Pronunciation
The sounds English lacks, and the even rhythm of French.
French has a handful of sounds English lacks, and a rhythm that gives each syllable about the same weight. Getting both right matters more than any single word.
Sounds English lacks
| Sound | Spelled | Examples | How to make it |
|---|---|---|---|
| u | u | tu, rue, vu | Say ee with your lips rounded tight |
| eu | eu, œu | deux, peur, sœur | Say é with rounded lips |
| nasal vowels | an, on, in, un | dans, bon, vin | Air through the nose; no n |
| r | r | rouge, très | At the back of the throat |
| gn | gn | montagne | Like the ny of canyon |
The difference between u and ou changes words: tu "you" and tout "all", rue "street" and roue "wheel", dessus "on top" and dessous "underneath".
Pure vowels
English vowels glide: say "go" slowly and it ends in w. French vowels stay put from start to end. Beau is a pure o, café ends on a pure é, and si is a short, clean ee.
Even syllables, stress at the end
Words have no stress of their own. Every syllable gets about the same length, and the last syllable of a group of words is a little longer: un petit café is un-pe-tit-ca-fé. Words English stresses at the start are said evenly in French: village, possible, moment.
Consonants
- p, t and k come without the puff of air English gives them at the start of a word: hold a hand before your mouth and papa barely moves it.
- t and d are made with the tongue against the back of the top teeth.
- l is always the light l of English leaf, never the dark l of full.
The dropped e
An unstressed e often drops out of everyday speech when the consonants around it allow: samedi is "sam'di", petit "p'tit", je ne sais pas "j'sais pas". Say it in full while you learn; you'll hear the short forms everywhere.
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
How do you say French u, as in tu?
Say ee with your lips rounded tight, as for oo.
Which sound tells vu (seen) from vous (you)?
The vowel: u in vu, ou in vous.
Where does the stress fall in French?
Lightly, on the last syllable of a group of words.
How do French vowels differ from English ones?
They're pure: they don't glide into another sound.
How is the French r made?
At the back of the throat, like a soft gargle.
How does a French p or t differ from an English one?
There's no puff of air after it.
What happens to the e of samedi or petit in everyday speech?
It's often dropped: "sam'di", "p'tit".
How is gn said?
Like the ny of canyon.