TH Sound Words: Lists by Position, Typical Ages, and How to Practice at Home

Most kids don't nail the TH sound until somewhere between age 4 and a half and age 7, which makes it one of the last sounds to fall into place. Voiced TH (like in "this") tends to settle in around age 5, while voiceless TH (like in "thumb") can take until age 6 or later. If your toddler or preschooler swaps TH for an F, D, or S sound, that's typical, not a red flag.

What is the TH sound and how is it made?

TH actually covers two different sounds. There's the voiceless version in words like thumb, three, and bath, where you just push air through. And there's the voiced version in words like this, that, and feather, where your voice box hums while you do it. Both are made the same way physically: tongue tip resting lightly between the front teeth, air flowing over it. Kids often substitute an F or a D because those sounds are easier to control and don't require getting the tongue out in the open.

For a broader picture of when other consonants typically show up, see our guide to articulation milestones by age.

At what age do kids typically say the TH sound?

Speech sound development happens in a predictable order, and TH sits near the end of that sequence. According to a research review of US studies on consonant development, most sounds are acquired well before TH:

These are bands, not deadlines. A 5-year-old still fumbling the voiceless TH in "three" is right on schedule. This data comes from a consonant acquisition review hosted by ASHA's practice portal, and it's worth keeping close if you're comparing your child's progress against a real benchmark instead of a guess.

TH words by position: start, middle, and end

Where the sound falls in a word changes how hard it is to produce. Start-of-word TH tends to be easiest to model and hear clearly, so that's a good place to begin practice.

TH at the start of words

TH in the middle of words

TH at the end of words

End-of-word TH shows up in fewer common, kid-friendly words than the start or middle position, so this list is shorter on purpose. That's normal for this sound and not a gap in your practice.

How do I practice TH sounds during normal daily routines?

You don't need flashcards or a sit-down drill session. A few seconds of natural modeling woven into a routine you already do works better, because your child hears the sound attached to something real. Keep each turn under a minute and stop while it still feels good. For more ideas like this across every sound, our daily speech routines hub has dozens of them.

What counts as a successful practice attempt?

Success is a lower bar than perfect articulation. It can look like noticing the sound, watching your mouth shape it, attempting an approximation, using the word during play, or simply tolerating one more model than they did yesterday. For many kids, especially neurodivergent kids, staying regulated and engaged matters more than crisp sounds right now. Model clearly, give your child a reason to try, and move on while the interaction still feels fun rather than turning it into a test.

Is it normal for my child to not say TH yet?

Almost certainly, yes, depending on their age. Here's a quick way to think about it by stage.

At younger ages, look at the bigger picture instead of one sound in isolation. How does your child ask for things, refuse things, imitate you, follow simple directions, play, and handle frustration? A single missing sound matters far less than a broad pattern of limited communication, or any loss of skills your child used to have.

When should I get help for the TH sound?

Reach out to a speech-language pathologist if the TH sound is still absent well beyond the age bands above, if your child avoids talking altogether, if their speech is hard to understand across different settings and listeners, or if practicing sounds seems to cause real stress. A clinician can figure out whether this is a straightforward articulation issue, a broader phonological pattern, a motor planning difference, a hearing concern, or something tied to language development more generally. You can start by talking to your pediatrician, checking early intervention options for younger children, or asking your school district about a speech evaluation. Our speech delay hub walks through what those paths actually look like, and the CDC's Learn the Signs Act Early program has free milestone checklists if you want a broader developmental picture. The NIDCD's overview of speech and language development is another solid, plain-language reference if you want to read more before you call anyone.

Is it normal for a 2-year-old to not say the TH sound?

Yes, completely. TH is one of the last sounds kids acquire, typically not showing up until age 4.5 or later. At 2, most children are still working on much earlier sounds like p, b, m, and h, so TH isn't expected at all yet.

Is it normal for a 4-year-old to still not say TH?

Yes. TH usually starts emerging between 4.5 and 7, so a 4-year-old who substitutes F or D for TH sounds is right on track. Keep modeling the sound naturally rather than correcting every attempt.

What sounds should come in before TH?

By age 4, most kids have already mastered p, b, m, d, n, h, t, k, g, w, ng, f, y, l, j, ch, s, v, sh, and z. R and voiced TH typically follow around age 5, with voiceless TH being one of the very last sounds to settle in around age 6. See our full sound development timeline for the complete order.

My child says "fumb" instead of "thumb." Should I correct them?

Not with pressure or repeated correction drills. Just model the word back clearly and naturally: "Yes, your thumb!" Substituting F for TH is one of the most common and expected patterns in preschoolers, and it usually resolves on its own as the sound matures.

How can I tell the difference between a normal delay and a real problem?

Look at the whole picture, not just one sound. If your child is easy to understand most of the time, communicates in other ways, and is progressing overall, a missing TH at age 4 or 5 is not a red flag. Get it checked if speech is hard to understand across settings, if your child seems frustrated or avoidant about talking, or if TH is still missing well past age 7.

Where do I start if I want expert guidance?

You can begin with our getting started guide, which walks through how to think about your child's specific sounds and when professional support makes sense.

This page is meant as educational support for home practice, not a diagnosis. It's not a medical device, not a replacement for AAC, and not a substitute for a licensed speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, early intervention program, or school evaluation team. If you have concerns about your child's speech, the right next step is a conversation with a qualified professional who can actually see and hear your child.