5. SILENT CONSONANTS

CERTAIN consonants are not pronounced in final position in French.

Others are pronounced every time. Compare what happens to final consonants in the table.

When you have finished listening to all the examples, click on Pratique at the bottom of the page.



A courtyard at Mont St. Michael
Courtesy of Erin Henry

Usually silent

Usually pronounced

Always pronounced
d 
tard, laid  
c  

avec, cognac  

but not tabac, porc
b 
club, snob

not after a nasal vowel: plomb

p 
trop, beaucoup

but pronounced in borrowed words: stop

f 

chef, but not in serf
k, l, m, q, r

Irak, final, problème, lyrique, hier


t

intérêt, forêt

il est, elle est, il fait, elle fait,
nuit, fruit

but not silent huit



g 

gag, zigzag

silent after 'r', bourg;

usually silent after 'n':
long,rang, étang
About double ll

(fille, travaille, Mireille)

Credit to Tranel, Bernard. (1987).  The Sounds of French.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Glossary

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