21 French Consonants and Their Pronunciation

French consonants can be silent at times. On other occasions, they are clearly heard. Sometimes they have a "soft" pronunciation and other times a "hard" one.

Fortunately, there are patterns to help you understand the behavior of French consonants. Let's explore them.

The Behavior of French Consonants in Words, from B to Z

Try reciting the French alphabet:

A , B , C , D , E, F , G , H , I, J , K , L , M , N , O, P , Q , R , S , T , U, V, W , X , Y , Z

Now, recite it again—but this time, omit all the vowels except for Y. Voilà! You now have a list of the French consonants:

B , C , D , F , G , H , J , K , L , M , N , P , Q , R , S , T , V, W , X , Y , Z

While it might seem logical to examine these consonants in strict alphabetical order, many of them behave in similar ways—remaining unchanged, becoming silent, or being absorbed by nasalized vowels. Therefore, we will group some of them based on their shared characteristics. (A few consonants will appear in more than one group.)

Since many French consonants can produce more than one sound, we will use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to specify the exact sounds in different contexts. The French IPA has a one-to-one correspondence—each symbol represents only one sound.

You can click on any of the French example words to hear a native speaker pronounce the featured consonants.

Straightforward French Consonants

These consonants are generally predictable—at least at the beginning or in the middle of French words.

Note that B and K can be silent at the end of certain words; we will discuss this in more detail later.

• B — Pronounced similarly to English, but with a more constricted mouth position. It consistently sounds like [ b ] in words such as belle (beauty) and bête (beast).

• D — This letter is almost always pronounced [ d ], as in d’accord (okay) or dinde (turkey). A final D can sometimes sound like a [ t ] when followed by a word starting with a vowel, as in le grand homme (the great man).

• F — This letter is simply pronounced [ f ], whether it appears singly in words like frère (brother) or doubled in words like efficace (effective).

• J — Usually pronounced with a [ ʒ ] sound, as in jupe (skirt); it is pronounced [ dʒ ] in some loanwords, like job (job).

• K — Found in loanwords such as kiffer (to like), kimono, and kiwi. It is pronounced [ k ], much like in English, but again with a tighter mouth and lip position.

• V — Maintains the same simple [ v ] sound in words like vous (you [formal/plural]), victoire (victory), savoir (to know), and vedette (celebrity).

Sometimes Silent Final Consonants

French is famous—and sometimes daunting—for its numerous silent final consonants.

A linguistic feature called liaison often determines whether a final consonant is silent or pronounced.

While B, C, F, K are rarely silent, the letters D , M , N , P , R , S , T , X and Z often are. We will examine some of these more closely.

Consonant Chameleons

These letters change their pronunciation based on various factors. Often, their sound depends on the letters that follow them.

French vowels, in particular, influence consonant pronunciation. Certain consonants are pronounced "hard" when they appear before the vowels A , O or U . Conversely, the same consonants are pronounced "soft" when they come before the vowels E , I , or Y .

Soft C

When followed by an E , I , or Y , the French C produces a soft [ s ] sound, similar to an English S. For example, in the word silence (silence), the C sounds just like the S at the start of the word. Other examples include cible (target), cendre (ash), and cyberattaque (cyberattack).

Hard C

In words like sucre (sugar), facteur (mailman), cri (shout), and crypte (crypt), you'll notice that a C followed directly by a consonant has a "hard" [ k ] sound—even if the next vowel would normally make the C soft.

The vowels A , O or U , when placed immediately after the letter C , also give it a hard sound. You can hear this in words like café (coffee), cou (neck), and cuvette (basin).

Ç ( C with cedilla)

The French C is the only consonant that sometimes uses a diacritical mark: the cédille (cedilla).

This mark softens the French C to an S sound in positions where it would otherwise be pronounced as a K: ça (that), français (the French language), garçon (boy), commençons ([we] start), and reçu (received).

C + H

The sound of C can also change when combined with H. The CH combination in French normally produces a "sh" [ ʃ ] sound, as in château (castle), charbon (coal), relâché (loose), or revanche (revenge).

An exception to this rule occurs in some loanwords from Greek, where the CH—typically found at the beginning of a word—is pronounced like a [ k ]: chronomètre (chronometer), charisme (charisma), Christ (Christ), and chlore (chlorine).

However, in other Greek loanwords—such as chimie (chemistry), charité (charity), and chimérique (fanciful)—the CH combination is pronounced as [ ʃ ], consistent with most French CH words.

Hard G

A hard G sound [ g ] occurs in French words like gâteau (cake), gonflé (swollen), or guerre (war) when G is immediately followed by an A , O or U .

This is similar to the hard G in English words like "golf" and "gap." Remember to use a tighter mouth position when pronouncing the hard G in French.

Soft G

When G is followed by E , I or Y , it becomes soft, producing a [ ʒ ] sound similar to the French J. Examples include gentil (nice), ange (angel), angine (sore throat), and gym (gym).

G + N

The GN combination in French is most often found within words.

In words like gagnable (winnable), ignoble (dreadful), and, of course, champagne, the GN pairing creates a [ ɲ ] sound. This resembles the GN sound in the English word "lasagna," which was borrowed from Italian.

There are a few exceptions. For instance, in ignition (ignition) and agnosticisme (agnosticism), the G and N are pronounced separately, with the G having a hard [ g ] sound.

H

The French H is a particularly quiet consonant, only becoming noticeable in the CH combination. When "aspirated"—though still not pronounced—H is treated as a consonant. When "mute," it is treated as a vowel. Aspirated H is common in loanwords.

For example, hauteur (height) and haut (high) begin with an aspirated H. These words entered French from Frankish, a Germanic language. Because the H was pronounced in the original Frankish words, the H in French is treated as a consonant, even though it is silent.

Consequently, hauteur with its definite article is la hauteur (not "l’hauteur"). Compare this with l’homme (the man) or l’hôtel (the hotel), which begin with H muet (mute H).

Other examples of H acting as a consonant are la haine (the hatred) and la hâte (the haste).

L

L is normally pronounced [ l ] when single, as in liste (list) or laine (wool).

Double L

When doubled and placed between an I and an E, as in billet (ticket) or fille (girl), LL sounds like [ j ].

However, when the LL is surrounded by E on both sides, as in elle (she)—or adjacent to an A or O, as in ballet (ballet) and collaborateur (collaborator)—the LL is pronounced [ l ].

Final L

At the end of words like bal (ball [dance]) and fil (thread), the L is generally pronounced [ l ]. However, in words with semi-vowels, like ail (garlic) and œil (eye), the L is pronounced [ j ]—which might be mistaken for silent if spoken quickly.

M and N

The consonants M and N behave in similar ways in French.

Initial M and N

At the start of words, M is pronounced [ m ] and N is pronounced [ n ], regardless of the following vowels. Examples include ma (my [feminine]), mec (guy), nature (nature), and nuage (cloud).

Single or Double M or N

When doubled in the middle of a word, M and N do not nasalize the preceding vowels. Instead, they are pronounced similarly to English, as in comme (like) or cannelle (cinnamon).

Some words with a single M or N in the middle, such as camion (truck) and canard (duck), also have these consonants fully pronounced because they are in separate syllables from the preceding vowels.

Consonants and Nasalized Vowels

An M or N in French—or combinations like MP , NG or NT —can sometimes create a nasalized vowel. This means the final consonant is pronounced as a nasal vibration rather than with the tongue, teeth, or palate. This often happens at the end of a word or syllable.

Examples of words with M or MP* after a vowel include parfum (perfume), prénom (first name), champ (field), and camp (camp).

* An exception is a word like compliqué (complicated), where the M is part of the nasalized vowel, but the P is pronounced [ p ] because the M and P are in separate syllables.

Examples of words with N or NG* or NT* after a vowel include bon (good), bien (well), concentration (concentration), long (long), sang (blood), shampooing (shampoo), tant (so much), and comment (how).

*A common exception to nasalization for final NG is found in loanwords like camping (camping), shopping (shopping), and parking (parking lot). Here, the final NG is pronounced [ ŋ ], as in the original English words.

Also, if NG or NT appear together in the middle of a word but in separate syllables, the G or T is pronounced separately, as in congrégation (congregation) and cantique (hymn).

P

The French P is usually pronounced [ p ], as in patron (boss), peser (to weigh), and pique-nique (picnic).

Similar to English, PH in French sounds like [ f ], as in phrase (sentence, phrase).

In certain words of Greek origin, the P before S is lightly pronounced. You can hear a faint [ p ] at the start of words like psychologue (psychologist), pseudonyme (pseudonym), and psaume (psalm). (In the corresponding English words, this initial P is silent.)

The French P is sometimes silent at the end of words, especially after M. Exceptions include words like cap (cape [geographical]).

Q

The French Q is almost always paired with U and pronounced [ k ], as in qualité (quality), que (that), qui (who), and quotidien (daily).

Occasionally, the QU combination is pronounced [ kw ]. For example, quad (all-terrain vehicle) is a loanword from English, referring to a "quad bike," and is pronounced [ kwad ] in French.

Rarely, when Q appears without U in French, it still sounds like [ k ]. The most common examples are cinq (five) and coq (rooster).

R

The letter R in French is pronounced at the beginning and in the middle of words. It is the final R sounds that can be more complex.

In nouns, adjectives, and conjunctions ending in – ER , the R is generally audible as [ ʀ ]: hiver (winter), plaisir (pleasure), cher (dear), pur (pure), and car (because).

The infinitives of different verb types follow different rules, even with similar endings.

Both -IR verbs and -ER verbs have infinitives ending in R. The final R is pronounced in – IR verbs like finir (to finish) and ouvrir (to open), but not in – ER verbs like aller (to go) or chanter (to sing).

S

At the start of a word, the French S sounds similar to English, whether alone or with another consonant in words like stage (internship), sceptre (scepter), or spacieux (spacious). This also applies when S comes before any vowel.

Within words, a single French S often makes a [ z ] sound—as in poison (poison)—while a doubled S makes an [ s ] sound—as in poisson (fish). (It's important to distinguish between these two sounds!)

Silent Final S

S is often silent at the end of French words, though there are times when it is pronounced. For example, the S in les (the [plural]) is silent on its own. However, before a vowel, the S is pronounced [ z ], as in les Invalides (the Parisian memorial complex housing Napoleon’s tomb).

T

The pronunciation of the letter T in French depends on its position in a word, the surrounding letters, and even whether it's in a noun or a verb.

It generally sounds like [ t ] in most words, such as tarte (tart). This holds true even when paired with H in words like menthe (mint).

T followed by I

The French T, when immediately followed by an I, can sound like [ sj ] in some nouns, such as patience (patience) and natation (swimming).

This is not the case, however, in conjugated -IR verbs like sortions ([we] go out). Also, if an S precedes a T, as in vestiaire (cloakroom), the T is pronounced [ t ], separate from the following I.

Silent Final T

The T is generally silent at the very end of a French word, as in sortait ([he/she] went) or bout (end).

If followed by a word starting with a vowel, the T is pronounced. For instance, the T in c’est (it is) is silent alone but pronounced [ t ] in the phrase c’est un… (it’s a…).

The final T in some words, such as but (goal), is nearly always pronounced—at least in France. (In Canada, it can be silent.)

W

The letter W is not common in French. It appears in loanwords and can sound like either [ v ] or [ w ].

In wagon (wagon), for example, it's pronounced like [ v ] in France and Canada—but like [ w ] in Belgium.

X

The French X can be pronounced in three ways: [ ɡz ], [ ks ], or [ s ].

In exiger (to require) and examen (exam), X sounds like [ ɡz ].

In words like fax (fax), maximum (maximum), and laxiste (lax), where an A precedes the X, the X is pronounced [ ks ].

The X in two very common words, dix (ten) and six (six), sounds like [ s ].

Y

Just like in English, Y in French can function as either a consonant or a vowel.

Y by itself is a preposition meaning "there." As such, it's pronounced like a vowel, as in on y va (let's go [there]) and il y a (there is).

At the beginning of words like yeux (eyes), yaourt (yogurt), and yoga (yoga), the French Y is treated as a consonant and pronounced [ ˈj ].

Z

Z at the beginning of a French word sounds like [ z ], similar to English. Examples include zèbre (zebra) and zéro (zero).

At the end of words, Z is often silent. Consider the vous (you [plural/formal]) form of many imperative verbs like allez (go), avez (have), or écoutez (listen). Or adverbs such as assez (enough).

How to Practice French Consonants

To master French consonants so they become second nature, you can use various forms of media and learning methods.

Practice listening

Starting with audio-only French listening practice will help train your ear to recognize the sounds of French consonants. French music in every genre offers diverse listening opportunities.

If you prefer talk radio, a wide range of French podcasts can provide a similar experience, keeping your ear attuned to French consonant sounds.

Listen with captioned video

Captioned video allows you to combine audio with reading and visual cues.

As you watch a captioned French video, you can read the words as you hear them pronounced in context. Observe the speakers' faces and mouth positions to see how they produce the sounds.

Lingflix is a good resource for this. Lingflix uses authentic videos—such as music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks—and transforms them into personalized language lessons. You can try Lingflix for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app. P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Read along with audiobooks

You can also listen to French audiobooks. By using resources like Spotify and LibriVox alongside written texts, you can hear native French pronunciation for a vast number of words.

With an extensive catalog of free French books from sites like Project Gutenberg, you'll have hours of reading and listening practice with French consonants.

Take dictation

Sites such as Kwiziq and Speechling provide French texts to write out as you listen. After each exercise, use the provided answer key to check your understanding of French consonant pronunciation.

Practice speaking

After hearing the sounds of French consonants from various sources, you can apply your knowledge in a couple of ways. French conversation practice allows you to pronounce French consonants in context, with a partner who can give you feedback.

Still feeling a bit hesitant to converse in French? Try French shadowing, a specific technique where you echo French audio, forcing you to mimic the native consonant sounds you hear.

Ça y est (there it is): the consonants from B to Z. With these guidelines for mastering French consonants, you can pronounce French words more confidently and avoid getting lost in the wilderness of consonant confusion.