Two Pronunciations of 'The'

There are two ways to pronounce "the." One pronunciation sounds like /ðə/ ("thuh," rhymes with "duh") and the other sounds like /ði/ ("thee," rhymes with "free"). The pronunciation of the word "the" depends on the first sound of the word that comes after it.

When the word after "the" begins with a consonant sound, people usually use /ðə/. When the word after "the" begins with a vowel sound, people usually use /ði/. Below are examples of when to use each pronunciation.

In each of the below sentences, /ðə/ is usually used because the word after "the" begins with a consonant sound:

• He liked the book very much.
• The kids enjoyed the play.
• Each of the six roses had bloomed.
• They were the first people to arrive at the party.

In each of the below sentences, /ði/ is usually used because the word after "the" begins with a vowel sound:

• She reached the end of Park Street and had to turn around.
• The indecision of the employees made work difficult.
• She just watched her favorite movie for the eighth time.
• He drew the apple in a very realistic way.

I hope this helps. For more posts about words, idioms, grammar, and usage, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!