livre versus litre
/livʁ/ vs /litʁ/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2+ · Français universitaire
À la bibliothèque: French dialogue with IPA and English
Follow all six turns, inspect the pronunciation, and practise the contrasts that matter inside this situation.
Six turns for this web role-play
French conversation, IPA, and English meaning
- MoiJe cherche cet ouvrage sur l'histoire de France.1
/ʒə ʃɛʁʃ sɛt‿uvʁaʒ syʁ listwaʁ də fʁɑ̃s/
I'm looking for this book on French history. - BiblioIl est actuellement emprunté par un élève.2
/il ɛt‿aktyɛlmɑ̃ ɑ̃pʁœ̃te paʁ œ̃n‿elɛv/
It is currently borrowed by a student.Un élève links /n/. Emprunté keeps the reference /œ̃/; many speakers use /ɛ̃/ for this nasal vowel.
- MoiEst-ce que je peux le réserver pour plus tard?3
/ɛs kə ʒə pø lə ʁezɛʁve puʁ ply taʁ/
Can I reserve it for later? - BiblioBien sûr, vous recevrez un mail dès son retour.4
/bjɛ̃ syʁ vu ʁəsəvʁe œ̃ mɛl dɛ sɔ̃ ʁətuʁ/
Of course, you will receive an email as soon as it is returned. - MoiMerci beaucoup. Je peux travailler ici en attendant?5
/mɛʁsi boku | ʒə pø tʁavaje isi ɑ̃n‿atɑ̃dɑ̃/
Thank you very much. Can I work here while waiting? - BiblioOui, mais restez dans la zone de silence, SVP.6
/wi mɛ ʁɛste dɑ̃ la zon də silɑ̃s sil vu plɛ/
Yes, but please stay in the quiet zone.
How to read this IPA. These are broad French reference readings, edited as complete sentences. Accent, schwa and optional liaison vary; many speakers use /ɛ̃/ where this reference keeps /œ̃/. The mark ‿ highlights a word link; | marks a rhythmic break; ↑ and ↓ suggest pitch movement.
Word readings adapted from Lexique 3.83, Boris New and Christophe Pallier et al.; sentence readings and notes edited by Parle. Revised IPA and notes: CC BY-SA 4.0. See OQLF on obligatory, forbidden and optional liaison. Larousse: mail. Reviewed .
Culture and context in French
Read the situation beyond the individual lines.
Une bibliothèque universitaire est un lieu calme pour travailler. Les étudiants peuvent y trouver des livres et des articles. Il faut respecter les règles du lieu.
Four focused comparisons
Compare words before another full read.
Follow each card’s label and note. Some words differ by one sound, some share a pronunciation, and others differ more broadly. Use the sentence context when the words sound alike.
page versus passe
/paʒ/ vs /pas/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
salle versus seul
/sal/ vs /sœl/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
prêt versus prix
/pʁɛ/ vs /pʁi/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
Word IPA adapted from Lexique 3.83, Boris New and Christophe Pallier et al., with contextual readings and notes edited by Parle. Comparison transcriptions and notes: CC BY-SA 4.0. Broad reference readings vary with accent and speaking style. See OQLF’s liaison guidance and prosody reference. Reviewed .
Role-play routine
Keep the intention; change one detail.
- Read the exchange once for meaning without stopping at every IPA symbol.
- Repeat one speaker's turns and keep the other turns as prompts.
- Change one time, place, object, or preference while preserving the structure.
- Switch roles and answer without reading the original line word for word.
- Use the sound chart for a reference clip when a sound is difficult.
Build a guided speaking habit in Parle.
The app follows a separate 120-mission course with model audio, recording and practical replies. The first 4 missions on greetings and introductions are free; Premium opens the complete course.