The Cajun French Language is broken down into Masculine & Femanine catagories of spelling. Use our dictionary to assist you in learning how to Spell & Speak Louisiana's Second Most Spoken Language
We use an English-based system since most of our website users are native English speakers, but you should keep in mind that French pronunciation has traits that make such a comparison only approximative. Also, keep in mind that regional variants in pronunciation abound in CF (Cajun French). The pronunciation given here will be typical but not necessarily the "only way" the term is pronounced in South Louisiana.
There are sound clips icons located at the end of some words in this dictionary.
Click on the icon play button to assist you in learning the word by hearing it spoken in CF (Cajun French) or SF (Standard French)
You will also notice that some of the words in the sound clips will have a lady speaking the word and then a child will speak the same word. This is to show you the variants of the same word spoken in different dialect, but non the less BOTH are correct pronunciations of CF in South Louisiana.
a sounds like the “a” in “fat.”
AH sounds like the “o” in “pot.”
An sounds like the nasal vowel in "taunt" and “want.”
AW sounds something like the “a” in “father.”
CH sounds like "ch" in "cheer."
E sounds like the “e” in “set”
EH sounds like the “a” in baby, only it’s not as long or dipthonguized.
EE sounds like the vowel sound in “feet.”
En sounds like the nasal vowel sound in "can't" and “pant.”
EUH sounds something like the vowel sound in "put."
J sounds like the initial consonant sound in "just"
OH sounds like the vowel sound in "coat."
On sounds something like the nasal vowel in "dawn."
OO sounds like the vowel sound in “tool.”
SH sounds like the initial consonant sound in "sugar."
U sounds something like the vowel sound in "purée".
UH sounds like the vowel sound in "up.".
Y sounds like the “y” in “yes”
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