Vowel Sounds in French
French and English share some vowel sounds but others can be quite different.
a (short a)
sac (SAK) = bag
a, â (ah)
bas (BAH) = stocking
gâteau (gah-TOH) = cake
é, ay, er, ez (long a)
bébé (bay-BAY) = baby
pays (pay-EE) = country
parler (pahr-LAY) = to speak
nez (NAY) = nose
e (short u)
le (LUH) = the
me (MUH) = myself
renard (ruh-NAHR) = fox
e, è, ë, ê, ai,ei (short e)
mets (meh) = put
poète (poh-EHT) – poet
Noël (noh-EL) = Christmas
être (EH-truh) = to be
aime (EM) = love, loves
beigne (BEHN-yuh) = donut
eu (a strange blend of short u and r)
bleu (BLEUH) = blue
eu, oeu (a more open version of the above sound)
heure (UHR) = hour
coeur (KUHR) = heart
i, î, y (long e)
livre (LEE-vruh) = book
île (EEL) = island
gymnase (zheem-NAZ) = gymnasium
ou, oux, oû (oo like boot)
hibou (ee-BOO) = owl
bijoux (bee-ZHOO) = jewelry
août (OO) = August
u (long u, put your teeth in ee position, your lips in oo position)
tortue (tor-TU) = turtle
oi, oy (oo-ah, like wah)
roi (RWAH) = king
royal (rwah-YAL) = royal
o, au, eau, ô (long o)
pot (POH) = jar
autobus (oh-toh-BUS) = bus
cadeau (ka-DOH) = gift
rôle (ROHL) = role