Pronouncing “x”

The sound x is a voiceless fricative. It is produced near the same place as q. Similar sounds appear in the Russian x, the Scottish pronunciation of “loch,” the German “ch” in “Bach,” and the sound some people make when saying “yech.”

Pronunciation exercise

1. Begin by making the sound q.
2. Notice where the back of the tongue touches the back of the mouth.
3. Instead of closing the airflow completely, close it only partly.
4. Force the air through the small opening.

This produces x.