French consonant
The letter X has several different pronunciations which can be determined for any given word with specific rules.
Soft pronunciation – like the X in the English word "fix" – phonetic symbol [ks]
– in front of a consonant
– at the end of a word or syllable*
Par exemple… | |||
the letter x | |||
une expérience | experience, experiment | ||
la taxe | tax |
* Exception: X at the end of numbers is pronounced like an S.
Par exemple… | ||
six | six | |
dix | ten |
Hard pronunciation – like the X in the English word "example" – phonetic symbol [gz]
– at the beginning of a word
– between two vowels in two different syllables
Par exemple… | ||
le xylophone | xylophone | |
exact | exact, correct |
In a liaison or enchaînement, X is pronounced like a Z.
Related lessons
- Letter combination: XC
- Introduction to consonants
- French alphabet
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