Phonetics
Speak like a real French person!
Pronunciation by a native tutor
I am used to explaining French pronunciation as simply and clearly as possible in my online lessons for children.
I have therefore written:
- In color, the letters that are not pronounced.
- The English transcription of all French words.
My aim is to show you that French is easy and that you can speak it immediately!
My beginners understand everything right away because I translate everything into English and write the French phonetics in English.
This makes them feel very comfortable and confident in their language skills.
Then, in my classes, I speak more and more French and finally only will speak French! And your children will understand!
As a native French teacher, I will be happy to help you pronounce French perfectly, please contact me to book a private lesson!
Letters with English transcription
Alphabet
In French, we do not pronounce many letters!
- h is never pronounced.
- d, e, s, t, x are not pronounced at the end of the words.
à reads like "ah"
- à reads like “ah“:
à (ah) = in
ç reads like "s"
- ç reads like “s“:
française (franhsehz) = French woman
e
- The letter e is pronounced “eh” before two consonants:
elle (ehl) she
- The letter e is read as “uh” at the end of words if the words have one syllable:
1 syllable: je (zhuh) I
- The letter e at the end of words is not pronounced:
Julie (zhewlee) Julie
é reads like "ay"
- é reads like “ay“:
Elle téléphone (ehl taylayfohn) She calls.
è, ê reads like "eh"
- è, ê reads like an “eh“:
le père (luh pehr) father
Vous‿êtes. (voo zheht) You are.
ô reads like "o"
- ô reads like “o“:
à bientôt (ah byanto) see you soon
s
- s is not pronounced at the end of words :
Je suis. (zhuh sewee) I am.
- s is pronounced “z” between two vowels:
Toulouse (toolooz) Toulouse (city in France)
- If s at the beginning of word or if 2 s, then it is pronounced “s“:
super (sewpehr) super
x reads like "ks"
- x reads like “ks“:
la connexion (lah kohnehkcyohn) the connection
Letters that cannot be read!
h can never be read
- The letter h can never be read:
Elle habite (ehl ahbeet) She lives
d, e, s, t, x are not pronounced at the end of words
- d is not pronounced at the end of words:
quand (kahn) when.
- e is not pronounced at the end of words:
Julie (zhewlee) Julie
- x is not pronounced at the end of words:
Je veux (zhuh vuh) I want
ent is not pronounced at the end of verbs
- ent is not pronounced at the end of verbs:
Ils lisent (eel leez) They read.
Letter combinations with English transcription
ai, aî reads like "eh"
- ai, aî reads like “eh“:
français (frahnseh) French
s’il vous plaît (seel vew pleh) please
ain, in reads like "an"
- ain, in reads like “an”:
l’écrivain (laykreevan) writer
cinq (sank) five
an, am, em reads like "ahn"
- an reads like “ahn“:
français (frahnseh) French
- am reads like “ahn“:
la campagne (lah kahmpanyah) country
- em reads like “ahn“:
septembre (sehptahnbr) september
au, eau reads like "o"
- au reads like “o”:
au revoir (o ruhvwahr) goodbye
- eau reads like “o”:
beaucoup (bokew) many
ch reads like "sh"
- ch reads like “sh“:
il marche (eel mahrsh) he works
en reads like "ahn"
- en reads like “ahn“:
vraiment (vrehmahn) really
er at the end of verbs reads like "ay"
- er at the end of verbs reads like “ay“:
habiter (ahbitay) to live
et at the end of words reads like "ay
- et at the end of words reads like “ay:”
le billet (luh beeyay) ticket
eu reads like "uh"
- eu reads like “uh“:
heureuse (uhruhz) happy
gn reads like "ny”
- gn reads like “ny”:
la campagne (lah cahnpahny) village
gu reads like "g
- gu reads like “g“:
la langue (lah lahng) the language
ien reads like"yan"
- ien reads like”yan“:
bien (byan) well
ier reads as "yay
- ier reads as “yay“:
janvier (zhahnvyay) january
ieu reads as "yuh"
- ieu reads as “yuh“:
monsieur (muhsyuh)
ill reads like "eey"
- ill reads like “eey“:
la famille (lah fahmeey) family
ion reads like "yohn"
- ion reads like “yohn“:
la connexion (lah konehksyohn) connection