2.4.1.1 Voiced and unvoiced s - 2

French differenatiates between voiced and unvoiced sounds. The sounds concerned are s and sh.

What actually is the difference? The difference is in the use of your vocal chords. They vibrate in the unvoiced version. Actually English has the same. Voiced s are in the words crazy, these. Unvoiced s are in words like sun, fuss, Swiss.

Graphemes for voiced s are: s, z, x, zz

Voiced s
maison (house)
zoo (zoo)
deuxième (second)
blizzard (blizzard)

Also in this case there are word couples that only differ in the way the s is pronounced.

  Unvoiced s Voiced s
face (face) phase (phase)
  vice (vice) (il) vise (he aims)
  (il se) chausse (he puts on shoes) chose (matter)
  baisser (to decrease) baiser (vulgar: to have sex)
(il) casse (he breaks) case (case, cottage)






contact privacy statement imprint