If you were in an Aix French class last week, you may have heard the legend: my lovely classmate from Californie tried to thank the barista and, instead of “merci beaucoup” /bo.ku/ (thank you very much), she bravely invented “merci beau cul” /bo.ky/ (…nice bum). 🇫🇷💀
Reader, the café survived. Barely. We, on the other hand, learned how to correctly pronounce beaucoup.
Why this happens (and how to stop doing it)
It’s the ou vs u duel:
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ou = /u/ like English food (more rounded): beaucoup → /bo.ku/.
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u = /y/ (no English twin): whistle-lips, try saying “ee” → beau cul → /bo.ky/.
Add one more booby trap: in merci beaucoup, the final p is silent, and the /k/ of beaucoup sticks to the next word if you keep speaking—so it can sound like “merci beau-koo” in one breath. Keep the ou tight and you’re safe.
Quick ears-on resources if you want to hear the difference: native audio for beaucoup and merci beaucoup (Forvo), plus short videos on ou vs u. (Forvo.com)
Mini drill (60 seconds, no blushing)
Say each pair slow → normal speed:
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beaucoup (a lot) → beau cul (nope!)
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vous /vu/ → vue /vy/
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**beaucoup d’**amis /bo.ku dami/ → beau cul d’… (don’t you dare 😇)
Mouth hack: Round lips hard for /u/, then freeze your lips and try to say “ee” to get /y/. Practice with a mirror; your French neighbors will think you’re rehearsing for The Voice.
Level-by-level survival tips
A1
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Hear it first: play beaucoup 3 times, then shadow it. (Forvo link ↑).
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Tap-clap rhythm: MER-ci BEAU-coup (4 beats). Keep the oup closed.
A2
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Chain it safely: mer-ci | beau-coup (tiny pause).
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Build phrases: beaucoup de café, **beaucoup d’**amis, beaucoup à faire. Listen & repeat the set. (Forvo.com)
B1
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Liaisons: **beaucoup d’**enfants /bo.ku dɑ̃.fɑ̃/. Keep /u/, don’t let it drift to /y/. Check a dictionary entry for IPA if you like symbols. (Wiktionary)
B2
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Flow practice: say “Merci beaucoup, c’était délicieux.” in one breath without losing /u/. Record yourself; if “beau-cul” photobombs, slow down, over-round, try again.
Advanced (C1+)
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Perception workout: minimal pairs (seoul vs sur), fast radio clips, reduction patterns. Then teach the drill to a panic-stricken Anglophone—you’ll finally understand it in your bones.
“La Langue après la tombée de la nuit” — future episode ideas
A totally serious, very academic late-night series (ok, not serious) for the words we don’t learn in textbooks—like the time someone mixed up baiser with baiser (yes, both). Send me your disasters; anonymity guaranteed, pride optional.
Tiny toolbox
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Hear it: beaucoup (Forvo) • merci beaucoup (Forvo). (Forvo.com)
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Understand it: ou vs u (Coffee Break French; Géraldine’s guide). (YouTube)
Your turn (on papote à Aix)
What’s your best/worst vowel slip? Drop it in the comments—bonus points if a kindly French person rescued you with a smile. Aide-mémoire:
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A1: Write one beaucoup sentence.
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A2: Post 3 chunks with beaucoup de.
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B1: Record a 10-second merci beaucoup thank-you.
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B2: Share a minimal-pair list you made.
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Advanced: Explain /u/ vs /y/ to us like we’re five (and save another poor barista).
Tag it, teach it, and remember: in Provence we say beaucoup of kind things—just not that one. ☕️😅
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