Free French pronunciation checker
Free French Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short French sentences aloud or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
Il y a une tortue sur la route de Toulouse.
Listen for: u vs ou (tortue, route)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your French pronunciation
Each sentence in this French pronunciation test is built around a sound learners find hard: u and ou, nasal vowels, the French R, liaison and silent letters. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native French speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own French text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
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.
Liaison
A final consonant that is normally silent is often pronounced when the next word starts with a vowel, and it joins that word: les amis sounds like 'lé-za-mi', vous avez like 'vou-za-vé'. Liaison is required after words like les, des, nous, vous and mon, and it never happens after et.
Silent letters
Most final consonants are silent in French: petit, grand, trop. The -ent verb ending is silent too, so ils parlent sounds like il parle. C, r, f and l are often pronounced at the end of a word (parc, pour, neuf, sel), but not the r in -er verbs like parler.
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this French pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native French speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which French accent is the test based on?
Scores are based on standard French as spoken in France. If you learned Canadian, Belgian or Swiss French, some vowels may score a little lower even when they are correct for your accent.
How can I improve my French pronunciation?
Start with the sounds that change meaning: u and ou, and the nasal vowels. Then learn which letters are silent and when liaison happens, because they affect almost every sentence. Read short texts aloud every day, record yourself and retake the test to see which words improve.
Is the French pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
How do I pronounce the French R?
Say 'k', then relax it so the back of your tongue does not touch the roof of your mouth and air rubs through the gap. Add your voice and you have the French R. Practise it after other consonants first (très, grand, prendre), then at the start of words (rouge, rue).
Why are so many French letters silent?
French spelling kept many letters that stopped being pronounced centuries ago. As a rule, final consonants are silent, except often c, r, f and l, and the plural -s and the verb ending -ent are silent too. Many of these letters come back in liaison when the next word starts with a vowel.