Accents
While French has the same alphabet as English, some of the letters have little decorations that can make them look and sound very different. In French, accents are essential: they're there for a reason, so you must include them when writing.
Beginning French Lessons
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Lawless French for Beginners
While French has the same alphabet as English, some of the letters have little decorations that can make them look and sound very different. In French, accents are essential: they're there for a reason, so you must include them when writing.Alphabet
If you want to read and write in French, one of the first things you should learn is the alphabet. If you're wondering how many letters there are, you're in luck: French has the same 26 letters as English. Unfortunately, most of the names of letters are pronounced differently, as are many of the sounds.Consonants for Beginners
More than half of French consonants are very similar to their English countparts, but a few are completely different. Here's a quick overview to help you get started learning French.Contractions
Contractions occur when two words are combined into one, sometimes with a distinctly different spelling. In English, contractions like "won't" are optional and indicate informality. In French, however, contractions are required, regardless of the register you're speaking or writing in.Elision
An elision is a type of contraction that occurs when two words are combined: one or more letters are dropped and replaced with an apostrophe. In French, written elisions are required, regardless of the register you're speaking or writing in.GN
The letter combination gn is usually pronounced like the "ni" in "onion."H aspiré
Despite the name, the H aspiré is not aspirated or otherwise pronounced.H muet
The French H muet is not just silent, but essentially non-existent: words that begin with H muet act as if they begin with a vowel.Nasal Vowels
Nasal vowels are pronounced by passing air through the nose and mouth. French has four nasal vowels, each of which can be spelled at least two different ways.Q
The letter Q, which always has to be followed by U, is usually pronounced like K in French.Required Liaisons
Liaisons between syntactically related words, such as an article and its noun, or a subject pronoun and its verb, are required, though of course there are always exceptions.S
The letter S has two pronunciations in French as in English. The French pronunciation of S in any given word can be determined with specific rules.Spelling Change Verbs -cer -ger
French verbs that end in -cer or -ger require a small spelling change in certain conjugations. For the most part, these verbs are conjugated just like regular -er verbs, other than a little problem in some conjugations that must be corrected for reasons of pronunciation. It's easy enough to do, once you understand why and how.Vowels for Beginners
The pronunciation of French vowels can be difficult for students. This is a simplified summary to help you get started.More Lawless French
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