dîner versus donner
/dine/ vs /done/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2- · Français social
Dîner entre amis: 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
- HôteEntrez! Je vous en prie, faites comme chez vous.1
/ɑ̃tʁe | ʒə vuz‿ɑ̃ pʁi | fɛt kɔm ʃe vu/
Come in! Please, make yourselves at home. - InvitéMerci! Voilà un petit cadeau pour vous.2
/mɛʁsi | vwala œ̃ pəti kado puʁ vu/
Thank you! Here is a little gift for you. - HôteC'est trop gentil, il ne fallait pas!3
/sɛ tʁo ʒɑ̃ti | il nə falɛ pa/
That's too kind, you shouldn't have! - InvitéC'est normal, merci de nous recevoir ce soir.4
/sɛ nɔʁmal | mɛʁsi də nu ʁəsəvwaʁ sə swaʁ/
It's normal, thank you for having us tonight. - HôteAsseyez-vous, l'apéritif est déjà prêt.5
/aseje vu | lapeʁitif ɛ deʒa pʁɛ/
Sit down, the aperitif is already ready.The model keeps the full asseyez-vous. Gentil ends in /i/ in the earlier line, without /l/.
- InvitéÇa sent très bon, j'ai hâte de goûter!6
/sa sɑ̃ tʁɛ bɔ̃ | ʒe at də ɡute/
It smells very good; I can't wait to taste it!
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.
Recevoir des amis à dîner est un art en France. On discute de tout: de politique, de voyages ou de culture. Il est poli d'apporter une bouteille de vin ou un bouquet de fleurs.
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.
plat versus plaid
/pla/ vs /plɛd/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
hôte versus hotte
/ot/ vs /ɔt/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
dessert versus désert
/desɛʁ/ vs /dezɛʁ/
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.