Speak French clearly: free pronunciation test and guides
Find out how clear your French pronunciation is. Take the free French pronunciation test, get a score for every word you say, and learn the sounds French learners find hardest. For daily practice, Flai Speaking gives you an AI coach to talk to in French.
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French accent test
Read a short French paragraph and talk for 30 seconds to see how strong your French accent is. Free, no sign-up.
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French pronunciation test
Read 5 French sentences aloud and get a score for every word, plus accuracy and fluency. About 2 minutes, no sign-up.
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The hardest French sounds for learners
U and OU
French u /y/ is made like 'ee' but with tightly rounded lips (tu, rue, vu). Ou /u/ is further back, like the oo in 'food' (tout, roue, vous). The pair changes meaning: rue (street) and roue (wheel), dessus (on top) and dessous (underneath).
Nasal vowels
In a nasal vowel the air goes out through your nose and mouth together, and the n or m after it is not pronounced. Learn an/en /ɑ̃/ (enfant), on /ɔ̃/ (bon) and in/ain /ɛ̃/ (pain); many speakers now say un like in. Keep your tongue away from the roof of your mouth so no n slips in.
The French R
The standard French R /ʁ/ is made at the back of the mouth, with the back of the tongue close to the uvula. It sounds like a soft gargle, close to the ch in Scottish 'loch' but voiced (rouge, Paris, très). Don't roll it with the tongue tip and don't use the English R.
French pronunciation guides
- French u, ou and nasal vowels: a practical listening and speaking guide →
- French silent letters and liaison: read the phrase, not each letter →
- Polite French phrases for getting help and understanding the answer →
- French speaking practice with a voice note someone can act on →
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