B - in the middle of a word, like P before voiceless consonants like C, S, T, like B everywhere else
B - like B at the end of a word often in words of foreign origin
B - silent at the end of a word after M
C
Letter
Examples
C - like S before E, I, Y
C - like K before A, O, U or before a consonant other than H
C - like KS when double before E, I, Y
C - like K when double before A, O, U or before a consonant
C - rarely like G
ร - like S; the cรฉdille is added to keep this pronunciation before the vowels A, O, U
D
Letter
Examples
D - like D, at the beginning or in the middle of a word; at the end of a foreign word
D - silent at the end of a word, often in conjugated verbs
F
Letter
Examples
F - like F everywhere, whether single or double
F - rarely silent in some words
G
Letter
Examples
G - soft like in the English word massage before E, I, Y
G - hard like in guitar before A, O, U or before a consonant
G - pronounced ne when followed by N
G - pronounced hard at the end of a word in some foreign words
G - silent most of the time at the end of a word
G - silent before D, T
H
Letter
Examples
H - always mute in standard French anywhere in a word
Haspirรฉ - always the first letter of a word, it prevents contraction and liaison from happening; most aspirated h words come from germanic languages
J
Letter
Examples
J - like the letter G in the English word massage, in standard French anywhere in a word
J - like in the English word job in some words of foreign origin
K
This letter doesn't exist in French and was introduced to write words borrowed from other languages. Its pronunciation is usually k but it can be silent in some words borrowed from English, like knock-out.
L
Letter
Examples
L - like L when single, except that the French L is slightly different from the English one, as the tongue is less curved in when we say it
L - like L when it's double and preceded by a vowel other than I
L - like L when it's double and preceded by I, when ill is placed at the beginning of a word.
L - like Y in yes when it's double and preceded by I, when ill is placed in the middle of a word; However, there are exceptions to this rule, see the line below
L - like L when it's double and preceded by I, exceptionnally in these three words and their derivatives
M
Letter
Examples
M - like M at the beginning of a word
M - like M when single before a vowel in the middle of a word
M - like M when double
M - like M at the end of a word borrowed from Latin or of foreign origin
M - isn't pronounced in the endings -aim; this group of letters forms a nasal vowel [eฬ] which doesn't exist in English
N
Letter
Examples
N - like N at the beginning of a word
N - like N when single before a vowel in the middle of a word
N - like N when double, in the middle of a word
N - isn't pronounced in the endings -an, -en, -in, -on, -un; these groups of letters form nasal sounds which don't exist in English
P
Letter
Examples
P - always pronounced at the beginning of a word except when followed by H, then ph is pronounced F
P - most of the time pronounced in the middle of a word
P - sometimes silent in the middle of a word when followed by S or T
P - most of the time silent at the end of a word
P - rarely pronounced at the end of a word
Q
Letter
Examples
Q like K
R
Letter
Examples
R - pronounced at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of a word whether single or double except in -er endings. The French r is pronounced differently from the English r, the tip of the tongue should touch the lower teeth while the base of the tongue rises and vibrates as if gargling.
R - silent at the end of a word in -er endings in infinitive verbs, the names of functions, jobs and occupations, names of fruit trees
R - pronounced in -er endings, in some rare words which are adjectives or adverbs
S
Letter
Examples
S - like S at the beginning of a word
S - like S between two vowels when it's doubled
S - like Z between two vowels when it's single
S - sometimes like S at the end of a word when preceded by ร or by I or U, when borrowed directly from Latin
S - silent at the end of a word, including plurals or ending a conjugated verb
T
Letter
Examples
T - like T at the beginning of a word
T - like T usually in the middle of a word in adjectives and nouns, in conjugated verbs, even before i
T - like S in the middle of the word: - in endings -tion of feminine nouns - in endings -tionnel, -tionnelle of adjectives - in endings -tionner of infinitive verbs
T - like T at the end of a word in endings -ct, -ht, -st
T - silent at the end of a word in endings -at, -et, -gt, -it, -nt, -ot, -rt, -aut, -out
V
Letter
Examples
V - like V whether single or double at the beginning or in the middle of a word; there are no French words ending with V
W
This letter was introduced in French to write words borrowed from other languages. The pronunciation of these words is very influenced by their pronunciation in the original language.
X
Letter
Examples
X - like ks when preceded by E and followed by a consonant
X - like gz when preceded by E being the first letter of a word, then followed by a vowel
X - like ks when preceded by a vowel other than E or when preceded by E not being the first letter of a word, then followed by a vowel
X - like ks in endings -ax, -ex, -ox
X - silent in endings -ix, -aix, -oix
X - like s in some rare endings -ix preceded by a consonant
X - silent in endings -aux, -eux, -oux, especially when added to make the word plural
Z
Letter
Examples
Z - silent in the middle or at the end of a word
Z - like Z whenever in a word whether single or double in words of foreign origin
Z - like DZ in the middle of a word when double in Italian words