La phonologie:

les voyelles

/ i /

Possible spellings: i, y

Examples: livre, Vichy

/ y /

Possible spellings: u, û, (and rarely) eu

Examples: but, sûr, dur

/ u /

Possible spellings: ou, où, oû

Examples: vous, où, goût

/ e /

Possible spellings: é, es (in one-syllable words), ez (at the end of a word), er (at the end of a word), ai (rare, usually in verb endings and not followed by a consonant)

Examples: bébé, mes, étudiez, céder, j’ai

/ ø /

Possible spellings: eu, oeu (not followed by a sounded consonant)

Examples: feu, peu, noeud

/ o /

Possible spellings: o, au, eau

Examples: dos, faux, peau

~/ כ /

Possible spellings: on, om

Examples: bon, fond, ombre

/ ε /

Possible spellings: è, ê; (and with a consonant) ë, e, ai

Examples: père, fête, noël, bonnet, mais

~/ ε /

Possible spellings: in, im ( + p), ein, ain, aim, and (i)en

Examples: fin, important, rein, nain, faim, chien

/ œ /

Possible spellings: e, eu (+ sounded consonant), oeu (+ sounded consonant)

Examples: me, neuf, soeur

~/ œ /

Possible spellings: un, um

Examples: un, brun, parfum

/ כ /

Possible spellings: o + sounded consonant, au + sounded consonant (rare)

Examples: homme, bonne, auto

/ a /

Possible spellings: a (+ sounded consonant), à, e(mme) (rare)

Examples: bac, à, déjà, femme

/ α /

Possible spellings: a, â,

Examples: basse, grâce

~/ a /

Possible spellings: an, am, en, em

Examples: an, ambassade, enfant, emploi

/ wa /

Possible spellings: oi, oy

Examples: moi, roi, voyons

/ Ə /

Possible spellings: silent e unstressed or terminal e, es, ent (verb ending)

Examples: cheveux, appelons, pèses, habitent