Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Most English speakers make the same substitutions — and native French ears notice immediately.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
The five sounds
The French U — /y/
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque. Round your lips as if saying "oo" but push your tongue forward toward your top teeth. English mistake: substituting the "oo" in "food."
The nasal vowels — /ɑ̃/, /ɛ̃/, /ɔ̃/
Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit. Air passes through both mouth and nose simultaneously. English mistake: adding an "n" sound at the end instead of nasalising the vowel itself.
The guttural R — /ʁ/
Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur. Produced at the back of the throat, not with the tip of the tongue. English mistake: using the American retroflex R, which sounds noticeably foreign.
The eu sound — /ø/ and /œ/
Ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Two related sounds English lacks entirely — round your lips tightly and try to say "e." English mistake: substituting the vowel in "bird" or "fur."
Silent final consonants
Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil. Not technically a sound — the absence of one. English speakers instinctively pronounce written consonants. Training yourself to drop them is its own challenge.
How to practise them
At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident.
- Isolate each sound before trying to use it in words
- Record yourself and compare to a native speaker side by side
- Use minimal pairs — words that differ by only one sound
- Focus on one sound per week rather than all five at once
Similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi, id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio.