French spelling often contains letters you do not hear. These new examples include Hindi meanings and approximate Hindi pronunciation. Listen to audio too, especially for nasal vowels and the French R.
1 · Silent e at the end
An unaccented e at the end of a word is usually silent in standard spoken French. It can signal that the consonant before it is pronounced, as in grand / grande; the spelling does not always change that consonant’s sound.
robe — dressअर्थ: पोशाकबोलें: रोब
porte — doorअर्थ: दरवाज़ाबोलें: पोर्त
musique — musicअर्थ: संगीतबोलें: म्यूज़ीक
livre — bookअर्थ: किताबबोलें: लीव्र
grande — big (feminine)अर्थ: बड़ीबोलें: ग्राँद
2 · Silent final consonants
Many final consonants are silent in ordinary speech. This often includes d, g, p, s, t, and x, but there are exceptions. A liaison is a linking consonant pronounced in certain word groups before a vowel or mute h; it does not happen after every word.
froid — coldअर्थ: ठंडाबोलें: फ़्र्वा (d चुप)
sang — bloodअर्थ: खूनबोलें: साँ (g चुप)
champ — fieldअर्थ: खेतबोलें: शाँ (p चुप)
tapis — rugअर्थ: गलीचाबोलें: तापी (s चुप)
chat — catअर्थ: बिल्लीबोलें: शा (t चुप)
prix — priceअर्थ: कीमतबोलें: प्री (x चुप)
Hear the linking sound · मिलाकर बोलें
les arbres — the treesअर्थ: पेड़बोलें: ले ज़ार्ब्र (s → ज़)
un petit arbre — a small treeअर्थ: एक छोटा पेड़बोलें: अँ पती तार्ब्र (t सुनाई देता है)
deux élèves — two studentsअर्थ: दो विद्यार्थीबोलें: दू ज़ेलेव (x → ज़)
3 · Silent h: muet and aspiré
The written h itself is silent in both groups. With h muet, French allows elision (le → l’) and normal liaison. With h aspiré, it blocks elision and liaison: keep le or la. The name “aspiré” does not mean you pronounce an English h sound.
H aspiré · no elision
le hibou — the owlअर्थ: उल्लूबोलें: ल इबू (ह नहीं बोलें)
le hasard — chanceअर्थ: संयोगबोलें: ल अज़ार
le homard — the lobsterअर्थ: लॉब्स्टरबोलें: ल ओमार
la hauteur — the heightअर्थ: ऊँचाईबोलें: ला ओतूर
H muet · elision is allowed
l’hiver — the winterअर्थ: सर्दी का मौसमबोलें: लीवेर