Focus: Build clear and confident pronunciation from the start

Why is it not at the first lesson? Because you can start making simple sentences without knowing the alphabet. But if you want to go further, you can't get by without it. Good pronunciation helps you be understood and sound natural in French. Here’s the starter pack with all the essential sounds.

Coming soon, a mini-podcast to help you pronounce like a chef!

On y va ! Let's go!

Lesson 1 - The French alphabet & spelling out words

French letters are mostly similar to English, but pay attention to a few tricky ones:

• G → like g in go before a, o, u; like s in measure before e, i, y

• J → like s in measure. Example in French: girafe (giraffe)

• H → always silent (except with a c, example: cheval /SHEUVAL/ = horse)

• Th → doesn’t exist in French; pronounce like a simple t

👉 When spelling your name, say each letter clearly:

• BILL → bé-i-elle-elle or bé-i-deux-elle (double L is said "deux L" in French)

• MARIE → em-a-er-i-e

Practice tip: Spell your name and your friend’s name out loud in French.

Lesson 2 - Accent Marks

French has four main accent marks. They don’t change the letter, but they do change pronunciation.

• é → like été (meaning: summer)

• è → like e in bed in English(mère: mother)

• ê → same as è (tête, meaning: head)

• ë → pronounce the vowel separately: Noël → No-el (meaning Xmas or just the name Noël)

👉 Listen to the mini podcast to help you repeat and practice.

Practice tip: Take the word été, say it and then compare it to mère with the “open” /EH/ sound.

Lesson 3 – Letter Combinations

Some letters combine to make unique sounds:

• ai / ei → /EH/ closed: mais (but), and opened: peine(sadness)

• au / eau → o like go in English. French examples: eau (water) /O/, chaud (hot) /SHO/

• ou → oo like food fou (crazy) /FOO/, loup (wolf) /LOO/ not /LOOP/

• oi → wa for example: moi, bois (me, wood/drink)

• eu / œu → like uh (no exact English sound): peur (opened /EU/, bleu (closed one)

• in / im / un / ein / aim / ym / yn / ien / yen / oin → nasal sounds, don’t pronounce the final n:

  • vin → /V1/

  • pain → /P1/

  • chien → /SHI1/

  • I wrote "1" because it's the same sound as the number "1" in French: un, deux, trois.

• er / ez / ed → usually /EH/ manger, parlez = eat, talk (French people's favorite verbs)

Practice tip: Say moi, eau, vin, chien out loud slowly.

Bonus:

Lesson 4 – Silent Letters

Many final letters are silent in French: s, t, e, d, h, x.

Examples:

• petit → /PEU-TI/ final T silent, as usual

• grand → /GRAN/ You don't sound the N

• hôtel → /OTEL/ H is never pronounced in French

Other rules:

• Double s → always pronounced s: passe, dessus = come, above

• Single s between vowels → pronounced z: maison → /MEH-ZON/ (house)

Practice tip: Read the sentence Le petit garçon est dans la maison. Notice how many letters are not pronounced.

Lesson 5 - Special consonants

• gn → like ny in canyon, e.g., montagne → /mon‑ta‑NYEU/

• r → back of throat, like a soft gargle, not rolled like Spanish

• c → k before a, o, u; s before e, i, y

Practice tip: Say café, cinq, montagne, rouge.

Lesson 6 – Hints for Smooth Pronunciation

• H is always silent, don’t aspirate.

• Th doesn’t exist, always say t.

• Always link two connected words, e.g., les enfants → /LEH-ZANFAN/ not /LEH-ANFAN/

• Link words naturally: je suis ici → je-sui-zi-ci. But /JESUIICI/ without liaison is more common.

• Listen to native speakers and copy their rhythm and flow, not just each letter individually.

Practice tip: Say je suis étudiant slowly, then faster, linking the words. Keep in mind the silent T.

Practice tips

• Read aloud words from Part 1 & 2, focus on tricky combinations: vin, pain, eau, oi, gn, ou, eu.

• Spell your name and address out loud in French.

• Try saying short sentences using silent letters correctly: Le chat est dans la maison.

🎯 What You Can Do Now

After these lessons, you can:

• Recognize the French alphabet and key accent marks.

• Pronounce tricky sounds and common letter combinations.

• Avoid pronouncing silent letters at the end of words.

• Sound more natural by linking words together.

What’s Next

Bravo ! You just took a huge step toward clear French pronunciation.

In the next lesson, we’ll continue with more grammar essentials.

Pas facile, hein ? Mais bravo à toi ! Je te salue !