Why French pronunciation is delightfully unique
Short version: your lips work overtime and your rhythm changes teams.
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The famous French “u” /y/ vs “ou” /u/
Pucker like you’re whistling for a very chic poodle: tu /ty/ vs tout /tu/. If your lips aren’t doing something glamorous, you’re probably saying the wrong one. -
Rounded vowels you don’t have in English
peu /pø/ vs peur /pœʁ/. Same neighborhood, different vowels; the first is tighter and more “rounded-smile,” the second is rounder and more open. -
Nasal vowels (air through nose + mouth)
an /ɑ̃/, on /ɔ̃/, in /ɛ̃/ (and yes, in many places brun/brin are twins—both are welcome at the party). Don’t “ng” them; keep the tongue forward and let the soft palate relax. -
That French “r” /ʁ/
It’s a relaxed fricative at the back of the throat, not a gargle and not a Spanish tap. Imagine fogging a mirror softly: rue, Paris, très. -
The “e muet” (schwa) and melody
Spoken French loves to drop ne and sometimes the little e (je ne sais pas → j’sais pas). The rhythm is more syllable-timed (each syllable matters) than the big stress thumps of English. Think legato. -
Liaison & enchaînement
Word boundaries are social constructs: les amis → /lez‿ami/; but les héros (h aspiré) stays apart: /le eʁo/. Your words want to hold hands—let them. -
Silent finals (mostly)
The “CaReFuL” rule helps: final c, r, f, l often pronounce; most others don’t: grand /gʁɑ̃/ but grand homme /gʁɑ̃ dɔm/ (liaison strikes again).
The “actor switch” that helped me (and might help you)
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Over-articulate in practice. Big lips, clear vowels, slow motion. Then dial back to normal speed.
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Project gently. A touch of theatre voice frees your jaw and improves clarity. (Aix café neighbors: merci for your patience.)
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Copy real humans. Pick a newsreader, a podcaster, or your favorite Aixois vendor and shadow them for 30 seconds at a time.
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Record yourself. Painful? Yes. Useful? Immensely. You’ll hear the “u/ou” gremlins instantly.
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Use a mirror. French is visual—if you don’t see rounding, you probably don’t hear it.
Quick wins by level
A1–A2: Build the mouth feel
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Minimal pairs: tu/tout, peu/peur, beau/bon, lu/lou.
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Virelangue starter: “Trois très gros rats gris.”
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Habit: pronounce every syllable (even tiny words) and let common liaisons happen: vous avez, très utile.
B1–B2: Connect the flow
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Practice liaison vs no liaison lists (h aspiré words: le haricot, les héros, le hockey).
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Tame the e muet: say it lightly when it helps rhythm, drop it when natives do.
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Intonation: keep it smooth; avoid English rollercoaster question rises. Try a gentle final lift for yes/no questions.
C1–C2: Prosody polish
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Groupes de souffle: speak in sense-chunks (underline or slash your scripts).
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Register switches: formal ne back in when needed; reduce slang when clarity matters.
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Tune vowels for elegance: lighten /œ/ vs /ø/ contrasts in fast speech without losing them.
Tiny drills that punch above their weight
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U-gym (30s): Whisper tu, su, du, lune with exaggerated rounding.
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Nasal walk (30s): an–on–in in a loop while smiling slightly (prevents “ng”).
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R ripple (30s): Fog a mirror on r… r… rue… rire… très—no gargling.
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Liaison ladder (1 min): vous‿avez, très‿utile, petit‿enfant, then throw in a blocker: les héros.
A little love letter to French readers ❤️
Merci for cheering us on when we sound like accordion beginners. Every smile at our valiant u, every gentle correction of our wayward liaisons, and every “ça vient, continuez !” turns the scary stage into a friendly rehearsal room. We’re trying to be just a tiny bit more Aixois(e) every day—avec l’accent qui va avec, promis.
Virelangues to keep in your pocket
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Les chaussettes de l’archiduchesse sont-elles sèches?
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Un chasseur sachant chasser… (you know the one).
Say them slowly, clearly, then faster—like a warm-up before your next scene at the marché.
Your turn: When did your accent click? Post a clip, share a tip, or confess your funniest tu/ou mishap. And if you want a low-pressure practice crew, start a thread in Vous à Tu—we’ll bring the vowels, you bring the verve.