French Steps - Pronunciation - '-g' and '-j'

Pronouncing '- g' and '- j'

Before an 'e' or an 'i', the letter g has a soft sound like the 's' in the English word 'measure':

boulangerie fromage village Genève vin rouge

Before any other letter, g has the same hard sound as in the English word 'go':

gâteau grand Grenoble anglais

Compare both sounds in these words:

garage gigolo

gn, on the other hand, sounds like the 'ny' sound in the middle of the English word 'onions':

montagne champagne champignons Dordogne

The letter j always sounds like the soft version of a 'g':

je jus joli