4.2: Consonant Clusters with the Letter H
- Page ID
- 268159
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn about consonant clusters with the letter h (ch, th, ph, sh).
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
Let's get started!
The letters C and H
When the letters c and h are combined in French, they make the same sound as the combined letters sh, [ʃ], in English.
Here are a few examples of words that contain ch where the letter combinations are pronounced [ʃ].
machine, riche, chapeau, chat
There are, however, a few exceptions. In a few cases, the ch has the same [k] sound as in the word chord in English.
psychiatrie, archéologie, chaos, chronomètre
In other instances, the ch combination makes the [ʧ] sound, as in the word chair in English. This is mostly the case when there's a t before ch, and with words borrowed from other languages.
Tchao, Tchatter/chatter, match, coach
The letters S and H
In French, a small number of words borrowed from English keep the sh sound and spelling.
showbiz, shampooing, shampouiner, shakespearien
In cases where there is a dé before it, sh is pronounced like [z] in zebra.
déshabiller, déshydratation, déshérité, déshonorer
The letters P and H
In French, as in English, the ph combination produces the [f] sound in French.
éléphant, photo, géographe, phase
In French, certain prefixes and suffixes are are always written with ph instead of f.
For example: phil-, phys-, phon-
Or, -graph, -sphère, -phone
philosophie, physiologie, phonétique
géographe, atmosphère, homophone
The letters T and H
The letter combination th is pronounced like the letter [t]. The English th, [ð], pronunciation does not exist in French.
thé, théorie, mathématiques, Pythagore
Let's practice!
Activity
In the list of words below, look at the letters in bold and put the right phonetic symbol for that sound in front of the word.
Phonetic symbols: [ʃ] like in show, [k] like in archetype, [ʧ] like in reach, [z] like in zero, [f] like in phantom, [t] like in tea.
- machine
- rhythme
- déshydrogéner
- coach
- le showbiz
- pharmacie
- thème
- architecture
- archéologie
- théâtre