the trees and the air

[thomasRavenelli]

in the sentence the trees and the air, am I correct in pronouncing the e in the first the (the trees) as e in per and the second e (the air) as e in ear? if so what is the rule that distinguishes between the pronounciation of the two the?
best
T

[Anglika]

Yes. The first the is in front of "T", so shortens in sound, while the second is in front of the vowel sound of "ai" so lengthens to accommodate it [though you will also hear a shortened the in front of air].