Basic French Pronunciation

Basic prononciation Rules in French

index

Introduction

French Alphabet

Vowels Prononciation Consonnant Prononciation

Silent letters

The "r" Sound & Intonation

introduction

Bonjour et bienvenue! Welcome to the Chapter "French Basic Prononciation".

French, just like any other languages, is a blend of sounds that convey emotions, meanings, and culture. Each sound, whether it's a smooth vowel or a complex consonant, shapes how French is spoken. Our goal in this course is to help you understand these sounds, so you can express yourself naturally in French.

01

French alphabet & prononciation

Audio

French Alphabet

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

02

French Vowels & prononciation

Vowels & Pronunciation

THE VOWELS ARE : A E I O U Y

French has a total of 6 vowels that give different vowel sounds. Here's a breakdown of the 14 main French vowel sounds along with English approximations for pronunciation:

Nasal Vowels: /ɑ̃/ - No direct English equivalent, similar to the nasal "awn" sound in some British accents (listen to native speakers for a better idea). [sans, une chambre, lent] /ɛ̃/ - Similar to the "ang" in "hang," but nasalized. [pain, rein, matin, parfum, bien, chien, faim] /ɔ̃/ - No direct English equivalent, similar to the nasalized "awn" sound in some British accents. [avion, montre, Léon, ballon]

+ INFO

Vowels & Pronunciation

THE VOWELS ARE : A E I O U Y

Oral Vowels:/i/ - Similar to the "ee" in "feet" [une île, un ami, Anaïs, un style] /e/ - Similar to the "e" in "bet" [des, écouter, un nez, un pied] /ɛ/ - Similar to the "e" in "bed" [mère, faire, neige, est] /a/ - Similar to the "a" in "father" [à Malaga] /y/ - No direct English equivalent [une rue, j'ai eu, une flûte] /ə/ - Similar to"a" in "a bet" [le, me, mener] /o/ - Similar to the "o" in "boat" [une moto, un bateau, tôt] /ø/ A sound between /e/ and /u/ [peur, des œufs, un voeu] /ɔ/ - Similar to the "aw" in "saw" [une porte, un aquarium] /u/ - Similar to the "oo" in "boot" [où, un loup, mou] /œ̃/ - No direct English equivalent, similar to the nasalized "urn" sound in some British accents. [un oeuf, un accueil]

03

French consonants & prononciation

French consonants & prononciation

THE CONSONANTS ARE : B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Z

In French phonetics, consonants can be categorized into two groups based on how air is released when pronouncing them. These categories are known as "consonnes explosives" (explosive consonants) and "consonnes fricatives" (fricative consonants). The distinction lies in how the airflow is managed during pronunciation.

1. Consonnes Explosives (Explosive Consonants): These consonants are produced by briefly stopping the airflow in the mouth and then releasing it with a burst. The sound is created when the air pressure builds up behind the point of closure and is suddenly released. This results in a distinct, abrupt sound. The French explosive consonants are

p b t d k g

consonants & Pronunciation

THE CONSONANTS ARE : B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Z

1. /p/ as in "papa; une porte" : This sound is produced by closing the lips together and then releasing them to allow the burst of air. Similar to the English "p" sound. 2. /b/ as in "bébé, bon" : This sound is produced by closing the lips together and then releasing them with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the English "b" sound. 3. /t/ as in "tata, une table" (table): This sound is produced by the tongue coming into contact with the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper front teeth) and then releasing. Similar to the English "t" sound. 4. /d/ as in "un dé, deux" (two): This sound is produced by the tongue coming into contact with the alveolar ridge and then releasing with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the English "d" sound. 5. /k/ as in "karaté, koala" : This sound is produced by the back of the tongue coming into contact with the soft palate and then releasing. Similar to the English "k" sound. 6. /g/ as in "un gateau, grand" : This sound is produced by the back of the tongue coming into contact with the soft palate and then releasing with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the English "g" sound.

French consonants & prononciation

THE CONSONANTS ARE : B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Z

2. Consonnes Fricatives (Fricative Consonants) Consonnes fricatives are produced by constricting the airflow in the mouth, creating friction between articulatory organs (such as the tongue and teeth) while allowing a continuous stream of air to pass through. Unlike explosive consonants, there's no complete closure of airflow; instead, it's partially restricted. The French fricative consonants are :

f v s z ʃ ʒ

In summary, explosive consonants involve a complete stoppage and release of airflow, resulting in an abrupt sound, while fricative consonants involve constricting airflow to create a continuous sound with friction. These categories help explain the unique sound qualities of French consonants and are essential for accurate pronunciation.

consonants & Pronunciation

THE CONSONANTS ARE : B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Z

1. /f/ as in "un fou, une fleur" : This sound is produced by bringing the bottom lip into contact with the upper teeth and allowing air to pass through. Similar to the English "f" sound. 2. /v/ as in "une voix, une vague" : This sound is produced by the same articulation as /f/, but with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the English "v" sound. 3. /s/ as in "un soleil, un sas": This sound is produced by constricting the airflow between the tongue and the alveolar ridge. Similar to the English "s" sound. 4. /z/ as in "zéro" : This sound is produced by the same articulation as /s/, but with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the English "z" sound. 5. /ʃ/ as in "un chat, un chapeau" : This sound is produced by constricting the airflow between the tongue and the hard palate, creating a "sh" sound. Similar to the English "sh" sound. 6. /ʒ/ as in "un jour, une joue" : This sound is produced by the same articulation as /ʃ/, but with vibration of the vocal cords. Similar to the "s" sound in the English word "measure."

04

Silent letters

silent letters

1. The Final Letter is usually not pronounced when the word at the end is masculine : examples : Dominique est grand. Mehdi est gentil. Jacques est petit.

2. The Final Letter is usually pronounced when the word at the end is feminine : examples : Carla est grande. Maria est gentille. Jacqueline est petite.

When you encounter a silent "e" at the end of a word, it often serves as a clue about the word's gender. Let's break it down: Masculine Words: Many masculine words end with a consonant or a vowel sound other than a silent "e." and is not pronounced. Feminine Words: Many feminine words end with a silent "e." The silent "e" will allow the pronounciation of the letter before it. Example : "grande"

Be careful

AVEC SAC BASILIC PUBLIC

COIFFEUR AMOUR PARTIR SAVOIR

Some silent letters are pronounced, they are the consonent of the English word : C - A - R - E - F - U - L

BOEUF CHEF NEUF AFFIRMATIF

SIGNAL BOL BEL FINAL

05

The "r" sound

the "r" sound

One of the unique and distinctive sounds in the French language is the "r" sound. It might be a bit tricky at first, but with practice, you'll master it!

1. exercices to pronounce "r"Read out loud the first column then the second column. In order not to pronounce the "r" like the English "r" make sure to keep the tip of your tongue by your lower teeth.

COULE LOI LENT LIRE CELA MALIN

ROULE ROI RANG RIRESERA MARIN

the "r" sound

2. exercices to pronounce "r"If the previous exercice is too advance for you, start by repeating the following :

LA LA LA RA RA RA

LE LE LE RE RE RE

LOU LOU LOU ROU ROU ROU

LO LO LO RO RO RO

LI LI LI RI RI RI

06

Intonation

Intonation

In French, intonation primarily occurs at the end of a sentence, unlike English, where it's not always the case. It's this rise and fall of pitch that adds meaning, emotion, and rhythm to our words in French.

3. Open-Ended Questions

1. Yes or No? Rising and Falling:

2. Statement with Conviction:

Imagine asking a question in English. Your voice usually goes up at the end, like "Is it raining?" In French, it's similar! A rising intonation is used for yes/no questions, like "Il pleut ?" (Is it raining?) Your voice goes up, inviting an answer.

When making a statement, the pitch tends to fall at the end. This signifies confidence and a sense of finality. For instance, "Il pleut." (It's raining.) The pitch drops, showing that you're stating a fact.

For open-ended questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no, the pitch also falls at the end. For example, "Qu'est-ce que tu fais ?" (What are you doing?) The pitch goes down, signaling the continuation of conversation.

Intonation

4. Expressing Emotion:

6. Mimicking Native Speakers:

5. Context and Meaning:

In French, a rising pitch can convey surprise, uncertainty, or a question ("Non ! Il a fait ça ?" "He did that?"), while a falling pitch often indicates certainty or completion ("Ouais, ouais ! Il a fait ça! "yeah .. it dit that !") .

Engage with native French speakers in movies, conversations, and songs to mimic their intonation. This helps you sound more natural. Also, try speaking your native language with a French accent to understand pronunciation better.

Let's consider the sentence "Il est là" ("He is there"). "Il est là?" with a rising pitch can turn it into a question, "Is he there?" "Il est là." with a falling pitch signifies a statement, "He is there."

Practice Makes Perfect: Practice saying sentences with different intonation patterns. Record yourself and listen back to see if you're effectively conveying the intended meaning.It's not about sounding perfectly French because there isn't just one French accent—there are various regional accents in France and across Francophone countries (there are approximately 28 recognized countries with French as an official language). Your accent is your identity, and embracing it is pretty cool. :)

More on french pronunciation & how to introduce yourself

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