French: A Complete Guide to the World's Most Romantic Language
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
French is a language of diplomacy, literature, and global commerce. According to Ethnologue 2025, French ranks as the 5th most spoken language worldwide with approximately 312 million speakers—74 million native and 238 million second-language speakers. It serves as an official language in 29 countries across five continents and remains a working language of the United Nations, European Union, NATO, and countless international organizations.
For learners and professionals, three forces shape everything you read, speak, or translate: a phonetic system built on liaisons and silent letters, a grammatical structure where every noun has gender, and a register system that distinguishes formal from familiar with precision. Master these early, and your French will sound natural rather than mechanical.
Key takeaways:
- Train your ear for liaisons and silent endings from day one.
- Learn nouns with their articles—gender is not optional.
- Conjugate verbs by group; irregular verbs reward memorization.
- Match register (tu/vous, formal/informal) to relationship and context.
- Design UIs with French text expansion, accents, and locale-specific formats.
History and Global Reach
A 60-Second History
French evolved from Vulgar Latin spoken in Gaul after Roman conquest. By the 9th century, the Oaths of Strasbourg (842 AD) recorded one of the earliest texts recognizably distinct from Latin. Old French flourished through the medieval period, giving us the Chanson de Roland and the roots of courtly literature.
The Renaissance brought standardization efforts, and the Académie française, founded in 1635, began its long stewardship of the language. The French Revolution spread both language and ideals; the 19th and 20th centuries saw French become the international language of diplomacy before English claimed that role.
Today, French continues to grow—primarily in Africa. According to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, 61.8% of French speakers now live in Africa, and demographic trends suggest this percentage will rise significantly by 2050. African French speakers already represent 47% of the global Francophonie.
Timeline highlights:
- 842: Oaths of Strasbourg—earliest French text
- 1539: Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts makes French the legal language
- 1635: Académie française founded
- 1990: Spelling reforms proposed (optional simplifications)
- 2025: 312M+ speakers; growth centered in Africa
French Around the World
French varies by region. Metropolitan French (France) sets the media standard, but significant differences exist elsewhere.
| Region | Key characteristics |
|---|---|
| France | Reference standard, Académie oversight |
| Quebec | Preserves older pronunciations; distinct vocabulary (char for car, blonde for girlfriend); more tutoiement |
| Belgium | Septante, nonante; some vocabulary differences |
| Switzerland | Septante, huitante/octante, nonante |
| Africa | 167M speakers across 34 countries; local accents and vocabulary; fastest-growing francophone region |
| North Africa | Strong French presence in education and business; coexists with Arabic |
For translating content that targets specific French-speaking regions, see our guide on why your translated website confuses users and how to fix it.
Writing System: Alphabet and Accents
French uses the 26-letter Latin alphabet plus five accent marks that change pronunciation and meaning.
The Five French Accents
| Accent | Name | Effect | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | Accent aigu | Closed /e/ sound | café, éléphant, été |
| è, ê | Accent grave, circonflexe | Open /ɛ/ sound | mère, fête, forêt |
| ë, ï, ü | Tréma | Separates vowels (no diphthong) | Noël, naïf, Saül |
| ç | Cédille | Makes C soft /s/ before a, o, u | français, garçon, reçu |
| â, î, ô, û | Circonflexe | Often marks historical “s” | hôpital (< hospital), forêt (< forest) |
Accents That Change Meaning
Accents are not decorative—they distinguish words:
| Without accent | With accent | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| a (has) | à (to, at) | Verb vs. preposition |
| ou (or) | où (where) | Conjunction vs. adverb |
| du (of the) | dû (owed) | Article vs. past participle |
| sur (on) | sûr (sure) | Preposition vs. adjective |
| la (the) | là (there) | Article vs. adverb |
Translation tip: Missing or incorrect accents are a common QA issue. Always verify accent marks in translated French text—they affect both meaning and professionalism. For document translation that preserves accents correctly, see our guide on best AI translation tools.
Pronunciation
French pronunciation trips up learners because spelling and sound diverge more than in many languages. Silent final consonants are the norm: petit ends in a vowel sound, not a “t”; vous parlez drops the “z.” Yet those silent letters wake up in liaisons—when a word ending in a silent consonant precedes one beginning with a vowel, the consonant sounds.
The Liaison System
According to Lawless French, a liaison occurs when a normally silent final consonant is pronounced because it connects to a following vowel or h muet. The consonant often changes sound in this process.
Consonant changes in liaison:
| Letter | Sound in liaison |
|---|---|
| S, X, Z | [z] |
| D | [t] |
| F | [v] (in neuf heures, neuf ans) |
| N | [n] |
| T | [t] |
Examples:
- les amis → [le.za.mi] (the S becomes Z)
- vous avez → [vu.za.ve]
- un petit enfant → [œ̃.pə.ti.tɑ̃.fɑ̃]
- grand homme → [gʁɑ̃.tɔm] (the D becomes T)
Mandatory liaisons:
| Context | Example |
|---|---|
| Article + noun | les enfants [le.zɑ̃.fɑ̃] |
| Pronoun + verb | nous avons [nu.za.vɔ̃] |
| Adjective + noun | petit ami [pə.ti.ta.mi] |
| After prepositions | chez elle [ʃe.zɛl] |
| After très | très important [tʁɛ.zɛ̃.pɔʁ.tɑ̃] |
Forbidden liaisons:
- After et (and): pain et eau — never link
- After singular nouns: un soldat anglais — no liaison after soldat
- After proper nouns: Jean arrive — no liaison after Jean
Liaison vs. Enchaînement: Enchaînement (linking) differs from liaison. It connects a pronounced final consonant to a following vowel without “awakening” a silent letter—une amie [y.na.mi]. For a deeper dive into spoken French patterns, see our guide on how to translate speech to text.
H Muet vs. H Aspiré
French has two types of “H”—neither is actually pronounced, but they behave differently:
| Type | Behavior | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| H muet (mute H) | Allows liaison and elision | l’homme, les hommes [le.zɔm] |
| H aspiré (aspirate H) | Blocks liaison and elision | le héros, les héros [le.eʁo] — no liaison! |
Common aspirate H words (no liaison):
- le haricot (bean) — never l’haricot
- le héros (hero) — never l’héros
- la honte (shame) — never l’honte
- le hasard (chance) — never l’hasard
- la hache (axe) — never l’hache
Why it matters for translation: Text-to-speech and pronunciation guides must distinguish these. Getting h aspiré wrong sounds immediately unnatural to native speakers.
The French “R”
The French /ʁ/ is a guttural sound produced in the back of the throat—quite different from English “R.” It’s one of the most distinctive features of French pronunciation.
Practice tip: Start by gargling gently, then reduce the intensity. The sound comes from the uvula, not the tongue tip.
The Vowel System
French includes sounds English lacks. The front rounded vowels require lips rounded while the tongue stays forward:
| Sound | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| /y/ | tu, rue | Round lips as for “oo,” tongue forward as for “ee” |
| /ø/ | peu, deux | Between “uh” and “oo,” lips rounded |
| /œ/ | peur, sœur | More open than /ø/ |
Nasal vowels pass air through both mouth and nose:
- /ɑ̃/ — enfant, dans
- /ɔ̃/ — bon, pont
- /ɛ̃/ — vin, pain
- /œ̃/ — brun (merging with /ɛ̃/ in many dialects)
The CaReFuL Rule
If a French word ends with C, R, F, or L (consonants from the word CaReFuL), the final letter is usually pronounced. Otherwise, the final letter is typically silent.
- un truc — the C is pronounced
- un dortoir — the R is pronounced
- le chef — the F is pronounced
- avril — the L is pronounced
Exception: Verbs ending in -ER have a silent R: parler, manger.
Grammar Essentials
Gender and Articles
Every French noun is masculine or feminine—there is no neuter. Gender affects articles (le/la, un/une), adjectives (which must agree), and sometimes meaning: le livre (book) vs. la livre (pound).
The Three Types of Articles
French has three article types, all of which must agree with noun gender and number:
| Type | Masculine | Feminine | Plural | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite | le (l’) | la (l’) | les | Specific items: le chat (the cat) |
| Indefinite | un | une | des | Non-specific: un chat (a cat) |
| Partitive | du (de l’) | de la (de l’) | des | Some/uncountable: du pain (some bread) |
Partitive Articles and Negation
The partitive (du, de la, des) expresses “some” or an unspecified quantity:
- Je bois du café. (I drink [some] coffee.)
- Elle mange de la salade. (She eats [some] salad.)
- Nous avons des amis. (We have [some] friends.)
After negation, partitive becomes de/d’:
- Je ne bois pas de café. (I don’t drink coffee.)
- Elle ne mange pas de salade. (She doesn’t eat salad.)
- *Nous n’avons pas **d’*amis. (We don’t have friends.)
This is a frequent translation error—always check partitives after negation.
Gender Patterns
| Ending | Typical gender | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -tion, -sion | Feminine | la nation, la décision |
| -té, -ité | Feminine | la liberté, l’université |
| -ment | Masculine | le gouvernement, le moment |
| -age | Masculine | le voyage, le fromage |
| -eur | Often masculine | le bonheur; but la fleur is feminine |
| -e | Mixed | le livre (m), la table (f) |
Pro tip: Learn nouns with their articles from the start. Saying une table rather than just table builds the reflex that pays off in speaking and writing.
Adjective Agreement
Adjectives must agree with nouns in gender and number:
| Rule | Masculine → Feminine | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Add -e | grand → grande | un grand homme / une grande femme |
| Double consonant + -e | bon → bonne | un bon repas / une bonne idée |
| Irregular forms | beau → belle | un beau jardin / une belle maison |
| nouveau → nouvelle | un nouveau livre / une nouvelle voiture | |
| vieux → vieille | un vieux château / une vieille église |
Plural: Add -s (or -x for words ending in -eau, -au).
Verb Conjugation
French verbs divide into three main groups by infinitive ending. According to Rosetta Stone’s conjugation guide, the first group covers about 90% of verbs and follows predictable patterns.
The Three Groups
| Group | Ending | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (premier groupe) | -ER | Regular | parler, manger, aimer |
| 2nd (deuxième groupe) | -IR (with -issant participle) | Regular | finir, choisir, réussir |
| 3rd (troisième groupe) | -IR, -RE, -OIR | Irregular | partir, vendre, voir, aller |
Present Tense Patterns
| Subject | parler (1st) | finir (2nd) | vendre (3rd) |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | parle | finis | vends |
| tu | parles | finis | vends |
| il/elle | parle | finit | vend |
| nous | parlons | finissons | vendons |
| vous | parlez | finissez | vendez |
| ils/elles | parlent | finissent | vendent |
Essential Irregular Verbs
These four verbs appear constantly and must be memorized:
être (to be)
| Subject | Present | Passé composé |
|---|---|---|
| je | suis | ai été |
| tu | es | as été |
| il/elle | est | a été |
| nous | sommes | avons été |
| vous | êtes | avez été |
| ils/elles | sont | ont été |
avoir (to have)
| Subject | Present | Passé composé |
|---|---|---|
| je | ai | ai eu |
| tu | as | as eu |
| il/elle | a | a eu |
| nous | avons | avons eu |
| vous | avez | avez eu |
| ils/elles | ont | ont eu |
aller (to go) — the only irregular -ER verb
| Subject | Present | Passé composé |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais | suis allé(e) |
| tu | vas | es allé(e) |
| il/elle | va | est allé(e) |
| nous | allons | sommes allé(e)s |
| vous | allez | êtes allé(e)(s) |
| ils/elles | vont | sont allé(e)s |
faire (to do/make)
| Subject | Present | Passé composé |
|---|---|---|
| je | fais | ai fait |
| tu | fais | as fait |
| il/elle | fait | a fait |
| nous | faisons | avons fait |
| vous | faites | avez fait |
| ils/elles | font | ont fait |
Key Tenses Overview
| Tense | Use | Formation |
|---|---|---|
| Présent | Current actions, habits | Conjugated verb |
| Passé composé | Completed past actions | avoir/être + past participle |
| Imparfait | Ongoing/habitual past | Stem + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient |
| Futur simple | Future actions | Infinitive + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont |
| Conditionnel | Hypothetical/polite | Infinitive + imparfait endings |
| Subjonctif | Doubt, emotion, necessity | After que + specific triggers |
Être vs. Avoir in Passé Composé
Most verbs use avoir as the auxiliary in passé composé, but certain verbs of movement and state change use être:
Verbs that use être (DR MRS VANDERTRAMP):
- Devenir, Revenir, Monter, Rester, Sortir
- Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer
- Rentrer, Tomber, Retourner, Arriver, Mourir, Partir
Agreement rule: With être, the past participle agrees with the subject:
- Il est allé. (He went.)
- Elle est allée. (She went.) — add -e for feminine
- Ils sont allés. (They went.) — add -s for masculine plural
- Elles sont allées. (They went.) — add -es for feminine plural
Reflexive verbs also use être:
- Elle s’est levée. (She got up.)
- Ils se sont parlé. (They spoke to each other.) — no agreement when indirect object
Sentence Structure
French follows SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) order, similar to English:
Je mange une pomme. (I eat an apple.)
Basic Word Order
| Element | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | First | Je lis un livre. |
| Verb | After subject | Je lis un livre. |
| Object | After verb | Je lis un livre. |
Object Pronoun Placement
Object pronouns go before the verb (not after, as in English):
| Type | Pronouns | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct object | me, te, le/la, nous, vous, les | Je le vois. (I see him.) |
| Indirect object | me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur | Je lui parle. (I speak to him/her.) |
| Y (location/à) | y | J’y vais. (I’m going there.) |
| En (de/quantity) | en | J’en veux. (I want some.) |
Order with multiple pronouns: me/te/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur → y → en
Il me le donne. (He gives it to me.)
Adjective Placement
Most adjectives follow the noun, but common short adjectives precede it (BANGS: Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size):
| After noun (most) | Before noun (BANGS) |
|---|---|
| une voiture rouge | une belle voiture |
| un homme intelligent | un jeune homme |
| une idée nouvelle | une bonne idée |
Some adjectives change meaning based on position:
- un homme grand (a tall man) vs. un grand homme (a great man)
- ma propre chambre (my own room) vs. ma chambre propre (my clean room)
Tu vs. Vous
French distinguishes singular informal tu from formal/plural vous. According to Lawless French, the choice encodes relationship, hierarchy, and context. Using tu with a stranger or superior can offend; using vous with a close friend feels cold.
| Situation | Pronoun | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strangers, formal settings | vous | Default for safety |
| Colleagues (first meeting) | vous | Switch to tu when invited |
| Friends, family, children | tu | Mutual intimacy |
| Online/startup culture | tu | Increasingly common |
| Customer service (France) | vous | Standard professional tone |
Tutoiement (using tu) often happens after someone says On se tutoie? (Shall we use tu?). In Quebec, tutoiement is more common in daily life; in France, hierarchical norms persist longer.
Register affects vocabulary and structure:
- Formal: Je vous prie de bien vouloir… (I kindly request that you…)
- Neutral: Pourriez-vous…? (Could you…?)
- Informal: Tu peux…? (Can you…?)
Negation
French negation wraps the verb in ne…pas: Je ne parle pas anglais. In spoken French, ne often drops (Je parle pas), but written and formal contexts require both elements.
| Negation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ne…pas | not | Je ne fume pas. |
| ne…jamais | never | Il ne fume jamais. |
| ne…rien | nothing | Je ne vois rien. |
| ne…personne | no one | Elle ne connaît personne. |
| ne…plus | no longer | Nous n’habitons plus ici. |
| ne…que | only | Il n’a que dix euros. |
Questions
Three main ways to ask questions:
- Intonation (informal): Tu viens? (rising intonation)
- Est-ce que (neutral): Est-ce que tu viens?
- Inversion (formal): Viens-tu? / Le directeur est-il arrivé?
Question words: Qui (who), Que/Quoi (what), Où (where), Quand (when), Comment (how), Pourquoi (why), Combien (how much/many), Quel(le)(s) (which)
The Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive (le subjonctif) expresses doubt, emotion, necessity, or desire. It appears after specific trigger phrases and in subordinate clauses introduced by que.
Common triggers:
| Category | Trigger phrase | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Necessity | Il faut que | Il faut que tu viennes. (You must come.) |
| Desire | Je veux que | Je veux que vous soyez heureux. (I want you to be happy.) |
| Emotion | Je suis content que | Je suis content qu’elle soit là. (I’m glad she’s here.) |
| Doubt | Je doute que | Je doute qu’il puisse venir. (I doubt he can come.) |
| Opinion (negative) | Je ne pense pas que | Je ne pense pas que ce soit vrai. (I don’t think it’s true.) |
Key irregular subjunctive forms:
| Verb | je | tu | il/elle | nous | vous | ils/elles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| être | sois | sois | soit | soyons | soyez | soient |
| avoir | aie | aies | ait | ayons | ayez | aient |
| aller | aille | ailles | aille | allions | alliez | aillent |
| faire | fasse | fasses | fasse | fassions | fassiez | fassent |
Translation tip: The subjunctive often has no direct English equivalent. Il faut que tu viennes translates as “You must come”—not “You must that you come.” Recognize the French structure but translate naturally.
Translation and Localization
Numbers and Dates
French counting has regional quirks:
| Number | France | Belgium/Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | soixante-dix (60+10) | septante |
| 80 | quatre-vingts (4×20) | octante / huitante |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix (4×20+10) | nonante |
Date format: Day-month-year (le 15 janvier 2026) Decimal separator: Comma (3,14) Thousands separator: Space or period (1 000 or 1.000)
UI and i18n Tips
Interfaces feel native when they respect how French text behaves.
Text Expansion
French text is typically 15–20% longer than English equivalents. Design elastic layouts that accommodate this expansion.
| English | French | Expansion |
|---|---|---|
| Settings | Paramètres | +50% |
| Submit | Soumettre | +33% |
| Cancel | Annuler | +14% |
Formatting Considerations
| Element | French convention | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date | DD/MM/YYYY | 15/01/2026 |
| Time | 24-hour | 14h30 |
| Currency | Symbol after, space | 25,00 € |
| Decimal | Comma | 3,14 |
| Thousands | Space | 1 000 000 |
| Quotation marks | Guillemets | « Bonjour » |
Typography
- Use guillemets (« ») for quotation marks, with non-breaking spaces inside
- French punctuation requires a non-breaking space before : ; ! ?
- Capitalize only the first word of titles (unlike English)
For document translation that preserves formatting, see our guides on how to translate PDF files and keep formatting and how to translate a Word document.
Translation Tips
Three habits improve EN↔FR translation immediately:
Translation Examples
| English | Formal French | Informal French | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ”Save” (button) | Enregistrer | Enregistrer | Same; formal register standard in UI |
| ”Your cart is empty” | Votre panier est vide. | Ton panier est vide. | Vous for e-commerce; tu for casual apps |
| ”Click here to continue” | Cliquez ici pour continuer. | Clique ici pour continuer. | Imperative matches register |
Paragraph example:
English: “Welcome back! Your subscription expires in 3 days. Renew now to keep your premium features.”
Formal French: « Bon retour parmi nous ! Votre abonnement expire dans 3 jours. Renouvelez maintenant pour conserver vos fonctionnalités premium. »
Informal French: « Content de te revoir ! Ton abonnement expire dans 3 jours. Renouvelle maintenant pour garder tes fonctionnalités premium. »
Note the consistent register throughout—mixing vous and tu forms in a single message sounds jarring.
1. Preserve Gender Consistency
Track noun genders throughout documents. A single le/la mismatch breaks flow and signals machine translation.
2. Match Register
Vous doesn’t always map to English “you”—context determines formality. Business emails typically use vous; marketing to younger audiences may use tu.
3. Handle Liaisons in Audio
When translating for speech or subtitles, remember that liaison pronunciation affects syllable counts and timing. AI text-to-speech should account for these connections.
Translator’s checklist:
- ✓ Gender agreement across all adjectives and articles
- ✓ Register consistency (tu/vous throughout)
- ✓ Accent marks preserved (é, è, ê, ë, à, ù, ç, etc.)
- ✓ Number and date formats localized
- ✓ Quotation marks converted to guillemets
Common Mistakes
False Friends (Faux Amis)
| ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis excité | Je suis enthousiaste | Excité has sexual connotations in French |
| Actuellement, je pense… | En fait, je pense… | Actuellement means “currently,” not “actually” |
| Je suis plein | J’ai bien mangé | Plein suggests pregnancy in some contexts |
| Préservatif for “preservative” | Conservateur | Préservatif means “condom” |
| Attendre pour | Attendre (no preposition) | Attendre doesn’t take pour |
| Blessé for “blessed” | Béni | Blessé means “injured” |
| Assister for “assist” | Aider | Assister means “to attend” |
Grammar Errors
| ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis d’accord avec tu | Je suis d’accord avec toi | Use stressed pronouns after prepositions |
| Elle a allé | Elle est allée | Movement verbs use être |
| Je ne bois pas du café | Je ne bois pas de café | Partitive → de after negation |
| Le homme | ***L’*homme | Elision before vowel sounds |
| Les haricot | Les haricots | Plural noun needs -s (even if silent) |
Learning Resources
Learning Path
Weeks 1–2: Foundation
- Phonetics: Master liaison rules, nasal vowels, and the CaReFuL rule
- Basics: Learn articles, common nouns with genders, numbers 1–100
- Practice: 20–30 min/day with audio resources; shadow native speakers
Weeks 3–4: Core Grammar
- Verbs: Present tense of être, avoir, aller, faire + regular -ER verbs
- Pronouns: Subject pronouns; begin tu/vous awareness
- Practice: Write simple sentences; use flashcards for verb forms
Month 2–3: Expansion
- Verbs: Passé composé, imparfait, futur simple
- Vocabulary: 500+ high-frequency words; common adjectives with agreement
- Practice: Short conversations with tutors or language exchange
Month 3–6: Fluency Building
- Grammar: Subjunctive basics; relative pronouns; conditional
- Register: Practice formal and informal writing styles
- Immersion: French media, news, podcasts; extended conversations
Useful Phrases
| French | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour / Bonsoir | Good morning / Good evening | Standard greetings |
| S’il vous plaît / S’il te plaît | Please | Formal / Informal |
| Merci beaucoup | Thank you very much | Universal |
| Excusez-moi / Pardon | Excuse me | Getting attention |
| Je ne comprends pas | I don’t understand | Seeking clarification |
| Pourriez-vous répéter? | Could you repeat? | Formal request |
| C’est combien? | How much is it? | Shopping |
| L’addition, s’il vous plaît | The check, please | Restaurant |
| Enchanté(e) | Nice to meet you | Introductions |
| À bientôt | See you soon | Parting |
FAQ
Is French hard to learn?
French is considered moderately difficult for English speakers. The US Foreign Service Institute classifies it as a Category I language, requiring approximately 600–750 hours to achieve professional proficiency. Good news: French shares significant vocabulary with English (thanks to Norman French influence), making reading comprehension develop quickly. The challenges—pronunciation, gender, and verb conjugation—are systematic and learnable with practice.
How long does it take to learn French?
| Level | Hours | Timeline (1hr/day) | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 (Beginner) | 60–100 | 2–3 months | Basic greetings, simple sentences |
| A2 (Elementary) | 160–200 | 5–6 months | Daily conversations, present tense |
| B1 (Intermediate) | 360–400 | 12 months | Travel independently, discuss familiar topics |
| B2 (Upper-Int.) | 560–650 | 18–20 months | Work in French, read news/literature |
| C1 (Advanced) | 800–1000 | 2.5–3 years | Professional fluency, nuanced expression |
What is liaison in French?
Liaison is when a normally silent final consonant is pronounced because the next word begins with a vowel. For example, les amis is pronounced [le.za.mi]—the silent “s” in les becomes a [z] sound connecting to amis. Liaisons make French sound fluid but can confuse learners who expect words to be pronounced separately.
When do you use tu vs. vous?
Use tu with friends, family, children, peers, and in casual settings. Use vous with strangers, superiors, elderly people, in formal/professional contexts, and always when addressing multiple people. When in doubt, start with vous—it’s safer to appear too formal than to offend.
What are the most important French grammar basics?
Focus on these five areas first:
- Gender + articles — Every noun is masculine or feminine
- Verb conjugation — Master present tense of être, avoir, aller, faire
- Negation — ne…pas wraps around the verb
- Tu vs. vous — Register matters socially
- Liaison rules — Essential for natural pronunciation
Why is French pronunciation so different from spelling?
French spelling preserves historical pronunciations that the spoken language has since dropped. Silent final consonants, for example, were once pronounced in Old French. The Académie française standardized spelling in the 17th century, but pronunciation continued to evolve. This is why beaucoup is spelled with a “p” you don’t say.
Resources
Grammar and Vocabulary:
- Lawless French — Comprehensive free lessons
- FrenchPod101 — Audio-based learning
- Le Conjugueur — Verb conjugation reference
Pronunciation:
- Forvo — Native speaker pronunciations
- French Today — Pronunciation guides with audio
Immersion:
- TV5Monde — Free French learning resources
- RFI Savoirs — News-based learning
Official Standards:
- Académie française — Language authority
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie — Francophone world statistics
French rewards attention to phonetics, gender, and register. Learn liaisons by listening, memorize noun genders with articles, and match formality to context. Whether you’re building products for francophone markets or translating documents, these fundamentals will guide your decisions.
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