The French alphabet has 26 letters just like English, and each letter's name and sound help learners with pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary from the very start.
Letters
The letters of the French alphabet are familiar to English speakers, but some letter names differ slightly in pronunciation and stress.
| Letter | French Name | Letter | French Name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ah | N | enn | |
| B | bay | O | oh | |
| C | say | P | pay | |
| D | day | Q | koo | |
| E | uh | R | air | |
| F | eff | S | ess | |
| G | jay | T | tay | |
| H | ahsh | U | oo | |
| I | ee | V | vay | |
| J | zhee | W | doo-bluh-vay | |
| K | kah | X | eeks | |
| L | ell | Y | ee-grek | |
| M | emm | Z | zed |
The letter H is called ahsh in French.
Usage
Learners practice spelling aloud using the alphabet to give their name, dictate words, and remember vocabulary, so knowing each letter's name is useful.
Accents
French accents don't change the alphabet itself, but they affect pronunciation and meaning, so learners pay attention to accents like é, è, ê, â, ç, and î.
Summary
The French alphabet has 26 familiar letters with distinctive French names that learners use for spelling and pronunciation, and accents guide pronunciation though they don't add new letters.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025