How many syllables are in “three”?

“Three” has 1 syllable: three.

What is the IPA for “three”?

The American English IPA transcription of “three” is θriː.

How can I practice pronouncing “three”?

Press play to hear “three” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

American English pronunciation

How to pronounce three

/θriː/three1 syllable

“three” leans on the English “th” sounds that many languages don't use. It's a single syllable, and the trick is in the sounds below — hear it, then say it back and let our AI model show you how close you landed.

Say it & get scored

Hear three, then record yourself and our AI model will score your pronunciation, sound by sound.

The sounds to nail

/θ/as in thin
Voiceless 'th'. Tongue tip lightly between teeth, no voice. Don't substitute /t/ or /s/.
/ɹ/as in red
American /r/: bunch the tongue back and slightly up. Lips rounded. Don't tap the roof.
/iː/as in fleece
Tense, smiling. Pull tongue high and front. Longer than 'ih'.

Trickier for some first languages

The sounds in “three” are common stumbling blocks for speakers of:

Russian speakers →French speakers →Indian English speakers →Chinese speakers →

Common questions

How many syllables are in “three”?: “Three” has 1 syllable: three.
What is the IPA for “three”?: The American English IPA transcription of “three” is θriː.
How can I practice pronouncing “three”?: Press play to hear “three” spoken by our AI model, then record yourself on this page to get an instant pronunciation score — your first try needs no account.

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More words to practice

think thirty through this mother months