How to Pronounce French Words
Pronounce French pure vowels., Learn French semi-vowels., Practice French nasal vowels., Pronounce French consonants., Drop certain ending consonants., Note several liaison rules., Apply equal stress across the word., Learn about intonation...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pronounce French pure vowels.
Most vowels in French are considered "pure" vowels.
In other words, you need to pronounce each vowel exactly as it is instead of adding extra sounds at the end and turning them into diphthongs (one syllable with two distinct sounds).For instance, in American English, you'd typically add an extra yuh sound at the end of "a" and "e," or an extra wuh sound at the end of "o" and "u." You should not apply these extra sounds when pronouncing French vowels.
Also note that you should pronounce vowels in an elongated manner when they are part of a final closed syllable (an ending syllable in which a consonant follows the vowel).
Pure French vowels are pronounced as follows: a, à, â: ah a, â: ah, stretched longer e: uh e, è, ê, ai, ei, ais: eh œu, eu: eh, rounded é, et: ay eu: ay, rounded i, y: ee u: ee, rounded ou: oo o, ô: oh o: aw -
Step 2: Learn French semi-vowels.
Some vowel combinations aren't pure vowels, so when you pronounce them, you'll need to glide through the sound as though it were a diphthong.
The French semi-vowels and their pronunciations are: oi, ou: w ui: ew-ee ill, y: yuh , To pronounce a nasal vowel, you'll need to lower the soft palate of your mouth so that air passes out from both the nose and mouth while you speak.
Since English has no distinct nasal vowels, learning to pronounce French nasal vowels may require some practice.
Note that nasal vowels typically appear as combinations of vowels with certain consonants.
The following is a guideline to nasal vowel pronunciation: en, em, an, am, aon, aen: awn in, im, yn, ym, ain, aim, ein, eim, un, um, en, eng, oin, oing, oint, ien, yen, éen: ahn un: uhn on, om: ohn , Most French consonants are similar to English consonants, but the placement of your tongue should vary in several instances.
The letters "p," "t," and "k" should be pronounced with a hard edge.
In American English, you'd usually follow these letters with a small exhale, but you should omit that exhale when speaking French.
Whenever you would expect to pronounce a consonant by placing the tongue against the upper ridge of your hard palate, reposition the tongue so that it rests just behind your teeth.
You'll need to do this for the vowels "t," "d," "s," "z," "l," and "n." Similarly, you'll need to reposition your tongue further back into the mouth when pronouncing the French "r." This makes the letter sound more guttural.
Pronounce the French letter "c" with the English k sound, but use the English s sound to pronounce the French "ç."The French "g" should have a hard g sound when placed before "a," "o," or "u." When placed before "e" or "i," or when placed at the end of the word, "g" should have a softer j sound.
The letter "h" is typically silent.
The "q" or "qu" consonant should sound harder, making it closer to the English k than the English qu. , In most instances, the letters "d," "s," "t"
and "x" are not pronounced at all when they are placed at the end of a word.Most of the other consonants should be pronounced when they land at the end of the word, but you should vocalize them less, making them seem nearly silent.
The letters "c," "f," "l," and "r" should be silent when placed at the ends of some words, like "blanc" or "gentil," but you'll need to vocalize them at the end of other words, like "avec" and "civil." You should not pronounce the final "e" of most French words.
As such, when switching from masculine to feminine adjectives and nouns, you'll usually need to make the final consonant harder when using the feminine version.
For instance, the masculine "grand" should have a nearly silent "d," but the feminine "grande" should have a hard "d" and a silent "e."
Liaison can be a difficult concept to grasp since it doesn't occur in English.
The boundary between two words often blends together in French, causing the final consonant of one word to link itself to the beginning of the following word.
This phenomenon is referred to as "liaison." The sound of some consonants will change as a result of liaison.
More specifically, "d" will sound like t, "s" will sound like z, and "x" will sound like z.
The letter "p" is also used in liaison, but you don't need to change its sound. , In English, only one syllable of each word receives stress, causing the vowels of the remaining syllables to reduce in volume and formation.
This isn't true of French, however.
When speaking French, each syllable must receive equal amounts of stress, which means that all vowels should be pronounced in full formation. , Differences between English and French intonation can be somewhat subtle, so this is another guideline you may need to consciously practice before you can master it.
In English, the stressed syllable has the highest pitch, and any other syllable within the word or sentence drops.
In French, the intonation is always highest at the beginning of the sentence, and it gradually drops throughout the remaining syllables.
In English, the intonation rises near or at the end of any question.
In French, the intonation only rises at the end of a "yes/no" question. , Greeting someone will be the first thing you need to do when you meet someone who speaks French, and offering a polite farewell will be the last thing you do when you end the conversation.Hello Translation:
Salut Pronunciation: sah-loo Good morning / good afternoon Translation:
Bonjour Pronunciation: bong-zhoor Good evening Translation:
Bonsoir Pronunciation: bong-swahr Good bye Translation:
Au revoir Pronunciation: oh ruh-vwahr Good night Translation:
Bonne nuit Pronunciation: bonn nwee , Shortly after beginning a conversation, you should ask the other individual how he or she is currently feeling.
When you're asked the same thing, you'll need to know how to pronounce your reply.How are you? Translation:
Comment allez-vous? Pronunciation: kommahng tahlay voo Very well Translation:
Très bien Pronunciation: tray byang So-so Translation:
Comme ci, comme ça Pronunciation: kum-see, kum-sah , If you're speaking to someone new, you need to introduce yourself by offering your name and asking for his or hers.
What is your name? Translation:
Comment vous appellez-vous? Pronunciation: kom-mohn voo-za-peh-lay voo My name is...
Translation:
Je m'appelle Pronunciation: juh mah-pell Pleased to meet you Translation:
Enchanté Pronunciation: ohn-shahn-tay , Etiquette is part of any language, and proper pronunciation is an important part of being polite.
Excuse me Translation:
Excusez-moi Pronunciation: ex-koo-zay mwah Sorry Translation:
Désolé Pronunciation: day-zo-lay Pardon me Translation:
Pardon Pronunciation: pahr-dohn Thank you Translation:
Merci Pronunciation: mare-see You're welcome Translation:
De rien Pronunciation: dah ree-ehn Please Translation:
S'il vous plaît Pronunciation: seel voo play , When you're asked a simple “yes” or “no” question, you need to know how to pronounce your reply if you wish to make your answer understood by the other party.
Yes Translation:
Oui Pronunciation: wee No Translation:
Non Pronunciation: nohng I don't know.
Translation:
Je ne sais pas.
Pronunciation: zher ner say pah , You'll inevitably have some questions, and knowing how to pronounce some of the words commonly used in many questions will make it easier to convey your inquiry.
Where? Translation:
Où? Pronunciation: oo When? Translation:
Quand? Pronunciation: kahng How? Translation:
Comment? Pronunciation: kommahng Why? Translation:
Pourquoi? Pronunciation: poor-kwah Who? Translation:
Qui? Pronunciation: kee Which? Translation:
Lequel? / Laquelle? Pronunciation: ler-kell / lah-kell , Learning French can be difficult, so if you need help, there's no shame in asking for it.
Of course, knowing the correct pronunciation for these “help” questions and phrases will make it easier to actually get the assistance you need.
Do you speak English? Translation:
Est-ce que vous parlez anglais? Pronunciation: essker voo pahrlay ahng-glay Please speak slowly.
Translation:
Parlez lentement.
Pronunciation: par-lay lehn-ta-mohn I don't understand.
Translation:
Je ne comprends pas.
Pronunciation: zher ner kong-prahng pah Can you help me? Translation:
Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider? Pronunciation: essker voo poovay may-day -
Step 3: Practice French nasal vowels.
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Step 4: Pronounce French consonants.
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Step 5: Drop certain ending consonants.
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Step 6: Note several liaison rules.
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Step 7: Apply equal stress across the word.
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Step 8: Learn about intonation.
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Step 9: Practice French greetings.
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Step 10: Exchange current states of being.
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Step 11: Make introductions.
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Step 12: Use polite phrases.
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Step 13: Give simple replies.
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Step 14: Find out information.
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Step 15: Ask for help.
Detailed Guide
Most vowels in French are considered "pure" vowels.
In other words, you need to pronounce each vowel exactly as it is instead of adding extra sounds at the end and turning them into diphthongs (one syllable with two distinct sounds).For instance, in American English, you'd typically add an extra yuh sound at the end of "a" and "e," or an extra wuh sound at the end of "o" and "u." You should not apply these extra sounds when pronouncing French vowels.
Also note that you should pronounce vowels in an elongated manner when they are part of a final closed syllable (an ending syllable in which a consonant follows the vowel).
Pure French vowels are pronounced as follows: a, à, â: ah a, â: ah, stretched longer e: uh e, è, ê, ai, ei, ais: eh œu, eu: eh, rounded é, et: ay eu: ay, rounded i, y: ee u: ee, rounded ou: oo o, ô: oh o: aw
Some vowel combinations aren't pure vowels, so when you pronounce them, you'll need to glide through the sound as though it were a diphthong.
The French semi-vowels and their pronunciations are: oi, ou: w ui: ew-ee ill, y: yuh , To pronounce a nasal vowel, you'll need to lower the soft palate of your mouth so that air passes out from both the nose and mouth while you speak.
Since English has no distinct nasal vowels, learning to pronounce French nasal vowels may require some practice.
Note that nasal vowels typically appear as combinations of vowels with certain consonants.
The following is a guideline to nasal vowel pronunciation: en, em, an, am, aon, aen: awn in, im, yn, ym, ain, aim, ein, eim, un, um, en, eng, oin, oing, oint, ien, yen, éen: ahn un: uhn on, om: ohn , Most French consonants are similar to English consonants, but the placement of your tongue should vary in several instances.
The letters "p," "t," and "k" should be pronounced with a hard edge.
In American English, you'd usually follow these letters with a small exhale, but you should omit that exhale when speaking French.
Whenever you would expect to pronounce a consonant by placing the tongue against the upper ridge of your hard palate, reposition the tongue so that it rests just behind your teeth.
You'll need to do this for the vowels "t," "d," "s," "z," "l," and "n." Similarly, you'll need to reposition your tongue further back into the mouth when pronouncing the French "r." This makes the letter sound more guttural.
Pronounce the French letter "c" with the English k sound, but use the English s sound to pronounce the French "ç."The French "g" should have a hard g sound when placed before "a," "o," or "u." When placed before "e" or "i," or when placed at the end of the word, "g" should have a softer j sound.
The letter "h" is typically silent.
The "q" or "qu" consonant should sound harder, making it closer to the English k than the English qu. , In most instances, the letters "d," "s," "t"
and "x" are not pronounced at all when they are placed at the end of a word.Most of the other consonants should be pronounced when they land at the end of the word, but you should vocalize them less, making them seem nearly silent.
The letters "c," "f," "l," and "r" should be silent when placed at the ends of some words, like "blanc" or "gentil," but you'll need to vocalize them at the end of other words, like "avec" and "civil." You should not pronounce the final "e" of most French words.
As such, when switching from masculine to feminine adjectives and nouns, you'll usually need to make the final consonant harder when using the feminine version.
For instance, the masculine "grand" should have a nearly silent "d," but the feminine "grande" should have a hard "d" and a silent "e."
Liaison can be a difficult concept to grasp since it doesn't occur in English.
The boundary between two words often blends together in French, causing the final consonant of one word to link itself to the beginning of the following word.
This phenomenon is referred to as "liaison." The sound of some consonants will change as a result of liaison.
More specifically, "d" will sound like t, "s" will sound like z, and "x" will sound like z.
The letter "p" is also used in liaison, but you don't need to change its sound. , In English, only one syllable of each word receives stress, causing the vowels of the remaining syllables to reduce in volume and formation.
This isn't true of French, however.
When speaking French, each syllable must receive equal amounts of stress, which means that all vowels should be pronounced in full formation. , Differences between English and French intonation can be somewhat subtle, so this is another guideline you may need to consciously practice before you can master it.
In English, the stressed syllable has the highest pitch, and any other syllable within the word or sentence drops.
In French, the intonation is always highest at the beginning of the sentence, and it gradually drops throughout the remaining syllables.
In English, the intonation rises near or at the end of any question.
In French, the intonation only rises at the end of a "yes/no" question. , Greeting someone will be the first thing you need to do when you meet someone who speaks French, and offering a polite farewell will be the last thing you do when you end the conversation.Hello Translation:
Salut Pronunciation: sah-loo Good morning / good afternoon Translation:
Bonjour Pronunciation: bong-zhoor Good evening Translation:
Bonsoir Pronunciation: bong-swahr Good bye Translation:
Au revoir Pronunciation: oh ruh-vwahr Good night Translation:
Bonne nuit Pronunciation: bonn nwee , Shortly after beginning a conversation, you should ask the other individual how he or she is currently feeling.
When you're asked the same thing, you'll need to know how to pronounce your reply.How are you? Translation:
Comment allez-vous? Pronunciation: kommahng tahlay voo Very well Translation:
Très bien Pronunciation: tray byang So-so Translation:
Comme ci, comme ça Pronunciation: kum-see, kum-sah , If you're speaking to someone new, you need to introduce yourself by offering your name and asking for his or hers.
What is your name? Translation:
Comment vous appellez-vous? Pronunciation: kom-mohn voo-za-peh-lay voo My name is...
Translation:
Je m'appelle Pronunciation: juh mah-pell Pleased to meet you Translation:
Enchanté Pronunciation: ohn-shahn-tay , Etiquette is part of any language, and proper pronunciation is an important part of being polite.
Excuse me Translation:
Excusez-moi Pronunciation: ex-koo-zay mwah Sorry Translation:
Désolé Pronunciation: day-zo-lay Pardon me Translation:
Pardon Pronunciation: pahr-dohn Thank you Translation:
Merci Pronunciation: mare-see You're welcome Translation:
De rien Pronunciation: dah ree-ehn Please Translation:
S'il vous plaît Pronunciation: seel voo play , When you're asked a simple “yes” or “no” question, you need to know how to pronounce your reply if you wish to make your answer understood by the other party.
Yes Translation:
Oui Pronunciation: wee No Translation:
Non Pronunciation: nohng I don't know.
Translation:
Je ne sais pas.
Pronunciation: zher ner say pah , You'll inevitably have some questions, and knowing how to pronounce some of the words commonly used in many questions will make it easier to convey your inquiry.
Where? Translation:
Où? Pronunciation: oo When? Translation:
Quand? Pronunciation: kahng How? Translation:
Comment? Pronunciation: kommahng Why? Translation:
Pourquoi? Pronunciation: poor-kwah Who? Translation:
Qui? Pronunciation: kee Which? Translation:
Lequel? / Laquelle? Pronunciation: ler-kell / lah-kell , Learning French can be difficult, so if you need help, there's no shame in asking for it.
Of course, knowing the correct pronunciation for these “help” questions and phrases will make it easier to actually get the assistance you need.
Do you speak English? Translation:
Est-ce que vous parlez anglais? Pronunciation: essker voo pahrlay ahng-glay Please speak slowly.
Translation:
Parlez lentement.
Pronunciation: par-lay lehn-ta-mohn I don't understand.
Translation:
Je ne comprends pas.
Pronunciation: zher ner kong-prahng pah Can you help me? Translation:
Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider? Pronunciation: essker voo poovay may-day
About the Author
Amanda Parker
A seasoned expert in arts and creative design, Amanda Parker combines 11 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Amanda's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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