The letter Q, which always has to be followed by U,* is usually pronounced like K or the hard French C. Phonetic symbol: [k].
| the letter k | ||
| quand | when | |
| qui | who | |
| une piqûre | bite, sting | |
However, there are a few words in which Q is pronounced "kw" like in English.
| l’équateur | equator | |
| une aquarelle | watercolor painting |
* Except at the end of a word: cinq (five), le coq (rooster).
Related lessons
En español
In italianoShare / Tweet / Pin Me!
This free website is created with love and a great deal of work. If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.
The mountain of French verb conjugations you have to learn can be overwhelming – even just in the classroom where you have plenty of time to think about the correct response. Once you start talking to people in the real world, trying to figure out the appropriate verb conjugation can leave you speechless – literally. So what’s the solution? Learn, then practice, practice, practice!
Inverting subjects and verbs is easy enough – vous voyez => voyez-vous, but where do object, adverbial, and reflexive pronouns go? And what about negation? Take a look at this lesson to learn about all the possibilities.
Magnetic poetry is a fun little tool you can use to learn and practice French. 500 magnets with words and parts of words help you to express yourself in a unique and creative way.
Getting friendly with the French (and many other Europeans) means getting comfortable with les bises. 💋 These not-quite-cheek-not-quite-air kisses are an essential part of French culture, so being prepared to give and receive them is vital. Today’s issue of Lawless French à fond takes an in-depth look at les bises: what they are, when and how to do them, and more.
Bonjour !
Lawless French is a free website.
Please disable your ad-blocker
or
donate to support my work.
BONUS
Donate US$5 / month to unlock
le Mot du jour.
