Silent Letters

Many French words end in a consonant letter that you do not pronounce, though some final consonants do sound out in certain words or because of liaison. Final consonants like d, t, s, n are usually silent when they come at the very end of a word.

Liaison is when a normally silent final consonant is pronounced because the next word begins with a vowel sound, linking the two words smoothly. Liaison can change whether a final consonant is heard in speech and helps listeners identify grammatical relationships.

The final e (called e muet) is often silent in standard French, especially at the end of a word or before a consonant, but it may be lightly pronounced in poetry, song, or certain regional accents to maintain rhythm. When final e is silent, it can affect whether the preceding consonant is pronounced.

In French, double consonants in writing usually represent a single sound in pronunciation, and they do not make the consonant sound longer. They can sometimes affect the quality of the preceding vowel but the second consonant is typically not pronounced separately.

Some silent letters are important clues for gender or number in writing even though they are not pronounced, like the -s or -t at the end of adjectives and nouns. These letters affect agreement and must be learned for correct spelling.

Silent letters in French guide pronunciation, liaison, and grammatical meaning; final consonants are usually mute unless liaison applies; the e muet is typically silent; double consonants show spelling rather than length; and some silent letters signal gender or number in writing.