If you've ever wondered why unique ends in a /k/ sound even though it's spelled with -que, you've found one of the most reliable spelling-to-sound rules in English. Every word ending in -que is a French loanword, and English borrowed both the spelling and the simple French rule: QUE at the end of a word equals /k/. Master this once and you'll correctly pronounce dozens of words.
The Rule in One Line
When a word ends in -que, the entire ending is pronounced as the single sound /k/. The Q, U, and E are all silent except for the K-sound they together represent. There are no exceptions in modern English vocabulary.
Why This Rule Exists
French uses -que to write the /k/ sound at the end of words (just as English uses -ck or -ke). When English imported these words, it kept the French spelling instead of respelling them as -k or -ck. The result: a French-looking ending that English speakers must learn as a unit.
Practice Words
The Pattern with Stress
Most -que words have a special stress pattern: the stress falls on the syllable just before the -que ending, and that syllable usually contains a long vowel.
- uˈNIQUE /juːˈniːk/ — stress on NIQUE, long /iː/
- anˈTIQUE /ænˈtiːk/ — stress on TIQUE, long /iː/
- oˈPAQUE /oʊˈpeɪk/ — stress on PAQUE, long /eɪ/
- techˈNIQUE /tɛkˈniːk/ — stress on NIQUE, long /iː/
- bouˈTIQUE /buːˈtiːk/ — stress on TIQUE, long /iː/
This is the opposite of typical English stress, which usually falls on the first syllable. The French stress survived along with the spelling.
Short Single-Syllable -QUE Words
Short words don't move the stress, but the /k/ rule still applies and the vowel before is short:
- plaque /plæk/ — short /æ/, just /k/ at the end
- mosque /mɑːsk/ — the S is pronounced, but QUE is just /k/
- clique /klɪk/ — short /ɪ/, then /k/
- cheque /tʃɛk/ — British spelling for "check"
Common -QUE Words You Use
This list is short — less than fifty words in everyday English — but you meet many of them often:
- technique, unique, antique, opaque, plaque, mosque, clique, oblique, baroque, grotesque, picturesque, mystique, physique, critique, communique, boutique, cheque (UK)
Don't Confuse -QUE with -QU at the Start of a Word
At the start or middle of a word, QU is pronounced /kw/ (queen, quiet, quick, request). It's only at the end of a word that QU+E collapses to a simple /k/. So:
- queen /kwiːn/ — start of word: /kw/
- quick /kwɪk/ — start of word: /kw/
- unique /juːˈniːk/ — end of word: just /k/
Exceptions and Things to Watch
- queue /kjuː/ — looks like it should follow the rule but actually rhymes with "you". The Q is /k/, the U adds /j/+/uː/, and the second UE is silent. This is the only common -QUE-like word that breaks the pattern.
- masque /mæsk/ — old word for a costumed performance, follows the rule (just /k/).
- Adjectives in -QUE often add -ly: uniquely /juːˈniːkli/, obliquely /əˈbliːkli/. The /k/ stays, then /li/.
Mini Practice
- "This is a unique opportunity to learn a new technique."
- "The antique was on display at a small boutique."
- "The plaque outside the mosque is in three languages."
- "Their clique has a very baroque sense of style."
Why This Rule Helps Your Speaking
Many learners over-pronounce these endings, saying "u-nik-yoo" or "an-tik-way". Native speakers hear these as foreign or comical. Once you internalise that -que = /k/, the entire family of words snaps into place at once.
Key Takeaways
- Every English word ending in -QUE is a French loanword pronounced with a final /k/.
- The Q, U, and E together form one sound: /k/. No vowel is heard at the end.
- In multi-syllable -QUE words, the stress usually lands on the syllable before the ending and contains a long vowel.
- QU at the start of a word is /kw/ (queen), but at the end of a word it collapses to /k/.
- The only major exception is queue /kjuː/.