Alphabet in French
The French alphabet is the same as the English alphabet, but most letters are pronounced quite differently. You need to know the French alphabet for several reasons:
- To spell your name, for other people.
- To understand when people spell out French words or names.
- To understand the basic pronunciation of the French vowels a, e, i, o, u and y. This will give you a better chance of pronouncing French words that you have never seen before.
- To be able to understand announcements like “The train for Lyon will be arriving on platform G. Please go to platform G for the train to Lyon.” If you don’t know the French alphabet, you will end up going to platform J, then watching from a distance as your train leaves without you from platform G.
| Letter | Pronunciation | Like |
| A | AH | Saying “AAH” for a doctor examining your throat |
| B | BAY | |
| C | SAY | |
| D | DAY | |
| E | ER | The “u” in “fur” |
| F | EFF | Same as English F |
| G | JAY | Soft “J” sound |
| H | USH | Usher |
| I | EE | eek a mouse! |
| J | JEE | Soft “J” sound |
| K | KAH | Like A with a K in front |
| L | ELL | Same as English L |
| M | EM | Same as English M |
| N | EN | Same as English N |
| O | OH | Surprised “oh!” sound |
| P | PAY | |
| Q | KU | Wussy “u” sound, near front teeth, with pouting lips |
| R | AIR | The air you breathe |
| S | ESS | Same as English S |
| T | TAY | |
| U | U | Wussy “u” sound |
| V | VAY | |
| W | DOO BLER VAY | Gorilla “doo” sound from the chest |
| X | ICKS | Like an ick that disgusts you |
| Y | EE GREK | Means “the Greek version of the letter i” |
| Z | ZED | Same as English Z |
Examples:
Double letters (like in the brand name “Kleenex”) are said as “2 e” or “deux e,” which is pronounced DER ZER in French.
To spell the brand name “Kleenex” you would say KAH, ELL, DER ZER, EN, ER, ICKS.
To spell the word “moon” you would say EM, DER ZOH, EN.
To spell the French word “femme,” you would say EFF, ER, DER ZEM, ER.
To spell the name “Smith,” you would say ESS, EM, EE, TAY, USH.
