Prononciation pour anglophones et ourdouphones (pronunciation for English and Urdu speakers)
How to read the Roman and Urdu guides, and the French sounds you already know from English and Urdu.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Start here · Roman and Urdu pronunciation guides and English meanings are shown under each phrase
Every French word and sentence in this course comes with two reading aids. The Roman line spells the sound the way an English speaker would read it; the Urdu line writes it in Urdu letters. Both are close guides, not exact ones. Listen to the audio, copy the voice, and use the guide to remember what you heard. You can show both guides, one of them, or neither, in the lesson settings.
Sounds Urdu speakers already have
- Nasal vowels work like the Urdu نون غنہ (ں) at the end of میں and ہاں: the air goes through the nose, and no full n is said. pain (bread) and bon (good) end in a nasal vowel, not an n.
pain Say peh(n) پیں Means: bread bon Say boh(n) بوں Means: good - p, t and k have no puff of air, like Urdu پ، ت and ک, not like the English ones: petit (small), table (table), café (coffee).
petit Say puhtee پَتی Means: small, little table Say tabl تابل Means: table café Say kafeh کافے Means: coffee; a café - t and d are made with the tongue against the back of the top teeth, like Urdu ت and د: tu (you), dix (ten).
tu Say tue تیُ Means: you (informal) dix Say dees دیس Means: ten - The French r comes from the back of the throat, close to a soft Urdu غ: merci (thank you).
merci Say mehrsee مےغسی Means: thank you
Sounds English speakers already have
- ch is the English "sh": chercher (to look for).
chercher Say shehrsheh شےغشے Means: (to) look for - j, and g before e or i, sound like the s of "measure": je (I), manger (to eat).
je Say zhuh ژَ Means: I manger Say mah(n)zheh ماںژے Means: (to) eat - qu is a plain k: qui (who), quatre (four).
qui Say kee کی Means: who quatre Say katr کاتر Means: four - gn is the "ny" of "canyon": montagne (mountain).
montagne Say moh(n)tany موںتانی Means: mountain
Vowels to practise
- u: say "ee" and round your lips, as for a kiss: tu.
tu Say tue تیُ Means: you (informal) - ou is the English "oo": vous (you).
vous Say voo وُو Means: you (formal or plural) - eu: say "eh" and round your lips: deux (two).
deux Say duh (rounded lips) دَ (ہونٹ گول) Means: two - é is a short "ay", without the glide of the English word "day": été (summer).
été Say ehteh اےتے Means: been; summer - oi sounds like "wa": trois (three).
trois Say trwah تروا Means: three
Letters you do not say
- Most final consonants: the t of petit, the s of Paris. But a final c, r, f or l is often said: avec (with), neuf (nine), il (he). Think of the English word "careful".
petit Say puhtee پَتی Means: small, little Paris Say paree پاغی Means: Paris avec Say avehk اوےک Means: with neuf Say nuhf نَف Means: nine il Say eel ایل Means: he, it - The r of an -er verb: parler (to speak) sounds like "par-lay".
parler Say parleh پاغلے Means: to speak - h, always: hôtel (hotel).
hôtel Say ohtehl اوتےل Means: hotel - -ent at the end of a verb: ils parlent (they speak).
ils parlent Say eel parl ایل پاغل Means: they speak
Listen and repeat
Say it out loud (30 seconds): Lisez à voix haute : Je m'appelle Ali. Je voudrais du pain et trois croissants, s'il vous plaît.Say: leezehz a vwa oht. zhuh mapehl alee. zhuh voodreh due peh(n) eh trwa krwasah(n), seel voo pleh.لیزےز ا ووا اوت. ژَ ماپےل الی. ژَ وُودغے دیُ پیں اے تغوا کغواساں, سیل وُو پلے.Means: Read aloud: My name is Ali. I would like some bread and three croissants, please.
A model answer
Je m'appelle Ali. Je voudrais du pain et trois croissants, s'il vous plaît.Say: zhuh mapehl alee. zhuh voodreh due peh(n) eh trwa krwasah(n), seel voo pleh.ژَ ماپےل الی. ژَ وُودغے دیُ پیں اے تغوا کغواساں, سیل وُو پلے.Means: My name is Ali. I would like some bread and three croissants, please.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Which Urdu letter works like a French nasal vowel?
- ں, the noon ghunna
- ٹ
- ڑ
Show the answer
A: ں, the noon ghunna — The air goes through the nose and no full n is said: pain, bon.
Quick check: How are French p, t and k different from the English ones?
- They are always silent
- They are said twice
- They have no puff of air, like Urdu پ، ت، ک
Show the answer
C: They have no puff of air, like Urdu پ، ت، ک — Hold a hand in front of your mouth: on French petit you should feel almost no air.
Quick check: Which final letter is said?
- The t of “petit”
- The c of “avec”
- The s of “Paris”
Show the answer
B: The c of “avec” — A final c, r, f or l is often said. Most other final consonants are silent.
Quick check: How does “oi” in “trois” sound?
- Like the “oy” of “boy”
- Like “wa”
- Like “oh-ee”
Show the answer
B: Like “wa” — oi is “wa”: trois, moi.