French Pronunciation Charts

1

What follows are two representations of French pronunciations: 1. a list of all the French spellings in all

positions and linkings with their IPA equivalent; and 2. a list of all IPA sounds found in the French

language and their spellings. In learning to correctly pronounce French without the aid of a IPA

transcriptions, I find it best for the beginning student to follow the route of the French spellings rather that

working from the sounds themselves. Although there are many rules and spellings, French is an extremely

regular language. With the exception of a few words with variable word endings and some proper nouns,

almost all French words will follow the rules to the letter.

Part one: French Spellings - Vowel Pronunciation

French spellings for the vowel -a IPA French example with IPA

Paris [pa.i]

-a or -à usually

[a]

là [la]

-â in a few verb forms

[a] allâtes [a.la.t]

pale [p.l]

extase [ks.t.z]

-â (except as ab ove)

-a before [s] and [z] sounds

[]

lacer [l.se]

-ai, -aî, -aie, -ais, -aise, -ait, -aient usually

[] mais [m]

faisais [f.z]

-ai in some verb forms of faire when before [z]

[]

faisons [f.zo]

-ai final

[e] gai [e]

travail [ta.vaj]

-ail, -aill, -aille

[aj]

cailloux [ka.ju]

faim [f]

-aim, -ai n when final or before a consonant except -m or -n, or -h

[]

ainsi [.si]

[m] aime [.m]

-aim, -ai n when followed by a vowel

[n] plaine [pl.n]

champ []

-am, -an, -aon when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h

[]

fumant [fy.m]

tamis [ta.mi]

-am, -an when followed by a vowel or another -m or -n

[am]

[an]

manne [ma.n]

-au

[o] chaud [o]

-au before -r

[] Fauré [f.e]

-ay, -aye, -ayes

[j] payer [p.je]

French spellings for vowel -e IPA French example with IPA

-é

[e] été [e.te]

père [p.]

forêts [f.]

-è, -ê, -ë

[]

Noël [n.l]

-e before a single consonant and a vowel

[] cheval [.val]

-e before two consonants

[] elle [.l]

-e before final pronounced consonants

[] fer [f]

-e before final silent consonants (except -s and -t)

[e] pied [pje]

-e final spoken silent

parle [pal]

sung

[] parle [pa.l]

-e final in monosyllables

[] je []

-er final - generally in non-verb forms

[] hiver [i.v]

parler [pa.le]

-er final - in verb endings and some nouns and adjectives.

[e]

boulanger [bu.l.e]

-es final

[] parles [pa.l]

les [le]

-es final in monosyllables before a closed vowel

-es final in monosyllables before an open vowel

[e]

[]

des [d]

-et final

[] filet [fi.l]

et (the words meani ng and)

[e] et [e]

-eau

[o] beau [bo]

-ei

[] seize [s.z]

-eim & -ein when final or before a consona nt ex. -m or -n, or -h

[] plein [pi]

-em & -en when final or before a conso nant e x. -m or -n, or -h

[] ensemble [.s.bl]

[] tenir [t.ni]

-em & -en when followed by a vowel the -e is not nasal

[] tennis [t.nis]

[m] emmêler [.me.le]

-emm & -enn when initial remain nasal except ennemi [.n.mi]

[n] ennui [.ni]

-en after -i

[j] viens [vj]

-ent final

[] firmament [fi.ma.m]

-ent final in third person plural verb endings

[] parlent [pa.l]

-eu in the interior of a word

[œ] heure [œ.]

-eu before [z]

[ø] creuse [kø.z]

-eu as a final sound

[ø] peu [pø]

-ge before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u)

[] Georges [.]

French spellings for the vowel -i IPA French example with IPA

-i single including before a mute -e

[i] finir [fi.ni]

-î with the circonflexe [si.ko.flks] [i] île [i.l]

-ï with the diérèse [dje.z] [i] Aïda [a.i.da]

-i preceding a stre ssed vowel

[j] bien [bj]

Final -il and -ille, and medial -ill

[j] aille [aj]

-ill and ille with no other vowel

[ij] fille [fi.j]

-im and -in when final or befo re a conso na nt ex. -m or -n, or -h

[]

timbre [t.b]

brin [b]

French spellings for the vowel -o IPA French example with IPA

-o preceding a consonant or a vowel

[] doter [d.te]

-o when final sound

[o] mot [mo]

-ô

[o] ôter [o.te]

-o before [z]

[o] rose [ro.z]

-oe and -oeu

[œ] coeur [kœ]

-oi

[wa] voix [vwa]

-oin when final or before a con sonant ex. -h

[w] loin [lw]

-oy

[waj] royal [rwa.jal]

-ou are before a stressed vowe l

[w] oui [wi]

-om -on when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h

[o] nom [no]

-eon.

[o] pigeon [pi.o]

-ou, -où and -oû

[u] vous [vu]

French spellings for the vowel -u IPA French example with IPA

-u after g- and q- silent

guitare [i.ta.]

-u,- û, -ü(e), and -ue

[y] murmure [my.my.]

-um and -un followed by a vowel, bu t not -m, -n, or -h.

[y] unanime [y.na.ni.m]

-ue when followed by -il, -ill, or –ille

[œ] orgueil [.œj]

-que when final or not followed by double consonants

[œ] que [kœ]

-ueu after -g and –q

[œ] vainque u r [v.kœ]

-u before a stressed vowel

[] lui [li]

-um and -un when final or before a consonant except-m or -n, or -h

[œ] brun [bœ]

French spellings for the vowel -y IPA French example with IPA

-y or -ÿ except when nasal

[i] martyr [ma.ti]

-ym and -yn before a vowel

[i] hymne [im.n]

-yn and -ym when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h

[] thym [t]

-y initial in a word

[j] yeux [jø]

-y between two vowels

[j] royal [rwa.jal]

Consonant pronunciation

While consonant pronunciation is considerably easier than for vowels, it still offers some challenges for

the singer. Each individual consonant will be presented with a minimum of two pronunciation examples:

first, a general pronunciation for the single and double consonant in the initial and medial position, and

second, a possible final pronunciation. If such exist, pronunciation variants in liaison, and combination

will also be presented.

Letter French Spelling IPA French Word with IPA

-b or -bb initial and medial

[b] beau [bo]

abbesse [a.b.s]

final

silent

plomb [plo]

b

followed by -s or -t

[p] absolu [ap.s.ly]

-c before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[s] ciel [sjl]

-cc before a fron t vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[ks] accent [ak.s]

-c or -cc before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a cons.

[k] encore [.k.]

final

[k] parc [pak]

final after -n

silent

blanc [bl]

-ct final

[kt] direct [di.kt]

silent

respect [r.sp]

-ç with the çédille [se.di.j] [s] garçon [a.so]

-ch

[] blanche [bl.]

-ch in words of Greek origin

[k] Christ [kist]

c

-cqu

[k] acquisition [a.ki.zi.sjo]

-d or -dd initial or medial

[d] doux [du]

addition [a.di.sjo]

final

silent

pied [pje]

d

in liaison

[t] grand_arbre [. ta.b]

-f or -ff initial or medial

[f] enfant [.f]

effort [.f]

final

[f] comparatif [ko.pa.a.tif]

f

in liaison

[v] neuf_heures [nœ. vœ.e]

-g before a fr ont vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[] sabotage [za.b.ta.]

-gg before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[] suggestion [sy.s.tjo]

-g or -gg before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a cons.

[] grave [a.v]

final

silent

sang [s]

in liaison

[k] sang_et eau [s. ke o]

-ge before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a consonant

[] pigeon [pi.o]

-gu before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[] gigue [i.]

-gn

[] compagnon [ko.pa.o]

g

-gt

silent

doigt [dwa]

Initial -h is classified as mute and aspirate - both are always silent but,

-h initial mute allows liaiso n or elision

silent

douze_heure [du. zœ.]

-h initial aspirate allows no linking

silent

tres *hideuse [t i.dœ.z]

h

-h medial

silent

souhaiter [su..te]

j

-j

[] jardin [a.d]

found in words of foreign origin only

[k] kilo [ki.lo]

k

final

[k] kodak [k.dak]

-l or -ll initial or medial

[l] large [la.]

ballet [ba.l]

final

[l] ideal [i.de.al]

-il, -ill, and -ille (but not final -ile)

[j] soleil [s.lj]

papillons [pa.pi.jo]

famille [fa.mi.j]

In the these words and their derivatives

[l] mille [mi.l] (thousand)

tranquille [tr.ki.l] (tranquil)

l

ville [vi.l] (villages)

-m or -mm initial or medial

[m] mardi [ma.di]

flamme [fla.m]

after a nasal vowel

silent

parfum [pa.fœ]

m

in liaison

[m] nom_à tiroirs [no. ma ti.wa]

-n or -nn initial or medial

[n] neige [n.]

année [a.ne.]

after a nasal vowel

silent

ensemble [.s.bl]

n

in liaison

[n] en_aimant [. n.m]

-p or -pp initial or medial

[p] captive [kap.ti.v]

support [sy.p]

final

silent

trop [tro]

in liaison

[p] trop_en [tro. p]

-mpt

silent

compter [ko.te]

p

-ph

[f] philosophe [fi.l.s.f]

-qu initial or medial

[k] liqueur [li.kœ]

final

[k] cinq [sk]

q

in liaison

[k] cinq_enfants [s. k.f]

Spoken French makes use of the uvular [] that is appropriate for dialogue and cab a ret songs.

-r or -rr initial,

[r] rapide [ra.pi.d]

-r or -rr medial or final

[]

garage [a.a.]

terrible [t.i.bl]

hiver [i.v]

-er, -ier, or -yer final in some nouns and adjectives

silent

foyer (no un) [fwa.je]

r

-er in the infinitive verb form

[e] parler [pa.le]

-s and -ss initial or medial

[s] séance [se..s]

Debussy [d.by.si]

-s medial between vowels

[z] mai son [m.zo]

-s final

silent

toujours [tu.u]

-s final in exceptions

[s] hélas [e.las]

lis [lis]

fils [fis]

in liaison

[z] mes_yeux [m. zjø]

-sc before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y)

[s] descendre [d.s.d]

-sc before a back vo wel (- a, -o, -u) or a consonant

[sk] scandale [sk.da.l]

s

-sch initial o r medial

[] schéma [.ma]

-t or -tt initial or medial

[t]

total [t.tal]

glotte [l.t]

-t final

silent

tuot [tu]

-t in liaison

[t] tout_un [tu. tœ]

-th

[t] Thomas [t.ma]

-ti in endings -tion and -tience

[sj] attention [a.t.sjo]

t

-tie when final

[ti.] sortie [s.ti.]

v

-v initial or medial

[v]

souvenir [su.v.ni]

w

-w found in word s of foreign origin

[v]

Wagon [va.o]

before consonants

[ks] texte [tk.st]

before vowels or -h

[z] exemple [.z.pl]

in numbers

[z] deuxieme [dœ.zj.m]

x

in liaison

[z] deux_enfants [dø. z.f]

initial or medial

[z] zèle [z.l]

douze [du.z]

final

silent

chez [e]

z

Final as an exception

[z] Berlioz [b.ljz]

Part two: A list of French sounds with some of the more common French spellings.

Adapted and expanded from Le Petit Robert CD-Rom.

Vowels

Consonants

[i]

il, épi, lyre

[p]

père, soupe

[e]

blé, aller, chez, et, j’ai, tes

[t]

terre, vite

[]

lait, merci, fète, Noël, forêts, hiver, Seigneur

soleil, hotel, bouquet

[k]

cou, qui, sac, képi

[a]

ami, patti,

[b]

bon, robe

[]

pas, pâte

[d]

dans, aide

[]

fort, donner, sol

[]

gar, bague, gui

[o]

mot, dôme, eau, saule

[f]

feu, neuf, photo

[u]

genou, roue

[s]

sale, celui, ça, dessous, tasse

[ø]

peu, deux, creuse

[]

chat, tache schéma

[œ]

peur, meuble, ceuile

[v]

vous, rêve

[]

brin, plein, bain

[z]

zéro, maison, rose

[]

sans, vent

[]

je, gilet, geôle

[o]

ton, ombre, bonté

[l]

lent, sol

[œ]

lundi, brun, parfum

[]

rue, venir

[m]

mot, flamme

Semi-vowels

[n]

nous, tonne, animal

[j]

yeux, paille, pied, panier

[]

agneau, vigne

[w]

oui, fouet, joua, joie

[]

huile, lui

|

no liaison or elision allowed

Fillable Printable French Pronunciation Charts

Fillable Printable French Pronunciation Charts