French Pronunciation Charts What follows are two representations of French pronunciations: 1. a list of all the French spellings in all positions and linkings with their IPA equivalent; and 2. a list of all IPA sounds found in the French language and their spellings. In learning to correctly pronounce French without the aid of a IPA transcriptions, I find it best for the beginning student to follow the route of the French spellings rather that working from the sounds themselves. Although there are many rules and spellings, French is an extremely regular language. With the exception of a few words with variable word endings and some proper nouns, almost all French words will follow the rules to the letter. Part one: French Spellings - Vowel Pronunciation IPA French spellings for the vowel -a -a or -à usually French example with IPA Paris [ là allâtes pale extase lacer mais faisais faisons gai travail cailloux faim ainsi aime plaine champ fumant tamis manne -au chaud -au before -r Fauré -ay, -aye, -ayes payer French spellings for vowel -e -é IPA French example with IPA été -â in a few verb forms -â (except as above) -a before and sounds -ai, -aî, -aie, -ais, -aise, -ait, -aient usually -ai in some verb forms of faire when before [z] -ai final -ail, -aill, -aille -aim, -ain when final or before a consonant except -m or -n, or -h -aim, -ain when followed by a vowel -am, -an, -aon when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h -am, -an when followed by a vowel or another -m or -n -è, -ê, -ë père forêts Noël -e before a single consonant and a vowel cheval -e before two consonants elle -e before final pronounced consonants fer 1 pied silent parle parle -e final in monosyllables je -er final - generally in non-verb forms hiver -er final - in verb endings and some nouns and adjectives. parler boulanger -es final parles -es final in monosyllables before a closed vowel -es final in monosyllables before an open vowel les des -et final filet et (the words meaning and) et -eau beau -ei seize -eim & -ein when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h plein -em & -en when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h ensemble tenir tennis emmêler ennui -en after -i viens -ent final firmament -ent final in third person plural verb endings parlent -eu in the interior of a word heure -eu before [z] creuse -eu as a final sound peu -ge before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) Georges French spellings for the vowel -i -i single including before a mute -e IPA French example with IPA finir -î with the circonflexe île -ï with the diérèse Aïda -i preceding a stressed vowel bien Final -il and -ille, and medial -ill aille -ill and ille with no other vowel fille -im and -in when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h timbre brin -e before final silent consonants (except -s and -t) -e final spoken sung -em & -en when followed by a vowel the -e is not nasal -emm & -enn when initial remain nasal except ennemi French spellings for the vowel -o -o preceding a consonant or a vowel IPA French example with IPA doter -o when final sound mot -ô ôter -o before [z] rose -oe and -oeu coeur -oi voix -oin when final or before a consonant ex. -h loin -oy royal -ou are before a stressed vowel oui -om -on when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h nom -eon. pigeon -ou, -où and -oû vous French spellings for the vowel -u -u after g- and q- IPA silent French example with IPA guitare -u,- û, -ü(e), and -ue murmure -um and -un followed by a vowel, but not -m, -n, or -h. unanime -ue when followed by -il, -ill, or –ille orgueil -que when final or not followed by double consonants que -ueu after -g and –q vainqueur -u before a stressed vowel lui -um and -un when final or before a consonant except-m or -n, or -h brun French spellings for the vowel -y -y or -ÿ except when nasal IPA French example with IPA martyr -ym and -yn before a vowel hymne -yn and -ym when final or before a consonant ex. -m or -n, or -h thym -y initial in a word yeux -y between two vowels royal Consonant pronunciation While consonant pronunciation is considerably easier than for vowels, it still offers some challenges for the singer. Each individual consonant will be presented with a minimum of two pronunciation examples: first, a general pronunciation for the single and double consonant in the initial and medial position, and second, a possible final pronunciation. If such exist, pronunciation variants in liaison, and combination will also be presented. Letter b c French Spelling IPA French Word with IPA -b or -bb initial and medial beau abbesse final silent plomb followed by -s or -t absolu -c before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) ciel -cc before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) accent -c or -cc before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a cons. encore final parc final after -n silent blanc -ct final direct silent respect garçon -ch blanche -ch in words of Greek origin Christ -cqu acquisition -d or -dd initial or medial doux addition final silent pied in liaison grand_arbre -f or -ff initial or medial enfant effort final comparatif in liaison neuf_heures -g before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) sabotage -gg before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) suggestion -g or -gg before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a cons. grave final silent sang in liaison sang_et eau -ge before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a consonant pigeon -gu before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) gigue -gn compagnon -gt silent doigt -ç d f g with the çédille h j k l Initial -h is classified as mute and aspirate - both are always silent but, silent douze_heure -h initial mute allows liaison or elision -h initial aspirate allows no linking silent tres *hideuse -h medial silent souhaiter -j jardin found in words of foreign origin only kilo final kodak -l or -ll initial or medial large ballet final ideal -il, -ill, and -ille (but not final -ile) soleil papillons j famille mille (thousand) tranquille (tranquil) ville (villages) mardi flamme after a nasal vowel silent parfum in liaison nom_à tiroirs -n or -nn initial or medial neige année after a nasal vowel silent ensemble in liaison en_aimant -p or -pp initial or medial captive support final silent trop in liaison trop_en -mpt silent compter -ph philosophe -qu initial or medial liqueur final cinq in liaison cinq_enfants In the these words and their derivatives m n p q r -m or -mm initial or medial Spoken French makes use of the uvular that is appropriate for dialogue and cabaret songs. -r or -rr initial, rapide -r or -rr medial or final garage terrible hiver -er, -ier, or -yer final in some nouns and adjectives silent foyer (noun) -er in the infinitive verb form parler s t v w x z séance Debussy -s medial between vowels maison -s final silent toujours -s final in exceptions hélas lis fils in liaison mes_yeux ] -sc before a front vowel (-e, -i, or -y) descendre -sc before a back vowel (-a, -o, -u) or a consonant scandale -sch initial or medial schéma -t or -tt initial or medial total glotte -t final silent tuot -t in liaison tout_un -th Thomas -ti in endings -tion and -tience attention -tie when final sortie -v initial or medial souvenir -w found in words of foreign origin Wagon before consonants texte before vowels or -h exemple in numbers deuxieme in liaison deux_enfants initial or medial zèle douze final silent chez Final as an exception Berlioz -s and -ss initial or medial Part two: A list of French sounds with some of the more common French spellings. Adapted and expanded from Le Petit Robert CD-Rom. Vowels il, épi, lyre blé, aller, chez, et, j’ai, tes lait, merci, fète, Noël, forêts, hiver, Seigneur soleil, hotel, bouquet ami, patti, pas, pâte fort, donner, sol mot, dôme, eau, saule genou, roue peu, deux, creuse peur, meuble, ceuile brin, plein, bain sans, vent ton, ombre, bonté lundi, brun, parfum Semi-vowels yeux, paille, pied, panier oui, fouet, joua, joie huile, lui Consonants père, soupe terre, vite cou, qui, sac, képi bon, robe dans, aide gar, bague, gui feu, neuf, photo sale, celui, ça, dessous, tasse chat, tache schéma vous, rêve zéro, maison, rose je, gilet, geôle lent, sol rue, venir mot, flamme nous, tonne, animal agneau, vigne | no liaison or elision allowed
