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l | ![]() | The French 'l' is similar to the 'l' in English "with Lee". The tongue tip usually touches the back of the upper teeth. It is also a so-called "clear" l: in other words, you don't raise the back of your tongue as you pronounce the French 'l', as occurs in some cases in English. | |
ə | ![]() | The 'schwa' or 'neutral e' is pronounced with the tongue in a "central, relaxed" position and the mouth also in a 'half open, relaxed' position. Note that many French speakers actually tend to pronounce this vowel as a 'close eu' vowel (as occurs at the end of words ending in -euse), or at least with some rounding of the lips. | |
p | ![]() | A French 'p' is generally pronounced in a similar way to an English 'p' in "spit", "sport" etc. In other words, it is not usually followed by a "strong burst of air" (aspiration) as in the 'p' sound of English "pit", "port" etc. If you are a native English speaker, put your hand in front of your mouth while you say "port" then "sport"; you'll feel a stronger breath of air with the first of these words. When you pronounce a French 'p' sound, you do so as in the second of these words, so that you don't hear or feel the strong breath of air. | |
ɔ | ![]() | To an English speaker, the French 'open o' vowel does not necessarily sound much like an 'o' vowel. In reality it is often much more similar to the "neutral" 'e' vowel of English "the". Hold the tongue in a position where you imagine the body of the tongue "slightly further back than the center of the mouth", with the lips slightly rounded. | |
ʁ | ![]() | The French 'r' is generally what is technically called a "uvular fricative". In simple language, that means you bring the back of your tongue close enough to the back of the mouth that it causes friction (the "raspy" sound that you hear) with the escaping air. | |
t | ![]() | The French 't' is pronounced like an English 't' after a 'th' sound (as in "with two"). Your tongue touches the back of the teeth. Also try to avoid a "strong burst of air" (aspiration) as in English. If you are a native English speaker, repeat the word "tool" then "stool" with your hand in front of your mouth. In "tool", you'll feel a stronger burst of air than in "stool". In French, pronounce the 't' as in English "stool", without the strong burst of air. | |
ə | ![]() | The 'schwa' or 'neutral e' is pronounced with the tongue in a "central, relaxed" position and the mouth also in a 'half open, relaxed' position. Note that many French speakers actually tend to pronounce this vowel as a 'close eu' vowel (as occurs at the end of words ending in -euse), or at least with some rounding of the lips. | |
f | ![]() | The French 'f' sound is pronounced in a similar way to English 'f'. | |
œ | ![]() | To pronounce the French 'open eu' vowel, imagine the body of the tongue slightly "forward of and below center", with the mouth roughly half open and the lips rounded. | |
j | ![]() | This is a sound a little like an English "y" as in "yes". To pronounce it, you "glide" rapidly between a French 'i' vowel and the following vowel. (And on the end of a word, you pronounce it by going rapidly from the previous vowel to a French 'i' vowel.) Note the phonetic symbol [j] doesn't mean the sound at the start of "je" or "jean". | |
ə | ![]() | The 'schwa' or 'neutral e' is pronounced with the tongue in a "central, relaxed" position and the mouth also in a 'half open, relaxed' position. Note that many French speakers actually tend to pronounce this vowel as a 'close eu' vowel (as occurs at the end of words ending in -euse), or at least with some rounding of the lips. | Even though the word ends in -e in the spelling, notice how in the pronunciation, this vowel isn't "fully" pronounced. Instead, the syllable before it receives the stress. |