Language/French/Pronunciation/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation
Bonjour! French learners 😎
In today's lesson we are going to learn how to read write and pronounce each letter of the alphabet in French.
The French alphabet is known as the Roman Alphabet. It has 26 letters.
Learning pronunciations is essential to pronounce words and to learn how to spell.
Happy learning!
French Alphabet & Pronunciation
Alphabet | Sounds | Prononciation examples for English speakers | Example | Pronunciation
(sound file) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | /ɑ/ | a like in "Arm" | Avion | |
B | /be/ | b like in "Best" | Bateau | |
C | /se/ |
|
|
|
Ç | /se/ | S like in "Stop" | Français | |
D | /de/ |
The letter "d" is pronounced "t" at the end of the word in French:
|
|
|
E | /ø/ | e like in "Elephant" | Voiture | |
F | /ɛf/ | f like in "Fire" | Feu | |
G | /ʒe/ |
|
|
|
H | /aʃ/ | Silent | Hibou | |
I | /i/ | i like in "Italy | Vivre | |
J | /ʒi/ | j like "Jim" | Je | |
K | /ka/ | k like in "Ko" | Kiwi | |
L | /ɛl/ | l like in "Lion" | Lion | |
M | /ɛm/ | m like in "Men" | Manger | |
N | /ɛn/ | n like in "New" | Nager | |
O | /o/ |
|
|
|
P | /pe/ | p like in "Pay" | Partir | |
Q | /ky/ | q like in "Quit" | Qui es-tu? | |
R | /ɛʁ/ | r like in "rome" | Renard | |
S | /ɛs/ |
|
|
|
T | /te/ | t like in "Tall" | Voiture | |
U | /y/ | u like in "Urgent" | C'est urgent! | |
V | /ve/ | v like in "View" | Vivre | |
W | /dubləve/ | w like in "Want" | Kiwi | |
X | /iks/ | x like in "Wax" | Taxi | |
Y | /iɡʁɛk/ | y like in "Year" | Yoyo | |
Z | /zɛd/ | z like in "Zoo" | Le Zoo | |
Œ | /ø/ | o like in "Oops" | Un œuf | |
â | a like in "Apple" | Quel âge as-tu? | ||
é | e like in "Elephant" | Un éléphant | ||
è, ê, ë | ea like in "head" |
|
||
î | i like in "live" | Une île | ||
ô | o like in "only" | tôt | ||
û | u like in "urgent" | il fût |
French Accents
French uses several accents which are worth understanding. These are: à, è, ù, (grave accents) and é (acute accent) which only applies to e. A circumflex applies to all vowels as well: â, ê, î, ô, û. And also a tréma (French for diaerasis) for vowels: ä, ë, ï, ö, ü, ÿ and combined letters: æ and oe.
Here is a specific lesson about Accents pronunciation.
Videos: How to Pronounce the French Alphabet
French Keyboard