˌɪʒən ɪn ði ˈiːvnɪŋ.
Measure the wall before making a decision.mˈɛʒə ðə wˈɔːl bɪfˈɔː mˈeɪkɪŋ ɐ dɪsˈɪʒən.
Reading is a pleasure I usually enjoy.ɹˈiːdɪŋ ɪz ɐ plˈɛʒə ˌaɪ jˈuːʒʊəli ɪndʒˈɔɪ.
She wore a beige dress on television.ʃˌiː wˈɔː ɐ bˈeɪʒ dɹˈɛs ˌɒn tˈɛlɪvˌɪʒən.
His vision of Asia changed after the trip.hˌɪz vˈɪʒən ɒv ˈeɪʒə tʃˈeɪndʒd ˈɑːftə ðə tɹˈɪp.
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Sounds in the same group
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