The French language has 36 basic
sounds distributed in Vowels (16 sounds),
Consonants
(17 sounds) and Semivowels (3 sounds).
Click the
green phonetic symbol to hear sound
Click the picture to hear sound
VOWELS
PHONETIC SYMBOL
|
FRENCH EXAMPLE
|
ENGLISH EXAMPLE
|
|
sounds like
|
sounds like
|
|
i in lit
|
ee in bee
|
|
u in lune
|
between i in bit
and u in put
|
|
ou in poule
|
u in put
|
|
é in clé
|
e in bet
|
|
ê in forêt
|
ea in bear
|
|
eu in bleu
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
|
eu in fleur
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
|
e in regarder
|
a in amend
|
|
o in rose
|
oa in soap
|
|
o in coq
|
o in lot
|
|
a in radio
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
|
â in âne
|
a in father
|
|
ain in pain
|
nasal
|
|
un in brun
|
nasal
|
|
on in avion
|
nasal
|
|
an in éléphant
|
nasal
|
CONSONANTS
PHONETIC SYMBOL
|
FRENCH EXAMPLE
|
ENGLISH EXAMPLE
|
|
sounds like
|
sounds like
|
|
b in bois
|
b in bay
|
|
p in pelle
|
p in pat
|
|
d in dauphin
|
d in dab
|
|
t in train
|
t in tap
|
|
g in gâteau
|
g in go
|
|
c in clou
|
c in cat
|
|
v in vert
|
v in vat
|
|
f in fromage
|
f in fat
|
|
z in zèbre
|
s in business
|
|
s in singe
|
s in sat
|
|
g in bougie
|
g in beige
|
|
ch in chat
|
sh in dish
|
|
m in mer
|
m in mat
|
|
n in nager
|
n in no
|
|
gn in montagne
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
|
l in lampe
|
l in lad
|
|
r in arbre
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
SEMIVOWELS
PHONETIC SYMBOL
|
FRENCH EXAMPLE
|
ENGLISH EXAMPLE
|
|
sounds like
|
sounds like
|
|
i in violon
|
y in yet
|
|
hu in huit
|
no corresponding sound in English
|
|
ou in jouer
|
w in why
|
EXERCISE
1 EXERCISE
2
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|
© Anotek, Inc. - Copyright 1999
- Patent Pending
Revised: 25 September 2000
Copyright © 1996 Anotek, Inc.
georgeb@anotek.com