Mastering Tricky English Sounds
Listening A1Lesson Goals
- To hear the difference between Khmer sounds and new English sounds.
- How to correctly make the /f/, /v/, and /th/ sounds.
- To build confidence in your English pronunciation.
Welcome! Some English sounds are new for Khmer speakers. Practicing these sounds helps people understand you clearly, whether you are speaking in Siem Reap or online. Let's learn three important sounds together!
1. The 'F' Sound (/f/)
In Khmer, you don't have the /f/ sound, so it's common to use a /p/ sound instead. Let's learn the correct /f/ sound to make your speech clearer.
How to make the sound: Put your top teeth gently on your bottom lip. Blow air out, like you are blowing out a small candle. Do not use your voice. It is a quiet sound made only with air.
Listen and repeat these words:
- Five
- For
- From
- Coffee
2. The 'V' Sound (/v/)
The /v/ sound is the "brother" of the /f/ sound. Your mouth is in the exact same position, but this time you use your voice.
How to make the sound: Put your top teeth on your bottom lip, just like for /f/. Now, make a sound with your voice. You should feel a small vibration or "buzz" in your throat. It feels like a quiet motorbike sound!
Listen and repeat these words:
- Very
- Have
- Drive
- Video
3. The 'TH' Sound (/θ/)
This is a very important English sound. Sometimes, learners use an /s/ sound by mistake, which can change the meaning of a word (for example, "think" can sound like "sink").
How to make the sound: Gently put the tip of your tongue between your top and bottom teeth. Blow air out. It should be a soft, gentle sound.
Listen and repeat these words:
- Thank you
- Three
- Think
- Mouth
Key Tip: Voice On or Voice Off?
The main difference between /f/ and /v/ is your voice!
- "Voice Off" sounds (unvoiced) like /f/ and /th/ use only air. Touch your throat when you say "ffff"—you should feel nothing.
- "Voice On" sounds (voiced) like /v/ use your voice box. Touch your throat when you say "vvvv"—you will feel a buzzing or vibration!
Understanding this simple trick helps you learn many English sound pairs correctly.
Practice Activity: Listen and Choose
Your teacher (or the audio) will say one word from each pair below. Listen carefully and choose the word you hear.
- Fan / Pan
- Very / Berry
- Sink / Think
- Face / Pace
- Vine / Fine
Vocabulary List
- Coffee (noun) [កាហ្វេ] - A popular brown drink that helps you feel awake.
- Video (noun) [វីដេអូ] - A moving picture you can watch on a phone or TV.
- Think (verb) [គិត] - To use your mind to create ideas or make decisions.
Your Mission: Record Yourself!
Find a quiet place and use your phone to record your voice. Say these sentences slowly and clearly. Listen to your recording. Can you hear the new sounds?
- I have five cups of coffee.
- Thank you very much.
- I think it is video number three.