Basic French Pronunciation Flashcards

This deck provides a glimpse into the basic rules that govern pronunciation in French.

1
Q

Pronounce:

ami

A

Note that “a” is pronounced like the British “A” in “father” [a].

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2
Q

Pronounce:

je

A

Note that the unaccented “e” is pronounced like “uh”, or the “A” in “Again” [ə].

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3
Q

Pronounce:

étudiant

A

Note that “é” is pronounced like the “A” in “play” [e].

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4
Q

Pronounce:

arriver

A

Note that “-er” is pronounced like the “A” in “play” [e].

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5
Q

Pronounce:

vous avez

A

Note that “-ez” is pronounced like the “A” in “play” [e].

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6
Q

Pronounce:

très

A

Note that “è” is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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7
Q

Pronounce:

être

A

Note that “ê” is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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8
Q

Pronounce:

maison

A

Note that “ai” is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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9
Q

Pronounce:

treize

A

Note that “ei” is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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10
Q

Pronounce:

et

A

Note that “-et” is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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11
Q

Pronounce:

elle

A

Note that “e” + 2 consonants is pronounced like the “E” in “best” [ɛ].

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12
Q

Pronounce:

merci

A

Note that “i” is pronounced like the “EE” in “bee” [i].

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13
Q

Pronounce:

y

A

Note that “y” is pronounced like the “EE” in “bee” [i].

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14
Q

Pronounce:

fort

A

Note that “o” is pronounced like the “O” in “old” [o].

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15
Q

Pronounce:

au revoir

A

Note that “au” is pronounced like the “O” in “old” [o].

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16
Q

Pronounce:

beau

A

Note that “eau” is pronounced like the “O” in “old” [o].

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17
Q

Pronounce:

salut

A

Note that “u” is pronounced like the “EW” in “dew” [y].

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18
Q

Pronounce:

avoir

A

Note that “oi” is pronounced like the “WA” in “wasp” [wa].

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19
Q

Pronounce:

loyal

A

Note that “oy” is pronounced like “why” [waj].

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20
Q

Pronounce:

vous

A

Note that “ou” is pronounced like the “OO” in “boot” [u].

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21
Q

Pronounce:

jeune

A

Note that “eu” is pronounced like the “I” in “bird” [œ].

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22
Q

Pronounce:

œuf

A

Note that “œu” is pronounced like the “I” in “bird” [œ].

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23
Q

Pronounce:

nf

A

Note that “aï” is pronounced like the “I” in “like” [ai].

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24
Q

Pronounce:

égste

A

Note that “oï” is pronounced like the “OY” in “boy” [oi].

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25
Q

Pronounce:

tu

A

Note that “t” is pronounced like the “T” in “toy” [t].

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26
Q

Pronounce:

athlétique

A

Note that “th” is pronounced like the “T” in “toy” [t].

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27
Q

Pronounce:

sportif

A

Note that “f” is pronounced like the “F” in “fun” [f].

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28
Q

Pronounce:

philosophie

A

Note that “ph” is pronounced like the “F” in “fun” [f].

29
Q

Pronounce:

joli

A

Note that “j” is pronounced like the “S” in “pleasure” [ʒ].

30
Q

Pronounce:

intelligent

A

Note that “g” + “e” or “i” is pronounced like the “S” in “pleasure” [ʒ].

31
Q

Pronounce:

garçon

A

Note that “g” + “a”, “o” or “u” is pronounced like the “G” in “go” [g].

32
Q

Pronounce:

guitare

A

Note that “gu” + “e” or “i” is pronounced like the “G” in “go” [g].

33
Q

Pronounce:

sucre

A

Note that “s-“ is pronounced like the “S” in “sand” [s].

34
Q

Pronounce:

classe

A

Note that “-ss-“ is pronounced like the “S” in “sand” [s].

35
Q

Pronounce:

c’est

A

Note that “c” + “e” or “i” is pronounced like the “S” in “sand” [s].

36
Q

Pronounce:

ça

A

Note that “ç” is pronounced like the “S” in “sand” [s].

37
Q

Pronounce:

douze

A

Note that “z” is pronounced like the “Z” in “zebra” [z].

38
Q

Pronounce:

maison

A

Note that “s” between two vowels is pronounced like the “Z” in “zebra” [z].

39
Q

Pronounce:

comment

A

Note that “c” + “a”, “o” or “u” is pronounced like the “K” in “kiss” [k].

40
Q

Pronounce:

magnifique

A

Note that “qu-“ is pronounced like the “K” in “kiss” [k].

41
Q

Pronounce:

mignon

A

Note that “gn” is pronounced like the “NY” in “canyon” [ɲ].

42
Q

Pronounce:

riche

A

Note that “ch” is pronounced like the “SH” in “shy” [ʃ].

43
Q

Pronounce:

brillant

A

Note that “ill-“ is pronounced like the “Y” in “yawn” [j].

44
Q

Pronounce:

travail

A

Note that a vowel + “il” is pronounced like the “Y” in “yawn” [j].

45
Q

Pronounce:

attirant

A

Note that “an/am” is pronounced [ɑ̃].

46
Q

Pronounce:

argent

A

Note that “en/em” is pronounced [ɑ̃].

47
Q

Pronounce:

enfin

A

Note that “in/im” is pronounced [ɛ̃].

48
Q

Pronounce:

américain

A

Note that “ain/aim” is pronounced [ɛ̃].

49
Q

Pronounce:

plein

A

Note that “ein/eim” is pronounced [ɛ̃].

50
Q

Pronounce:

humble

A

Note that “un/um” is pronounced [œ̃].

51
Q

Pronounce:

bon

A

Note that “on/om” is pronounced [ɔ̃].

52
Q

Pronounce:

les six français

A

When a word ends in an “S”, “X” or “Z”, those letters are never pronounced if the next word begins with a consonant or if the current word is placed at the end of a sentence.

53
Q

Pronounce:

Vous avez deux beaux enfants

A

When a word ends in an “S”, “X” or “Z” and the next one starts with a vowel, these normally silent letters are pronounced, but with a [z] sound that leads into the next word.

54
Q

Pronounce:

le Louvre

A

When a word with at least 2 syllables ends in “E”, the “E” is practically silent and only serves to bring out the sound of the consonant before it.

55
Q

Pronounce:

Bonsoir; Bien sûr !

A

“R” is always pronounced unless a word ends in “-ER”.

56
Q

Pronounce:

très bien

A

Even though it ends in “-EN”, “bien” is pronounced with the sound [ε̃].

57
Q

Pronounce:

les garçons

A

“Les” is treated as if it ended in “-EZ”, so it gets the sound [e]. This is also true for “mes”, “tes”, “ses” and “des”.

58
Q

Pronounce:

un bon ami

A

When a word ends in an “N” and the next one begins with a vowel, the nasal sound is retained in the first word but the full sound of a normal “N” is added to the second word.

59
Q

Pronounce:

J’aime l’étudiant d’Italie; s’il vous plaît

A

When “le”, “la”, “je”, “ne”, “me”, “te”, “de”, “se”, and “que” are followed by a word starting with a vowel, the “E” drops and a contraction is made between both words through the addition of an apostrophe. “Si” only does this if the next word begins with an “i”.

60
Q

Pronounce:

un grand homme

A

When a word ends with “D” or “T” and the next one starts with a vowel, these normally silent letters make a [t] sound at the start of the second word.

61
Q

Pronounce:

le jeune enfant et une jolie fille

A

Even if the next word begins with a vowel, the “T” in “et” is never pronounced.

62
Q

Pronounce:

Le jeune enfant est une jolie fille

A

When the word following “est” begins with a vowel, the “T” is always pronounced.

63
Q

Pronounce:

Elle chante et ils regardent

A

When the verb following “ils/elles” ends in “-ENT”, the “N” and “T” are never pronounced, almost as if there were just an “E”.

64
Q

Pronounce:

avec cinq amis d’Irak

A

If a word ends in “C”, “K” or “Q”, all of which make the [k] sound, those letters are pronounced.

65
Q

Pronounce:

Il est sportif

A

If a word ends in “F”, the “F” is pronounced.

66
Q

Pronounce:

le fauteuil espagnol

A

If a word ends in “L”, the “L” is pronounced (as in “espagnol”). However, if the “L” is preceded by a vowel + “i”, the “L” is not pronounced (as in “fauteuil”).

67
Q

Pronounce:

le petit élève

A

Remember that the letter “E” is capable of producing 3 different sounds – [ə], [e], [ɛ].

68
Q

Pronounce:

Il est fort et beau; Au revoir

A

Remember that “O”, “AU” and “EAU” all make the same sound.

69
Q

Pronounce:

Salut, tu es courageux; Bonjour, vous avez du sucre ?

A

Remember that “U” is a much sharper and closed sound than “OU”.