How to Pronounce French Words Using the IPA System17

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of symbols used to represent the sounds of spoken language. It is used by linguists and language teachers around the world to describe and compare the pronunciation of different languages. The IPA can be used to transcribe any language, including French. By learning the IPA, you can improve your pronunciation and understanding of French words.

The IPA uses a variety of symbols to represent different sounds. These symbols are divided into two main categories: consonants and vowels. Consonants are sounds that are produced by obstructing the airflow through the mouth or nose. Vowels are sounds that are produced by allowing air to flow freely through the mouth.

The IPA chart below shows the symbols for all of the consonants and vowels used in French. The symbols are arranged according to the place of articulation (where the sound is produced in the mouth) and the manner of articulation (how the sound is produced).

Place of Articulation
Manner of Articulation
IPA Symbol
Example


Bilabial
Plosive
p
pain


Bilabial
Nasal
m
main


Labiodental
Fricative
f
femme


Labiodental
Approximant
v
vie


Dental
Plosive
t
table


Dental
Nasal
n
nez


Alveolar
Plosive
d
dos


Alveolar
Nasal
n
nez


Alveolar
Fricative
s
soleil


Alveolar
Approximant
l
lait


Palatal
Plosive
ʃ
chat


Palatal
Nasal
ɲ
gnon


Velar
Plosive
k
car


Velar
Nasal
ŋ
sang


Uvular
Fricative
ʁ
rouge


Uvular
Approximant
ʁ
rouge


Glottal
Plosive
ʔ
hein


Glottal
Fricative
h
homme

In addition to the symbols for consonants and vowels, the IPA also uses a number of diacritics to indicate different features of pronunciation. These diacritics can be used to indicate things like stress, vowel length, and nasalization.

Diacritic
Description
Example


ˈ
Stress
ˈpain

2025-01-12

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