French Unlocked

Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash Liaison (pronounced lee-ay-zohn) is a unique feature of French pronunciation where a normally silent consonant at the end of a word is pronounced when the following word begins with a vowel. This creates a smooth connection between words and enhances the natural flow of speech.1. When Liaison OccursObligatory Liaison: In certain grammatical contexts, liaison is ..

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash The French ‘u’ sound, a unique and alluring vowel, sets itself apart from its English counterpart with its distinct pronunciation. Unlike the diverse range of sounds represented by the English ‘u’, the French ‘u’ maintains a consistent identity, resembling a sound made by rounding your lips as if you’re about to whistle, while positioning your tongue high in the ..

Photo by Albert S on Unsplash The French ‘o’ sound, a versatile vowel with a melodious charm, often enchants learners with its elegant pronunciation. Unlike the diverse and sometimes unpredictable nature of the English ‘o’, the French ‘o’ generally maintains a consistent identity, closely resembling the “oh” sound in “go” or “no.” To produce this sound, round your lips slightly and position your..

Photo by Anto Fredric on Unsplash The French ‘i’ sound, like a clear crystal, is consistent and pure, resembling the “ee” sound in “see” or “bee.” It is formed by spreading the lips wide and placing the tongue forward while making the sound. For example, words like ‘fini’ (fee-nee, finished), ‘lit’ (lee, bed), and ‘ville’ (veel, city) all share this same, clear /i/ sound. While there may be subt..

Photo by Marianna OLE on Unsplash The French ‘e’ sound, much like a chameleon, can change its appearance depending on the word and context, similar to the English ‘e’. However, in its most basic form, it resembles the “e” in “bet” or “get,” with the lips spread wide and the tongue positioned forward. For example, in words like ‘merci’ (mehr-see, thank you), ‘belle’ (bel, beautiful), and ‘telleme..

The French ‘a’ sound, like the unwavering North Star, remains consistent in most cases, resembling the “ah” sound in “father” or “car.” It is characterized by opening the mouth wide and keeping the tongue flat while making the sound. For example, words like ‘amour’ (love), ‘chat’ (cat), and ‘Paris’ all have the same /a/ sound. While there may be subtle differences in tone depending on accent mar..