cours versus cœur
/kuʁ/ vs /kœʁ/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2 · Français du voyage
Bureau de change: 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
- MoiBonjour, je voudrais changer des dollars.1
/bɔ̃ʒuʁ ʒə vudʁɛ ʃɑ̃ʒe de dɔlaʁ/
Hello, I'd like to exchange some dollars. - AgentQuel est le montant total de l'opération?2
/kɛl ɛ lə mɔ̃tɑ̃ tɔtal də lɔpeʁasjɔ̃/
What is the total amount of the transaction? - MoiCinq cents dollars. Quel est votre taux?3
/sɛ̃k sɑ̃ dɔlaʁ | kɛl ɛ vɔtʁ to/
Five hundred dollars. What is your rate?Cinq keeps /k/ here; cents ends in /ɑ̃/ without an added /t/ or /s/ before dollars. The exchange amounts are fictional.
- AgentAujourd'hui, le taux est de zéro quatre-vingt.4
/oʒuʁdɥi lə to ɛ də zeʁo katʁə vɛ̃/
Today, the rate is zero point eighty. - MoiEst-ce qu'il y a des frais fixes par transaction?5
/ɛs kil ja de fʁɛ fiks paʁ tʁɑ̃zaksjɔ̃/
Are there any fixed fees per transaction? - AgentOui, il y a une commission de trois euros.6
/wi il ja yn kɔmisjɔ̃ də tʁwaz‿øʁo/
Yes, there is a commission of three euros.
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. Reviewed .
Culture and context in French
Read the situation beyond the individual lines.
Bien que l'euro soit la monnaie unique, les bureaux de change restent utiles pour les voyageurs. Il est souvent plus avantageux de retirer de l'argent directement au distributeur (DAB) avec sa carte.
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.
billet versus bijou
/bijɛ/ vs /biʒu/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
change versus chance
/ʃɑ̃ʒ/ vs /ʃɑ̃s/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
franc versus franche
/fʁɑ̃/ vs /fʁɑ̃ʃ/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
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.