I can't pronounce the number three even if my life was depending on it

[da_illest101]

This is frustrating, I just spend the last hour learning how to say three ( not the first time doing that), because I have an oral presentation wednesday and I'll have no choice to say that number, but it always sound like tree.

I keep listening to people saying it over and over again but it's just not working. I can say then, there, those, any word with the th but not three.

since I was a kid I couldn't say it, I was in a french school so it didn't matter since my english was better then most, but now people are really starting to annoy me with it. Especially at work when I get an english call and have to say this number several time

Do anyone knows how someone can learn how to say it.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

practice, I guess...

I had alot of practicing in oral and reading skills when I was in elementary school because my numbers and letters were mixed up. Dyslexia, dyscalculia, obv.
It takes alot of practice; over and over again and sometimes it's just past your mental capacity to be able to do it until one day you end up doing it properly and it catches you offguard.

If you can't do it for your presentation, you can just hold up 3 fingers and say 'trois' ~ as kind of like... adding a bit of character and flare to the presentation, to keep people's attention.
...That's how you can play it off, anyway.

Keep practicing and you'll be able to do it someday!

 

[elek2ronik]

Yeah man just practice as much as you can! Good luck on the presentation. For what it's worth, I have trouble WRITING the number 3 lol. I can write every other number easily, but if I write a number 3, I screw it up unless I write it really slow and concentrate.

 

[kilojoule]

yes haha ppl actually wait for me to say tree. Im Irish and while I was learning how to speak we lived in a part were ppl drop the 'h'. (not all Irish ppl do that but sum do) anyway I do have to work on saying three.Im very aware of it occassionaly 'tree' will slip out. So I break it down to parts. Phonetically it sounds ther-eeee and then just practise saying it faster.

 

[Deus_Ex_Lemur]

But French/Irish/English/Aussie/NZ/Spanish/ANY accents are awesome and cute! But I suppose if you're giving a presentation... tree would get annoying.

I have a boring Californian accent but had stuttering and speech therapy for certain word's because my mom has a Germanish accent and kinda developed a weird way of saying certain word's with how my voice sounds...

BUT what's helped me is what Jewel suggested AND - TONGUE TWISTERS! Slowly - then faster. Enunciate each syllable slowly... then faster. And faster. That's one vocal/speech exercise that's helped me the most

 

[Warrior Poet]

Yea, I have the same problem aswell, when I say "three" it comes out as "tree".

 

[SeniorRedrings]

can you say "free"?

 

[MrJones]

My father couldn't pronouce "zero" (the 'z' as if it was an 's') and with time and practice now it's just fine. Pick someone to help you, if you want, it can be faster

 

[Waybuloo]

A Singaporean at uni always said 'tree' when he meant three. He didn't seem uncomfortable about it, so it just seemed natural for him. I guess you could live with it or seek the help of a speech therapist. If practicing by yourself you could break it down into the separate components Th-re-ee and go over and over it until it gets better.