French h (silent vs aspirated)

/∅ / (h)/

Accent-Specific Coaching

For American Speakers

This is about UN-learning something. In French, 'h' is NEVER pronounced as a sound — there's no breath or friction. 'Hôtel' is simply 'ôtel'. 'Homme' is 'omme'. The hard part for Americans is suppressing the strong 'h' you naturally produce. The twist: some French h-words allow elision and liaison (l'homme, les hommes) while others block it (le haricot, NOT l'haricot). This is a vocabulary memorisation issue, not a pronunciation one.

For British Speakers

RP carefully preserves 'h' in standard speech, which makes the French silent 'h' feel unnatural. You need to suppress it completely. No breath, no friction, nothing. 'Hôtel' starts with the vowel 'ô'. Practice reading French h-words and starting directly with the vowel that follows.

For Australian / NZ Speakers

Australian English sometimes drops 'h' in casual speech ('e went to 'is 'ouse'), which actually helps here. In French, take that casual h-dropping and make it permanent and universal. Never pronounce 'h'. 'Hôtel' = 'ôtel'. The liaison rules (which h-words allow linking) need memorisation.

For Irish Speakers

Some Irish English dialects drop 'h' in certain positions, which may give you a natural bridge. In French, extend that to ALL h-words — never pronounce 'h'. 'Hôtel' starts with the vowel. The liaison rules need memorisation but the pronunciation itself should feel achievable.

For Scottish Speakers

Scottish English preserves 'h' clearly, so you'll need to actively suppress it for French. No breath at all on any 'h'. Start every h-word with the vowel that follows. This is a habit change rather than a sound change — the physical ability is simple, the reprogramming takes practice.

For Indian Speakers

Hindi has a strong h sound and even breathy voiced h. For French, suppress ALL of this. French h is completely silent. Hôtel starts directly with the vowel. This may feel wrong because Hindi treats h as meaningful, but in French it is purely decorative.

For South African Speakers

South African English preserves h in standard speech. For French, suppress entirely. No breath, no friction.

For Nigerian / W. African Speakers

Nigerian English generally pronounces h clearly. For French, drop it completely. If you already know some French from school or Francophone neighbours, you may already be familiar with silent h.