How to pronounce the English alphabet Thierry Bézecourt
Last updated on January 11, 2004

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I originally wrote this text in 2001 for the Everything2 web site. Apparently it has been renamed to Pronouncing the English alphabet there.

... if you are French and want to pronounce the letters like a native English speaker:

a   eille
b   bi
c   ci
d   di
e   i
f   effe
g   dji
h   èyetch
i   aïe
j   djèye
k   kèye
l   elle
m   emme
n   enne
o   o
p   pi
q   kyou
r   âar
s   esse
t   ti
u   you
v   vi
w   dabeulyou
x   ex
y   ouaille
z   zède (or "zi" if you want to sound like an American|Eumériqueunn)

Repeat 10 times, as fast as you can: eille, bi, ci, di, i, effe, dji, èyetch, aïe, djèye, kèye, elle, emme, enne, o, pi, kyou, âar, esse, ti, you, vi, dabeulyou, ex, ouaille, zède.

Let us study the numbers now:

1   ouane
2   tou
3   (impossible to pronounce, do not try. Say "tou pleuss ouane".)
4   faur
5   faïve
6   sikss
7   séveunn
8   èyete
9   nayyne
10  tène

Examples:

FBI                -> efbi-aïe
E2                 -> itou
George W. Bush     -> djorge dabeulyou bouche
http://www.cia.com -> èyetchtitipi, kaleunn-slach, slach,
                      dabeulyou-dabeulyou-dabeulyou,
                      dotsi-aïe-eille, dotcomme (yeah!)

Now you are ready to sound like an London-born New Yorker.