French Pronunciation Charts

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]
-â (except as above)
[] extase [ks.t.z]
-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, -ain when final or before a consonant except -m or -n, or -h []
ainsi [.si]
[m] aime [.m]
-aim, -ain 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]
[am] tamis [ta.mi]
-am, -an when followed by a vowel or another -m or -n
[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.]
-è, -ê, -ë [] forêts [f.]
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]

1
-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]
-es final in monosyllables before a closed vowel [e] les [le]
-es final in monosyllables before an open vowel [] des [d]
-et final [] filet [fi.l]
et (the words meaning and) [e] et [e]
-eau [o] beau [bo]
-ei [] seize [s.z]
-eim & -ein when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h [] plein [pi]
-em & -en when final or before a consonant ex. -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 stressed 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]
timbre [t.b]
-im and -in when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h []
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 consonant ex. -h [w] loin [lw]
-oy [waj] royal [rwa.jal]
-ou are before a stressed vowel [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, but 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] vainqueur [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 -b or -bb initial and medial [b] beau [bo]
abbesse [a.b.s]
final silent plomb [plo]
followed by -s or -t [p] absolu [ap.s.ly]
c -c before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) [s] ciel [sjl]
-cc before a front 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]
-cqu [k] acquisition [a.ki.zi.sjo]
d -d or -dd initial or medial [d] doux [du]
addition [a.di.sjo]
final silent pied [pje]
in liaison [t] grand_arbre [. ta.b]
f -f or -ff initial or medial [f] enfant [.f]
effort [.f]
final [f] comparatif [ko.pa.a.tif]
in liaison [v] neuf_heures [nœ. vœ.e]
g -g before a front 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]
-gt silent doigt [dwa]
h Initial -h is classified as mute and aspirate - both are always silent but,
-h initial mute allows liaison or elision silent douze_heure [du. zœ.]
-h initial aspirate allows no linking silent tres *hideuse [t i.dœ.z]
-h medial silent souhaiter [su..te]
j -j [] jardin [a.d]
k found in words of foreign origin only [k] kilo [ki.lo]
final [k] kodak [k.dak]
l -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)
ville [vi.l] (villages)
m -m or -mm initial or medial [m] mardi [ma.di]
flamme [fla.m]
after a nasal vowel silent parfum [pa.fœ]
in liaison [m] nom_à tiroirs [no. ma ti.wa]
n -n or -nn initial or medial [n] neige [n.]
année [a.ne.]
after a nasal vowel silent ensemble [.s.bl]
in liaison [n] en_aimant [. n.m]
p -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]
-ph [f] philosophe [fi.l.s.f]
q -qu initial or medial [k] liqueur [li.kœ]
final [k] cinq [sk]
in liaison [k] cinq_enfants [s. k.f]
r Spoken French makes use of the uvular [] that is appropriate for dialogue and cabaret 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 (noun) [fwa.je]
-er in the infinitive verb form [e] parler [pa.le]
s -s and -ss initial or medial [s] séance [se..s]
Debussy [d.by.si]
-s medial between vowels [z] maison [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 vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a consonant [sk] scandale [sk.da.l]
-sch initial or medial [] schéma [.ma]
t -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]
-tie when final [ti.] sortie [s.ti.]
v -v initial or medial [v] souvenir [su.v.ni]
w -w found in words of foreign origin [v] Wagon [va.o]

x before consonants [ks] texte [tk.st]

before vowels or -h [z] exemple [.z.pl]
in numbers [z] deuxieme [dœ.zj.m]
in liaison [z] deux_enfants [dø. z.f]
z initial or medial [z] zèle [z.l]
douze [du.z]
final silent chez [e]
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
[] [k] cou, qui, sac, képi
soleil, hotel, bouquet
[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