How to Say the Alphabet in French

Practice French to become bilingual.

French is a Romance language, renowned for its eloquent sound, and is spoken as the main language throughout France and in regions of Belgium, Switzerland and Canada. Learning how to say the alphabet in French is a beginning skill for French language learners. Understanding the phonetics of the French alphabet provides a foundation for sounding out and pronouncing French vocabulary that assists you on your way towards fluency.

Instructions

1. Learn the pronunciation of each letter in the French alphabet and practice memorizing and saying the letters. The pronunciation of the French alphabet is A (ah), B (bay), C (say), D (day), E (euh), F (eff), G (zhay), H (osh), I (ee), J (zhee), K (kah), L (elle), M (emme), N (enne), O (oh), P (pay), Q (coo), R (err), S (ess), T (tay), U (ew), V (vay), W (doo-bleh-vay), X (eeks), Y (ee-grek), and Z (zed).

2. Spend extra time practicing saying E and I in French. The French E takes on the sound of a soft "i", as in the word "igloo." The French "I" takes on the sound of a long "e," as in the word "emu."

3. Focus on pronouncing G and J in French so that they mimic the sound of the opposite letter. The French G combines the phonetic sounds of the English soft "j" and "z" with the long "a" sound. The French J combines the phonetic sounds of the English soft "g"and "z" and the long "e" sound.

4. Sing your French ABCs in the melody of the English ABCs. End the song with "Maintenant (now) je (I) sais (know) mon (my) Ah-Bay-Says (ABCs). Chante (sing) avec (with) moi (me) la (the) prochaine (next) fois (time).

References

• France Property and Information:
• PBS: All About French

Resources

• Alphabet Page: French Alphabet