Introduction

This website details the use of a phonetic-based writing system for French language.

Our alphabet is the following:

• 32 sound letters: a ã b c d e é è ë f g i ĩ j j̃ k l m n o õ ö p r s t u ũ v w y z
• 2 mute signs: x et h

When reading, each of the 32 letters is always pronounced with the same sound. Conversely, when writing, each of the 32 sound is written with the same letter. The mapping between the letter and the sound is given in the table of sounds below.
This phonetic writing sytem is extended with two signs: sign h, which is used to prevent a liaison with a preceeding letter, but which is never pronounced; Sign x, which can be used at the end of a name to indicate the plural form, but which is never pronounced either.

Young French-speaking people and people learning French usually find such a writing system simpler, faster, more logical, and more efficient ; On the opposite, French-speaking people intensively trained to French orthography find it less precise, less etymological, less beautiful, and even sometimes chocking.

Method

As an example, let's take the sentence « Salut, ça va ? ». When breaking down each word into a sequence of elementary sounds according to the table of sounds below, it is easy to obtain its phonetical description. The result is « salu sa va ? », which leaves no ambiguity about its pronunciation.

You can try it yoursef by submitting a word of your choice in the following form.

• Be careful, its French orthography must be correct.
• Try with words as different as boire, coincer, bailler, intifada, intimider, alléguer, alléger to fully understand the method.
• To translate a whole text, use the Phonetizer.

Table of sounds