CH pronunciation in English: when it sounds like ch, k or sh

If you have ever read school as «chool», chemistry as «chemistry» with a «ch» as in «cheese», or chef as «chef» with the «ch» of «church», you are not alone. The letter pair CH can sound in three different ways in English: like the «ch» in church, like a «k» (school, the so-called «Greek ch») or like «sh» (chef). And the best part is that you can almost always predict it from where the word comes from.

Don’t worry, because with a couple of clues you will get it right almost every time. In this guide I explain the three sounds of CH, give you lists of words with their transcription and meaning, a trick using Spanish to spot the Greek ch, the rules for chr- and arch-, the most common mistakes and some quick questions. At the end there are thirty practice sentences with answers. Let’s get started! 🙂

How CH is pronounced in English

CH can sound in three ways. It almost always depends on the origin of the word:

If you cannot read these symbols yet, they are explained in my guide to English phonetics and the IPA chart.

CH is pronounced /tʃ/

This is the default sound. It appears in everyday English words, with the ch in any position (children, teach, much):

Listen to the words, one after another:

CH is pronounced /k/: the «Greek ch»

Many English words come from Greek, where the letter chi (χ) was written as ch. In English that ch is pronounced /k/, like the «c» in «cat». It appears mostly in words about science, art and education. There are two groups:

The most common

Listen to the words, one after another:

More words with /k/

Listen to the words, one after another:

One oddity: choir is pronounced /ˈkwaɪə/, almost the same as quire, so it does not follow the pattern of school. It has to be learnt by heart.

The Spanish trick: if it has «c», «qu» or «k» in Spanish

Here is a very practical clue to recognise the Greek ch: look at the equivalent word in Spanish. If it is spelled with c, qu or k, the English ch sounds /k/:

Listen to the eight English words:

Three more clues

• chr- sounds /kr/ almost always: Christmas, Christian, chrome, chronic, chronology.
• chl- sounds /kl/: chlorine /ˈklɔːriːn/.
• -ache sounds /eɪk/: headache, toothache, stomachache.

And one exception to the prefix arch-: in Greek words it sounds /ɑːk/ (architect, archaeology), but in words such as archbishop or archer it sounds /ɑːtʃ/, as in arch.

CH is pronounced /ʃ/

In words of French origin, the French sound is kept: /ʃ/, the «sh» of shh when you ask for silence. It does not exist in Spanish, which is why it is often confused with /tʃ/:

Listen to the words, one after another:

And a curiosity: in a few Scottish or German words, such as loch (lake) or Bach, the ch sounds like a soft, throaty «h», /x/. There are very few, and in American English people often say /k/.

Common mistakes with CH

• ❌ Pronouncing school as «chool». → ✅ It is /skuːl/: the ch sounds /k/.
• ❌ Pronouncing chemistry as «chemistry» with «ch» as in «cheese». → ✅ It is /ˈkemɪstri/.
• ❌ Pronouncing chef with the «ch» of «church». → ✅ It is /ʃef/, with «sh».
• ❌ Pronouncing machine as «match-een». → ✅ It is /məˈʃiːn/.
• ❌ Pronouncing Christmas with «ch» and the t: «chris-t-mas». → ✅ It is /ˈkrɪsməs/, with a silent t.
• ❌ Saying headache as «hed-aych». → ✅ It is /ˈhedeɪk/.
• ❌ Pronouncing architect as «arch-i-tect» with «ch». → ✅ It is /ˈɑːkɪtekt/.

Tips for practising

• Start with /tʃ/. It is the default sound. The other two are the exceptions.
• Use the Spanish trick. If the word in Spanish has a «c» or «qu», think /k/.
• Learn the few /ʃ/ cases. Almost all of them come from French (chef, machine, brochure…).
• Memorise the rules for chr- and -ache, because they cover many words at once.
• Record yourself saying ten words with CH and compare with the audio of an online dictionary.

Frequently asked questions about CH in English

How is CH pronounced in English?

In three ways: /tʃ/ as in church, /k/ as in school and /ʃ/ as in chef. The most common is /tʃ/.

What is the «Greek ch»?

It is the ch that is pronounced /k/ in words of Greek origin, such as school, chemistry or character.

How do I know if CH sounds /k/?

Ask yourself how the word is spelled in Spanish. If it has «c», «qu» or «k» (química, coro, arquitecto), the English ch sounds /k/.

When does CH sound like «sh»?

In words of French origin, such as chef, machine, brochure or champagne.

Why is Christmas not pronounced with «ch»?

Because it comes from the Greek Christos, and the ch sounds /k/. Also, the t is silent: /ˈkrɪsməs/.

CH pronunciation exercises

Thirty sentences to check you’ve got it. Below you’ll find three interactive exercises that mark themselves, so you’ll know straight away how you did.

And if you prefer a version in text that you can copy and paste, you have it down here 👇

Exercise 1: choose the sound of CH

Choose how CH is pronounced in each word.

Exercise 2: odd one out

Choose the word where CH is pronounced differently.

Exercise 3: choose the transcription

Choose the correct transcription for each word.

Conclusion

To sum up in three ideas: CH sounds /tʃ/ in everyday English words (church, cheese); it sounds /k/ in words of Greek origin (school, chemistry, Christmas), and the Spanish trick helps you recognise them; and it sounds /ʃ/ in words of French origin (chef, machine).

If you want to keep going, my next suggestion is to look at the pronunciation of GH, another letter combination that does not sound the way it is written.

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See you in the next post. Until then, don’t forget to keep smiling! 🙂