Clone of Clone of Pronunciation / How do you pronounce the letter "c"?

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How do vowels affect the pronunciation of the consonant "c"?

In this video, we take you through the 4 different ways of pronouncing the letter "c", depending on the letters that surround it. Here are the most common cases:

• The "c" is pronounced [s] when the letter is in front of the vowels "e" (with or without accent) and "i", as in the words "cent" 💯,"cerveau " 🧠 or "merci" 🙏🏽.
  ❗Beware: before the vowels "a", "o" and "u", you need to add a cedillato make the sound [s], as in "français", "leçon" and "reçu".
• The "c" is naturally pronounced [k]: when it is in front of the vowels "a", "o" and "u", as in the words: "map " 🃏 "how" ❓,"cube" 🧊.
• If the letter "c" appears twice, pronounce /ks/ before "e" and "i", as in the words "accept " 🤝🏽 or "coccinelle " 🐞
  ❗Beware, before the vowels "a", "o" and "u", pronounce / k / as for a single "c" ("d'accord?", "occasion")
• The 'c' before an 'h' is generally pronounced [ʃ], as in ' chemise' 👔,' chien ' 🐶 .

Now that you know the pronunciation rules for the letter "c", watch the video to discover a "bonus" pronunciation rule: it's one of the many exceptions in the French language.

Here's a hint: the letter is found at the end of words as in: 'blanc', 'tabac', 'estomac' .... 🤫

Now it's your turn! Spot words with "c". Become aware of their pronunciation and practise repeating them!

Video explanations