clé versus claie
/kle/ vs /klɛ/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2 · Français des urgences
Clés perdues: 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
- MoiJ'ai perdu mes clés, je suis coincé dehors!1
/ʒe pɛʁdy me kle | ʒə sɥi kwɛ̃se dəɔʁ/
I lost my keys, I'm locked out! - SerrurierNe paniquez pas, je peux intervenir de suite.2
/nə panike pa ʒə pø ɛ̃tɛʁvəniʁ də sɥit/
Don't panic, I can come right away. - MoiÇa va me coûter combien pour l'ouverture?3
/sa va mə kute kɔ̃bjɛ̃ puʁ luvɛʁtyʁ/
How much will it cost me for the opening? - SerrurierLe forfait de nuit est de cent cinquante euros.4
/lə fɔʁfɛ də nɥi ɛ də sɑ̃ sɛ̃kɑ̃t‿øʁo/
The night rate is one hundred and fifty euros.Cinquant(e) has a spoken /t/, which links to euros. The fictional price is an example for practice.
- MoiC'est cher, mais je n'ai pas le choix.5
/sɛ ʃɛʁ mɛ ʒə ne pa lə ʃwa/
It's expensive, but I have no choice. - SerrurierJ'arrive dans quinze minutes, restez devant.6
/ʒaʁiv dɑ̃ kɛ̃z minyt ʁɛste dəvɑ̃/
I'll be there in fifteen minutes, stay outside.
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. OQLF: huit. OQLF: sept and neuf. OQLF: six and dix. Reviewed .
Culture and context in French
Read the situation beyond the individual lines.
Si vous perdez vos clés, appelez un serrurier. Demandez le prix avant son arrivée. Vérifiez aussi si votre assurance peut payer une partie de la facture.
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.
porte versus poste
/pɔʁt/ vs /pɔst/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
trousseau versus troupeau
/tʁuso/ vs /tʁupo/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
serrure versus suture
/seʁyʁ/ vs /sytyʁ/
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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