English: How to Pronounce S [s] and Z [z] Consonants

Many English learners mix up these two sounds or aren’t sure when to use the voiced or unvoiced version. In this lesson, you’ll learn the correct mouth position, tongue placement, and voicing so you can pronounce both sounds with confidence.

Understanding the Difference Between S [s] and Z [z]

The S and Z consonants are paired sounds because they use the same mouth position.

The key difference is voicing:

• S [s] is unvoiced—only air flows through your mouth.
• Z [z] is voiced—your vocal cords vibrate as you make the sound.

Try holding your fingers on your throat as you say:

• Sss… (no vibration)
• Zzz… (you should feel vibration)

Learning to hear and feel this difference is an important step toward clearer pronunciation.

Mouth Position for S and Z

To produce both sounds correctly:

• Part your lips slightly.
• Pull the corners of your mouth back a little.
• Let your teeth lightly touch or come very close together.
• Allow the air to pass through the narrow space between your tongue and teeth.

The mouth shape stays almost identical for both sounds.

Two Correct Tongue Positions

There are two natural ways to produce the S and Z sounds.

Tongue Tip Down

Many speakers place the tip of the tongue lightly against the back of the bottom front teeth.

This position often creates a relaxed, steady airflow.

Tongue Tip Up

Other speakers point the tip of the tongue upward instead.

The best position may depend on the sounds before or after the S or Z. Both tongue positions are common among native speakers.

Watch How the Tongue Moves

Rachel demonstrates the sounds in slow motion so you can see exactly what’s happening.

In words like:

• Sit
• Miss

the tongue tip stays down.

In Fizz, the tongue tip moves up before the teeth close.

Seeing these subtle movements can make it much easier to copy the sounds accurately.

Practice Words

Repeat these words aloud to build muscle memory.

S [s] Sound

• Some
• Must
• Less

Z [z] Sound

• Zip
• Cousin
• Easy

Notice that the letter S doesn’t always make the S sound. In words like cousin and easy, the letter S is pronounced as Z.

Key Takeaways

• S [s] is unvoiced, while Z [z] is voiced.
• Both sounds use nearly the same mouth position.
• You can pronounce them with the tongue tip down or up.
• The surrounding sounds may influence your tongue placement.
• Remember that the letter S sometimes represents the Z sound in English.