Interdental /d̪/ & /t̪/

Interdental T and D: when the tongue moves forward for the next word

When a /t/ or /d/ is followed by a th (/θ/ or /ð/), the tongue doesn't wait: it moves forward to the teeth already for the first consonant. It's an automatic adjustment natives make without thinking, and it's one of the things that makes fast speech sound connected instead of choppy.

How it's made

• 👄 Mouth: slightly open, not changing position between the two words.
• 👅 Tongue: the /t/ or /d/ is articulated against the teeth, not at the alveolar ridge.
• 🔊 Voice: voiced for /d̪/, voiceless for /t̪/ — same as their normal versions.

You hear it in: at the · and the · put those · read this · get there

⚠️ The typical Spanish-speaker mistake: pronouncing each word separately and resetting the tongue in between. That breaks the link, and it's exactly what makes a Spanish speaker sound choppy at speed.

By the end you'll be able to: move your tongue forward ahead of the th and link at the and and the in one movement.