In this article, you will:
- discover all the sounds in French
- the consonants in French
- the vowels in French
- the nasal vowels in French
This article will help you answer the following questions:
- How to learn all the sounds in French?
- How to master the sounds in French?
- How to improve your pronunciation in French?
The consonants in French:
/b/
Want to go further with your French?
Keep learning with native teachers, structured lessons, and real-life speaking practice.
Learn moreThe sound /b/ which is represented by the letter (b) at the beginning of a word as in "bateau" or in the middle of a word as in "abeille".
/d/
The sound /d/ represented by the letter (d) at the beginning of a word as in "domino" or in the middle of a word as in "addition".
/f/
The sound /f/ represented by the letter (f) as in "fleur" or by (ph) as in "téléphone".
/g/
The sound /g/ represented by the letter (g) at the beginning of a word as in "gâteau".
/k/
The sound /k/ represented by the letters (c, k, qu) as in "clé", "kilo", "aquarium".
/l/
The sound /l/ represented by the letter (l) at the beginning of a word as in "lion" or at the end of a word as in "sol".
/m/
The sound /m/ represented by the letter (m) at the beginning of a word as in "maison" or in the middle of a word as in "femme".
/n/
The sound /n/ represented by the letter (n) at the beginning of a word as in "neige" or in the middle of a word as in "tonnerre".
/ɲ/
The sound /ɲ/ represented by the combination of letters (gn) as in “gnou” or in "oignon".
/p/
The sound /p/ represented by the letter (p) at the beginning of a word as in "pomme" or in the middle of a word as in "groupe".
/ʁ/
The sound /ʁ/ represented by the letter (r) at the beginning of a word as in "rouge" or in the middle of a word as in "carré".
/s/
The sound /s/ represented by the letters (s, ss) as in "soleil", "poisson", or by the letters (sc) as in "scie" or by the c cédille (ç) as in “ça”. But also in the combination of letters (ti) in certain words as in “attention”
/ʃ/
The sound /ʃ/ represented by the combination (ch) as in "chapeau" or by the combination of letters (sh) as in "shampooing"
/t/
The sound /t/ represented by the letter (t) at the beginning of a word as in "table" or in the middle of a word as in “château”.
/v/
The sound /v/ represented by the letter (v) at the beginning of a word as in "voiture" or (w) as in "wagon".
/z/
The sound /z/ represented by the letter (z) at the beginning of a word as in "zèbre" or by (s) in the middle of a word as in "rose".
/ʒ/
The sound /ʒ/ represented by the letter (j) at the beginning of a word as in "journal" or by the letter (g) before an (i), an (e) or a (y) as in "genou”, “girafe” or “gyrophare”
/j/
The sound /j/ represented by the letter (y) as in “payer”, this sound can also be represented by the combination of letters (ille) as in the words “famille” or “fille”.
/w/
The sound /w/ represented by the combination (w) as in "kiwi" or by the combination of letters (oui) as in “pingouin”.
Learning is great. Practice changes everything.
Turn what you understand into real conversations with guided speaking practice.
Start practicing
The vowels in French:
/a/
The sound /a/ is represented by the letter (a) as in "chat" or "patte".
/ɑ/
The sound /ɑ/ is represented by the letter (â) as in "pâte".
The sound /ɑ/ is a bit longer and more open than the previous sound /a/.
Patte /a/
Pâte /ɑ/
/e/
The sound /e/ is represented by the letters (é, er, ez) as in "été", "parler", "nez", or by (es) as in "les".
/ɛ/
The sound /ɛ/ is represented by the letters (è, ê, ai, ei) as in "fête", "près", "reine", “faire”.
/i/
The sound /i/ is represented by the letters (i, î, y) as in "île", "fil" or “idylle”.
/o/
The sound /o/ is represented by the letters (eau, au, o) as in "eau", "auberge", "dos".
/ɔ/
The sound /ɔ/ is represented by (o) as in “or”, “pomme”, “bestiole”. It's here an (o) more open than the previous (o).
/u/
The sound /u/ is represented by (ou) as in "outil" or represented by two (oo) as in the English word “cool”.
/y/
The sound /y/ is represented by (u) as in "lune" or in “urgent”.
/ø/
The sound /ø/ is represented by (eu) as in “jeu” or “peu” or by the letters (œu) as in “vœu”
/œ/
The sound /œ/ is represented by (eu, œ, œu,ue) as in “peur”, "sœur", "cœur", “cueillir*”,* “neuf”.
/ə/
The sound /ə/ is represented by the letter (e) without accent as in "le", "je" or exceptionally by the letters (on) as in “monsieur”.
The nasal vowels in French:
/ɛ̃/
The sound /ɛ̃/ is represented by (in, im, ain, aim, ein, eim, en, un, yn or ym) as in "pain", "daim", "plein", “thym”, “rein”, “citoyen”, “impossible”.
/ɑ̃/
The sound /ɑ̃/ is represented by (an, am, en, em) as in "champ", "ample", "empreinte", “enfant”.
/ɔ̃/
The sound /ɔ̃/ is represented by (on, om) as in "nom", "ombre".
Ready to speak French with more confidence?
Join Ohlala French School and practice real-life French with native teachers, lessons, and daily support.
Start your 7-day free trial
