French Vowel Sounds: The Complete Reference Chart
Every French vowel and vowel combination in one chart - oral and nasal - with simple phonetics, IPA, and example words. Bookmark-ready.
French has around a dozen oral vowel sounds (a, e, é, è, i, o, u, ou, eu) plus four nasal vowels (an, on, in, un), each with a consistent spelling-to-sound mapping. This chart lists every sound with simple phonetics, IPA, and an example word.
Quick answer
French has around a dozen oral vowel sounds (a, e, é, è, i, o, u, ou, eu) plus four nasal vowels (an, on, in, un), each with a consistent spelling-to-sound mapping. This chart lists every sound with simple phonetics, IPA, and an example word.
Hear every vowel sound with native audio. Get it on the App Store or Google Play.
For the teaching version with full rules, see the full French pronunciation guide.
Oral vowels
| Letter(s) | Phonetics | IPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | ah | /a/ | chat |
| e | uh | /ə/ | le |
| é | ay | /e/ | été |
| è / ê | eh | /ɛ/ | père |
| i | ee | /i/ | lit |
| o | oh | /o/, /ɔ/ | eau, note |
| u | ü (no English equivalent) | /y/ | tu |
| ou | oo | /u/ | vous |
| eu | uh (rounded) | /ø/, /œ/ | peu, sœur |
Nasal vowels
| Letter(s) | Phonetics | IPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| an / en | ahn | /ɑ̃/ | dans, temps |
| on | ohn | /ɔ̃/ | bon |
| in / ain | ehn | /ɛ̃/ | vin, pain |
| un | uhn | /œ̃/ | un |
For the full nasal-vowel teaching guide, see French nasal vowels explained.
Semi-vowels (bonus)
Oi (/wa/, as in moi), ui (/ɥi/, as in huit), and -ill- type sounds (/j/, as in fille) glide between two vowel qualities. See the French alphabet for the letters underlying all of these sounds.
Every vowel sound, one reference
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Questions about this note
How many vowel sounds does French have?
Roughly a dozen oral vowel sounds plus four nasal vowels, more than the 5-6 vowel letters suggest.
What's the difference between oral and nasal vowels?
Oral vowels are pronounced through the mouth only; nasal vowels route air through the nose, dropping the following n/m sound.
Is IPA necessary to use this chart?
No - simple phonetics are provided alongside IPA for those who want it.
Where can I learn the rules behind these sounds?
See our full French pronunciation guide for the teaching version.
What are semi-vowels in French?
Sounds like oi and ui that glide between two vowel qualities.