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Learning Guide

Phonetics Guide

Learn the sounds of French with our comprehensive IPA guide. Understand how each phoneme is pronounced with real word examples.

23 IPA Sounds|36,637 examples
Fig. 1 — . The printer’s manual, open on the bench at this chapter.
Syllable RulesMorphology

Vowels

Monophthong vowel sounds

/e/

Short "e" sound as in "bed"

4214
moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/institutionnaliseraient/ɛ̃.sti.ty.sjo.na.li.zɛ.ʁɛ/
/ə/

Schwa - unstressed neutral vowel

1501
contre-révolutionnaires/kɔ̃tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjo.nɛʁ/contre-électromotrices/kɔ̃tʁe.le.ktʁo.mɔ.tʁis/contre-révolutionnaire/kɔ̃.tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjɔ.nɛʁ/
/ɪ/

Short "i" sound as in "sit"

13
individualiseraient/ɪ̃.di.vi.dɥa.li.zɛ.ʁɛ/télé-enseignements/te.le.ɑ̃.seɪɲ.mɑ̃/compréhensibilités/kɔ̃.pʁe.ɑ̃.sɪ.bi.li.te/

Diphthongs

Gliding vowel sounds

/aɪ/

Long "i" sound as in "my"

5
ragaillardiraient/ʁa.ɡa.jaʁ.di.ʁɛ̃/réincarcéreraient/ʁe.ɛ̃.kaʁ.se.ʁe.aɪ/ragaillardissions/ʁa.ɡa.ʁa.di.si.sɔ̃/
/eɪ/

Long "a" sound as in "day"

2
télé-enseignements/te.le.ɑ̃.seɪɲ.mɑ̃/décongestionnâtes/de.kɔ̃.ʒɛs.tjo.neɪt/

Consonants

Consonant sounds

/s/

Voiceless alveolar fricative

5961
oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologiste/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.no.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/
/t/

Voiceless alveolar plosive

4557
oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologiste/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.no.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/
/j/

"y" sound as in "yes"

3297
institutionnaliseraient/ɛ̃.sti.ty.sjo.na.li.zɛ.ʁɛ/contre-révolutionnaires/kɔ̃tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjo.nɛʁ/constitutionnalisassiez/kɔ̃.sti.ty.sjɔ.na.li.zas.je/
/l/

Alveolar lateral approximant

2749
oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologiste/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.no.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/
/k/

Voiceless velar plosive

2697
contre-révolutionnaires/kɔ̃tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjo.nɛʁ/constitutionnalisassiez/kɔ̃.sti.ty.sjɔ.na.li.zas.je/démocrates-chrétiennes/demo.kʁat.ʃʁe.tjɛn/
/n/

Alveolar nasal

2086
oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologiste/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.no.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/
/z/

Voiced alveolar fricative

1821
moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/institutionnaliseraient/ɛ̃.sti.ty.sjo.na.li.zɛ.ʁɛ/
/d/

Voiced alveolar plosive

1621
radiotélégraphiassions/ʁa.djo.te.le.ɡʁa.fi.a.sjɔ̃/démocrates-chrétiennes/demo.kʁat.ʃʁe.tjɛn/quatre-vingt-dix-sept/katʁə vɛ̃t di se(t)/
/m/

Bilabial nasal

1580
moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/réimperméabiliseraient/ʁe.ɛ̃.pɛʁ.me.a.bi.li.zɛ.ʁɛ̃/pistolets-mitrailleurs/pistɔ.lɛ.mi.tʁa.jœʁ/
/p/

Voiceless bilabial plosive

1546
socio-professionnelles/sɔ.sjɔ.pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ.nɛl/réimperméabiliseraient/ʁe.ɛ̃.pɛʁ.me.a.bi.li.zɛ.ʁɛ̃/pistolets-mitrailleurs/pistɔ.lɛ.mi.tʁa.jœʁ/
/b/

Voiced bilabial plosive

880
moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/réimperméabiliseraient/ʁe.ɛ̃.pɛʁ.me.a.bi.li.zɛ.ʁɛ̃/transsubstantiassions/tʁɑ̃.syb.stɑ̃.sja.si.ɔ̃/
/f/

Voiceless labiodental fricative

758
socio-professionnelles/sɔ.sjɔ.pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ.nɛl/radiotélégraphiassions/ʁa.djo.te.le.ɡʁa.fi.a.sjɔ̃/socio-professionnelle/sɔ.sjɔ.pʁɔ.fɛ.sjɔ.nɛl/
/v/

Voiced labiodental fricative

536
contre-révolutionnaires/kɔ̃tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjo.nɛʁ/contre-révolutionnaire/kɔ̃.tʁə.ʁe.vɔ.ly.sjɔ.nɛʁ/réapprovisionnassions/ʁe.a.pʁɔ.vi.zjɔ.na.sjɔ̃/
/ʒ/

"zh" sound as in "measure"

359
oto-rhino-laryngologistes/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.nɔ.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/oto-rhino-laryngologiste/ɔ.tɔ.ʁi.no.la.ʁɛ̃.ɡɔ.lɔ.ʒist/autosuggestionnassions/o.to.sy.ʒɛs.tjɔ̃.na.sjɔ̃/
/ʃ/

"sh" sound as in "she"

295
démocrates-chrétiennes/demo.kʁat.ʃʁe.tjɛn/tire-bouchonnassions/tiʁ.bu.ʃɔ.na.sjɔ̃/chirurgiens-dentistes/ʃiʁyʁʒjɑ̃ dɑ̃tist/
/w/

"w" sound as in "we"

154
moissonneuses-batteuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ba.tøz/moissonneuses-lieuses/mwa.sɔ̃.nøz.ljøz/intellectualiseraient/ɛ̃.tɛl.ək.twa.li.zɛ.ʁɛ̃/
/r/

Alveolar approximant

3
administrativement/ad.mi.ni.stra.ti.və.mɑ̃/coadministrateurs/ko.ad.mi.ni.stra.tœʁ/abstractionnismes/ab.strak.sjon.nism/
/dʒ/

"j" sound as in "judge"

2
adjectivisassions/a.dʒɛk.ti.vi.sas.jɔ̃/adjectiviseraient/a.dʒɛk.ti.vi.zɛ.ʁɛ/

Common Patterns

Frequent phonetic patterns

starts with "tr"241 words
transsubstantiassionstranssubstantieraienttranssubstantiassiez
starts with "pr"68 words
présidents-directeursproportionnellementprocessionnellement
starts with "st"40 words
sténodactylographiesstrobophotographiessténodactylographes
starts with "sp"25 words
spatio-temporellesspiritualisassionsspiritualiseraient
starts with "gr"19 words
grammaticaliseraientgrammaticaliserionsgrammaticalisations
starts with "br"19 words
broncho-pneumoniesbrinqueballassionsbringueballassions
starts with "pl"8 words
pluridisciplinaritéspluridisciplinairespluridisciplinarité
starts with "cr"8 words
criminaliseraientcristallisassionscristalliseraient
starts with "fr"6 words
frigorifugeassionsfrigorifugeassiezfrigorifugeraient
starts with "str"4 words
strobophotographiesstrobophotographiestreptococciques
starts with "cl"4 words
climatopathologiesclochardisassionsclochardiseraient
starts with "gl"2 words
glandouillassionsglandouilleraient
starts with "thr"1 words
thromboplastines
starts with "sw"1 words
sweating-systems