French pronunciation trainer

English speakers treat French as "fancy English with an accent". Bad strategy. The biggest pronunciation mistakes are predictable: silent final consonants, nasal vowels, and "u" vs "ou". This tool trains the 8 key sounds.

Pick the sound

What this tool actually solves

The 8 sounds below account for 80% of "I can read French but not speak it". Train each one in 5 minutes a day, on a 4-week plan, and you'll be conversational at the bakery.

How to read the result

Each sound has: an English comparison (the closest equivalent), a mouth-position note, and 4 example words with the sound. Use the IPA / mouth-position diagram to train.

Limitations

The tool trains pronunciation. Real listening skills come from hours of French spoken at native speed (RFI, France Inter). Plus, regional accents matter: Marseille is sung, Quebec is flatter.

FAQ

Will one week of training help?

Yes — the silent consonants and nasal vowels are immediate wins. Even a week of attention to "n'est pas" (instead of "ne-st pa") makes you intelligible.

What about apps?

Duolingo is too game-like for real speaking practice. Pimsleur and Glossika are better. Michel Thomas if you can stand his style. The best free resource is the RFI "Journal en français facile" — slow newscast.

About

1 of 38 tools in France Trip Toolkit. Independent.

Privacy

No tracking.

Disclaimer

Estimate only. Real progress depends on practice and exposure.