French pronunciation and phonetics
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Lesson outline
Hide- 1.How to pronounce the French vowels, consonants and diphthongs ?
- 1.1.French vowels charts
- 1.2.French consonants charts
- 1.3.Diphthongs charts
- 2.Pronunciation rules of the French language
- 2.1.Vowels with no accent
- 2.2.Vowels with accent
- 2.3.Combined vowels
- 3.Phonetics of consonants
- 4.The linking in French
- 5.The cedilla in French
- 6.Exercises
- 6.1.True or false exercise about vowels in French
- 6.2.True or false exercise about the diphtongs in French
- 6.3.True or false exercise about the consonants in French
- 6.4.Fill in the blank exercise about the cedilla ç in French
How to pronounce the French vowels, consonants and diphthongs ?
In French, unlike other languages, we don't take in account all the accent in our alphabet.
For alphabetical classification, the accents are under their normal letters ("é" counted as "e" or "æ" and "œ" ligatures are the equivalents of "ae" and "oe".)
The accents are arranged in this order: acute, grave, circumflex and umlaut.
The vowels are 6 letters and the consonants are 20 letters: Here's is an overview of their pronunciation and phonetics in the alphabetical order
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French vowels charts
| Order | Letter | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A / a | /ɑ/ |
| 5 | E / e | /ə/ |
| 9 | I / i | /i/ |
| 15 | O / o | /o/ |
| 21 | U / u | /y/ |
| 25 | Y / y | /igʁɛk/ |
French consonants charts
| Order | Letter | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | B / b | /be/ |
| 3 | C / c | /se/ |
| 4 | D / d | /de/ |
| 6 | F / f | /ɛf/ |
| 7 | G / g | /ʒe/ |
| 8 | H / h | /aʃ/ |
| 10 | J / j | /ʒi/ |
| 11 | K / k | /kɑ/ |
| 12 | L / l | /ɛl/ |
| 13 | M / m | /ɛm/ |
| 14 | N / n | /ɛn/ |
| 16 | P / p | /pe/ |
| 17 | Q / q | /ky/ |
| 18 | R / r | /ɛʁ/ |
| 19 | S / s | /ɛs/ |
| 20 | T / t | /te/ |
| 22 | V / v | /ve/ |
| 23 | W / w | /dublə ve/ |
| 24 | X / x | /iks/ |
| 26 | Z / z | /zɛd/ |
Diphthongs charts
The French alphabet has many diphthongs. Diphthongs are vowels that were created by the combination of two vowel sounds with the same syllable but can also be a combination of a vowel and a consonant. They are very commonly used.
Among them you can find:
| Diphthongs | Pronunciation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ch | /ʃ/, /k/ | chocolat, archéologue |
| ph | /f/ | photo |
| ss | /s/ between two voyels | chasse |
| gu | /g/ | guépard, guenon |
| ou | /u/ | ou |
| ge | /ʒ/ | pigeon |
| oi | /wa/ | loi |
| eau | /o/ | eau, fardeau |
| ai, aî, ei | /ɛ/ | maître, |
| em, en | /ɑ̃/ | enveloppe, emballage |
| ein, im, in, în | /ɛ̃/ | rein, imconcevable, incroyable, vînmes |
| aim, ain | /ɛ̃/ | faim, main |
| am, an | /ɑ̃/ | chambre, chanter |
| ay | /ɛ.i/ in front of consonants /ɛj/ in front of vowels | ayant, pays |
| eu | /ø/ | jeune |
| gn | /ɲ/ | gagner |
- "ge" is used in front a, o, u
- "gu" is used in front of e, i, y
- "ein", "in" and "en", 'am' and "ain" are used in front of all consonants except m, b, p
- "aim" is used in front of m, b, p
Pronunciation rules of the French language
Vowels with no accent
We already know what are the French vowels sound like. They may be not accented, accented or even combined with other vowels. Here is a table with pronunciations for unaccented vowels alone:
| Vowels | Pronunciation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a | /a/ | chat, sac, bagage, matin |
| e | /ə/ | genou, cheval, retard |
| er, et | /e/ | manger, acheter, et |
| i, y | /i/ | lit, physique |
| o | /o/ | homme, vélo |
| u | /y/ | jus, tissu |
Vowels with accent
French grammar can take 3 kind of accents: grave, acute, circumflex and they usually change the pronunciation of the words. But the only vowel for which these three accents have a noticeable effect on its pronunciation is the e.
| Accent | Pronunciation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| é | /e/ | enchanté, énormement, étonné |
| è | /ɛ/ | très, problème, frère |
| ê | /ɛ/ (more open) | être, fête, même |
Combined vowels
Vowels can also merge to form vowel combinations. There are only a few possible combinations in French but also as soon as a vowel precedes an n or an m in the same syllable, this vowel becomes nasal.
We already studied some of them in the list of diphthongs above but check under for more pronunciations:
| Vowels | Pronunciation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| au | /o/ | journaux, |
| œu | /œ/ | sœur, œuf |
| ui/oui | /ɥ/ | nuit, suis, puits |
| on | /õ/ | maison, bouton, marron |
| un | /œ̃/ | lundi, quelqu'un |
Phonetics of consonants
In general, all consonants at the end of a word are silent and not spoken.
- sport
- chanter
- trois
The consonant H is silent when used in a word and has no pronunciation
- hôtel
- hache
- aujourd'hui
The consonant Y is pronounced /i/ when used as a vowel in a word and /j/ when used as a semi-vowel in a word
- yaourt
- cycle
- cobaye
- yatch
When two vowels are separated by "ll" the pronunciation is /j/.
- fille
- abeille
The linking in French
The pronunciation of a word in French varies depending on the words that precede or follow it. The pronunciation of consonants that are normally not pronounced before a following vowel is called linking (French: la liaison). Liaison links the two words
- with the sound /z/ (ex: des_amis)
- with the sound /n/ (ex: un_américain)
- sometimes with the sound /t/ (ex: comment_allez vous ?)
The result of liaison is a regular alternation of consonant and a vowel sound.
The cedilla in French
The cedilla is a graphic sign that is placed under the c to indicate that it must pronounce /s/.
It is necessary before a, o, u and without the cedilla in front, it is pronounced /k/.
It is useless to put a cedilla before an e or i:
- c before these vowels is always pronounced /s/.
| Vowels | Examples | Translations |
|---|---|---|
| a | Remplaçant | (A substitute) |
| o | Maçon | (A builder) |
| u | Déçu | (Disappointed) |
| e | Cependant | (However) |
| i | Merci | (Thank you) |
Exercises
- True or false exercise about vowels in French
- True or false exercise about the diphtongs in French
- True or false exercise about the consonants in French
- Fill in the blank exercise about the cedilla ç in French
True or false exercise about vowels in French
True or false exercise about the diphtongs in French
True or false exercise about the consonants in French
Fill in the blank exercise about the cedilla ç in French
Exercises
- True or false exercise about vowels in French
- True or false exercise about the diphtongs in French
- True or false exercise about the consonants in French
- Fill in the blank exercise about the cedilla ç in French
True or false exercise about vowels in French
True or false exercise about the diphtongs in French
True or false exercise about the consonants in French
Fill in the blank exercise about the cedilla ç in French
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
Elena A.
TISKA is a very prepared, kind and helpful teacher. i love studying with her because she makes the lesson to be intereesant and nice. she understands my needs and gives me the right homework.
Tiska G.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
Ferdi D.
Tiska is a very good teacher: her lessons are well structured and she follows your French level perfectly. The method she uses is modern and leaves room for conversation. Homework is a real party with the videos, listening to music videos and grammar which is well explained in the book. I can highly recommend Tiska for your French lesson.
Tiska G.
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Alina L.
Stefania is an experienced Italian teacher and native speaker. She designs her classes in a flexible and dynamic way and takes a communicative approach. She provided self-made teaching material and focusses on speaking, always considering her student's level and individual needs.
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Scermino S.
I'm a very versatile and active teacher. I always try my best to make my students feel comfortable during my classes, starting by getting to know each other in a personal level, also in order to organize my lessons in a more efficient way towards the pupil.
I usually rely on the communicative approach: I focus on helping with reaching an efficient way of communication. Depending on the student's needs I can also emphasize other particular aspects of any kind.
I've made a Bachelor in Classical Philology, Linguistics and Cultural Studies, and also a Masters in teaching Spanish as a Second Language. I have worked in a private center with Chinese and American students, and as a teacher in a primary public school in Southern Italy.
I'm also an official examinator of the DELE exams: get ready with me!
Alina L.
José is a professional, enthusiastic and likable teacher who speaks Spanish as a native language and fluent English and Italian. He creates his own presentations, which are well rounded off by other material, such as videos or comics. José always tries to design his classes in a fun and creative way.
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José C.
Native speaker from Paris with about 15 years of teaching experience. I’m well-travelled, and I’ve lived and worked in different parts of the world (Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and a little bit in Asia).
I have a postgraduate degree (France) in Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies and I’m currently a freelance translator. I’ve previously worked at universities in France and abroad (South Africa/Australia) and have a solid experience in teaching (French Language, Literature, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, etc.), designing courses, evaluating and guiding students, preparing students for exams/job interviews/professional presentations, managing a Language and Literature department at the university, presenting papers at academic conferences worldwide, publishing, translating and journalism. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach people with different profiles and from various backgrounds: international professionals, university students, beginner translators and teachers, high school students, retirees, travellers, francophiles, children (help with homework), etc.
Being an open-minded, flexible and patient teacher, I enjoy helping others to discover their potential and to explore it. Adapting myself to my students' needs, pace and objectives is essential for me, and designing the best way to work with each student is very stimulating and rewarding.
After the initial introductory lesson, I will design customised lesson plans that will evolve as you progress. We can also, at any time during the programme, change our working method if you wish to do so. I remain very flexible in that regard.
The learning materials will be varied, and we will choose together the themes and aspects of French language to be covered, in line with your objectives. In any case, I am very attentive in general, so please don't hesitate to make any suggestions.
Regardless of your level and objectives, I'm sure that we can find the best way possible to share and enjoy this French language adventure together.
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I have been taking classes with Priscilla for several weeks now. She makes talking really easy and I am learning a lot of expressions and vocabulary. Plus, she is friendly and welcoming, which makes the class enjoyable and fun. I highly recommend her as a French instructor.
Priscilla R.
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Lidia is an experienced and professional teacher for Italian. With her nicely self-designed teaching material, she covers all the linguistic competencies such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. Also, she includes modern teaching techniques such as games and proposes interesting movies to watch.
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Lidia T.
Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
Great teacher who makes learning language fun. Also good at making you comfortable to speak the language already in the very beginning.
Katia H.
Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
AHlem ( AHlem ) .
she have books and she knows how the delf / dalf works, she gives me some advises that i didn't find in youtube video
Hella K.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
Fatma S.
Tiska has patience and is a very friendly and nice teacher. She always has a structure for each lesson and certainly accommodates when there is something specific I’d like to focus on. I definitely recommend her.
Tiska G.
I’m French, currently living in the Netherlands.
I lived in Paris for almost twenty years, and I know very well my country (and of course my language, French, my mother tongue). I taught French for two years in Spain, conversation class about culture essentially.
In Paris, I was Spanish teacher, I have the Agregation degree which is the highest degree for teaching in France, I'm bilingual. I've participated too in several editorial projects about Spanish teaching and DELE preparation.
I have a Spanish Studies Master and I'm currently doing a research about the Spanish and Sefardi Judaism.
I have a French as foreign language and a Religious Studies Masters too.
I enjoy sharing what I know. I’m a very eclectic person and curious about everything. To give you an idea, my interest (and sometimes hobbies) are: philosophy, spirituality and religions in general, meditation, psychology and psychoanalysis, history, geography, literature, writing (in particular creative writing, and I’m used to write everyday), art (painting, photography), sciences (vulgarisation level) and cultural matters in general. I travel a lot (as a backpacker), sometimes by foot, and the places I know well are France, the Netherlands, Italy and Serbia.
One of my qualities is my capacity of adaptation, I enjoy preparing documents to help the student to acquire autonomy, but I love speaking too, and it’s the best way to learn a language.
I'm waiting for your message, please when contact me, explain quickly who you are, why you want to study French and what you are looking for exactly.
See you soon.
Elke S.
Rosa's lessons are extraordinary. The texts and videos are well chosen to show the different approaches to a subject. I have learned a lot in recent months. I especially had the possibility of opening and widening my horizon. Thank you!
Rosa C.
Hi and welcome !
Preparation for exams, desire or need to learn and improve your level.
Real lessons or discussion experiences, for all levels and all ages.
Total customization according to your needs, your desires, and of course your level. We will talk about this in our first lesson together.
So let's prepare together your exams, your job interview, your next vacation, or maybe to speak the language of the chosen one of your heart...
We will work on short texts, videos, or just sounds to improve your comprehension, then it will be your turn to produce orally and in writing, and of course by both speaking.
Together, we will therefore do written and oral exercises, to improve your vocabulary, your grammar and your conjugation, and your accent.
I invite you to watch my subtitled presentation video, in English, then in French. (2 min in total)
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Who am I ?
I am a former parliamentary assistant to French deputies, and communication teacher.
But I wanted to change my life, I am now a scuba diving instructor, currently in Bali, Indonesia.
Pedagogue, patient and organized for a deserved result considering your efforts.
I am used to teach and a lover of the French language.
See you soon for your first lesson together, that's your job !
Zuri M.
Cédric has been an excellent teacher for our first couple of lessons. He is thoroughly trying to assess my level to make sure that we get the most out of our lessons. I am excited to continue my learning with him!
Cédric H.
I have experience in teaching German, French and English and I really appreciated it. We will have lessons on SKYPE and I will create the whole content according to your personal needs and progresses. My teaching technics suits to all kinds of interests and goals: personal as professional. My students were/are at the university but also employees (hospitality, banking, selling, law, art and culture).
As I grew up in Switzerland, I am BILINGUAL because I used to study, work and live in the french as well as in the german part of Switzerland.
Additionally teaching is my passion (I am constantly learning new languages - right now I am about to learn Greek in Athens). Therefor I am not only a passionated and hart-working teacher but also a flexible, dynamic, kind and compassionate person.
You can contact me immediately so we can know each other better and discover your needs during the firs FREE lesson.
I hope to get in touch with you soon.
Ivan
Ross K.
Ivan is an excellent teacher. He adapts lessons to your needs and wishes and makes learning with him fun and enjoyable by finding material which interests you or that you might find interesting even if you didn’t know it yourself before! I have had 25 lessons with him now and my progress has been much quicker than any method, or course I have taken before. I can’t rate him highly enough! He is very punctual and is very quick to respond if I have any questions. Thank you Ivan!
Ivan E.
Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
Тома П.
Natalia will be really interested in you as a person, what your goals are, and motivation for you to learn the language. I liked how she was answering all my questions, were patient and positive on our lesson.
Natalia L.
Toma, your interest for the language and having learned other languages before will be very helpful for you, continue with your motivation for learning French!
Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?
My name is Lou, and I would be happy to be your french teacher !
French classes are for all levels, beginner to advanced. I can help you prepare to french exams and I also offer conversation classes.
My classes are fun and dynamic ! We will use various documents to work on and always adapt the classes to your needs and interests.
Free 30 min trial lesson !
Before the trial class, I will provide you a short French test to evaluate your level.
Feel free to contact me to talk about your goals and to plan a trial lesson.
See you soon online ! :-)
Eline B.
I really enjoy my lessons with Lou. The lessons are personalized, fun and efficient. This is the first time I'm following online lessons, and I'm really happy with it!
Lou P.