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FRENCH VOWELS

Vowels:


French vowels are here separated into single vowels (accented and unaccented), and vowel groups. The letter 'e' is treated in other section. Note that the vowels 'i' and 'u' can generally be pronounced with consonant sounds.

As French as croissants are the accents peppered over French vowels. The effects the acute, grave and circumflex have on pronunciation are given below. Of the remainder, some serve to distinguish otherwise identical words (For example: la vs là, and ou vs où), while others are merely garnish (For example: gîte, mûr). In addition, there is the dieresis which separates vowel sounds. For example, naïve is not pronounced 'nev', but as two separate syllables, na-ive.

LETTER
SOUND
AS IN
WORD
 NOTES
a
a
sack
sac
generally
a
ah
ah
pas
before 's' and 'z'
â
ah
bah
gâteau
i
ee
meet
police
i
y
yet
bien
before a vowel
o
aw
saw
dome
generally
o
o
bone
clos
before s and z
ô
o
bone
cône
u
ew
lune
u
w
suis
before another vowel
Between g and a vowel, u is silent
y
ee
meet
système
before a consonant
  • o (generally) - make with rounded half-open lips.
  • ô - like Scots 'oh': keep your lips tightly pursed.
  • u - hold your tongue in the position for 'ooh' and say 'ee'.
  • u (before a vowel) - like y as in 'yet', but with your lips in position to say 'ooh'.

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Pronunciation French Vowels
French Pronunciation