LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "le chat" in French?
luh SHAH — "ch" is "sh", the vowel is an open "ah", and the "t" is silent.
The phrase peaks on CHAT, one syllable ending in open air. Two words, two beats — and the noun is only two sounds despite four letters.
Listen: le chat
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
Le chat dort toute la journée.
The cat sleeps all day.
Listen: Le chat dort toute la journée.
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"Le chat dort toute la journée" uses "la journée" rather than "le jour", because the feminine form emphasises the day as a span of time — exactly what "all day" means. "Toute" is the feminine of "tout", with an audible "t". "Dort" ends in a silent "t", so the verb is /dɔʁ/.
Where English speakers slip
Give the "ch" its English value and you get "chat" as in a conversation — which is also an English word, making the interference stronger. French says "sha". Learners also pronounce the "t". And the jour/journée distinction is worth noticing: "toute la journée" is the natural phrase, while "tout le jour" would sound odd.