Learning>Sound Sets> French-Sung 

French Sound Set for Lyric Diction

Female |  Male

 

IPA Symbol Description Example 1 IPA English Translation Example 2 IPA English Translation
Vowels              
  Monophthongs            

[i]

Forward/Fronting and closed

Cri

[kɾi]

scream

Pire

[pi.ɾə]

worse

[e]

Forward/Fronting and closed

Beauté

[bo.te]

beauty

clarté

[kla.ɾte]

fairness

[(e)]

Forward/Fronting and closed

les

l(e)s

the

des

[d(e)s]

some (article)

[ɛ]

Forward/Fronting and opened

ferme

[fɛɾ.mə]

firm

belle

[bɛ.lə]

beautiful (fem.)

[a]

Forward/Fronting- Bright [a]

larme

[laɾ.mə]

tear

charme

[ʃaɾ.mə]

charm

[ɑ]

Back and Dark [ɑ]

âme

[ɑ.mə]

soul      

[ɔ]

Back and opened

aurore

[ɔ.ɾɔ.ɾə]

dawn

soleil

[sɔlɛj]

sun

[o]

Back and opened

beau

[bo]

beautiful (masc.)

tot

[to]

early

[u]

Back and closed 

toute

[tu.tə]

all (fem.)

jour

[ʒuɾ]

day
  Mixed Vowels            

[y]

Close

lune

[ly.ne]

moon

unir

[y.niɾ]

to unite

[ø]

Closed

pleut

[plø]

rains

cieux

[sjø]

heavens 

[œ]

 Open

meurt

[mœɾ]

dies

coeur

[kœɾ]

heart

[ə]

Schwa

langoureuse

[lã.ɡu.ɾø.zə]

languorous

extase

[ek.stɑ .zə]

extasy
  Nasal Vowels            

[ã]

[a] nasal

sang

[sɑ̃]

blood

temps

[tɑ̃]

time

[õ]

[o] nasal

mon

[mõ]

my

saison

[sɛ.zõ]

season

[ɛ̃]

[ɛ] nasal

matin

[ma.tɛ̃]

morning

chagrin

[ʃa.ɡɾɛ̃]

sorrow

[œ̃]

[œ] nasal

parfum

[paɾfœ̃]

fragrance

un

[œ̃]

a
Consonants              
  Bilabial             

[b]

voiced

boire

[bwa.ɾə]

to drink

aboyer

[a.bwa.je]

to bark

[p]

unvoiced

père

[pɛ.ɾə]

father

apporter

[a.pɔɾ.te]

to bring

[m]

voiced

mort

[mɔɾ]

death

amant

[a.mɑ̃]

lover
  Labiodental            

[v]

voiced

vie

[vi]

life

avili

[a.vi.li]

degraded

[f]

unvoiced

fatigué

[fa.ti.ɡe]

fatique

affreux

[a.frœ]

horendous
  Dental            

[z]

voiced

zoo

[zo]

zoo

gazon

[ɡa.zõ]

lawn

[s]

unvoiced

soir

[swaɾ]

evening

assoupi

[a.su.pi]

sleeping

[l]

voiced

lune

[ly.ne]

Moon

paleur

[pa.lœɾ]

paleness
  Aveolar            

[d]

voiced

Dieu

[djø]

God

adieu

[a.djø]

farewell

[t]

unvoiced

tendre

[tã.dɾə]

tender

attirer

[a.ti.ɾe]

to attract

[n]

voiced

nuit

[nɥi]

night

honneur

[ɔ.nœɾ]

honor

[ɲ]

voiced

ignorer

[i.ɲɔ.ɾe]

to ignore

rossignol

[rɔ.si.ɲɔl]

nightingale

[ɾ]

voiced

repos

[ɾə.po]

rest

harpe

[aɾ.pə]

harp
   Prepalatal             

[ʃ]

unvoiced

charme

[ʃaɾ.mə]

charm

grincheux

[ɡɾɛ̃.ʃœ]

grumpy

[ʒ]

voiced

jour

[ʒuɾ]

day

magique

[ma.ʒi.kə]

magical
  Velar            

[ɡ]

voiced

grand

[gɾɑ̃]

large

agguerri

[a.ɡɛ.ɾi]

hardened

[k]

unvoiced

coeur

[kœɾ]

heart

acclamé

[a.kla.me]

acclaimed
  Glides/Semi-Consonants            

[j]

voiced and glide

brille

[bɾi.jə]

shines

soleil

[sɔ.lɛj]

sun

[w]

voiced and glide

soir

[swaɾ]

evening

croire

[krwa.ɾə]

to believe

[ɥ]

voiced and glide

pluie

[plɥi]

rain

nuit

[nɥi]

night 

 

Compiled and spoken by Benedicte Jourdois