The French alphabet and pronunciation
Focus on the French sounds that are unfamiliar or easy to confuse for English speakers, with examples and audio.
Audio generated by your browser's speech synthesis (French voice): an approximate aid, not a native accent. For real spoken French, head to the Video Library.
Test the tricky sounds (+50 XP)Vowels
A a
[a]
A clear 'a', as in "father".
ami : friend
E e
[ə]
A weak, neutral 'e'; at the end of a word it is usually silent.
petit : small
É é
[e]
A closed 'ay' sound, lips slightly stretched as if smiling.
été : summer
È è / Ê ê
[ɛ]
An open 'e', as in "bed".
mère : mother
I i
[i]
A clear 'ee' sound.
lit : bed
O o
[o / ɔ]
Closed in "rose", open in "porte".
moto : motorbike
U u
[y]
Round your lips as for 'oo' but say 'ee': the sound of "tu".
tu : you
Y y
[i]
Pronounced like 'ee'.
stylo : pen
Consonants
C c / Ç ç
[k / s]
'k' before a, o, u; 's' before e, i. The cedilla (ç) always gives 's'.
garçon : boy
G g
[g / ʒ]
Hard before a, o, u; soft (like 's' in "measure") before e, i.
girafe : giraffe
H h
[-]
Almost always silent.
hôtel : hotel
J j
[ʒ]
Like the 's' in "measure".
jour : day
Qu qu
[k]
"qu" is simply pronounced 'k'.
quatre : four
R r
[ʁ]
A throaty 'r', made at the back of the mouth.
rouge : red
S s
[s / z]
Usually 's', but 'z' between two vowels.
maison : house
X x
[ks / gz]
Often 'ks'; often silent at the end of a word ("deux").
taxi : taxi
Common letter combinations
ou
[u]
The 'oo' sound of "food".
soupe : soup
oi
[wa]
Pronounced 'wa'.
roi : king
au / eau
[o]
Two or three letters, one single sound: 'o'.
eau : water
ai
[ɛ]
Pronounced like an open 'e'.
lait : milk
eu
[ø]
Round your lips as for 'o' while saying 'ay'.
deux : two
an / en
[ɑ̃]
Nasal vowel: air goes through the nose, the 'n' is not pronounced.
enfant : child
on
[ɔ̃]
Nasal vowel with rounded lips; the 'n' stays silent.
bon : good
in / ain
[ɛ̃]
Open nasal vowel; the 'n' is silent.
pain : bread
ch
[ʃ]
Like 'sh' in "shoe".
chat : cat
gn
[ɲ]
Like 'ny' in "canyon".
montagne : mountain
ill
[j]
Often pronounced like 'y'.
fille : girl
ph
[f]
Pronounced 'f'.
photo : photo
French letters and sounds
- A a [a] : A clear 'a', as in "father". Example: ami (friend)
- E e [ə] : A weak, neutral 'e'; at the end of a word it is usually silent. Example: petit (small)
- É é [e] : A closed 'ay' sound, lips slightly stretched as if smiling. Example: été (summer)
- È è / Ê ê [ɛ] : An open 'e', as in "bed". Example: mère (mother)
- I i [i] : A clear 'ee' sound. Example: lit (bed)
- O o [o / ɔ] : Closed in "rose", open in "porte". Example: moto (motorbike)
- U u [y] : Round your lips as for 'oo' but say 'ee': the sound of "tu". Example: tu (you)
- Y y [i] : Pronounced like 'ee'. Example: stylo (pen)
- C c / Ç ç [k / s] : 'k' before a, o, u; 's' before e, i. The cedilla (ç) always gives 's'. Example: garçon (boy)
- G g [g / ʒ] : Hard before a, o, u; soft (like 's' in "measure") before e, i. Example: girafe (giraffe)
- H h [-] : Almost always silent. Example: hôtel (hotel)
- J j [ʒ] : Like the 's' in "measure". Example: jour (day)
- Qu qu [k] : "qu" is simply pronounced 'k'. Example: quatre (four)
- R r [ʁ] : A throaty 'r', made at the back of the mouth. Example: rouge (red)
- S s [s / z] : Usually 's', but 'z' between two vowels. Example: maison (house)
- X x [ks / gz] : Often 'ks'; often silent at the end of a word ("deux"). Example: taxi (taxi)
- ou [u] : The 'oo' sound of "food". Example: soupe (soup)
- oi [wa] : Pronounced 'wa'. Example: roi (king)
- au / eau [o] : Two or three letters, one single sound: 'o'. Example: eau (water)
- ai [ɛ] : Pronounced like an open 'e'. Example: lait (milk)
- eu [ø] : Round your lips as for 'o' while saying 'ay'. Example: deux (two)
- an / en [ɑ̃] : Nasal vowel: air goes through the nose, the 'n' is not pronounced. Example: enfant (child)
- on [ɔ̃] : Nasal vowel with rounded lips; the 'n' stays silent. Example: bon (good)
- in / ain [ɛ̃] : Open nasal vowel; the 'n' is silent. Example: pain (bread)
- ch [ʃ] : Like 'sh' in "shoe". Example: chat (cat)
- gn [ɲ] : Like 'ny' in "canyon". Example: montagne (mountain)
- ill [j] : Often pronounced like 'y'. Example: fille (girl)
- ph [f] : Pronounced 'f'. Example: photo (photo)
