Here are some pronunciation hints that may be helpful when reading with your child in
French. We will be learning each of these sounds at school, so your child is not expected
to decode words with these sounds at this time. Keep this guide handy for your reference
as you come across new words.
Written form(s)
a, â
Sounds like…
‘a’ in the English word hat
Examples
ami, gâteau
e
‘e’ in sister
At the end of a word, e is silent
except in words of one syllable.
é,
er & ez (at end of word)
‘ay’ in day
è, ê, ei, et, ai
‘e’ in red
e, followed by double
consonnant
pronounce like ‘e’ in red, as
above
elle
i, y
‘i’ in machine
image, pyjama
o, ô
‘o’ in so
radio, hôpital
o
‘o’ in hot
bol, robe
u
‘u’ in cute
numéro
-ent at the end of a
verb when more than
one subject are acting
Silent
Les chiens marchent.
(translates: the dogs walk…
pronounced ‘marsh’)
ch
‘sh’ in ship
chat
gn
‘n’ in new
ligne
h
Usually silent (unless it appears
as ‘ch’)
huit (8)
j
‘s’ in measure
joue
ill
‘y’ in young
fille
eu
‘e’ in sister
feu
eur, oeur
‘ur’ in fur (approximately)
peur, coeur
au, eau
‘o’ in so
bateau
oi
Pronounced ‘wa’
moi, oiseau
ou
‘oo’ in zoo
cou, hibou
ail, aille
‘y’ in why
chandail
marche, regarde
je, ne
école,
jouer, nez, chez
père, fenêtre, neige,
jouet, maison, chef
chien
famille
auto
Written form(s)
qu
g
g
c
c
Sounds like…
‘k’ in kite
Before “e” and “i,” pronounced
like the ‘s’ in measure
Before any other letters,
pronounced like ‘g’ in go
Before “e” and “i,” pronounced
like sssss
Before “a,” “o” and “u,”
pronounced like ‘k’ in kite
Examples
qui
girafe, gentille
gris, gorille, gâteau
cerise, voici
carotte, content, cube
ç
Pronounced sss
garcon, ça
th
‘t’ in top
bibliothèque
ui
‘wee’ in week
nuit
on, om
nasal oh
Think of the French word for
airplane – avion
bonbon
pompier
in, im, ain, ein
nasal eh
Think of the French for for
rabbit – lapin
an, am, en, em
nasal ah
Think of the French word for
tooth – dent
patin
imperméable
pain, main
peinture
dans, dent,
tambour,
température
un
nasal
brun,
ien
s, ss, sc
uh
Pronounced approximately:
ee-in (nasal eh)
s is pronounced sss:
-at the beginning of a word
-when there is a double s
-when it is followed by letter
-in front of a consonant
s, z
s is pronounced zzz when it is
between two vowels
silent s
silent consonants
s (and most other consonants) are
silent at the end of a word, unless
the first letter of the following
word begins with a vowel. Then
the letter s is pronounced zzz
(liaison)
mouton
sapin
éléphant
un
chien, bien
salade, poisson, sciences
douze (12), maison
suis (pronounced swee)
petit (pronounced peu-ti)*
ils ont (pronounced il-z-on)
mes amis
(pronounced may-z-ami)
*Note the different pronounciation of petit (peuh-tee) and petite (peuh-teet).
While the ‘e’ at the end of petite is silent (as described above), it makes it so that the ‘t’
is now pronounced (it is no longer the final consonant).