This Isn't Dis: The Buzzy TH Ukrainian Skips

If you've already tackled the breathy TH in 'think,' there's a second version waiting in some of English's most frequent words: 'this,' 'that,' 'the,' 'these,' and 'brother.' Ukrainian has no matching interdental sound, so speakers naturally reach for the closest options, 'd' or 'z,' which is logical but shifts how these everyday words land for American listeners. To make the real sound, rest your tongue tip gently between your teeth and let your voice hum through continuously — it should feel like a vibrating, buzzy stream of air, not a quick tap-and-release the way 'd' works. Try this for two minutes: repeat 'this, that, these, those, brother, weather' slowly, keeping your tongue in the between-teeth position the whole time and checking for a steady buzz with a finger near your throat. Since 'the' and 'this' show up constantly in ordinary conversation, this one small adjustment will make a noticeably bigger difference than many trickier sounds you might be tempted to chase first.