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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn French pronunciation focusing on key consonant and vowel sounds. Understand important rules like silent final consonants and liaison between words, with common examples such as 'Monde', 'Nature', 'Cheval', and 'Cinéma'. This A1 level lesson helps beginners master foundational pronunciation patterns and differences from English.
  1. Final consonants are generally not pronounced.
  2. In French, we make a liaison between words. This means linking the last letter of one word to the first letter of the next word.
M /m/ Monde (Monde)N /n/ Nature  (Nature)
CH /ʃ/ Cheval (Cheavl)C ou S ou Ç /s/ Cinéma, souris, garçon (Cinema, source, boy)
GN /ɲ/ Montagne (Mountagne)C ou K ou Q /k/ Camion, ski, coq (Truck, ski, rooster)
G ou J /ʒ/ Girafe, jeu (Giraffe, joy)H (muet) Haricot (Haricot)
G /g/ Guerre (War)EAU ou AU ou O /o/Haut, eau, moto (High, water, motorbike)
OI /wa/ Oiseau (Bird)EU /ø/ Cheveu (Cheveu)
OU /u/ Hibou (Owl)UN ou UM /œ̃/ Brun, parfum (Brun, parfum)
AN ou EN ou EM ou AM /ɑ̃/ Enfant, chambre, emporter (Child, room, take)AIL ou EIL ou LL /aj/Travail, réveil, grille (Work, awakening, grilled)
ON ou OM /ɔ̃/Rond, tomber (Rond, tomber)ER ou EZ ou É /e/ Manger, nez, musée (Manger, nez, musée)
AI ou ET ou Ê ou È /ɛ/ Vrai, complet, être, chèque (True, complete, être, chèque)B /b/Bien (Well)

Exceptions!

  1. We do not make the liaison between the subject and the verb, with the word et, and with an aspirated "h".

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Comment tu ___ ?

(What is your ___?)

2. Je ___ Marie.

(I ___ Marie.)

3. Mon nom ___ Dupont.

(My name ___ Dupont.)

4. Le garçon ___ Paul.

(The boy ___ Paul.)

5. La fille ___ son prénom.

(The girl ___ her first name.)

6. Je me ___, je suis Jean.

(I ___ myself, I am Jean.)

Introduction to French Pronunciation

This lesson introduces you to the fundamental sounds of French pronunciation, focusing on commonly used consonants and vowel combinations with clear examples like Monde, Nature, Cheval, and Cinéma. You will learn how to pronounce various French phonemes such as /m/, /n/, /ʃ/, /s/, /ɲ/, /k/, and many others, illustrated by representative words along with interactive audio examples.

Key Pronunciation Features

French consonants often have particular pronunciations that are important to master early on. For example, the difference between CH as /ʃ/ in Cheval and C or S as /s/ in Cinéma or Souris. Additionally, nasal sounds represented by combinations such as AN, EN, ON, and UM are highlighted through words like Enfant and Tomber.

Important Pronunciation Rules and Exceptions

  • Final consonants in French words are usually silent, which differs from English where final consonants are pronounced.
  • French often features liaison, linking the final consonant sound of one word to the initial vowel sound of the next, for instance linking vous avez.
  • However, liaison is not made between the subject and verb, with the conjunction et, or with words starting with an aspirated h.

Differences Between French and English Pronunciation

Unlike English, where word-final consonants are commonly pronounced, French tends to omit them unless followed by a vowel. The liaison phenomenon also creates smoother speech by connecting words—an aspect less common in English. For example, the French phrase “Comment tu t'appelles?” literally means “What is your name?” and uses liaison and reflexive verbs, which significantly impact pronunciation. Understanding these differences will aid in grasping the rhythm and melody of French.

Essential Phrases and Vocabulary

Practice phrases include:
Comment tu t'appelles ? (What is your name?)
Je m’appelle Marie. (My name is Marie.)
Le garçon s'appelle Paul. (The boy's name is Paul.)
La fille écrit son prénom. (The girl writes her first name.)
Je me présente, je suis Jean. (Let me introduce myself, I am Jean.)

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Azéline Perrin

Bachelor Degree in Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 16:03