---
name: text-to-speech-symbols-fr-fr
title: French (France) symbols
description: The service supports the following symbols for French.
last-updated: 2023-03-23
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/text-to-speech?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# French (France) symbols
{: #frSymbols}

The service supports the following symbols for French.

## Vowels
{: #frVowels}

| SPR symbol | IPA symbol | IPA Unicode | Example words |
|:----------:|:----------:|:-----------:|---------------|
| a | a  \n   \n ɑ  \n   \n ɐ | 0061  \n   \n 0251  \n   \n 0250 | p**a**ttes, l**a**c, c**a**ve |
| e | e | 0065 | caf**é**, d**é**form**e**r, **é**t**é** |
| E | ɛ  \n   \n ɜ | 025B  \n   \n 025C | f**ai**te, m**ai**, h**e**rb |
| i | i  \n   \n ɪ | 0069  \n   \n 026A | f**i**lm, t**y**p**i**que |
| o | o | 006F | **eau**, **au**x, g**au**che |
| c | ɔ  \n   \n ɒ | 0254  \n   \n 0252 | P**au**l, n**o**te, échal**o**tte |
| u | u  \n   \n ʊ | 0075  \n   \n 028A | r**ou**e, **où**, t**ou**r |
| y | y  \n   \n ʏ | 0079  \n   \n 028F | **u**tile, p**u**re, Br**u**no |
| x ^**1**^ | ə | 0259 | litr**e**s, marbr**e** |
| 'eu' | ø  \n   \n ɵ | 00F8  \n   \n 0275 | m**eu**gle, p**eu**, joy**eu**x |
| 'oe' | œ  \n   \n ɶ | 0153  \n   \n 0276 | p**eu**r, c**oeu**r, j**eu**ne |
| 'a~' | ã  \n   \n ɑ̃ | 0061+0303  \n   \n 0251+0303 | b**an**c, **en**, t**em**ps |
| 'E~' | ẽ  \n   \n ɛ̃  \n   \n æ̃ | 0065+0303  \n   \n 025B+0303  \n   \n 00E6+0303 | f**i**n, pl**e**in, f**ai**m |
| 'o~' | õ  \n   \n ɔ̃ | 006F+0303  \n   \n 0254+0303 | b**on**, p**on**t, m**on** |
| 'oe~' | œ̃ | 0153+0303 | **un**, auc**un**, br**un** |
{: caption="Vowels (French)"}

**Note:**

1.  The `x` is elided in certain contexts.

## Consonants
{: #frConsonants}

| SPR symbol | IPA symbol | IPA Unicode | Example words |
|:----------:|:----------:|:-----------:|---------------|
| b | b | 0062 | **b**é**b**é, **b**alle, ro**b**e |
| d | d | 0064 | **d**ort, **d**olmen |
| f | f | 0066 | che**f**, **f**aim, **ph**are |
| g | g  \n   \n ɡ | 0067  \n   \n 0261 | **gu**erre, ba**gu**e, **g**arer |
| H | ɥ | 0265 | s**u**is, l**u**i, n**u**ée |
| j | j  \n   \n ʎ | 006A  \n   \n 028E | h**i**érarchie, pa**ill**e, **y**oga |
| k | k | 006B | **k**ilo, **c**aler, **qu**ai |
| l | l | 006C | **l**itre, i**ll**isible, pâ**l**e |
| m | m | 006D | **m**a**m**an, fe**mm**e, **m**iser |
| n | n | 006E | A**nn**e, **n**i, ma**n**iaque |
| 'ng' | ŋ | 014B | parki**ng**, campi**ng** |
| 'nj' | ɲ | 0272 | a**gn**eau, campa**gn**e |
| p | p | 0070 | **p**orte, **p**rêt, guê**p**e |
| r | r  \n   \n ɹ  \n   \n ʀ  \n   \n ʁ  \n   \n x  \n   \n χ | 0072  \n   \n 0279  \n   \n 0280  \n   \n 0281  \n   \n 0078  \n   \n 03C7 | pa**r**er, **r**a**r**e, ca**rr**eau |
| s | s | 0073 | **s**ans, ambi**t**ion, fa**ç**on |
| S | ʃ | 0283 | **ch**eval, lâ**ch**e, **sch**éma |
| t | t | 0074 | **t**on, pa**tt**e, théâ**t**re |
| v | v | 0076 | la**v**er, **w**agon, **v**isiter |
| w | w | 0077 | **ou**i, b**ou**ée, **w**att |
| z | z | 007A | ja**s**er, ré**s**eau, **z**ig**z**aguer |
| Z | ʒ | 0292 | ra**g**e, **g**îte, **j**ouer |
{: caption="Consonants (French)"}

## Liaison
{: #frLiaison}

In French, the `_` (underscore) can be used immediately following the final consonant of a word (but within the double-quotes that enclose the SPR) to indicate that it is a liaison consonant. A liaison consonant is pronounced only if the word that follows begins with a vowel.

| SPR symbol | IPA symbol | IPA Unicode |
|:----------:|:----------:|:-----------:|
| _ | ‿ | 203F |
{: caption="Liaison (French)"}

Examples of words with and without the liaison symbol follow:

-   `"p0'oe't1it_"`: The `t` is pronounced only if the following word begins with a vowel.
-   `"nEt"`: The `t` is always pronounced.

A dictionary entry *petit* with the translation value `"p'oe't1it_"` has the final `t` pronounced in the input string *un petit ami* but not in the input string *un petit chien*. An entry with the translation value `"nEt"` has the final `t` pronounced regardless of context.