Pronouncing different parts of French words Flashcards
a, à
sounds like the o in ‘lolly pop’ or ‘tom’
â, as
sounds like ‘ah!’
ai, ay, aye
sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘may’
ail, aille, âille
sounds like ‘eye’
aile
sounds like the ‘el’ in ‘ellen’
aim, ain
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘an’ in ‘sang’
ais, ait, aît
sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘egg’
am, an
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘on’ in ‘yonder’
aou, aoû
sounds like the ‘oo’ in ‘too’
au, aud, ault, aut, aux
sounds like ‘oh!’
aude
sounds like ‘ode’
aune
sounds like ‘own’
b
sounds like the ‘b’ in ‘bun’
c + a, o, u
sounds like the ‘c’ in ‘cat’ or ‘cut’
c + e, i, y
sounds like the ‘c’ in ‘cent’ or ‘city’
ç
sounds like the ‘s’ in ‘sit’
ch
sounds like the ‘sh’ in ‘ship;’ rarely sounds like the ‘ch’ in ‘echo’
d
sounds like the ‘d’ in ‘dog’
dj
sounds like the ‘dg’ in ‘bridge’
e
sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘the’
é, ée, ées, er, ey, ez, et
sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘may’
è, ê
sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘egg’
eau, eaux
sounds like ‘oh!’
ei, eil, eille
sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘may’
eim, ein
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘an’ in ‘sang’
elle, elles
sounds like the ‘ell’ in ‘ellen’
em, en
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘on’ in ‘yonder’
-ent
as a verb ending, do not pronounce
ère
sounds like ‘air’
est-ce
sounds like the ‘ess’ in ‘bless’
-et
an ending of a word, sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘egg’
eu, eue
sounds like the ‘u’ in ‘cute’
-eu, -eue, eux
an ending of a word, sounds like the ‘u’ in ‘pudding’
euil, euille
sounds like the ‘oya’ in ‘loyal’
eul
sounds like the ‘ull’ in ‘hull’
eur, eure
sounds like the ‘ur’ in ‘purple’
ey, ez
sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘may’
f
sounds like the ‘f’ in ‘if’
g + a, o, u
sounds like the ‘g’ in ‘gum’ or ‘go’
g + e, i, y
sounds like the ‘s’ in ‘measure’
gn
sounds like the first ‘n’ in ‘canyon’
gua
sounds like the ‘gua’ in ‘guam’
gue
sounds like the ‘gue’ in ‘guerilla’
gui
sounds like the ‘gee’ in ‘geese’
h
not pronounced as a single letter
i, î, id, ie, ies, is, it, iz
sounds like the ‘ee’ in ‘see’
ia
sounds like the ‘ya’ in ‘yard’
ied, ier, iers
sounds like ‘yea’
ieu
sounds like sounds like the ‘yu’ in ‘yuppy’
il, ils
sounds like ‘eel’
im, in
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘an’ in ‘sang’
ique
sounds like the ‘eek’ in ‘seek’
j
sounds like the ‘s’ in ‘measure’
k
sounds like the ‘k’ in ‘kit’
l
sounds like the ‘l’ in ‘let’
ll
sounds like the ‘l’ in ‘let’ or at times like the ‘y’ in ‘yet’
m
sounds like the ‘m’ in ‘me’
n
sounds like the ‘n’ in ‘no’
o
sounds like the ‘u’ in ‘up’ or at times like the ‘o’ in ‘so’
ô, ot
sounds like the ‘o’ in ‘so’
oeil
sounds like the ‘oya’ in ‘loyal’
oeu, oeud, oeufs
sounds like the ‘u’ in ‘pudding’
oeur
sounds like the ‘ur’ in ‘purple’
oi, oid, oids, oie, oigt, ois, oix, oua, oy
sounds like the ‘wa’ in ‘wash’
oim, oin
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘wan’ in ‘wangle’
om, on, ons, ont
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘ong’ in ‘song’
ou, où, oud, oue, oup, ous, out, oût, oux
sounds like the ‘oo’ in ‘too’
oué
sounds like ‘way’
oui
sounds like ‘we’
p
sounds like the ‘p’ in ‘park;’ at times not pronounced
ph
sounds like the ‘ph’ in ‘philosophy’
q, qu
sounds like the ‘k’ in ‘kit’
qua
sounds like the ‘ca’ in ‘cat’
que
sounds like the ‘ke’ in ‘kerchief’
qui
sounds like ‘key’
r
sounds like the ‘r’ in ‘gargle’
rr
sounds like the ‘rr’ in ‘purr’
s
sounds like the ‘s’ in ‘sit;’ at times like the ‘s’ in ‘rose’
sc + a, o, u
sounds like the ‘sc’ in ‘scold’ or ‘scum’
sc + e, i, y
sounds like the ‘sc’ in ‘scene’ or ‘scythe’
sh
sounds like the ‘sh’ in ‘shampoo’
squa
sounds like the ‘squa’ in ‘squander’
t, tt
sounds like the ‘t’ in ‘to’
tch
sounds like the ‘ch’ in ‘church’
th
sounds like the ‘t’ in ‘tea’
u, û, ue
sounds like the ‘u’ in ‘cute’
ueil, ueille
sounds like the ‘oya’ in ‘loyal’
ui, uie, uis, uit, uy
sounds like the ‘ew ea’ in ‘few eat’
um, un
a nasal vowel, sounds like the ‘un’ in ‘sung’
v, w
sounds like the ‘v’ in ‘verb’
x
sounds like the ‘x’ in ‘example’ or ‘excuse’ or the ‘s’ in ‘geese’
y
ounds like the ‘ee’ in ‘see;’ at times like the ‘y’ in ‘yet’
z
sounds like the ‘z’ in ‘zero’
