In French, the letter combination AU is almost always pronounced as the closed O sound: /o/. This is the same sound as eau (water) or ô (as in hôtel).
- How to make the sound:
Round your lips tightly as if to say “oh,” but keep your tongue back and don’t let the sound glide into a “w” or “u.” It’s a pure vowel, like the “o” in go without the final “oo” movement. - Key rule:
AU = /o/ in about 99% of cases, whether it’s at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
Exception: In a few proper names (like Paul, Saul), AU is pronounced /ɔ/ (the open O, like the “o” in hot in British English). We’ll mark these exceptions.
📚 Many Examples (all with /o/ unless noted)
Common words with AU at the beginning
- au (to the, at the) – /o/
- aux (to the, plural) – /o/ (silent x)
- auto (car) – /o.to/
- autre (other) – /otʁ/
- aube (dawn) – /ob/
- aurore (dawn, aurora) – /o.ʁɔʁ/
- augmenter (to increase) – /oɡ.mɑ̃.te/
- authentique (authentic) – /o.tɑ̃.tik/
- auteur (author) – /o.tœʁ/
- autorité (authority) – /o.to.ʁi.te/
- autour (around) – /o.tuʁ/
- autruche (ostrich) – /o.tʁyʃ/
- auberge (inn) – /o.bɛʁʒ/
- audace (boldness) – /o.das/
- austère (austere) – /os.tɛʁ/
- auvent (awning) – /o.vɑ̃/
Words with AU in the middle
- cauchemar (nightmare) – /koʃ.maʁ/
- caution (deposit, caution) – /ko.sjɔ̃/
- faute (mistake) – /fot/
- gaucher (left-handed) – /ɡo.ʃe/
- haut (high) – /o/
- mauvais (bad) – /mo.vɛ/
- sauf (except) – /sof/
- taux (rate, percentage) – /to/
- vaut (is worth) – /vo/
- chaud (hot) – /ʃo/
- bateau (boat) – /ba.to/ (here eau = /o/ as well)
Words with AU at the end
- landau (pram) – /lɑ̃.do/
- un bureau (desk/office) – /by.ʁo/ (again eau)
- un chapeau (hat) – /ʃa.po/
- un couteau (knife) – /ku.to/
Common phrases with AU
- au revoir – /o ʁə.vwaʁ/
- au secours (help!) – /o sə.kuʁ/
- au contraire – /o kɔ̃.tʁɛʁ/
- au fait (by the way) – /o fɛ/
- au début (at the beginning) – /o de.by/
⚠️ The only real exception: names with AU = /ɔ/
In a few proper names (often from Latin or German origins), AU sounds like the open O (/ɔ/), similar to British English “hot” or French sotte (silly). The most common ones:
- Paul – /pɔl/ (not /pol/)
- Saul – /sɔl/
- Laure – /lɔʁ/ (not /loʁ/ – the female name)
- Aurèle – /ɔ.ʁɛl/ (sometimes, though many say /o.ʁɛl/)
Note: Even native speakers occasionally pronounce Laure and Aurèle with /o/, but /ɔ/ is traditional. For everyday words, stick to /o/.
🔁 Quick practice
Say these out loud, keeping your lips rounded and the vowel pure – no “w” sound at the end:
au → haut → auto → aube → autre → au revoir
Now compare with the exception:
Paul (/pɔl/) – notice your mouth is slightly more open than in pôle (/pol/, “pole”).
