mal versus miel
/mal/ vs /mjɛl/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
A2 · Français de la santé
Chez le médecin: 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
- PatientBonjour, je ne me sens pas très bien du tout.1
/bɔ̃ʒuʁ ʒə nə mə sɑ̃ pa tʁɛ bjɛ̃ dy tu/
Hello, I don't feel well at all. - MédecinDites-moi, où avez-vous mal exactement?2
/dit mwa u ave vu mal ɛɡzaktəmɑ̃/
Tell me, where exactly does it hurt? - PatientJ'ai de la fièvre et j'ai très mal à la gorge.3
/ʒe də la fjɛvʁ e ʒe tʁɛ mal a la ɡɔʁʒ/
I have a fever and a very sore throat. - MédecinJe vais vous examiner. Respirez profondément, s'il vous plaît.4
/ʒə vɛ vu ɛɡzamine | ʁɛspiʁe pʁɔfɔ̃demɑ̃ sil vu plɛ/
I'm going to examine you. Breathe deeply, please.The instruction is part of a fictional role-play. In this careful reading, respirez ends in /e/ and profondément keeps its final nasal vowel.
- PatientEst-ce que c'est grave ce que j'ai, Docteur?5
/ɛs kə sɛ ɡʁav sə kə ʒe dɔktœʁ/
Is what I have serious, Doctor? - MédecinNon, c'est juste un gros rhume. Reposez-vous bien.6
/nɔ̃ sɛ ʒyst œ̃ ɡʁo ʁym | ʁəpoze vu bjɛ̃/
No, it's just a bad cold. Rest well.
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.
En cas de maladie légère en France, on se rend d'abord à la pharmacie. Le pharmacien est un conseiller qui peut délivrer certains médicaments sans ordonnance médicale.
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.
sang versus sein
/sɑ̃/ vs /sɛ̃/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
toux versus ton
/tu/ vs /tɔ̃/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
dose versus douce
/doz/ vs /dus/
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.
Safety boundary
This is language practice, not professional advice.
The dialogue does not diagnose, treat, provide emergency instructions, replace a clinician, or replace local emergency services. Use qualified help for real medical, legal, financial, or safety decisions.
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