Learning Correct French Pronunciation

Being able to correctly pronounce words in French is a key part to learning the language.

Even if you have poor pronunciation you may be understood, but if you take the time to learn it correctly you’ll be able to express yourself in a better way, sound much more authentic, and be understood easier.

With this in mind, here are some tips to help you learn to pronounce French words correctly:

Relax and speak slowly. You don’t need to sound like a native straight away. That comes with time, for now… keep it slow and relaxed.

Slip and slide the sounds together. By doing this, you’ll have a more natural authentic sound to your pronunciation.
 Practice your pronunciation by reading French newspapers, magazines and even books. This gets you to practice the pronunciation and helps you lose the inhibitions of using a French accent.

Make sure you take enough time to learn how to correctly pronounce the words. Try not to skip words you can’t pronounce, as you’ll learn quicker by focusing on how the sounds are made.

In the early stages, don’t be afraid to “ham up” your accent. All of us have natural inhibitions when we first start learning another language, so you will naturally tone down your accent…but force yourself to have an accent and it will develop quicker.

Remember to use your nose when you’re pronouncing French nasal sounds.

Each and every syllable in a French word has about equal stress. This means you need to be careful not to energetic when you are practicing pronouncing French words. Usually you will need to add a slightly stronger emphasis on the last syllable of a group of words. This is the only exception, otherwise it’s best to keep your pronunciation quite even through the syllables.