The /tʃ/ as in CHIP /tʃ/

One of the most common consonants in American English. Hear it in chip, much, chase, chest.

IPA /tʃ/ Respell ch Category Consonant
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The /tʃ/ sound, the ch in words like chip, much, and beach, is a two-part consonant that happens in a split second. You start by pressing the front flat part of your tongue against the roof of your mouth to block the air, slightly further back than a regular T. Then you drop your tongue a touch to open a narrow gap and flare your lips, releasing the air in a quick burst of friction, like an SH. It's a sharp little explosion, and unlike a lot of American consonants, it's always fully released, even at the ends of words.

How to make it

Three small adjustments.

Get them right and the sound takes care of itself.

Touch the front of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, then release into a 'sh' position. Flare your lips.

Mouth position for /tʃ/ in chip

Mouth shape

/tʃ/ as in chip

Tongue

Lifts so the front flat part touches the roof of the mouth, slightly further back than where you make a T,right where you make the SH sound.

Lips

Corners come in and lips flare (like SH position).

Quick tips

A few things to remember.

This sound combines T and SH into one sound. The tongue blocks the air slightly further back than a normal T,right where you make the SH sound, while the lip position is like SH.

Unlike stop consonants, CH is always fully released, never a stop-only version.

Same mouth position as J (/dʒ/) but without vocal cord vibration.

Hear it in words

16 everyday words.

Tap any word for its full breakdown — every reduction, every flap-T.

chunk
CHUHNGK
change
CHAYNJ
chain
CHAYN
cheese
CHEEZ
cheap
CHEEP
peach
PEECH
coach
KOHCH
catch
KACH
witch
WIHCH
check
CHEHK
choke
CHOHK
choice
CHOYS
pinch
PIHNCH
french
FREHNCH
batch
BACH
touch
TUHCH
Hear it in sentences

In real conversation.

4 short sentences where this sound shows up. Tap to play; click the title for the full breakdown.

Choose the cheap cheese and chicken chips.

CHOOZ dhuh CHEEP CHEEZ and CHIH·kuhn CHIHPS.

Much research suggests a rich future approach.

muhch REE·surch suhg·JEHSTS uh rihch FYOO·cher uh·PROHCH.

Check the chapter on change and challenge.

CHEHK dhuh CHAP·ter ahn CHAYNJ and CHA·luhnj.

Touch the peach and teach me the speech.

TUHCH dhuh PEECH and TEECH mee dhuh SPEECH.
FAQ

Common questions about /tʃ/.

What's the easiest way to make the American CH sound?
Combine a T and an SH into a single quick move. Press the front of your tongue to the roof of your mouth right behind your teeth to block the air. As pressure builds, push your lips forward into a flared shape. Then pull your tongue down slightly to release the air in a sharp, sudden burst. The air should pop out all at once, not leak out slowly.
Why do I mix up "chip" and "ship"?
You are likely missing the hard stop at the beginning of the CH sound. In ship /ʃ/, the air flows continuously from the very start; you can hold the sound as long as you have breath. In chip /tʃ/, your tongue must completely block the airflow first, creating a buildup of pressure before the release. If your tongue doesn't firmly touch the roof of your mouth to create that initial block, your CH will soften into an SH.
What is the difference between CH in "choke" and J in "joke"?
They use the exact same tongue and lip positions, but CH is voiceless and J is voiced. When you say choke /tʃ/, your vocal cords are completely relaxed, and the sound comes entirely from the burst of air in your mouth. When you say joke /dʒ/, your vocal cords vibrate, creating a low buzz in your throat. Try putting two fingers on your throat: you shouldn't feel any vibration at all during the CH sound.

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