Updated January 23, 2026 with newly added audio — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
This lesson shows you how the French alphabet sounds, with native audio for every letter.
Listen to the full alphabet first, then click individual letters below to hear them clearly.
A (ah) – B (bay) – C (say) – D (day) – E (uh) – F (ef)
G (zhay) – H (ash) – I (ee) – J (zhee) – K (kah) – L (el)
M (em) – N (en) – O (oh) – P (pay) – Q (koo) – R (air)
S (ess) – T (tay) – U (oo) – V (vay) – W (doobl vay)
X (eeks) – Y (ee grek) – Z (zed)
👉 While mastering the French alphabet is essential, you can see how it fits into a full study plan in my French for beginners guide.
French alphabet – Individual letter pronunciation
A (ah) B (bay) C (say) D (day) E (uh) F (ef)
G (zhay) H (ash) I (ee) J (zhee) K (kah) L (el)
M (em) N (en) O (oh) P (pay) Q (koo) R (air)
S (ess) T (tay) U (oo) V (vay) W (doobl vay)
French letters that often cause confusion
Some French letters don’t sound the way English speakers expect. When listening to the letters above individually, pay special attention to the following:
👉 E sounds like “uh”.
👉 I sounds like “ee”.
👉 G and J are the opposite of English: “zhay” and “zhee”.
👉 W is pronounced double vé.
👉 Y (i grec) literally means “Greek I”.
French alphabet pronunciation chart
A quick visual reference of all 26 French letters and their pronunciation.
Need more help?
If you’d like more guided listening practice, I recommend À Moi Paris, an online French course I’ve personally reviewed and used with students. The lessons focus on real spoken French with clear, natural audio recorded at multiple speeds.
👉 Learn more about À Moi Paris »
If you purchase the course, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Next lesson:
👉 French accent marks guide (with audio) »
French Alphabet — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many letters are there in the French alphabet?
The French alphabet has 26 letters, the same as the English alphabet, from A to Z.
Does French use the same alphabet as English?
Yes. French uses the same Latin alphabet as English, but many letter names are pronounced differently, which is why listening to native audio is important.
Are accents separate letters in the French alphabet?
No. Accents such as é, è, ê, and ë are not separate letters. They are pronunciation marks added to existing letters.
Which French letters are most difficult for English speakers?
Learners often find G, J, Y, and W confusing because their names do not sound the same as in English. Listening to each letter individually helps avoid common mistakes.
Who wrote this lesson and recorded the audio?
This lesson was written by French teacher David Issokson, founder of FrenchLearner.com, and includes native-speaker audio recorded by Marie Assel Cambier, a professional voice artist and native French speaker.
