How to pronounce the "s" in "things" and "cares" in American English? "s" sound or "z" sound?

Answer 1

First, in standard English BOTH of these make the "z" sound (it is NOT lazy!)

Here's how it works --

If you add a final "s" for
a) a NOUN - to form the plural OR
b) a VERB in the present tense 'third person singular' (example: "he sits, she says, it does...")

there is a simple rule for determining whether that "s" will be pronounced with the simple /s/ sound (as in "sound") OR the related /z/ sound.

Note that the only difference between the sounds /s/ and /z/ is that /s/ is spoken without the voice --called "devoiced", /z/ is spoken WITH THE VOICE, or "voiced".

And that's the key to knowing which one it will be. The rule is this -- whether of not the sound is voiced is based on the immediately preceding sound. In other words, if that preceding sound is voiced, the "s" will be voiced (sounding like /z/); if that sound is devoiced, the "s" will also be devoiced (sounding like /s/)

Thus, the following words in which the preceding consonant sound is devoiced, pronounce it as /s/:

puffs, sticks, thinks, hits, lips, myths

On the other hand, hand after these consonants, which are voiced, pronounce it as /z/:

jobs, beds, pigs, hills, hams, pins, things, stars, gives, scythes


And since English vowel sounds are ALWAYS voiced, WHENEVER the "s"comes right after a vowel-sound it will be voiced:

pays, passes, says, keys, sighs, shows, laws, toys, cues

(Note that all this is based on the SOUNDS that come before the s, NOT on the LETTER.)

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Applying the rule to the examples you mention -- since the "ng" and "r" are voiced, the following "s" will be voiced.

(By the way, note that it is much MORE common for a voiced sound to precede the s. That means that, more often than not this final s will be pronounced with a /z/ sound.)

Answer 2

There are three different sounds for regular plural endings in English: [s], [z], and [iz]. The s ending for things is pronounced as an [s]. The ending for cares is the [z] sound.

Answer 3

It's an "s" sound in both, although the lazy and ignorant pronounce it as a "z". Those are the same ones who say "ax" instead of "ask".

Those that believe otherwise need to learn proper English and not the IM and guttural English they now speak.

Answer 4

Both pronounce Z

Answer 5

the norm or overall it is pronounced with a "z" sound

Answer 6

It is pronounced z. Hope this did it for you.

Answer 7

Sounds like a short "z' like zzz as , not a long z like zee.......

Answer 8

it depends, are you gay? jk. i pronounce it like a z.