How to Pronounce 'As You' Like a Native: Z + Y Palatalization for Spanish Speakers

The ZH sound (/ʒ/) is one of the hardest sounds for Spanish speakers because it doesn't exist in Spanish at all. When Americans say "as you wish," it sounds like "azhu wish." Understanding this sound change will help you both speak and understand native English better.

The secret: when /z/ meets /j/ (the Y sound), they combine into /ʒ/ (the ZH sound in "measure").

The Problem for Spanish Speakers

Spanish doesn't have the /ʒ/ sound at all! This makes it doubly hard:

1. You don't recognize the sound when you hear it
2. You don't know how to produce it

When you see "as you" in English, you might say:

• /æz/ + /ju/ = two separate sounds

But Americans actually say:

• /ˈæʒu/ = "azhu" (blended together)

The Rule: Z + Y = ZH

When /z/ appears before the /j/ sound (Y), they combine to create /ʒ/ (the ZH sound).

The Formula

• /z/ + /j/ = /ʒ/ (ZH sound)
• "as you" = /æz/ + /ju/ = /ˈæʒu/ (azhu)

What Does ZH Sound Like?

The /ʒ/ sound is:

• Like /ʃ/ (SH) but with voice (throat vibrating)
• The sound in the middle of "measure," "pleasure," "vision"
• Similar to the "J" in French "je" or Portuguese "João"

Common Phrases You Must Practice

These phrases undergo this sound change in natural speech:

More Phrases

• where's your /ˈwɛrʒɔːr/ - "Where's your phone?"
• use your /ˈjuːʒɔːr/ - "Use your imagination."
• lose your /ˈluːʒɔːr/ - "Don't lose your keys."
• raise your /ˈreɪʒɔːr/ - "Raise your hand."

Words with Built-in Z + Y (ZH Sound)

Many English words contain the /ʒ/ sound. Spanish speakers often mispronounce these as /s/ or /z/:

Common Mistakes

Spanish speakers often say:

• "mea-sur-e" with /s/ (wrong)
• "vi-sion" with /s/ (wrong)

Instead of:

• "mea-zher" with /ʒ/ (correct)
• "vi-zhon" with /ʒ/ (correct)

More Words to Practice

• casual /ˈkæʒuəl/
• usual /ˈjuːʒuəl/
• visual /ˈvɪʒuəl/
• occasion /əˈkeɪʒən/
• television /ˈtɛləvɪʒən/
• explosion /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
• confusion /kənˈfjuːʒən/
• conclusion /kənˈkluːʒən/
• garage /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/ (American pronunciation)
• beige /beɪʒ/
• genre /ˈʒɑːnrə/

How to Make the ZH Sound

Step 1: Start with SH

If you can say "she," you're halfway there:

1. Say "shhhh" (like telling someone to be quiet)
2. Feel the air flowing out
3. Your lips are slightly rounded

Step 2: Add Voice

Now add vibration from your throat:

1. Keep the same mouth position as "shhhh"
2. Turn on your voice (make your throat vibrate)
3. You should feel buzzing

Step 3: Practice the Contrast

Alternate between SH and ZH:

• SH (no voice): "shhhh"
• ZH (with voice): "zhhhh"
• SH - ZH - SH - ZH

Step 4: Practice Words

Practice these word pairs:

• "pressure" /ˈprɛʃɚ/ vs. "pleasure" /ˈplɛʒɚ/
• "Aleutian" /əˈluːʃən/ vs. "allusion" /əˈluːʒən/
• "Confucian" /kənˈfjuːʃən/ vs. "confusion" /kənˈfjuːʒən/

Practice Sentences

Read these sentences, focusing on the /ʒ/ sounds:

1. "It's my pleasure to measure your room."
2. "What's your decision about the television?"
3. "As you can see, the treasure is hidden."
4. "The usual casual dress code applies."
5. "Is your vision getting better?"

Comparing All Four Palatalization Patterns

Notice the pattern: voiceless sounds (T, S) combine with Y to make voiceless results (CH, SH). Voiced sounds (D, Z) make voiced results (J, ZH).

Key Takeaways

1. Z + Y = ZH (/ʒ/) in American English
2. Spanish doesn't have /ʒ/, so this is a new sound to learn
3. /ʒ/ is like /ʃ/ (SH) but with voice
4. Practice with common words: measure, pleasure, vision, decision
5. Listen for this sound in phrases: "as you," "is your," "because you"

Related Guides

This is part of a family of palatalization patterns:

• TR sounds like CHR (train = chrain)
• T + Y = CH (got you = gotcha)
• D + Y = J (did you = didja)
• S + Y = SH (miss you = mishu)