Consonant Sounds

Final consonants are usually silent.

1. b, pronounced as in English.

2. c has the two English sounds:

(a) Like k, when followed by a, o, u, or by a consonant: capable, colline, culotte, clair.
(b) Like c in cent, when followed by e, i, y, and also when it has a cedilla: ce, ici, garçon.
(c) In the word second the c sounds like g in gone.
(d) Final c is usually pronounced: avec, sec.

3. ch, like the English sh: chapeau.

4. d, pronounced as in English.

5. f, pronounced as in English.

6. g, like g in go and like s in measure:

(a) Like g in go, when followed by a, o, u, or by a consonant: garçon, argot, ambigu, grand.
(b) Like s in measure, when followed by e, i, y: général, gîte, gymnase.

7. gn, like ny in canyon: gagner.

8. h is not pronounced (see paragraph on liaison).

9. j, like s in measure: je, jour.

10. k, pronounced as in English.

11. l, pronounced as in English (see sounds ill, il).

12. m, pronounced as in English (see paragraph on nasal sounds).

13. n, pronounced as in English (see paragraph on nasal sounds).

14. p, pronounced as in English. Silent in a few words: sept, corps, compte.

15. q, like the English k.

16. r has no exact equivalent in English. It is the English r rolled more prominently.

Final r is usually sounded: mer, hiver, cher.
(a) It is silent in the ~er ending of a verb: parler, passer.
(b) It is silent in most words ending in ~ier: premier, dernier, soulier; but it is sounded in hier and fier.

17. s, like the s in rose and like the s in soft:

18. t, th, like the t in too: tour, théâtre.

But ti followed by a, e, o has generally the sound of s in soft: partial, patience, conversation.

19. v, pronounced as in English.

20. x has four sounds:

(a) Like x in excellent: excellent, exciter.
(b) Like x in examination when ex is at the beginning of a word and followed by a vowel: exercice, exemple.
(c) Like s in soft in the words six, dix, soixante.
(d) Like the English z in dix-huit, dix-neuf, deuxième, sixième, dixième.

21. z, pronounced as in English.