View source for Help:IPA/French

{{IPA key|H:IPA-FR|H:IPAFR}}
{{inline audio|help page}}
The charts below show the way in which the [[International Phonetic Alphabet|International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)]] represents [[French language]] pronunciations in Wikipedia articles. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see [[Template:IPA]] and {{section link|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation#Entering IPA characters}}.

French has no word-level [[Stress (linguistics)|stress]] so stress marks should not be used in transcribing French words. See [[French phonology]] and [[French orthography]] for a more thorough look at the sounds of French.

{| style="background:none;"
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em;"
|+ [[Consonants]]
|-
! [[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! Examples !! English approximation
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|b}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150_(fra)-WikiLucas00-bon.wav|'''b'''on}}}}
| a'''b'''out
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|d̪|d}}</big>
| {{lang|fr| {{Audio|LL-Q150_(fra)-Estrie-deux.wav|'''d'''eux}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150_(fra)-Poslovitch-grande.wav|gran'''d'''e}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150_(fra)-Jules78120-Djibouti.wav|'''D'''jibouti}}}}
| to'''d'''ay
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|f}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|Fr-faire.ogg|'''f'''aire}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Jérémy-Günther-Heinz Jähnick-vif.wav|vi'''f'''}}}}
| '''f'''estival
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɡ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Aemines4-garçon.wav|'''g'''arçon}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-longue.wav|lon'''gu'''e}}}}
| a'''g'''ain
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|k}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Fhala.K-corps.wav|'''c'''orps}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-avec.wav|ave'''c'''}}, {{Audio|Fr-Quand.oga|'''qu'''and}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Arthur Crbz-Irak.wav|Ira'''k'''}}}}
| s'''k'''y
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|l}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-DSwissK-laisser.wav|'''l'''aisser}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Roptat-possible.wav|possib'''l'''e}}, {{Audio|Fr-seul.ogg|seu'''l'''}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Baptiste C. (BiblioCanet66)-ville.wav|vi'''ll'''e}}}}
| '''l'''aw
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|m}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-même.wav|'''m'''ê'''m'''e}}}}
| '''m'''oo
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|n̪|n}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Vampiro (ClasseNoes)-nous.wav|'''n'''ous}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-DenisdeShawi-bonne.wav|bo'''nn'''e}}}}
| '''n'''o
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɲ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-gagner.wav|ga'''gn'''er}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Lunagrouh-champagne.wav|champa'''gn'''e}}}}<ref group="note">In [[European French]], {{IPAslink|ɲ}} is merging with {{IPA|/nj/}}, but in [[Quebec French|Quebec]], {{IPA|/ɲ/}} is distinguished from {{IPA|/nj/}}.</ref>
| ca'''ny'''on
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ŋ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Aemines3-camping.wav|campi'''ng'''}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Pierre MLL-funk.wav|fu'''n'''k}}}}<ref group="note">In European French, {{IPAslink|ŋ}} is often pronounced {{IPA|[ŋɡ]}}. In Quebec, some speakers merge it with {{IPA|/ɲ/}} and some speakers pronounce it exactly as in English.</ref>
| campi'''ng'''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|p}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Nattes à chat-père.wav|'''p'''ère}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Poslovitch-groupe.wav |grou'''p'''e}}}}
| s'''p'''y
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ʁ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-regarder.wav|'''r'''ega'''r'''der}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-DenisdeShawi-nôtre.wav|nôt'''r'''e}}}}<ref group="note">The French [[Rhotic consonant|rhotic]] {{IPA|/ʁ/}} is usually [[Guttural R#French|guttural]] (uvular), but it varies by region. For example, in Quebec, {{IPAblink|ʁ}}, {{IPAblink|r}}, and {{IPAblink|ʀ}} are all used, but nowadays, most speakers use {{IPA|[ʁ]}}. This sound may also be [[devoiced]] to {{IPAblink|χ}} in certain contexts; see {{slink|French phonology|Consonants}} for details.</ref>
| ''[[Scottish English]]'' lo'''ch''', ''but [[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]; [[Northumbrian burr]]''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|s}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-sans.wav|'''s'''ans}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-ça.wav|'''ç'''a}}, {{Audio|Fr-assez-ca-Montréal.ogg|a'''ss'''ez}}, {{nowrap|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Sartus85-soixante.wav|'''s'''oi'''x'''ante}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Justforoc-six.wav|'''s'''i'''x'''}}}}}}
| '''s'''ir
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ʃ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-chance.wav|'''ch'''ance}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Tchèque.wav|t'''ch'''èque}}}}
| '''sh'''oe
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|t̪|t}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|Fr-tout.ogg|'''t'''out}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Fhala.K-thé.wav|'''th'''é}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Tchèque.wav|'''t'''chèque}}}}
| s'''t'''y
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|v}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Touam-vous.wav|'''v'''ous}}, '''w'''agon, neu'''f'''{{nbsp}}heures}}
| '''v'''ein
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|z}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Arthur Crbz-zéro.wav|'''z'''éro}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Eihel-raison.wav|rai'''s'''on}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Fhala.K-chose.wav|cho'''s'''e}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Shareculture-deuxième.wav|deu'''x'''ième}}}}
| '''z'''eal
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ʒ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|Fr-jamais.ogg|'''j'''amais}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-0x010C-visage.wav|visa'''g'''e}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150_(fra)-Jules78120-Djibouti.wav|D'''j'''ibouti}}}}
| mea'''s'''ure
|-
! colspan="3" | [[Semivowels]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|j}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-fief.wav|f'''i'''ef}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-payer.wav|pa'''y'''er}}, {{nowrap|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Aemines6-fille.wav|fi'''ll'''e}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Visiteur Journée 2 - 21 (Madehub)-travail.wav|trava'''il'''}}}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Poslovitch-hier.wav|h'''i'''er}}}}
| '''y'''et
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|w}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-oui.wav|'''ou'''i}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-loi.wav|l'''o'''i}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-DSwissK-moyen.wav|m'''o'''yen}}, '''w'''eb, '''w'''hisky}}
| '''w'''et
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɥ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Roptat-huit.wav|h'''u'''it}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-DenisdeShawi-puits.wav|P'''u'''y}}}}
| ''between'' '''w'''et ''and'' '''y'''et
|}
| style="vertical-align: top;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em 2em;"
|+ [[Vowels]]
! colspan="3" | Oral vowels
|-
! [[Help:IPA|IPA]] !! Examples !! English approximation
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|a}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|p'''a'''tte, l'''à''', f'''e'''mme}}
| tr'''a'''p
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɑ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|p'''â'''te, gl'''a'''s}}<ref group="note" name="merger">In [[Parisian French]], {{IPA|/œ̃/}} is usually merged with {{IPA|/ɛ̃/}}, {{IPA|/ɑ/}} is often merged with {{IPA|/a/}}, and {{IPA|/ɛː/}} is normally merged with {{IPA|/ɛ/}}. These pairs are always distinguished in [[French of France#Northern region|Northern]], [[Belgian French|Belgian]], [[Swiss French|Swiss]], and [[Quebec French]].</ref>
| f'''a'''ther
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|e}}</big>
|  {{lang|fr|cl'''é''', '''et''', l'''es''', ch'''ez''', all'''er''', pi'''ed''', journ'''é'''e}}
| m'''a'''ce
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɛ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|b'''aie''', f'''ai'''te, m'''e'''ttre, r'''e'''nne, cr'''è'''me, p'''ei'''ne, viol'''et'''}}
| b'''e'''st
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɛː}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|f'''ê'''te, m'''aî'''tre, r'''ei'''ne, r'''eî'''tre, c'''ai'''sse, pr'''e'''sse, Lev'''es'''que}}<ref group="note" name="merger"/>
| f'''ai'''ry
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ə}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|r'''e'''poser, m'''on'''sieur, f'''ai'''sons}}<ref group="note">In [[Metropolitan French]], while {{IPA|/ə/}} is phonologically distinct, its phonetic quality tends to coincide with either {{IPA|/ø/}} or {{IPA|/œ/}}.</ref>
| '''a'''gain ''(often [[Elision|elided]], see {{lang|fr|[[e muet]]}})''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|i}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''i''', '''î'''le, rég'''ie''', pa'''y'''s, f'''i'''ls}}<ref group="note" name="lax-qc">In Quebec, {{IPA|/i/}}, {{IPA|/u/}}, and {{IPA|/y/}} may be [[Laxness (phonetics)|laxed]] before a consonant to {{IPAblink|ɪ}}, {{IPAblink|ʊ}}, and {{IPAblink|ʏ}}, e.g.
* {{lang|fr|s'''i'''s}} {{Audio-IPA|Qc-six.ogg|[s'''ɪ'''s]}} "k'''i'''t"
* {{lang|fr|br'''ou'''sse}} {{Audio-IPA|LL-Q150 (fra)-DenisdeShawi-brousse.wav|[bʁ'''ʊ'''s]}} {{abbr|RP|Received Pronounciation}} "f'''oo'''t"
* {{lang|fr|ch'''u'''te}} {{Audio-IPA|LL-Q150 (fra)-DenisdeShawi-chute.wav|[ʃ'''ʏ'''t]}} roughly like [[Scottish English|Scottish]] "g'''oo'''se"; [[German language|German]] {{lang|de|"m'''ü'''ssen"|italic=no}}
For more details, see {{slink|Quebec French phonology|Vowels}}.</ref>
| s'''ea'''t
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|œ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''œu'''r, j'''eu'''ne}}
| b'''ir'''d ''([[Received Pronunciation|RP]])''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ø}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|c'''eu'''x, j'''eû'''ner, qu'''eue'''}}
| b'''ur'''n ''(RP), German'' '''Ö'''sterreich
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|o}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''au'''t, h'''au'''t, bur'''eau''', ch'''o'''se, t'''ô'''t, c'''ô'''ne}}
| st'''o'''ry
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɔ}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''o'''rt, minim'''u'''m, p'''o'''mme}}
| '''o'''ff
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|u}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|c'''ou'''p, r'''oue'''}}<ref group="note" name="lax-qc"/>
| p'''oo'''l
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|y}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|t'''u''', s'''û'''r, r'''ue'''}}<ref group="note" name="lax-qc"/>
| ''roughly like'' t'''oo''' ''in some dialects such as [[Australian English|Australian]];<ref group="note" name="y">More dialects include [[New Zealand English|New Zealand]], most accents of [[Southern England English|Southern England]] (including [[Multicultural London English|Multicultural London]], [[Cockney]], [[Estuary English|Estuary]] and modern [[Received Pronunciation]]), [[Scouse]], [[Manchester dialect|Mancunian]], [[Scottish English|Scottish]], [[Ulster English|Ulster]], [[Southern American English|Southern American]], [[Midland American English|Midland American]], [[Philadelphia English|Philadelphia]], [[Baltimore English|Baltimore]], and younger [[California English|Californian]].</ref> somewhat like'' c'''u'''te ''in other dialects; [[German language|German]]'' {{lang|de|'''ü'''ber|italic=no}}
|-
! colspan="3" | [[Nasal vowels]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɑ̃}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''an'''s, ch'''am'''p, v'''en'''t, t'''em'''ps, J'''ean''', t'''aon'''}}
| ''roughly like'' s'''ong'''
* ''[[nasalized]]'' {{IPAblink|ɒ}} ([[European French|Europe]]; {{Audio|Fr-Paris--temps.ogg|{{lang|fr-FR|temps}}}})
* ''or'' {{IPAblink|a}} ([[Canadian French|Canada]]; {{Audio|Qc-temps.ogg|{{lang|fr-CA|temps}}}})
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɛ̃}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|v'''in''', '''im'''pair, p'''ain''', d'''aim''', pl'''ein''', R'''eim'''s, s'''yn'''thèse, s'''ym'''pathique, bi'''en'''}}
| ''roughly like'' h'''ang''' ''or Spanish'' '''án'''gel
* ''nasalized'' {{IPAblink|æ}} (Europe; {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Guilhelma-pain.wav|{{lang|fr-FR|pain}}}})
* ''or'' {{IPAblink|ei̯}} (Canada; {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Estrie-pain.wav|{{lang|fr-CA|pain}}}})
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|œ̃}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|{{Audio|Fr-un-fr BE.ogg|'''un'''}}, {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Ahmed (ClasseNoes)-parfum.wav|parf'''um'''}}}}<ref group="note" name="merger"/>
| ''roughly like non-rhotic'' b'''urn'''; ''nasalized'' {{IPAblink|œ}}
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|ɔ̃}}</big>
| {{lang|fr|s'''on''', n'''om'''}}
| ''roughly like Australian'' dr'''awn'''
* ''nasalized'' {{IPAblink|o}} (Europe; {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Poslovitch-son.wav|{{lang|fr-FR|son}}}})
* ''or'' {{IPAblink|ou̯}} (Canada; {{Audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Estrie-son.wav|{{lang|fr-CA|son}}}})
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em 2em;"
|+ [[International Phonetic Alphabet#Suprasegmentals|Suprasegmentals]]
|-
! [[Help:IPA|IPA]]
! Example !! Description
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPAlink|.}}</big>
| {{audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Helenou66-pays.wav|{{lang|fr|p'''ay'''s}}}} {{IPA|[pe.i]}}<ref group="note">The syllable break {{angbr IPA|.}} is used sparingly.</ref>
| syllable boundary
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | <big>{{IPA|‿}}</big>
| {{audio|Fr-homme.ogg|{{lang|fr|u'''n''' homme}}}} {{IPA|[œ̃.n‿ɔm]}},<br> {{audio|LL-Q150 (fra)-Fhala.K-grand-oncle.wav|{{lang|fr|gran'''d'''-oncle}}}} {{IPA|[ɡʁɑ̃t‿ɔ̃kl]}}
| [[Liaison (French)|liaison]]
|}
|}

==See also==
*{{clc|Pages with French IPA|pages}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

{{IPA keys}}