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l | ![]() | The French 'l' is similar to the 'l' in English "with Lee". The tongue tip usually touches the back of the upper teeth. It is also a so-called "clear" l: in other words, you don't raise the back of your tongue as you pronounce the French 'l', as occurs in some cases in English. | |
a | ![]() | The French 'a' vowel is pronounced with the tongue far forward in the mouth and the mouth quite wide open, but not quite as open as for a typical English 'a' vowel. | |
m | ![]() | The French 'm' sound is pronounced in a similar way to English 'm'. Just remember that the letter "m" at the end of a word or before another consonant doesn't represent an 'm' sound as such in French, but rather that the previous vowel is nasalized. | |
ɔ | ![]() | To an English speaker, the French 'open o' vowel does not necessarily sound much like an 'o' vowel. In reality it is often much more similar to the "neutral" 'e' vowel of English "the". Hold the tongue in a position where you imagine the body of the tongue "slightly further back than the center of the mouth", with the lips slightly rounded. | Notice how this vowel is lengthened here before the r sound at the end of the word. |
ʁ | ![]() | The French 'r' is generally what is technically called a "uvular fricative". In simple language, that means you bring the back of your tongue close enough to the back of the mouth that it causes friction (the "raspy" sound that you hear) with the escaping air. |