Each section below presents one French vowel sound, with a few everyday words where you can hear it. Every word comes with a simple pronunciation guide and an audio button, so you can listen and repeat.

In the pronunciation guide, underlined letters make one single sound: cours is /kour/, blonde is /blond/.

Audio uses the voice(s) available on your device. Tick Lecture lente to slow it down, or pick another French voice in the list.

The letter A has only one sound in French: /a/. In English, A changes all the time (cat, cake, father, about). In French, it never changes.

Say a short, relaxed “ah”, like the “a” in spa.

The letter I has only one sound in French: /i/. In English, I can sound very different (machine, sit, time). In French, it never changes.

Say “ee” like in see, but shorter. The letters î and y often make the same sound: Nîmes, cycle, hobby.

This vowel does not exist in English. Say /é/ (like “ay” in day) and round your lips as if you were going to say “o”.

Closed /e/ is in small words like je and in bleu. Open /E/ is in bœuf: start from /è/ (like “e” in bed) and round your lips.

Say “ay” like in day, but stop before the “ee” at the end. In English, “ay” slides. In French, the sound stays flat and steady.

Your mouth is almost closed and your lips are relaxed.

Say “e” like in bed. Your mouth is more open than for /é/.

Compare: thé /té/ (closed) and mère /mèr/ (open).

Say “o” like in go, but keep it short and steady: no “oo” at the end. Your lips are round and your mouth is almost closed.

The letters au and eau make the same sound: pause, beau.

Say “o” like in hot (British English). Your mouth is more open than for /o/.

Compare: beau /bo/ (closed) and bol /bOl/ (open).

Say “oo” like in food, but keep it steady: your lips stay tight and round, with no “w” at the end. In English, “do” slides. In French, it doesn’t.

The two letters ou make one single sound.

This sound does not exist in English. Say “ee” (/i/) and keep your tongue where it is. Now round your lips as if you were going to say /ou/. That is /u/.

Don’t confuse /u/ and /ou/: they are different sounds!

Nasal vowels: the air goes through your nose and your mouth. For /on/, say “o” with round lips and let the air go through your nose.

Don’t pronounce the n! The letters on only show that the vowel is nasal.

Two spellings, one sound: en/em and an/am sound the same. Say “ah” (like in father) and let the air go through your nose.

Don’t pronounce the n! Examples: tente, ange.

Say /è/ (like “e” in bed) and let the air go through your nose.

Don’t pronounce the n! The spellings in, im, ain and ein make this sound.

Say /E/ (the open “eu” of bœuf) and let the air go through your nose.

Don’t pronounce the n! Many French speakers now say /in/ instead of /un/, so you may hear both.

Connecting vowels are very short: they glide into the next vowel. /w/ is like the English “w” in we.

In moi, say “mwa” in one quick movement.

Connecting vowels are very short: they glide into the next vowel. /y/ is like the English “y” in yes.

In bien, say “byin” in one quick movement. At the end of a word, it sounds like the “y” in boy: soleil, fille.

Connecting vowels are very short: they glide into the next vowel. For /ui/, say /u/ (the French sound of tu), then slide quickly into /i/ (“ee”), in one syllable.

Don’t say /w/: oui /wi/ and huit /uit/ are different.