Silent Letters

Final s is almost always silent in French, and it usually marks a plural in writing rather than pronunciation. This means that chat and chats sound the same aloud unless an s is linked to the next word with a liaison.

Final t is silent in many common French words, especially in endings like -ment, -et, and adjectives or nouns that end in -ant. Some famous final ts are heard only in liaisons, so they stay hidden unless you connect to a vowel sound.

Final d is typically silent in French, appearing in past participles and other forms where it marks tense or agreement in writing but does not affect pronunciation. Words like grand keep the sound short and drop the final d unless a liaison brings it out.

Final n or m usually signals that the preceding vowel is nasalized rather than producing a separate consonant sound. These letters are silent as consonants at the end of the word, so vin sounds like a nasal vowel and not like vinn.

Final x is silent in French plurals and in certain fixed forms, acting as a marker in writing without adding a consonant sound. In some cases, an x can trigger a liaison that pronounces a /z/ sound, but at word-end it remains quiet.

Final r is often silent in French infinitives and related forms, especially in casual speech where speakers drop the ending to speed up pronunciation. In other words, the final r can be heard or hidden depending on pace and register, but it never becomes a strong consonant.

Liaison is when a normally silent final consonant is pronounced because the next word begins with a vowel, linking two words smoothly. Learning which letters join in liaison—like final s, t, or n—helps you turn silent letters into sounds when needed and sounds more fluent.

Silent letters shape the rhythm and melody of French, so paying attention to them improves both listening and speaking. Final consonants like s, t, d, n, m, and x are usually quiet at the end of words unless a liaison brings them out, and nasal letters n/m change vowel quality rather than adding sound.