It might surprise you to learn that the French alphabet has the same letters as English. Their pronunciations, though, can feel like a different world.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the French ABCs, from tricky sounds to helpful tips for smoother pronunciation. Let’s get started!
An overview of the French alphabet
French has 26 letters: 6 vowels and 20 consonants. However, when you factor in accents, different letter placements, and combinations, the total number of sounds (or phonemes) reaches 36. For instance, a simple letter like e has 4 different pronunciations.
French isn’t a phonetic language. This means that when used in words, letters and their combinations often sound different than you’d expect. For example, the word oiseau (bird) is pronounced like “wah-zo”. This is why it’s crucial to learn pronunciation rules in addition to the alphabet itself.
Pronunciation of the French alphabet
Here’s how French letters are pronounced and what they’re named.
| Letter | Name | Examples |
| a | ah | ami (friend) |
| b | bay | banane (banana) |
| c | say | chat (cat) couleur (color) cinq (five) |
| d | day | dinde (turkey) |
| e | uh | enfant (child) |
| f | eff | famille (family) |
| g | zheh | gâteau (cake) genou (knee) |
| h | ahsh | hiver (winter) |
| i | ee | image (image) |
| j | zhee | jambe (leg) |
| k | kah | kiwi (kiwi) |
| l | ell | livre (book) |
| m | em | montagne (mountain) |
| n | en | nuage (cloud) |
| o | oh | ordinateur (computer) |
| p | pay | pluie (rain) |
| q | koo | question (question) |
| r | air | rouge (red) |
| s | ess | soleil (sun) |
| t | tay | tigre (tiger) |
| u | oo | univers (universe) |
| v | vay | ville (city) |
| w | doo-bluh-vay | week-end (weekend) |
| x | eeks | xylophone (xylophone) |
| y | ee-grek | yaourt (yogurt) |
| z | zed | zoo (zoo) |
Tricky letters
Some French letters can be especially challenging for English speakers:
- R: French r is guttural and pronounced in the back of the throat. Think of a soft growl, as in rouge (red).
- U: This is one of the hardest sounds in French. To produce it, shape your lips as if saying “ee” but attempt to say “oo”. Practice with words like lune (moon).
- G: Depending on the letters that follow, g can sound soft, like “zh” in genou (knee) or hard, like “g” in gant (glove).
Accents in French
French isn’t just about letters — accents can change the sound of a letter or even alter the meaning of a word entirely. Let’s explore these accents and why they matter.
French uses five accents, each serving a specific purpose:
- Acute accent (accent aigu)
Found only on é, it gives the letter a sharp “ay” sound, as in éléphant (elephant). - Grave accent (accent grave)
Found on à, è, ù, it often changes pronunciation, especially for è (making it an open “eh” sound). Example: père (father). On à and ù, it usually differentiates meaning, such as à (to) vs. a (has). - Circumflex (accent circonflexe)
Appears on all vowels (â, ê, î, ô, û) and can signal a historical letter s (e.g., forêt from the Old French forest). Its pronunciation impact varies but often makes vowels slightly longer. - Cedilla (cédille)
Looks like ç and changes the sound of c from a hard “k” to a soft “s”, as in garçon (boy). - Diaeresis (tréma)
Found on vowels ë, ï, ü, it indicates that two vowels should be pronounced separately, as in Noël (Christmas).
In some cases, accents don’t just alter pronunciation — they completely change a word’s meaning. For instance: pêche (peach) vs. péché (sin).
When learning new words, always make note of their accents. This will help you avoid confusion or misunderstandings when talking to people.
Silent letters in French
In French, certain letters are often not pronounced, which can make words sound very different from how they look. Here are some of the most frequent cases:
- H: The letter h is almost always silent in French, as in hôtel (hotel). It doesn’t affect the pronunciation but can change how words connect (e.g., l’hôtel vs. le hôtel).
- E at the end of words: A final e in French is usually silent, like in table (table). However, it is pronounced if it has an accent, as in café (coffee).
- Final consonants: Letters like s, x, t, d, g, and p are typically silent at the end of words. For example, gris (gray) is pronounced “gree”, and grand (big) is pronounced “gran”.
Some letters become silent when paired with others:
- U after G or Q: While u is written after g or q, it’s not pronounced but influences the preceding sound. For example, guitare (guitar) sounds like “gee-tar.”
- N in nasal vowels: When n appears in a nasal vowel combination like an or on, it’s not pronounced separately. Instead, it creates a nasalized sound, as in sans (without) or nom (name).
Keep in mind that there are exceptions to any rule.
Nasal vowels in French
Nasal vowels occur when air flows through both the nose and mouth while speaking. French has four main nasal vowels, and their sound depends on the vowel combination:
- An, Am, En, Em: These combinations create a nasal “ah-n” sound, as in blanc (white) or camp (camp).
- On, Om: Produces a nasal “oh-n” sound, as in pont (bridge) or comte (count).
- In, Im, Ain, Aim, Ein, Ym: These combinations give a nasal “a-n” or “eh-n” sound, as in vin (wine) or pain (bread).
- Un, Um: This creates a nasal “uh-n” sound, as in brun (brown) or parfum (perfume).
Nasal vowels can feel unusual at first, but with practice, you get used to them.
Semi-vowels in French
Semi-vowels, also called glides, occur when two vowels come together, and the sound “glides” from one to the other. French has three main semi-vowel sounds:
- Y sound: Made with i, il, or y, as in fille (girl) or payer (to pay). It sounds like a quick “ee.”
- W sound: Made with ou or oi, as in moi (me) or oui (yes). It sounds like “w” in water.
- H sound: Made with u, as in huit (eight). It’s a glide between “ee” and “oo,” creating a “yu” sound.
Now that you know the alphabet, check out our guide to French pronunciation to dig deeper into the details.
