French Pronunciation : 10 Tips for Mastering Your French Accent & Pronunciation
Everybody dreams of speaking French like a French native. After all, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world. But to speak French fluently, one must master French pronunciation. Some learners find it hard to pronounce certain sounds in French- after all, there are accents and silent letters! It’s not always a walk in the park.
This is why in today’s post we’re sharing 10 tips for mastering your French pronunciation. Let’s take a look.
1- Master the French Alphabet
The first step to mastering French pronunciation is to learn the alphabet. There are some differences between the English and French alphabet. Although they both have 26 letters, some of the letters in French are pronounced quite differently. For example, the French ‘R’ can be tricky for some learners. It will take some practice to pronounce it perfectly. It is also important to note that the letter ‘H’ in French is always silent.
The French language also contains 5 accents which changes the pronunciation of letters. Not to worry, you will familiarize yourself with them as you progress!
2- Practice Your French Vowels
Vowels can create some confusion for French learners. Start by learning how to pronounce each vowel on its own. Then begin practicing words that consist of vowels together (in twos and threes). The French language is full of them.
Examples: eu, ai, eau, oui, œ, ou, au
It’s also important to remember that sometimes vowels are combined with an M or N to create Nasal sounds: On, In, An. Pronouncing vowels correctly is essential to mastering the French language so take your time with these!
3 - Make the Most Out of Language Apps
There are a multitude of French apps that can help you practice your French pronunciation. Ideally, you will want to use apps that make you speak French out loud. Here are some apps which may help you: Memrise, Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Mondly, HelloTalk and Speechling.
With Speechling for example, you record yourself in French and get some feedback from real French language tutors. HelloTalk is similar as you are paired with native French speakers, who can help you improve your pronunciation through speaking with them.
4- Remember ‘Liaison’ and ‘Elision’
If you are a French beginner, you probably have no idea what I am talking about, but not to worry! As you listen to spoken French, you may notice that it can sometimes be hard to tell when one word ends and the next begins. This is because of something called the French ‘liaison’, which means: the final consonant of one word is linked to the beginning of the next word. It makes sentences flow a bit better. This is why people say French often sounds ‘melodic’!
‘Élision’ is a type of contraction that omits a vowel at the end of a word and adds an apostrophe, to attach it to the following word (which needs to begin with a vowel or a ‘H’).
There are rules around liaisons and élisions which you will need to learn, as these will affect the pronunciation of words.
5 - Pay attention to French Intonation
Intonation describes how the voice rises and falls during speech. You will notice that French and English are quite different. I could write a lot more on this but in general: In the French language, all syllables are pronounced at the same pitch, except for the final syllable which often sees a rise. The French language is also more ‘smooth’ than English, as words are often linked together (liaison) and all syllables are pronounced clearly.
Asking questions in French can change the intonation: the final syllable usually experiences a rise (but it can sometimes be subtle). This can all sound quite confusing if you are a beginner but with time you will understand intonation better.
6 - Be Careful With Silent Letters
You will notice that French has a lot of silent letters. Learning when to pronounce them can be tricky. As a general rule there are three types of silent letters in French
1. Silent E
2. Silent H (we will talk more about this later)
3. Silent final consonants
Words ending in the letters D, G, M, N, P, S, T, X are usually silent. Such as ‘chaud’, ‘parfum’ and ‘trois’. However, there are some exceptions.
The silent E is the most common silent letter in the French language. When it is at the end of a word, you can usually drop it. In a word or sentence, when it is preceded by a single consonant, you can also drop it (passeport). Again, this is all quite general, and there are grammatical rules to silent letters.
7 - Record Yourself Speaking Out Loud
This is an underrated method. It is important to become familiar with your own French pronunciation. Recording yourself (using a simple phone device) is a good way to play back and note if you are making any regular mistakes and improve from there. If you have a French language partner you can ask them to assess your pronunciation and tell you how you can further improve.
8 - Make Sure You pronounce the French ‘S’ Correctly
The French ‘S’ can generate some confusion. In most cases the French ‘S’ is pronounced exactly like the English ‘S’ when:
- It is at the beginning of a word
- It is a double S (le poisson)
- In front of or behind a consonant
- It is followed by a C (Sciences)
However, when the S is between two vowels or in a liaison it will sound like a ‘’Z’
Examples: le visage. Les amis
On a final note, when the ‘s’ is at the end of a word it is usually silent.
9 - Specificity of the ‘H’
The french ‘H’ is always silent, BUT there are two different types. Let me explain.
There is a H muet, which acts like a vowel, and a H aspiré which acts like a consonant.
For a H muet, elisions and liaisons are required in front of it eg: l’homme, l’habitude
With the H aspiré, there is no liaison or elision- they are forbidden. Eg: la haine, le haricot.
Sadly, there is no general rule to differentiate between them, but you can memorize the most common ones and you will become familiar with the rest as you progress in French. Using a dictionary can also help with this.
10 - Work With a French Tutor
I have perhaps saved the best point till last. Working with a qualified French teacher can help you make very rapid progress with your French pronunciation and speaking. At French à La Carte our tutors can support you on your personalized French learning journey. We can work on perfecting your French pronunciation together.
Do not hesitate to reach out!