prompter: I am not a native English speaker and I am having trouble pronouncing the "th" sound in a lot of English words, like "three", and "breathe". Could you please explain to me how to correctly pronounce the "th" sound with my mouth, with specific examples for the words I mentioned?

assistant: The "th" sound in English can be challenging for non-native speakers. Here's how you can correctly produce the "th" sound:

For the "th" sound in "three", the tip of your tongue should be placed behind your upper front teeth, and the breath should flow out between your tongue and your teeth. It's important to avoid touching your tongue to your teeth, which can result in the "f" or "v" sounds.

For the "th" sound in "breathe", the position of your tongue is similar to the previous example, but the airflow is different. This time, the airflow is directed over the top of your tongue, rather than between your tongue and your teeth.

It might be helpful to practice words with the "th" sound in isolation, as well as in sentences, to get a feel for the correct tongue and airflow positions. Repeat the following words and sentences several times, focusing on the "th" sound:

three, breathe, teeth, bath, both
Breathe in, breathe out.
The three thieves stole the bath.

With practice, you'll be able to produce the "th" sound accurately and naturally.

prompter: Can you give an example of how the phonetic alphabet works?

assistant: Sure. The sound of the letter "th" is made by putting your tongue between your teeth (not placing your teeth on your tongue) and breathing out. For example, to pronounce the word "three", you would say "thhhh-ree" with a short puff of air while bringing your tongue up to your teeth. Similarly, with the word "breathe", you would say "bres-thh" with that same puff of air through your teeth.

I hope this helps. Please ask if you need any further assistance with pronouncing the "th" sound or any other linguistic concepts.

prompter: I don't believe "bres-thh" is correct, as the word "breathe" has a long e.  It is different from "breath" which is what you are describing

assistant: I apologize for the confusion. You are correct. The pronunciation of "breathe" is more like "bre-th". The 'e' in breathe is pronounced like a long 'e' as in "bee", and the 'th' sound is pronounced as described earlier.

So the word "breathe" is pronounced like: "bre-th"

I hope this helps clarify the pronunciation of "breathe".

assistant: You're right!
The correct way of saying "breathe" would be something like "breee-thhh". The "eee" is pronounced rather long.
The "e" at the end of "breathe" isn't pronounced at all.

If it helps you, the written pronunciation is "/briːð/".
Hopefully I was able to help. Just ask if you need anything else.

assistant: I am sorry you are correct "bres-thh" is an incorrect example.

assistant: Oh whoops. You are correct, my mistake. The word "breath" is what I meant to type.

The point still stands that the word "Three" and "breath" use the technique of the tongue between the teeth and a short breath of air. You have to say it a bit fast, otherwise it sounds like a lisp.

assistant: Certainly! The "th" sound is similar to either an "f" or a "v", except you stick out your tongue. Try saying "free" or "breave" and sticking out your tongue when you say the letters "f" or "v". If your native language doesn't have an "f" phenome, you can also try saying an "s" or "z" while sticking out your tongue. E.g., you can say "sree" or "breeze" and stick out your tongue.

prompter: Any specific advice for a Swedish speaker

assistant: Yes, as a Swedish is a harsh sounding language, the "th" sounds might be challenging to produce accurately. 
There are two sounds represented by the letter "th" in English: the "voiceless th" as in "think" and "bath" and the "voiced th" as in "this" and "bath".

For the "voiceless th", the tip of the tongue should be placed between the upper front teeth and the lower lip, with the airflow being interrupted by the tongue. 
This creates a sound similar to the hissing of a snake.
For the "voiced th", the tongue and vocal cords vibrate, producing a sound similar to the soft "d" in "the".

Here are some tips to help you:

1.    Practice with minimal pairs: Practice saying words that have the "th" sounds and other similar sounds that are common in Swedish. For example, "think" vs "sink", "bath" vs "bath".

2.    Pay attention to the position of your tongue: For the "voiceless th", the tip of the tongue should be placed between the upper front teeth and the lower lip. For the "voiced th", the tongue should be relaxed and positioned close to the upper molars.

3.    Focus on the airflow: The airflow should be interrupted by the tongue for the "voiceless th" and should vibrate as it passes over the vocal cords for the "voiced th".

4.    Record yourself: Record yourself speaking words with the "th" sounds, listen to the recordings, and compare them to the target pronunciation. This will help you identify areas for improvement.

5.    Practice with native English speakers: The best way to get the right pronunciation is to practice speaking with native English speakers. They can provide you with feedback and help you to correct any mistakes.

With enough practice, you'll be able to produce the "th" sounds with confidence and accuracy.