French final consonants: check the word, then the phrase
Is the last consonant silent? Compare chat, sac and fil, check petit/petite, and separate a word’s ending from liaison in a short quiz.
In short
Check the whole word first: chat /ʃa/ has a silent t, while sac /sak/ has a pronounced /k/. Then check the phrase. A linking consonant in petit enfant follows a different rule from the /k/ already present in sac.
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Which French final consonants are pronounced?
Find:
| Word | Sound label | Final consonant? |
|---|---|---|
| chat | /ʃa/ | No /t/ |
| sac | /sak/ | Yes: /k/ |
| fil | /fil/ | Yes: /l/ |
| lit | /li/ | No /t/ |
| salut | /saly/ | No /t/ |
| étudiant | /etydjɑ̃/ | No /t/ |
The reminder “CaReFuL” points to final c, r, f, l, which are often pronounced. Keep it as a prompt to check. Fil ends in /l/, but fusil /fyzi/ (rifle) has no final /l/. Learning the complete word gives you a usable answer.
A new form can bring a new sound
petitsmall, masculine
Focus: Silent final t in isolation
Il est petit.
He is small.
petitesmall, feminine
Focus: Pronounced final /t/
Elle est petite.
She is small.
Meaning matters too. Fils meaning “son” is /fis/: the l is silent and the s is heard. Fils meaning “threads”, the plural of fil, is /fil/. The sentence tells you which dictionary entry to open.
Now put two words together
| Phrase | What happens? |
|---|---|
| un petit enfant | A /t/ links the adjective to its noun: liaison. |
| Le sac est ici. | The /k/ of sac joins the following vowel: enchaînement. |
| et après | No /t/ liaison after et. |
Mon fils est petit.
My son is small.
Keep the /s/ of fils. The final t of petit stays silent here.