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French f and v pronunciation: a lip-and-teeth cheat sheet

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Feel the difference between French f and v, compare fou/vous and fin/vin, and practise short phrases. Includes a printable sheet and a three-question check.

In short

For French /f/ and /v/, bring your lower lip lightly against your upper front teeth and let air pass. /f/ is voiceless; /v/ adds vocal-fold vibration. In fou /fu/ and vous /vu/, keep the vowel the same and change the first sound.

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Two adult learners practise speaking in a classroom.
Listen for the difference between fou and vous. Illustration: Atelier

Les sons /f/ et /v/

1 · One mouth position

Let air flow between your lower lip and upper teeth. Keep the contact light. Both sounds can continue: /ffff/ and /vvvv/.

/f/airflow, voiceless
/v/airflow with voicing

Vous venez ?Are you coming?

2 · Add vibration for /v/

Hold /f/, then add your voice to make /v/. Rest two fingers lightly on your throat to feel the change. Keep the same lip-and-teeth position.

C’est fou !That’s crazy!

3 · Keep the vowel steady

Alternate fou — vous, then fin — vin. In each pair, the vowel stays the same. The symbols /ɛ̃/ mark a nasal vowel in the second pair.

fou /fu/ — vous /vu/crazy — you
fin /fɛ̃/ — vin /vɛ̃/thin — wine

Ce verre est fin.This glass is thin.

Le vin est rouge.The wine is red.

4 · Notice the sound at the end too

Compare neuf /nœf/ and neuve /nœv/: the first is masculine, the second feminine. In neuf ans, the written f is pronounced /v/: /nœvɑ̃/. Learn that complete phrase.

Un vélo neuf. Une voiture neuve.A new bicycle. A new car.

Mon fils a neuf ans.My son is nine.

How do you pronounce f and v in French?

From a sustained sound to a phrase
StepSayKeep your attention on
1/f/ — /v/The same lip contact; vibration changes.
2fou — vous — fou — vousThe same /u/ vowel after each consonant.
3fin — vin — fin — vinThe same nasal vowel after each consonant.
4C’est fou ! Et vous ?Carry each consonant into a short phrase.

For vous, avoid closing both lips as you would for /b/. Keep the upper teeth at the lower lip and let the sound continue. If fou and vous feel identical, return to the sustained sounds and notice the vibration during /v/. Make the change gently, then shorten each sound back to ordinary speech.

Pouvez-vous dire « fou », puis « vous » ?

Can you say “fou”, then “vous”?

Ask a French-speaking partner for a model, then repeat the pair and ask which word they heard.

Check your mouth position

A self-review aid, not a grade. Ticks are not saved.

Question 1No account needed
Which sound adds vocal-fold vibration?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

/v/. /v/ is the voiced member of the pair; /f/ is voiceless.

Question 2No account needed
What changes between fou /fu/ and vous /vu/?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The first consonant. The vowel /u/ stays the same, while /f/ changes to /v/.

Question 3No account needed
Which description matches neuf ans?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The consonant is pronounced /v/.. In the complete phrase meaning “nine years”, the consonant between the two vowels is /v/.

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