French pronunciation and phonetics
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In French, unlike other languages, we don't take in account all the accent in our alphabet.
For alphabetical classification, the accents are under their normal letters ("é" counted as "e" or "æ" and "œ" ligatures are the equivalents of "ae" and "oe".)
The accents are arranged in this order: acute, grave, circumflex and umlaut.
The vowels are 6 letters and the consonants are 20 letters: Here's is an overview of their pronunciation and phonetics in the alphabetical order
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Order | Letter | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
1 | A / a | /ɑ/ |
5 | E / e | /ə/ |
9 | I / i | /i/ |
15 | O / o | /o/ |
21 | U / u | /y/ |
25 | Y / y | /igʁɛk/ |
Order | Letter | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
2 | B / b | /be/ |
3 | C / c | /se/ |
4 | D / d | /de/ |
6 | F / f | /ɛf/ |
7 | G / g | /ʒe/ |
8 | H / h | /aʃ/ |
10 | J / j | /ʒi/ |
11 | K / k | /kɑ/ |
12 | L / l | /ɛl/ |
13 | M / m | /ɛm/ |
14 | N / n | /ɛn/ |
16 | P / p | /pe/ |
17 | Q / q | /ky/ |
18 | R / r | /ɛʁ/ |
19 | S / s | /ɛs/ |
20 | T / t | /te/ |
22 | V / v | /ve/ |
23 | W / w | /dublə ve/ |
24 | X / x | /iks/ |
26 | Z / z | /zɛd/ |
The French alphabet has many diphthongs. Diphthongs are vowels that were created by the combination of two vowel sounds with the same syllable but can also be a combination of a vowel and a consonant. They are very commonly used.
Among them you can find:
Diphthongs | Pronunciation | Examples |
---|---|---|
ch | /ʃ/, /k/ | chocolat, archéologue |
ph | /f/ | photo |
ss | /s/ between two voyels | chasse |
gu | /g/ | guépard, guenon |
ou | /u/ | ou |
ge | /ʒ/ | pigeon |
oi | /wa/ | loi |
eau | /o/ | eau, fardeau |
ai, aî, ei | /ɛ/ | maître, |
em, en | /ɑ̃/ | enveloppe, emballage |
ein, im, in, în | /ɛ̃/ | rein, imconcevable, incroyable, vînmes |
aim, ain | /ɛ̃/ | faim, main |
am, an | /ɑ̃/ | chambre, chanter |
ay | /ɛ.i/ in front of consonants /ɛj/ in front of vowels | ayant, pays |
eu | /ø/ | jeune |
gn | /ɲ/ | gagner |
We already know what are the French vowels sound like. They may be not accented, accented or even combined with other vowels. Here is a table with pronunciations for unaccented vowels alone:
Vowels | Pronunciation | Examples |
---|---|---|
a | /a/ | chat, sac, bagage, matin |
e | /ə/ | genou, cheval, retard |
er, et | /e/ | manger, acheter, et |
i, y | /i/ | lit, physique |
o | /o/ | homme, vélo |
u | /y/ | jus, tissu |
French grammar can take 3 kind of accents: grave, acute, circumflex and they usually change the pronunciation of the words. But the only vowel for which these three accents have a noticeable effect on its pronunciation is the e.
Accent | Pronunciation | Examples |
---|---|---|
é | /e/ | enchanté, énormement, étonné |
è | /ɛ/ | très, problème, frère |
ê | /ɛ/ (more open) | être, fête, même |
Vowels can also merge to form vowel combinations. There are only a few possible combinations in French but also as soon as a vowel precedes an n or an m in the same syllable, this vowel becomes nasal.
We already studied some of them in the list of diphthongs above but check under for more pronunciations:
Vowels | Pronunciation | Examples |
---|---|---|
au | /o/ | journaux, |
œu | /œ/ | sœur, œuf |
ui/oui | /ɥ/ | nuit, suis, puits |
on | /õ/ | maison, bouton, marron |
un | /œ̃/ | lundi, quelqu'un |
In general, all consonants at the end of a word are silent and not spoken.
The consonant H is silent when used in a word and has no pronunciation
The consonant Y is pronounced /i/ when used as a vowel in a word and /j/ when used as a semi-vowel in a word
When two vowels are separated by "ll" the pronunciation is /j/.
The pronunciation of a word in French varies depending on the words that precede or follow it. The pronunciation of consonants that are normally not pronounced before a following vowel is called linking (French: la liaison). Liaison links the two words
The result of liaison is a regular alternation of consonant and a vowel sound.
The cedilla is a graphic sign that is placed under the c to indicate that it must pronounce /s/.
It is necessary before a, o, u and without the cedilla in front, it is pronounced /k/.
It is useless to put a cedilla before an e or i:
Vowels | Examples | Translations |
---|---|---|
a | Remplaçant | (A substitute) |
o | Maçon | (A builder) |
u | Déçu | (Disappointed) |
e | Cependant | (However) |
i | Merci | (Thank you) |
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*** Please note that I am on holidays in august***
Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?
My name is Lou, and I would be happy to be your french teacher !
French classes are for all levels, beginner to advanced. I can help you prepare to french exams and I also offer conversation classes.
My classes are fun and dynamic ! We will use various documents to work on and always adapt the classes to your needs and interests.
Free 30 min trial lesson !
Before the trial class, I will provide you a short French test to evaluate your level.
Feel free to contact me to talk about your goals and to plan a trial lesson.
See you soon online ! :-)
COMING SOON : a Whatsapp group for my students to practice french tchating with weekly challenges and conversation subjects !
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I really enjoy my lessons with Lou. The lessons are personalized, fun and efficient. This is the first time I'm following online lessons, and I'm really happy with it!
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Dear future student,
My name is Mélanie, I am 40 years old, I am Belgian and I live near Brussels in Belgium.
I have 7 years of experience in teaching French as a foreign language. I have a degree in Modern Languages and Literature. I have an agrégation in higher secondary education. French is my mother tongue. Additionally I have a C2 level in Spanish.
I have taught adults (beginner - advanced) in various training institutions (CLL, CVO Semper, ...). I have taught both large and small groups. I can therefore adapt my teaching methods according to the number of people.
As far as my teaching methods are concerned, I create communicative exercises.
I always try to get the student to express themselves as much as possible. In case of groups, I create individual exercises, in groups of two or four.
I give homework in which the students have to write a short text related to a grammatical concept they have seen. I also give additional grammatical exercises.
I also test my students' knowledge. For example, during the course, I listen to my students and comment on their oral productions. I also do small listening comprehensions and reading comprehensions.
I can also explain certain grammatical points or translate certain words into the student's language if it is needed, but generally I always try to teach in the target language.
If my student is looking for a job, I can also help him/her to write his/her CV and cover letter and also prepare his/her interview.
If my student works in a company, I can also prepare exercises specific to the company's field. I have given courses to warehouse workers for Delhaize, to plumbers, to students in Tourism.
I also taught asylum seekers.
As far as teaching material is concerned, I use a lot of material from Zexperts fle https://leszexpertsfle.com/toutes-les-ressources-fle/ which I adapt to the objectives of the lesson. I also look for exercises in FLE manuals such as Totem, Edito, Alter Ego, Expression orale... Naturally, I adapt the exercises according to the needs of the student. I also look for songs in YouTube.
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I have had about 10 lessons in French from Mélanie. We treated a lot of different subjects such as grammar, talking and listening exercises. Mélanie is a very good and patient teacher and I learned a lot in these lessons on how to communicate in French.
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Hi! My name is Tiphaine, I'm french, I'm 37 years old and I live in Seville.
I grew up in the outside of Paris, I travelled all over the world and I live in Spain for 10 years now.
I'm a musician, a dancer and I love to cook and hike.
I'm a french teacher, and it's my passion! I speak 3 languages, and thanks to my learning I was able to live amazing experiences in many countries.
That's why I became a teacher, to be able to share with you my love for french language and culture and to guide you in your progress.
For me, each language is a way of seeing and interpreting the world, as glasses of different colors.
Understanding the way a language works is understanding how its people see things; it's such a exciting process, I can't wait to share it with you!
I have more than 8 years experience, in schools, companies and universities.
I work with people from all ages, beginners to advanced. I know most of french manuals.
I can prepare you to DELF and DALF exams. I also have a specialization in french for specific goals and french business.
I can offer you thematic courses, to improve your pronunciation, increase your vocabulary, prepare you for traveling or for a new job.
All my classes are in french, I adapt my vocabulary and speech speed according to your level.
I also adapt my method to your needs, personality, to take the best advantage of my classes and your french learning.
I use diversified ressources, from quizz to podcasts, videos, songs and games.
Whatever are your motivations, if you want to learn french in a pleasurable and rewarding way, book a class with me!
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Very social and helpful teacher with an excellent grasp on how to improve your french in the method that suits you. The informal style is very pleasant and will help you acquire the language in a natural, unforced fashion. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a learn by doing approach.
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Learning with a system and joy.
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Because of its linguistic relationship with English, Norwegian is relatively easy to learn for people with a knowledge of English. About a third of the vocabulary can be understood by everyone either immediately or after a few lessons. The grammar is simpler than in German or Dutch, for example. The best prerequisites for learning this wonderful language!
My lessons are aimed at beginners and advanced learners (A1-B2).
I practise modern language teaching methods that I learned at the Folke University in Bergen. This means:
- We learn by talking a lot to each other
- We will work with images that encourage us to speak
- We are not bothered by mistakes, but rather enjoy new words and success stories
- We learn new words, spellings, sentences and pronunciations by building on what we already know
- We take grammar seriously where it is important. We don't let it limit us
- We learn easiest when we have fun and enjoy it.
Regardless of whether you are preparing for a job interview, are thinking of emigrating or are just there to enjoy the matter: My lessons adapt to your wishes.
The first introductory lesson is free. If you book several hours at once, you will receive a discount.
--------------------------
I was born in Luxembourg and have lived in Bergen / Norway for over 10 years. I work as a historian in a UNESCO World Heritage Museum and am in daily contact with Scandinavian history and the Norwegian language. I originally studied Scandinavian Studies, Medieval History and Archeology in Germany and Norway. I learned Norwegian about 20 years ago and taught for several years at the University of Bonn / Germany and the Folke University in Bergen / Norway. I speak 5 languages and can also read some historical languages (including Old Norse).
These experiences will make learning Norwegian a lot easier for you. I know the pitfalls that await foreigners and which donkey bridges work well. My cultural-historical knowledge will not only give you an understanding of Norwegian culture and way of life, but will also help you in a practical way to be able to easily remember strange words and formulations at first glance and not to get lost in the thicket of countless dialects.
I am looking forward to our collaboration!
Vi snakkes,
Tom
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Specialized in teaching for many years, in him you will find a well prepared, expert, friendly and inspiring teacher with a creative and at the same time simple teaching method.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hello there. I am Ivan and I teach German, French and English online with great success for over 7 years. My teaching technics suit to all kind of interests and goals: personal as well as professional.
I have studied, worked and lived in the French and in the German part of Switzerland, supporting customers from different ages and countries around the world. I am currently working for two online-schools (in the UK and in China).
Additionally, teaching is my passion which makes me not only a passionated and hard-working teacher but also a flexible, dynamic and compassionate person.
Please contact me for more information and a first meeting free of charge.
Looking forward to meet you soon.
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Ivan is an excellent teacher. He adapts lessons to your needs and wishes and makes learning with him fun and enjoyable by finding material which interests you or that you might find interesting even if you didn’t know it yourself before! I have had 25 lessons with him now and my progress has been much quicker than any method, or course I have taken before. I can’t rate him highly enough! He is very punctual and is very quick to respond if I have any questions. Thank you Ivan!
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Do you want to learn Spanish with a kind and patient teacher? Someone to help you gain confidence and practice the language with topics according to your level and needs? In addition to that ... Do you want to get a study material and corrections? Well, I'm the right teacher for you . My name is Andrea and I'm from South America - Ecuador. I am a full-time Spanish teacher and I have a variety of resources to help you learn Spanish online.
I am currently studying French and I know how beneficial and fun it is to learn with a friendly and patient teacher who teaches you and helps you speak the language with confidence.
If you want to know a little more about me, I invite you to watch this video about reserving a hotel room.
https://youtu.be/d7F7mxOfKmA
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Andrea is a delightful and brilliant teacher. She has been teaching Spanish since 2018 and her study method is based on the student's level and the goals they want to achieve. In her you will find a prepared, experienced and friendly person. She relies on several books for teaching Spanish and her lessons are creative, very innovative and super interactive. With her you will never be bored.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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she have books and she knows how the delf / dalf works, she gives me some advises that i didn't find in youtube video
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Hi,
I m claudie , I m french and i have experience to teach french to foreign people.
I create in a school of langage in Spain a little faculty for my french lessons with a group from 15 years olds until 25.
The pupils were all the levels A1 until C2!
I was teaching as well with lillte children and adults in Spain and Rumania.
I m a very dynamic teacher with a lot of patient and empathy.
You will make a lot of progress!
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Highly recommended, very personable and the lessons are a lot of fun. Claudie is flexible when it comes to class topics. Adapts to your interests or profession. In my case, she adapted the lessons to my employer and integrated the homepage into the lessons (sales). We recommend!
Claudie S.thank you very much, I really enjoyed the hours spent working French together on many topics and also our laughter !!
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Hi, I am Christin!
After training as a pastry chef and studying business administration, I traveled a lot and discovered my interest in languages. To find out more about teaching languages, I decided on further training at the Goethe Institute and completed it. During the Goethe Institute "Learn to teach German" course I was able to give individual language lessons and actively support the examination preparation for the Goethe certificate.
My lessons are needs-oriented. That means that learning goals are discussed with you and based on your level of knowledge. Whether grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, expression or the practice of communication situations: German as a foreign and second language classes are flexible and take place in a group or one-to-one lessons with individual support and are based on your wishes and requirements. The teaching of content and topics takes place according to the respective language level. Building vocabulary, grammar and means of speaking are structured and conveyed logically building on each other. Let's get to know each other in a free trial class. I am looking forward to meeting you!
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Christin is a committed and professional German teacher with experience in teaching German face-to-face. Her teaching methods include setting learning goals with her students and giving continuous feedback. Her activities are guided by a communicative approach and she tries to teach her students german vocabulary for everyday life.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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I highly recommend Tiska because she quickly and efficiently types up my mistakes in chat without interfering the flow of the conversation. She adapts to the situation and helped me to express myself on higher-level issues. She also has very organized lesson plans but uses humorous and engaging material to help make the learning process fun. Also, she spent a year in the States so she can draw from that experience to help teach you if you are an English speaker.
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*** Please note that I am on holidays in august***
Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?
My name is Lou, and I would be happy to be your french teacher !
French classes are for all levels, beginner to advanced. I can help you prepare to french exams and I also offer conversation classes.
My classes are fun and dynamic ! We will use various documents to work on and always adapt the classes to your needs and interests.
Free 30 min trial lesson !
Before the trial class, I will provide you a short French test to evaluate your level.
Feel free to contact me to talk about your goals and to plan a trial lesson.
See you soon online ! :-)
COMING SOON : a Whatsapp group for my students to practice french tchating with weekly challenges and conversation subjects !
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Lou works in a very structured way and sent me teaching material before the lesson. After a bit of small talk, we worked on the topic of the lesson, with the lesson divided into reading comprehension, discussion of the text, listening comprehension of a video and a written assignment on the topic. Lou picked an interesting topic that created plenty of opportunity for conversation. She corrected mistakes in a friendly manner and responded very well to my learning requests. That was fun!
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Hello,
Are you looking to learn or improve your French in a Fun and relaxed atmosphere?
Look no further !
My name is Anissa and I'm a French native and certified teacher.
Focusing on each student's individual level, interests, and goals, my online classes are effective to achieve impressive learning results in a shorter period of time. The courses will be based on your personal needs and during the class you will receive direct explanations, correction and feedback in order to instantly improve your language skills.
Whether you want to learn French for your own pleasure or preparing for an exam, an upcoming interview or a presentation at work, I will be happy to assist you in reaching your goals.
My online classes are available at any time! Choose a subject from my curriculum or request your own topic, date, time and start master your French!
I look forward to meeting you,
Anissa, your French (and nice) teacher :)
*Please note that I'm not offering a free trial anymore*
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As always, Anissa continues to excel. She is a pleasure to work with, helpful in every way. I always enjoy our lessons.
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My name is Ma. Teresa Tabasa Garcia. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Native Tagalog Speaker and English is my second language. I graduated from Central Luzon State University with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Garment Technology and I took an additional units in Education and units in Graduate Studies at CORE Gateway College. I had been a College Instructor and Trainer in Cookery in one of the Colleges in our place.
As a teacher I am patient, friendly and flexible. I can teach students at all levels and all ages.
I use a combination of methods and tools in learning namely: conversation techniques, storytelling, reading text books, PDFs, audio and video recordings. You will learn the different sentence pattern, grammar, pronunciation and intonation, you may include your topic of interest as well. I use drills and exercises to track your learning progress. I will make sure that you will learn something new at the end of every lesson.
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Teresa is a delightful and bright teacher. She has previously worked as a teacher at the school board and as a teacher for young mothers. Her study method is based on the level of the students and the goals they want to achieve.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Ma.Teresa G.Thank you sir Giacomo, thank you for the good feedback. You're such an awesome and kind interviewer. I am happy to work with you in coLanguage. God bless.
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Hi there, thank you for stopping by! My name is Cristina, I'm a CELTA qualified English teacher and I have a Master’s Degree in Foreign Languages; I speak English fluently and I can communicate in Italian, Portuguese, French and Spanish. Being a language learner myself and thanks to my educational background I have a deep understanding of language structure and I can easily put myself in my students’ shoes and understand the areas they might struggle with.
I’ve been giving private lessons for one year, to both teenagers and adults of all levels. My lessons are very student-centered, which means that my first priority is to get to know you in order to tailor the lessons around your needs and interests. I create a friendly and trustful environment, I plan my lessons to be engaging and communicative and I encourage my students to take active part in the discovery of the target language. I use a wide variety of coursebooks, online tools and authentic materials that I adapt to online teaching through powerpoint presentations and file sharing. I believe that practicing all language skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing) as well as grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation is key to fluency and I make it a point of helping my students to develop all of them.
Over the last few years I've had several experiences in international companies, which allowed me to become familiar with tourism and business-related language, so I can help you strengthen your communication skills in these areas, as well as in everyday conversational English to communicate with co-workers, clients and friends.
If you have any questions drop me a message or book a trial lesson so that we can get to know each other!
I look forward to meeting to you :)
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Cristina is a professional and motivated teacher who recently passed her Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and has already gained experience in teaching English. During her classes, she provides slides with exercises gathered from different books and uses a variety of teaching methods such as controlled practices or free speaking exercises. Throughout the whole lesson, she encourages her students to actively speak English.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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1 French accents (a, e, o, u, i) | French pronunciation from A to Z! |