How to pronounce “that”
That is pronounced /ˈðæt/. It has 1 syllable. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 1 beat. It is a single beat — one vowel, said in one push of breath.
Stress pattern O — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “that”
✗ Often said: /ˈθæt/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈðæt/
Why the two come apart: a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “that” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“that” sound by sound
“that” is built out of 3 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
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ðSame tongue-to-teeth position as /θ/, but turn the voice on so the tongue tip vibrates against the teeth.
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æDrop the jaw noticeably, push the front of the tongue low and forward, and spread the lips — it is a flat, bright, fairly long American vowel.
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tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
Words that rhyme with “that”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “that”
Each of these differs from “that” by exactly one sound. If you can say both of a pair and hear the difference, that sound is under control:
Questions people ask about “that”
- How do you pronounce “that”?
- “that” is pronounced /ˈðæt/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “that”?
- “that” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “that”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈθæt/, but it is actually /ˈðæt/, because a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
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