Pronunciation Guide • English (from French)

How to Pronounce genre

Difficulty: medium

IPA Transcription

/ˈʒɑːnrə/

Why is it so hard to pronounce?

ZHAHN-ruh. The "g" is not a hard G — it's the French /ʒ/ sound, like the "s" in "measure" or "vision". This is the voiced palato-alveolar fricative. Two syllables: ZHAHN + ruh.

💡 Pro Tip for genre

ZHAHN-ruh. The first sound is like the "s" in "treasure". Think: TREASURE without the "trea" — just "-sure" sound, then add "ahn-ruh".

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Word Origins

The term genre originates from French "genre" (type). Understanding its etymology helps explain why it breaks standard pronunciation rules.