Logo
John's Language
    To language courses
  1. Home
  2. Language Studies
  3. French Pronunciation
  • Front vowel
  • Central vowel
  • Back vowel
  • Bilabial consonant
  • Labio­dental consonant
  • Alveolar consonant
  • Post-alveolar consonant
  • Palatal consonant
  • Velar consonant
  • Uvular consonant

Pronunciation

[ɲ]

✅ How to pronounce [ɲ]

Tongue: Raised toward the hard palate (middle/top of mouth)

Air: Flows through the nose (nasal sound)

Voice: Vocal cords vibrate (voiced)

👉 It’s like a “ny” sound blended into one

✅ Spelling patterns in French

[ɲ] can be written as:

• gn → signal[siɲal], montagne[mɔ̃taɲ]

🎧 Comparison with English

• Similar to:

• canyon → [ˈkænjən] (the “ny” part)

BUT ⚠️

• English = two sounds [n] + [j]

• French = ONE single sound [ɲ]

⚠️ Spelling in French

• Always written as:

• gn → montagne, champagne

Examples of words containing [ɲ]
No.
Word
Pronunciation
Meaning
1 gagner /gaɲe/ to win / to earn
2 montagne /mɔ̃taɲ/ mountain
3 champagne /ʃɑ̃paɲ/ champagne
4 signe /siɲ/ sign
5 digne /diɲ/ dignified / worthy
6 agneau /aɲo/ lamb

Pronunciation

[j]

✅ How to pronounce [j]

Tongue: Raised toward the hard palate (like [i])

Air: Flows smoothly (no friction)

Voice: Vocal cords vibrate (voiced)

👉 It’s like a very quick “y” sound

✅ Spelling patterns in French

[j] can be written as:

• i, y in front of a vowel → lier[lje], Lyon[ljɔ̃]

• il at the end of a word and after a vowel → travail[travaj], bail[baj]

• ill between vowels → travailler[travaje], caillou[kaju]

• ille at the end of a word and after a consonant → fille[fij], famille[famij]

• ill follows a consonant and precedes a vowel → billet[bijɛ], famillette[famijɛt]

🎧 Comparison with English

• Same as:

• “y” in yes, you, yellow

✅ French [j] = English y sound

⚠️ Important note

👉 In French, the letter “j” is NOT [j]

• French j = [ʒ] (like je)

• French [j] usually comes from:

• i + vowel → bien [bjɛ̃]

• ill → fille [fij]

Examples of words containing [j]
No.
Word
Pronunciation
Meaning
1 piano /pjano/ piano
2 ciel /sjɛl/ sky
3 yeux /jø/ eyes
4 voyage /vwajaʒ/ travel / journey
5 soleil /sɔlɛj/ sun
6 travail /tʁavaj/ work
7 fille /fij/ girl
8 bouteille /butɛj/ bottle
9 pied /pje/ foot

Pronunciation

[ɥ]

✅ How to pronounce [ɥ]

Think of it as a combination of:

👉 [y] (French “u”) + [j] (English “y”)

Step-by-step:

Tongue: High and forward (like [i] or [y])

Lips: Rounded (this is VERY important!)

Air: Smooth, no friction

Voice: Voiced

👉 It’s like saying a quick “ü + y” glide

✅ Spelling patterns in French

[ɥ] can be written as:

• u in front of a vowel → huit[ɥit], cuisine[kɥizin]

🎧 Comparison with English

⚠️ This sound does NOT exist in English

Closest approximation:

• Try saying:

• “wee”, but:

• round your lips more

• keep tongue forward

Examples of words containing [ɥ]
No.
Word
Pronunciation
Meaning
1 huit /ɥit/ eight
2 nuit /nɥi/ night
3 lui /lɥi/ him / her / it
4 suivre /sɥivʁ/ to follow
5 cuisine /kɥizin/ kitchen / cuisine
6 pluie /plɥi/ rain
7 suave /sɥav/ smooth / suave
8 éternuer /etɛʁnɥe/ to sneeze
Course Image

Greetings

Greetings in French play a very important role in daily life and social interactions. The 100 expressions you have learned include a wide range of phrases—from basic greetings like “hello” and “good evening,” to expressions that show care and interest such as “how are you?” and “I’m happy to see you,” as well as kind wishes like “have a nice day” and “good luck.”

These greetings can be used in both casual and formal situations, depending on the relationship and context. In French culture, politeness and warmth are highly valued, and even a simple greeting can greatly influence the impression you give to others.

By mastering these 100 phrases, your communication in French will become more natural and fluent, allowing you to connect more easily with others. Greetings are not only the first step in language learning, but also an essential bridge that brings people closer together.

    Course Image

    Greetings

    Greetings in French play a very important role in daily life and social interactions. The 100 expressions you have learned include a wide range of phrases—from basic greetings like “hello” and “good evening,” to expressions that show care and interest such as “how are you?” and “I’m happy to see you,” as well as kind wishes like “have a nice day” and “good luck.”

    These greetings can be used in both casual and formal situations, depending on the relationship and context. In French culture, politeness and warmth are highly valued, and even a simple greeting can greatly influence the impression you give to others.

    By mastering these 100 phrases, your communication in French will become more natural and fluent, allowing you to connect more easily with others. Greetings are not only the first step in language learning, but also an essential bridge that brings people closer together.

      Course Image

      Greetings

      Greetings in French play a very important role in daily life and social interactions. The 100 expressions you have learned include a wide range of phrases—from basic greetings like “hello” and “good evening,” to expressions that show care and interest such as “how are you?” and “I’m happy to see you,” as well as kind wishes like “have a nice day” and “good luck.”

      These greetings can be used in both casual and formal situations, depending on the relationship and context. In French culture, politeness and warmth are highly valued, and even a simple greeting can greatly influence the impression you give to others.

      By mastering these 100 phrases, your communication in French will become more natural and fluent, allowing you to connect more easily with others. Greetings are not only the first step in language learning, but also an essential bridge that brings people closer together.