H's in French words borrowed from other languages are usually aspirate. Though the H aspiré is not pronounced, it acts like a consonant; that is, contractions are not permitted with it and liaisons are not made in front of it. For example, le + hockey does not contract to "l'hockey" but remains le hockey. And les héros (the heroes) is pronounced [lay ay ro]. If you were to pronounce this with a liaison, [lay zay ro], you would be saying les zéros (the zeros).
Here are the most common French words that begin with H aspiré.
hâbleur boaster
la hache axe
hacher to chop
le hachisch hashish
le haddock haddock
la haie hedge
le haïku haiku
le haillon rag
la haine hatred
haïr to hate
haïssable detestable
halal halal
le hâle suntan
haleter to pant
le hall hall
la halle market
le hallier thicket, brush
le halo halo
la halte break
le hamac hammock
le hamburger hamburger
le hameau hamlet
le hammam hammam
la hampe pole
le hamster hamster
la hanche hip
le hand-ball handball
le handicap handicap
le hangar shed
hanter to haunt
happer to snatch, grab
harangue harangue
harasser to exhaust
harceler to harass
la harde herd
harder to leash
hardi daring
le hareng herring
la hargne spiteful anger
le haricot bean
harnacher to harness
le harpail herd
la harpe harp
le harpon harpoon
le hasard luck, chance
la hâte haste
hâter to hasten
haut high
la hauteur height
le havre haven
hercher to haul
le hère wretch, young stag
le hérisson hedgehog
la hernie hernia
le héron heron
le héros hero
la herse hearse, harrow
le hêtre beech tree
heurter to strike
le hiatus hiatus
le hibou owl
le hic snag
le hickory hickory
hideux hideous
la hiérarchie hierarchy
le hiéroglyphe hieroglyphe
hippie hippie
hisser to hoist, heave, haul
le hobby hobby
hocher to nod
le hockey hockey
la Hollande Holland
le homard lobster
Hong-Kong Hong Kong
la Hongrie Hungary
la honte shame
le hoquet hiccup
hors outside
la houe hoe
la houille coal
la houle swell
houleux stormy
le hooligan hooligan
la houppe tuft
houspiller to scold
la housse cover
housser to cover
le houx holly
le hublot porthole
la huche chest, trunk
huer to boo
le huguenot Huguenot
huit eight
hululer to hoot
humer to smell
hurler to shriek
Note: The other type of French H is the H muet
Quiz: H muet vs H aspiré
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