Règles générales de prononciation (General Pronunciation Rules)

Silent Consonants

- The last consonant of a word is usually silent.  

Examples:  

- vous (voo)  

- elles (ell)  

- français (frahn‑say)  

- institut (ahn‑stee‑too)  

Pronounced Consonants

- Exceptions: when the word ends in c, r, f, l, the last consonant is pronounced.  

Examples:  

- avec (ah‑vek)  

- cher (shehr)  

- attentif (ah‑tahn‑teef)  

- il (eel)  

Linking with Vowels

- The last consonant is pronounced when followed by “e” or another word beginning with a vowel.  

Examples:  

- étudiante (ay‑tyoo‑dyahnt)  

- assistante (ah‑see‑stahnt)  

- petit enfant (puh‑tee tahn‑fahn)  

Apostrophe Usage

- Words ending in “e” or “a” followed by another word beginning with a vowel → the letter is replaced by an apostrophe.  

Examples:  

- J’ai → I have  

- C’est → It is  

- S’il vous plaît → Please  

Exceptions:  

- Elle est → She is  

- Si elle aime → If she likes  

Study Tips

- Remember the “silent consonant rule” - most endings drop the sound.  

- Practice aloud with pairs: vous → vous êtes, petit → petit enfant.  

- Apostrophes make French smoother to pronounce - think of them as “joining sounds.”