How to master the French alphabet and pronunciation, easily

“ Le train à destination de Grenoble va entrer en gare voie G. ” “ Le code pour le digicode est AT6UC ”. “ Comment épelez-vous votre nom ? ”

If you ever visited a French-speaking country, chances are you’ve been in a situation where knowing the French alphabet pronunciation would have been helpful.

And we have some good news for you: the French alphabet and English alphabet have the same twenty-six letters. You just need to know how to write and spell them, and this article is here to help. On y va ?

Why learn the French alphabet?

I. To make writing and reading easier.

Recognizing French alphabet letters will help you with writing and dictation exercises, as well as with reading.

II. To help with pronunciation

Mastering the French alphabet pronunciation will greatly improve your pronunciation and French accent in general.

III. To spell out words and to understand when somebody spells out a word.

Whether you are taking a message on the phone or spelling your name when meeting somebody, knowing the French alphabet letters will help you in a wide variety of spelling situations.

It is especially key when you start learning a language, as you will not understand all the words and might need to ask the person you´re speaking with to spell them for you.

How to pronounce the French alphabet

The International Phonetic Alphabet can help you improve your French pronunciation. However, if you haven’t learned it yet, no worries! We are including the English phonetic spelling next to each letter.

French alphabet songs

Do you have an echoic memory? Euh, pardon ? Echoic, or auditory memory, is a type of memory that retains sounds better, as opposed to iconic, or visual, memory which remembers images more easily. As a language learner, it’s helpful to identify which one is more dominant for you. Or you might be a mix of both!

So, to all echoic memories out there, here are a couple of French alphabet songs.;

French alphabet rap:

Rap your way to learning the French alphabet!

French alphabet rock:

Learn the alphabet in style with this slow pop rock tune.

Classic abc song:

Everybody knows this alphabet melody, and it should help you memorize abc in French in no time.

FAQs for the French alphabet

What are some French alphabet exercises I can do to help me learn?

Besides songs, there are many exercises you can do to learn the French alphabet letters. For example, take a look at these free resources including worksheets, games and quizzes. And if this style of learning works for you, French lessons online might help you take your French skills to the next level.

How do I access the French alphabet on my keyboard?

If you have a QWERTY keyboard, you might be missing some French keys such as “é”, “è”, “à”,”œ”, etc. If you have to write in French, that can be a problem. Heureusement, there are solutions.

French shortcuts for PC

Use a sustained key press to enter these codes.

• Accent aïgue (é): CTRL+‘ (apostrophe), followed by the letter
• Accent grave (à, è, ù): CTRL+` (key to the left of “1”), followed by the letter
• Accent circonflèxe (â, ê, î, ô, û): CTRL+Shift-6 followed by the letter
• Trëma (ë, ï, ü): CTRL+Shift+; followed by the letter
• Cédille (ç): CTRL+ followed by the letter

If this doesn’t work:

• Alt+0233 (é)
• Alt+0224 (à)
• Alt+0232 (è)
• Alt+0249 (ù)
• Alt+0226 (â)
• Alt+0234 (ê)
• Alt+0238 (î)
• Alt+0244 (ô)
• Alt+0251 (û)
• Alt+0235 (ë)
• Alt+0239 (ï)
• Alt+0252 (ü)
• Alt+0231 (ç)

French shortcuts for Mac

• Accent aïgue (é): Option + E
• Accent grave (à, è, ù): Option + ` followed by the letter
• Accent circonflèxe (â, ê, î, ô, û): Option + I followed by the letter
• Trëma (ë, ï, ü): Option+u followed by the letter
• Cédille (ç): Option + C

What’s the most difficult letter to learn in French?

Accents aside, the French alphabet is quite easy to learn. However, the difference between “j” and “g” can be confusing for English and French speakers alike. French humorist Gad Elmaleh explains it in this hilarious video.

Tips for learning the French alphabet;

1. Apply French alphabet letters in real situations

As for any other aspect of a language, the best way to learn and remember is to apply the language in real situations.

But if you are not in a French-speaking country at the moment, pas de problème. You can simulate real situations with your fellow French learners, or even on your own - for example, a phone conversation where you need to spell your name and phone number. Great to learn both French numbers and letters!

2. Practice daily with one of the French alphabet songs above or a pronunciation guide

Don’t be embarrassed to sing or repeat out loud.

3. Organize a spelling bee with your friends

Awaken the nerd in you by organizing a spelling bee with friends or other French learners.

With these tips to learn the French alphabet and a bit of practice, you will master the French alphabet de A à Z.

And if you film yourself singing French alphabet songs or simulating a French conversation between you and yourself, we would love to see it! Remember to tag us on social media.