What is the phonetics of Z
in English?

Learn how to pronounce the letter Z correctly in English. Register for free at ABA English and join more than 30M students around the world who are enjoying learning with us.

START FOR FREE

The letter ‘z’ is one of those letters that looks the same in the English and Spanish alphabets but has a different sound in each language. If you want to know what that difference is, keep reading.

At ABA English, we believe it is very important to know how it is pronounced in English, which is why we have the necessary tools for you to learn the correct pronunciation of this and all the letters in the alphabet. Thanks to our speaking exercises you will be able to practice pronouncing words in English until you master all the sounds.

+30 MILLION STUDENTS

Join the largest digital English academy
in the world and learn English

START FOR FREE

THE ENGLISH PHONETICS OF Z

Besides doing exercises to pronounce English well, it is also very useful to know the IPA phonetic symbols (the International Phonetic Alphabet) that represent the sounds of all languages. Among all these sounds, some belong specifically to English phonetics which, although it has some similarities with Spanish, also has its own sounds and these are the ones that might be a bit harder for you. Now we will look at the phoneme /z/ and for that, we will use three English words with z: zoo, zebra, and crazy.

ABA on Air · Ep. 30 How To Improve Pronunciation | ABA on Air

THE PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF Z IN ENGLISH

Let’s see the phonetic transcription of our examples:

Zoo is /zuː/

Zebra is /ˈzeb.rə/

Crazy is /ˈkreɪ.zi/

So, how is the letter z pronounced in English? If you think of the sound made by that annoying buzzing mosquito that keeps you awake, you are very close. That’s right, in English the letter z sounds like a buzz, like an s that you vibrate with your tongue behind your teeth.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

Now that you know how it is pronounced in English, it is time to practice. If you are still not quite sure how to start a buzzing word, you can look for examples of words with z pronounced by native speakers in series or movies and imitate them.

If you prefer to start right away, try recording yourself now saying ‘There’s a crazy zebra at the zoo’ (There is a crazy zebra at the zoo). Say it a couple of times, then listen to your recording and compare it with native speakers’ pronunciations. Did you get the sound or are there still things to correct?

If you don’t get it the first time, don’t despair; pronunciation is a matter of practice, so the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

Practice in a fun way with our interactive exercises.

Pronunciation of the letter z in English with different accents

Two of the most famous countries where English is the native language are Great Britain and the United States. But even though they speak the same language, the accent is different, and so is some of the vocabulary.

The sound of the z is part of these differences, as it is pronounced differently in one place and the other.

For example, when reciting the alphabet, the British pronounce the z as ‘zet’

In the United States, however, when reciting the alphabet, the letter z is pronounced as ‘zi’.

Do you know your
English level?
Take a test now.

Register on our page and access the level test for free. In a few minutes you will know your level and you can continue advancing with the course.

START THE TEST

How to position your mouth to produce the correct sound

The sound of the z in English is a voiced s, vibrating the vocal cords.

Follow these steps on how to place your tongue and teeth to produce the desired sound.

You must place the tongue so that it presses the tip against the teeth.
You should keep the tongue tense during the emission.
The tongue must be touching the sides of the teeth.
You must place the lips slightly tense so that the sound we want comes out.

Exercises to practice the pronunciation of z in English

Repeat the following sentences out loud to practice the pronunciation of the letter z in English.

1. What is your favorite pizza? Mmmmh… I think the 4 formaggi is my favorite one.

(What is your favorite pizza? Mmmmh… I think the four cheese pizza is my favorite.)

/wɒt ɪz jɔː ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈpiːtsə? Mmmmh… aɪ θɪŋk ðiː 4 f ɪz maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt wʌn/

2. What size of ring do you use? Your boyfriend wants to propose and he asked me.

(What ring size do you wear? Your boyfriend wants to propose and asked me.)

/wɒt saɪz ɒv rɪŋ duː juː juːz? jɔː ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd wɒnts tuː prəˈpəʊz ænd hiː ɑːskt mi/

3. I failed a total of zero subjects this semester, I’m so proud of myself

(I failed a total of zero subjects this semester, I’m very proud of myself.)

/aɪ feɪld ə ˈtəʊtl ɒv ˈzɪərəʊ ˈsʌbʤɪkts ðɪs sɪˈmɛstə, aɪm səʊ praʊd ɒv maɪˈsɛlf/

4. When I was younger I spent hours and hours doing puzzles, I kinda miss it now, but I don’t have time for it.

(When I was younger I spent hours and hours doing puzzles, I kind of miss it now, but I don’t have time for it.)

/wɛn aɪ wɒz ˈjʌŋər aɪ spɛnt ˈaʊəz ænd ˈaʊəz ˈdu(ː)ɪŋ ˈpʌzlz, aɪ ˈkaɪndə mɪs ɪt naʊ, bʌt aɪ dəʊnt hæv taɪm fɔːr ɪt/

What is the phonetics of Z in English?

Join the largest digital English academy in the world and learn English