Spanish Intervocalic d /ð/

d becomes soft 'th' between vowels — nada, todo, lado, cuidado, Madrid

ConsonantIPA: /ð/

Practice Words

nadatodoladocuidadoMadridhabladodedocadavidacomida

Accent-Specific Pronunciation Guide

How you approach this sound depends on your English accent. Find yours below for personalised coaching.

American English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

You already make this sound — it's the 'th' in 'this', 'the', and 'father'. In Spanish, d becomes this soft 'th' between vowels and after most consonants. 'Nada' sounds like 'na-tha'. 'Todo' = 'to-tho'. Just use your English 'th' from 'the'.

Bridge from: this, the, father (ð)

Common mistakes:

•Using a full hard d everywhere (nada should NOT sound like 'na-da' with a hard d)
•Dropping the d entirely in word-final position (Madri instead of Madrith)

Drill sequence:

the → nada (na-tha)
this → todo (to-tho)
father → cuidado

British English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Your 'th' in 'this' is the Spanish intervocalic d. Use it between vowels.

Bridge from: this, the, father (ð)

Common mistakes:

•Full d everywhere

Drill sequence:

this → nada
the → todo

Australian / NZ English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Use your 'th' from 'this' for Spanish d between vowels. Nada = na-tha.

Bridge from: this, the (ð)

Common mistakes:

•Full hard d everywhere
•Dropping d

Drill sequence:

the → nada
this → todo

Irish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Your 'th' from 'this' is the target. Some Irish dialects use dental stops where others use 'th' — make sure you use the FRICATIVE (continuous airflow), not a stop.

Bridge from: this, the (ð / d̪)

Common mistakes:

•Using dental stop instead of fricative in some dialects

Drill sequence:

this → nada (continuous, not stopped)

Scottish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Your 'th' in 'this' is the Spanish intervocalic d. Use it between vowels.

Bridge from: this, the (ð)

Common mistakes:

•Full d everywhere

Drill sequence:

this → nada

Indian English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 3/5

Indian English often replaces 'th' with a dental stop [d̪] — saying 'dis' for 'this'. For Spanish intervocalic d, you need the FRICATIVE version — continuous airflow between tongue and teeth, not a stop. Put your tongue between your teeth (or behind upper teeth) and let air flow through continuously. It's the sound many English speakers use in 'the' — a soft, buzzy 'th'.

Bridge from: this, the (d̪ (dental stop))

Common mistakes:

•Using dental stop [d̪] instead of fricative [ð]
•This distinction (stop vs fricative) is the key challenge
•Full hard d between vowels

Drill sequence:

Place tongue between teeth → let air flow → /ð/
d → loosen → continuous airflow → nada
Practice: na-tha, to-tho, ca-tha

South African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Your 'th' in 'this' is the Spanish intervocalic d. Use it between vowels. Nada = na-tha.

Bridge from: this, the (ð)

Common mistakes:

•Full d everywhere

Drill sequence:

this → nada

Nigerian / W. African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 3/5

Nigerian English often uses [d] where other accents use 'th' — saying 'dis' for 'this'. For Spanish, you need the continuous fricative: place your tongue tip between your teeth (or behind upper teeth) and let air flow through. It should be buzzy and continuous — NOT a stop where the tongue blocks air completely. This is a new sound that needs practice.

Bridge from: this, the (d (no th))

Common mistakes:

•Using full d stop instead of fricative
•Not placing tongue correctly for dental fricative
•This is one of the harder adjustments for Nigerian speakers

Drill sequence:

Tongue between teeth → blow air → buzzy sound → /ð/
d → loosen contact → continuous air → nada
Practice: the → /ð/ → todo, nada, cada

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you pronounce the Spanish Intervocalic d /ð/?▾

The Spanish Intervocalic d /ð/ is written as ð in IPA. d becomes soft 'th' between vowels — nada, todo, lado, cuidado, Madrid. The technique varies by your English accent — scroll down for personalised coaching for American, British, Australian, Irish, Scottish, Indian, South African, and Nigerian speakers.

Is the Spanish Intervocalic d /ð/ hard for English speakers?▾

It depends on your accent. For some English accents, this is a direct transfer (you already make this sound). For others, it's genuinely new. Check the accent-specific section below to see your difficulty rating.

What words use the Spanish Intervocalic d /ð/ sound?▾

Common practice words include: nada, todo, lado, cuidado, Madrid, hablado. These are good starting points for drilling this sound.