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How to pronounce six in French: /sis/, /si/ and /siz/

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose the sound of six in eight short questions. Compare counting, six cups, six euros, six o’clock and a number used as a label.

In short

Say six /sis/ when counting or giving the number alone. In a quantity phrase, use /si/ before a consonant, as in six tasses, and /siz/ before a vowel or mute h, as in six euros and six heures.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Exactly six plain white coffee cups arranged naturally on a French kitchen shelf.
Six tasses keeps the number close to the following word. Illustration: Atelier
Study first: three useful anchors
UseFrenchSound of six
The number aloneIl en reste six./sis/
Quantity before a consonantsix tasses/si/
Quantity before a vowelsix euros/siz/
Quantity before mute hsix heures/siz/

Keep six with the next word

The next sound matters: tasses and livres start with consonants; oranges and œufs start with vowels. In a quantity phrase, read the number and what follows as one unit. If six names a label, as in le numéro six, the independent form /sis/ is the useful anchor.

  1. Question 1No account needed
    You are counting aloud. Choose the sound of six.Quatre, cinq, six, sept.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /sis/. In a counting sequence, six takes the independent pronunciation /sis/.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Choose the sound before this consonant-initial noun.Je prends six tasses.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /si/. Tasses begins with /t/. The quantity phrase uses six /si/.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Choose the sound before this vowel-initial noun.Il reste six oranges.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /siz/. The /z/ links the number to oranges, which begins with a vowel.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Choose the sound in this time expression.On commence à six heures.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /siz/. The h of heures is mute. Six heures has linking /z/.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Give the number on its own at the end of the reply.— Combien de personnes ? — Six.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /sis/. The reply ends with the independent number six, so its final /s/ is pronounced.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Choose the sound before personnes.Une table pour six personnes, s’il vous plaît.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /si/. Personnes starts with /p/. In this quantity phrase the final consonant of six is silent.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Read the label at the end of the sentence.C’est le numéro six.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /sis/. Here six identifies a number label. It is pronounced /sis/, as when naming the number.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Which phrase has linking /z/ after the number?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    six euros. Euros begins with a vowel. Say /siz/ before it, linking /z/ to the noun.

Try each sentence aloud after checking it. Keep the number close to the next word in the quantity phrases. When you reach the reply that ends in six, let its final /s/ finish the word clearly.

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