Vowels

• a – as in “father”
• e – as in “set”
• i – as in “macaroni”
• o – as in “so”
• u – like i in “sit” but with the lips pursed as if you are kissing
• ai – as in “raid”
• au like English “o”
• eau like English “o”
• oi like English “wa”
• ou – as in “soup”
• ui like English “we”
  

Consonants

Most of the consonants are pronounced as they are in American English with these exceptions:

• c before a, o and u like English “k”
• c before e, i and y like English “s”
• ç like English “s”
• ch like English “sh”
• g before a, o and u as in “go”
• g before e, i and y as in “mirage”
• gn like ni in “onion”
• h is always silent
• q like English “k”
• ph like English (“f”)
• sc before a, o and u as in “scope”
• sc before e and i as in “science”
• th like English “t”
• ti like English “s”
• w like English “v”
• x at the start of a word, before a consonant or at the end of a word or syllable as in “express”
• x between vowels as in “example”
• x at the end of numbers like English “s”
  

TIPS: Usually only the consonants b, c, f, k, q and r are pronounced at the end of words. As b, k and q are rare final letters, you can remember to be CaReFuL to pronounce the common final letters.
Generally speaking, French does not emphasize syllables.