F Sound vs V Sound: Fan, Van, Safe and Save

F and V are made with exactly the same mouth position. Your top teeth gently touch your bottom lip, and air passes through. The difference is your voice. F is voiceless, so you only use air. V is voiced, so your vocal cords vibrate. Put your fingers on your throat and you will feel the buzz on V, but not on F. In this video, you will practice five minimal pairs: 'fan' and 'van', 'fine' and 'vine', 'safe' and 'save', 'leaf' and 'leave', and 'off' and 'of'. The last pair is especially important because 'off' and 'of' are very common words that learners often confuse in speaking and writing. 'Off' ends with an F sound, while 'of' actually ends with a V sound. Many learners also pronounce V like B or W, so focus on keeping your teeth on your lip. Mixing up these sounds can change meaning: 'save your money' is very different from 'safe your money'. Watch the video, look closely at the mouth, and repeat each pair while feeling your throat. A few minutes of daily practice will make these sounds clear and natural.