English Sounds - H [h] Consonant - How to make the H [h] Consonant

In this American English pronunciation video,

we're going to learn how to make the H consonant sound.

This sound is simply made hh--

by passing air through a very slightly constricted passage.

Either between the tongue and the roof of the mouth,

or in the throat. Hh--

This is an unvoiced consonant.

Part the lips and press the tongue down in the back just a little.

If you don't constrict the air passage at all,

there is no sound.

If you lift the back of your tongue and constrict too much,

you'll feel the vibration of the soft palate bouncing on the tongue.

This is too heavy. Hh--

The lips and jaw don't affect the sound.

So your mouth can be in position for the next sound when you're making the H.

For example, the word 'how'.

How.

The lips, jaw, and tongue, take the beginning position of the OW as in Now diphthong.

Hh-- How.

Let's look up close and in slow motion.

The sound by itself.

The jaw is relaxed and the lips part.

The word 'hi'.

There's nothing to see at the beginning of this word.

The H sound happens without changing what the lips do

for the AI as in Buy diphthong.

The word 'who'.

Again, there is nothing to see at the beginning of this word.

The H sound happens without changing what the lips do

for the next sound, the OO as in Boo vowel.

This sound is most common at the beginning of a word

and never occurs at the end of a word in American English

but the letter H does.

The H sound:

Hi

Who

Example words. Repeat with me.

Hope. Hh-- Hope.

History. Hh-- History.

Ahead. Hh-- Ahead.

Behind. Hh-- Behind.

Hear. Hh-- Hear.

Somehow. Hh-- Somehow.

I hope this video helps you understand this sound.

That's it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.