The alphabet can be awfully versatile when you need it to be. Take, for example, the letter “c.” When you recite the alphabet, it has a soft, smooth sound, identical to “sea.” Mix it with other letters, and you have a whole soundscape to draw from. Let's "see" how many sounds the letter "c" can make.
The Soft "C"
On its own, the letter “c” sounds like the word "see." But the soft “c” is less common when pronouncing full words. You almost always pronounce a soft “c” only if it’s paired with an “e,” “i,” or “y.”
Examples: cease, cedar, cider, cyber
Various soft "c" words have slightly different pronunciations depending on the vowel. These sliding vowel sounds are called "diphthongs." For example, "celery" starts with a “suh” that morphs into an "ell." "Cyan" has more of a “sigh” sound, and "city" falls somewhere in between.
The Hard "C"
The most common pronunciation of the letter “c” is basically interchangeable with a hard “k” or “kuh” sound. The hard “k” appears depending on what letter it’s paired with — most often, “a,” “o,” or “u,” as well as the consonants “l,” “r,” or “t.”
Examples: capital, contain, customer, classy, crystal, district
Unlike soft “c’s,” you’ll find that the hard "c" pronunciation is pretty standard in English, no matter what vowel it’s paired with. Hard “c’s” paired with consonants do have a slightly different sound, as in "cleave" (“kl”) or "crave" (“kr”).
When a “c” appears at the end of a word, it’s typically pronounced with a hard “k” sound, as in "arc" or "scientific."
The "Ch"
Pair a “c” with an “h” and — most of the time, at least — you have a cushy, soft sound, as in “cheese,” “chew,” or “teach.” The sound of the “ch” changes depending on the placement and the origin of the word.
In English, when “ch” is at the beginning or end of a word, it’s the soft pronunciation.
Examples: church, change, chocolate, watch, spinach, smooch
But if the “ch” is in the middle of the word, it's usually a hard “k” sound, as in "echo."
Words of Greek origin also pronounce “ch” with a hard “k.”
Examples: chrome, mechanic, chemistry
French-inspired words use the soft “ch” as well, no matter where the letters are located.
Examples: nonchalant, charade
The Silent "C"
Sometimes a “c” doesn’t make a sound at all, such as when it’s paired with the letter “s.” "Scissor" and "miscellaneous" follow this silent “c” rule, but like many English-language guidelines, it’s not universal.
First, there are words with a silent “c” and no “s.” Think of "Connecticut" — "kun-ET-ih-cut. You don’t pronounce that middle “c.”
Second, there are other words that do have the “s” next to the “c” and the “c” is still pronounced, often with the hard “k” sound.
Examples: school, scandal, script
The Quiet "C"
There’s a handful of words in English that make a fricative "s" sound like “sh” — usually only appearing in adjectives ending with "-cious" or "-cial," as in "ferocious" or "social." Of course, exceptions do pop up. The word "ocean" gets the “sh” treatment, and "ocelot" is pronounced with an “s.”
What have we learned about pronouncing the letter “c”? It wouldn’t be English without a few exceptions.