How to pronounce "that" in English
ðæt
DHAT
Primary stress: DHAT
Hear native speakers say that in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “that”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
DHAT
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
As a single-syllable word, "that" receives full primary stress when spoken in isolation, though it may take a reduced weak form in connected speech when acting as a function word.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Many learners substitute "th" with "s", "z", "t", or "d".
How Native Speakers Say It: Place the flat blade of your tongue lightly between your upper and lower incisors. Vibrate your vocal cords while pushing air through to produce ⁄ð⁄.
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "that" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "that is" sounds like "that-iz").
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "that" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“That same belief in the power of the individual is what motivated me to partner with Planet Wild.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“that's using AI to increase EQ, and not just IQ, inside of firms.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“- That's exactly right. I mean, even Alcuin, I think he writes a little later on that the dead were left as dung in the streets.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“That is a field can influence things outside the region of space where the field itself exists.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“That's a different human civilization than the one I grew up in.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“That may sound strange, but remember, the magnetic field is the curl of the magnetic potential.”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
Practice Speaking “that”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
That same belief in the power of the individual is what motivated me to partner with Planet Wild.
Hear it in context: “that”
7,100,599 clipsThe English word “that” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ðæt (phonetic respelling: DHAT). Phonologically, it consists of 1 syllable (DHAT), pronounced as a single stressed monosyllable. Grammatically, “that” functions as a conjunction, pronoun, adverb, noun. SayItVid indexes 7,100,599 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “that” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USClip #1 · @21:18
“they took on the entire scientific establishment. That same belief in the power of the individual is what motivated me to partner with Planet Wild. what motivated me to partner with Planet Wild.”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @14:31
“a company backed by Reid Hoffman that I'm supporting, that's using AI to increase EQ, and not just IQ, inside of firms. It would look like John Hope Bryant,”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #3 · @7:20
“society, have established. - That's exactly right. I mean, even Alcuin, I think he writes a little later on that the dead were left as dung in the streets. So he's describing dead monks as the dead were left as dung in the streets. So he's describing dead monks as”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #4 · @31:05
“fields can act non-locally. That is a field can influence things outside the region of space where the field itself exists. outside the region of space where the field itself exists.”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #5 · @2:13
“may well be an AI. That's a different human civilization than the one I grew up in. As they get older, when they decide to start families,”
Definition & Meaning: “that”
- Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.
- Introducing a clause that is the subject of a verb, especially the 'be' verb or a verb expressing judgement, opinion, etc.
- The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action, or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.
- To a given extent or degree.
- Something being indicated that is there; one of those.
Example Sentences (3)
- “He told me that the book is a good read.”
- “It is almost certain that she will come.”
- “That same belief in the power of the individual is what motivated me to partner with Planet Wild.”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “that”
- Pronunciation:
- DHAT
- Syllables:
- DHAT
- Written Hyphenation:
- that
- Primary stress:
- DHAT
- IPA:
- ðæt
- Hear it in context
- that
Words that Rhyme with “that”
-ætWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"that" (⁄ðæt⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "that" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about that
How do you pronounce “that”?
“that” is pronounced ⁄ðæt⁄ (DHAT). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
Where is the stress in “that”?
The primary stress in “that” is on “DHAT”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “that” mean?
Introducing a clause that is the object of a verb, especially a reporting verb or verb expressing belief, knowledge, perception, etc.
How can I hear “that” used in real sentences?
This page has 7100599 real-world video examples of “that” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “that”?
Many learners substitute "th" with "s", "z", "t", or "d". Place the flat blade of your tongue lightly between your upper and lower incisors. Vibrate your vocal cords while pushing air through to produce ⁄ð⁄.