Lesson - French Sounds (Pronunciation) - #8

[CFHollister]

Please see the following for introduction and citation information:
http://moi-alizee.us/forums/showthread.php?t=1101

Note: Letters that appear in red are those that appear with strikethrough in the original text.

Vowel Combinations

The combination eu has an open and closed sound. Say the English word “fur” but don’t pronounce the r. The sound you get is approximately the sound of eu when closed (in an open syllable, remember). Tense your lips a bit forward.
feu.................... bleu................... deux................... yeux

Now relax the tension and say “puff” for the sound of an open eu.
neuf................... bœuf................. peur................... fleur
œuf.................... seul.................. leur.................... docteur
éclaireuse........... heureuse........... œuvre
*Note: o and e are often printed together as one letter, œ. In these cases, œu is pronounced as eu.

oua....... is pronounced wah
oue....... is pronounced weh
oui........ is pronounced wee
Louis.................. zouave............... fouir.................. ouest (west)

ua......... the French u sound is
ue......... quickly followed by the
ui.......... sound of the second vowel
nuage................. cruel.................. lui
actualité............. usuel.................. puis
dualité................ annuel................ suite

qu is really one letter. The u has no sounds of its own; qu is pronounced like k.
qui.........is pronounced..... key
que................................ kuh
qua................................ ka
quoi............................... kwah

Pronounce:
quitter................ ruine.................. luire
qui..................... gîte................... Guy
quart.................. quatre............... dualiste
quête.................. fouet................ douane
Can you pronounce queue? (k-eu)

The letter i often procedes another vowel It then has the sound of y in “young” or “yes.”
lionne................. tienne................ Lyon
fiancé................. fiacre................. pioche
pièce.................. piano................. pitié
hier (yair)............ atelier (ah-tel-yay)
fier (f’yair)........... quartier (kahr-tyay)

The combinations oa, oe, and eo do appear, but both vowels are pronounced separately.
coactif............... coexister............. théorie

On the other hand the combination ao is sounded as if the o were not there.
paon (pahng)................. faon (fahng)
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This is not an easy page of French sounds. Practice pronouncing the following words and refer often to the above explanations.
feu.................... couleur............... Louise
deux.................. docteur............... Louis
heure................. professeur........... lui
pleure................ ingénieur............. puis
pleut................. ascenseur............ puits
bleue................. sœur.................. suis
queue................ saur................... suite
que................... suaire................. huit
qui.................... suave................. fuir
quitte................ zouave............... fouir
cuite................. sire.................... fournir
oui.................... sur..................... frière
ouest................ cruel................... hier
roué.................. croulle................ lion
rouet................. actuel................ lionne
Rouen................ actuelle.............. quinine
jouer.................. actualité............ gîte
jouet................. codéine............... gens
joueur................ coaguler............. guide
joie.................... coéternel............ guerre