/f/as in “fish”

Consonant

How to pronounce /f/ in English

The /f/ sound is a labiodental, voiceless, fricative consonant.

  • Voiceless
  • Fricative
  • Labiodental

Example words

Common mistakes

Final consonants

How to practise

  1. Read the word slowly and hold the last sound for a beat: "bus-sss", "five-vvv".
  2. When the next word starts with a vowel, carry the last sound over to it: "like_it" sounds like "lai-kit".
  3. Record yourself and listen only to the ends of the words.

Easily confused words

  • buy · bike
  • why · white
  • row · rose
  • lie · life
  • bee · beef

Practise /f/ with Letty

Say any sentence and Letty scores every sound, showing which one to fix. On iPhone, iPad and Mac, no internet needed.

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