How to spell, write, and pronounce the letters of the French alphabet? In this free blog lesson, I'll guide you step by step! 😊
Table of contents
- French alphabet
- Difficult French letters
- French Letters Practice
French Alphabet
Differences between the English and French alphabet
The French alphabet mirrors the English alphabet with its 26 letters. However, certain letters are pronounced differently. 🇫🇷
For pronunciation guidance, refer to the brackets. Additionally, you can watch my tutorial. 👇
A (a)
B (bé)
C (cé)
D (dé)
E (e)
F (effe)
G (gé)
H (ache)
I (i)
J (ji)
K (ka)
L (elle)
M (emme)
N (enne)
O (o)
P (pé)
Q (ku)
R (erre)
S (esse)
T (té)
U (u)
V (vé)
W (double vé)
X (iks)
Y ( i grec)
Z (zède)
Alphabet in French Pronunciation with Audio (Tutorial)
Difficult French Letters
French has a few letters that are hard to pronounce for learners, such as -e, -r, -u, and -y. Let me explain the lips and tongue position for each letter.
French pronunciation -e:
The -e sound in French is similar to the "uh" sound in the English word "fun." Keep your lips relaxed and your tongue in the middle of your mouth.
French pronunciation -r:
The French -r sound is made at the back of your throat. It's like a soft growl, similar to the sound a cat makes when purring. Try to make a soft vibrating sound while keeping your tongue relaxed.
French pronunciation -u:
The French -u sound is formed by rounding your lips and making a tight, puckered shape. It's like saying "ee" in English, but with rounded lips and a tighter mouth shape.
French pronunciation -y:
The -y sound in French is like the "ee" sound in the English word "happy." Keep your lips relaxed and your tongue towards the front of your mouth, similar to when you smile.
French Letters Practice
Pronunciation Exercise 1
Say the following letters out loud:
A, E , G , O , J , K, M , R, U , W, Y , Z
Pronunciation Exercise 2
Try to spell the following ten words out loud:
- Alphabet - Alphabet
- Dictionnaire - Dictionnary
- Français - French
- Musique - Music
- Merci - Thank you
- Croissant - Croissant
- Magnifique - magnificient
- Vocabulaire - Vocabulary
- Madame - Madam
- Embrasser- To kiss
There you have it! I shared with you everything I know about the French alphabet.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask them in the comment section below.