![]() ![]() ![]() Let’s check out vowel spellings first, and then we’ll look at a common group of vowel-consonant combos. There are some commonalities between French and English vowels, but a lot of differences, too. So, don’t let a charming accent on your “r” sound keep you from speaking with confidence! What sounds do French vowels make? Lots of learners fixate on the difficulty of the French “r” sound, but you already come very close to making a French “r” when you say an English “h”! If you can say “hose” in English, then you can say “rose” like a Parisian by just tightening your throat a little more on the “h.” But, truth be told, any “r” will do-an English “r,” a rolled Spanish “r”-all pronunciations are understandable. (There's actually a lot more to this rule- ask us!) Like the English sound (check the IPA, too!) (Pro tip: Bookmark this handy chart!) Letters Many consonant letters make the same sounds in English and in French, so you already have a head start! Here are a few notable differences. If you’re curious to learn more about the reasons behind French spelling rules, check out our post about the history of the French language! Here, we’re going to demystify some of the most common sound-letter connections in French. Once you know the rules, you’ll be able to see the patterns and say them with confidence! You are not alone in wondering how French pronunciation works! But unlike English, where a letter combination like “ough” can have a bunch of different pronunciations ( thought, through, thorough, trough…), French pronunciation is actually predictable from spelling. Do you have a tip for learning the sounds of French? I’m constantly pronouncing letters like their “English” versions, and I feel like there are spelling or speaking rules I’m missing. I’m a new French learner, and I’m feeling quite confused with all of the different letters and pronunciation. That’s why I’m helping out with this week’s Dear Duolingo question! Here's the question: The first French class I ever taught as a grad student was actually a pronunciation course, and it’s one of my very favorite topics to tackle with learners. I head up a team of amazing colleagues who work on the French course for English speakers, but before coming to Duolingo, I was a college French professor for 25 years. This week is a special edition of Dear Duolingo, because it’s another stop on our Tour de French Learning! All month, we’re exploring topics related to French, its speakers, and the people studying it around the world.īonjour à tous ! I’m Sharon Wilkinson, a Senior Educational Content Developer at Duolingo. Welcome to another week of Dear Duolingo, an advice column just for language learners. ![]()
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