Pronunciation of S in French

Pronunciation of the Letter S in French

Introduction

In French, the letter "s" can have different pronunciations depending on its position in the word and the letters surrounding it. This particularity can create confusion for learners, but with a few simple rules, you will easily master its pronunciation!

Pronunciation Rules for S

The letter "s" is pronounced in two main different ways:

[s] as in "sun" - voiceless (hissing sound)
[z] as in "zoo" - voiced (buzzing sound)

The general rule is as follows:

"s" is pronounced [s] at the beginning of words, at the end of words, or when doubled (ss)
"s" is pronounced [z] when placed between two vowels
"s" can be silent in certain cases, especially at the end of words
In the combination "sc" before e, i, y, the "s" is pronounced [s]

Examples with the [s] Sound

Position	Examples	English Meaning
At the beginning of words	sac sucre sel	bag sugar salt
Double s (ss)	poisson tasse passer	fish cup to pass
Before a consonant	esprit statue festival	spirit/mind statue festival
With c before e, i, y	science scène scintiller	science scene to sparkle

Examples with the [z] Sound

Position	Examples	English Meaning
Between two vowels	maison rose musique	house rose music
In liaison	les_amis (le-za-mi) des_oranges (dé-zo-ranj) vous_avez (vou-za-vé)	the friends (some) oranges you have

Silent S

In many cases, the final "s" is not pronounced in French:

In most plurals: tables, portes, fleurs (tables, doors, flowers)
At the end of certain words: repas, temps, puis (meal, time, then)
In some special cases: Paris, précis, vis (Paris, precise, screw)

Exception: The final "s" is pronounced in certain words such as:

Words of foreign origin: tennis, cosmos, virus
Some proper nouns: Mars, Vénus (Mars, Venus)
Some other cases: hélas, fils, ours (alas, son, bear)

Special Cases

The "sh" Combination

Mainly in words of foreign origin, "sh" is pronounced [ʃ] (like "sh" in English):

shampooing - [ʃɑ̃pwɛ̃] (shampoo)
shopping - [ʃɔpiŋ] (shopping)
short - [ʃɔʁ] (shorts)

The "sch" Combination

Generally in words of German origin, "sch" is also pronounced [ʃ] (like "sh" in English):

schéma - [ʃema] (diagram/schema)
schuss - [ʃus] (schuss - skiing term)

The prefix "trans-" followed by a vowel

In this case, the "s" is generally pronounced [z]:

transiger - [tʁɑ̃ziʒe] (to compromise)
transition - [tʁɑ̃zisjɔ̃] (transition)

Pronunciation Exercises

1. Simple Repetition

Listen and repeat these words with the [s] sound:

sac (bag), passer (to pass), espoir (hope), science (science), danse (dance)

Listen and repeat these words with the [z] sound:

maison (house), rose (rose), vase (vase), choisir (to choose), fraise (strawberry)

2. Practice Sentences

Repeat these sentences:

"Ses chaussures sont sous le siège." (His/Her shoes are under the seat.)
"La maison rose est située à dix minutes d'ici." (The pink house is located ten minutes from here.)
"Les oiseaux se posent sur les arbres sans bruit." (The birds land on the trees silently.)

3. Mini-dialogue

- Sophie, as-tu passé une bonne soirée hier ? (Sophie, did you have a good evening yesterday?)

- Oui, c'était sensationnel ! Nous sommes allés visiter le musée des sciences. (Yes, it was sensational! We went to visit the science museum.)

- Superbe ! La prochaine fois, je vais aussi visiter l'exposition sur les oiseaux. (Superb! Next time, I will also visit the exhibition about birds.)

Final Exercise

Note all the words that contain the [z] sound in this text:

Simon adore sa maison à la campagne. Chaque saison, il observe la transformation du paysage. En été, les oiseaux visitent son jardin plein de roses. Il passe des heures à lire sous un arbre, savourant la tranquillité.

Translation: Simon loves his house in the countryside. Each season, he observes the transformation of the landscape. In summer, the birds visit his garden full of roses. He spends hours reading under a tree, savoring the tranquility.

Words with [z] sound: maison, saison, observe, oiseaux, visitent, roses, heures, sous

Comparison with English

The pronunciation of "s" in French shares some similarities with English:

Voiceless [s] sound: sun, sit, pass (similar to French soleil, assis, passer)
Voiced [z] sound: zoo, rose, music (similar to French zoo, rose, musique)

Key differences from English:

Between vowels: In English, "s" between vowels can be [s] or [z] unpredictably (compare "base" [s] vs "rose" [z]). In French, it's consistently [z].
Silent plurals: English plurals always pronounce the "s" (cats, dogs), while French plural "s" is usually silent (chats, chiens).
Liaison: French has a unique feature where silent "s" becomes [z] in liaison (les_amis), which doesn't exist in English.

Common Pronunciation Mistakes for English Speakers

English speakers often make these common mistakes when pronouncing French "s":

Pronouncing silent plurals: Remember that plural "s" is usually silent in French (les livres = [le li-vʁ], not [le li-vʁes]).
Missing the [z] sound between vowels: Words like "maison" should sound like [me-zõ], not [me-sõ].
Ignoring liaison: In phrases like "les amis," the "s" links to the next word as [z]: [le-za-mi].
Over-pronouncing final "s": Many French words ending in "s" are silent (Paris, temps, repas).
Confusing "ss" and "s": Double "s" (poisson) is always [s], while single "s" between vowels (poison) is [z].

Tip: Pay attention to what comes before and after the "s" to determine its pronunciation!

Interactive Exercise

Identify the pronunciation of the letter "s" in the following words:

The word "soleil" (sun) contains an "s" that is pronounced:
The word "cuisine" (kitchen/cooking) contains an "s" that is pronounced:
The word "message" (message) contains an "s" that is pronounced:
The word "désert" (desert) contains an "s" that is pronounced:
The word "temps" (time/weather) contains an "s" that is:

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