The French Alphabet & Pronunciation
Learn the 26 letters, accents, and the key sounds that make French unique.
Text between slashes, like /ʒuʁ/, is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): one symbol = one sound. You don't need to learn it (tap 🔊 to hear every word), but it shows you exactly which letters are silent: petit is /pə.ti/, with no t sound at the end.
SILENT FINAL CONSONANTS: The golden rule of French pronunciation. Most final consonants are silent: D, S, T, X, Z at the end of a word are NOT pronounced: grand (big/tall), petit (small/little), nez (nose).
LIAISON: when a normally silent final consonant comes back to life before a vowel sound. Liaison is OBLIGATORY between: determiner + noun (les enfants (the children)), pronoun + verb (nous avons (we have)), adjective + noun (un grand arbre (a big tree))
Common mistake: omitting the liaison and saying 'voo-a-vay' instead of 'voo-za-vay' for vous avez: the Z-sound is obligatory. Correct form: vous avez (you have)
- un ami: liaison n — a friend: 'n' of 'un' links to 'ami'
- vous avez: liaison z — you have: 's' of 'vous' becomes /z/
- les enfants: liaison z — the children
- tu: tout — you vs all/everything: different vowels!
SOUND 1: /y/ the French U: round your lips as if to say 'oo', then say 'ee' without moving your lips. No English equivalent. Practice: tu (you), sur (on), une (a), rue (street)
SOUND 2: /ʁ/ the French R: it is produced at the BACK of the throat (not the tongue tip like English R). Gargle gently or imagine clearing your throat softly. Practice: rue (street), rouge (red), mari (husband), riz (rice)
SOUND 3: Nasal vowels: the air goes through your nose. There are 3: /ɑ̃/ (an/en/am/em: like a nasal 'ah'), /ɔ̃/ (on/om: nasal 'oh'), /ɛ̃/ (in/un/ain/ein: nasal 'eh'). Keep the vowel purely nasal, do not release the N or M: vin (wine), pain (bread), son (his/her/its (m.)), an (year), brun (dark-haired)
- rue — street: guttural r + French u
- feu: fée — fire vs fairy: eu vs é
- vin: van — wine vs van: different nasal vowels
- petit — small: final t is silent!
ACCENTS: they are MANDATORY: é (acute) = /e/; è (grave) = /ɛ/; ê (circumflex) = /ɛ/; ô = /o/
CÉDILLE (ç): always produces the /s/ sound, used before a, o, u: façon (way/manner), garçon (boy), reçu (receipt)
C and G rules: C = /k/ before a, o, u, or a consonant. C = /s/ before e, i, y: cinéma (cinema), ceci (this). G = /ɡ/ before a, o, u; G = /ʒ/ before e, i, y: genre (type), gilet (cardigan)
- façon — way/manner: cédille always /s/
- cinéma: garçon — cinema: boy: c before e/i/y is /s/, c before a/o/u is /k/
- genre: gilet — type: cardigan: g before e/i/y is /ʒ/
ÉPELER (to spell): use the letter names you just learned to spell a word or your name aloud.
ASKING: Comment ça s'écrit ? (How is that spelled?). Vous pouvez épeler, s'il vous plaît ? (Can you spell that, please?). Ça s'écrit comment, votre nom ? (How is your name spelled?)
GIVING: say each letter name from the alphabet above, one at a time: Ça s'écrit M-A-R-T-I-N. (It's spelled M-A-R-T-I-N.)
- - Comment ça s'écrit, votre nom ? - Ça s'écrit L-E-F-E-B-V-R-E. — How is your name spelled?: It's spelled L-E-F-E-B-V-R-E.
- - Ça s'écrit avec un accent ? - Oui, é, comme dans 'café': e accent aigu. — Is it written with an accent?: Yes, é, like in 'café': e with acute accent.
- Mon prénom, c'est Hélène : e accent aigu, puis e accent grave. — My first name is Hélène: e with an acute accent, then e with a grave accent.
- Attention: G et J sont l'inverse de l'anglais ! — Careful: G and J are the reverse of English!