Many learners understand written French but struggle to understand spoken French. This happens because French pronunciation follows sound rules that are very different from spelling and from English.
1. French Is Not Pronounced the Way It’s Written
In French, many letters—especially at the end of words—are silent.
Examples:
- parlent → pronounced parl
- petit → pronounced pe-tee
- beaucoup → pronounced bo-koo
Learners often try to pronounce every letter they see, which leads to incorrect pronunciation.
How to fix it:
Listen to words before reading them. Learn how a word sounds, not how it looks.
2. French Has Sounds That Don’t Exist in English
Some French sounds feel unnatural at first.
Examples:
- tu → the u is not “too”
- rue → lips rounded, no English equivalent
- rouge → throat r, not rolled
Your brain replaces these sounds with familiar ones, creating a strong accent.
How to fix it:
Practice slowly and exaggerate the sound. Focus on mouth position, not speed.
3. Words Blend Together When Spoken
French is spoken in sound groups, not separate
Examples:
-
- je ne sais pas → j’ne sais pas / chais pas
- vous avez → vou-za-vé
- les amis → lez-amis
This makes spoken French feel very fast and confusing.
How to fix it:
Learn common phrases instead of single words. Listen and repeat full sentences.
4. French Rhythm Is Different
French does not strongly stress individual words like English.
Example:
- I WANT to GO THERE (English stress)
- Je veux aller là-bas (smooth, even rhythm)
How to fix it:
Focus on sentence flow instead of stressing words. Imitate how natives speak naturally.
Final Thought
French pronunciation feels hard because learners study it visually, while French is a sound- based language. With regular listening and repetition, your pronunciation improves faster than you expect.