gare versus car
/ɡaʁ/ vs /kaʁ/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2- · Français du voyage
En gare: 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
- ClientUn billet pour Lyon, s'il vous plaît.1
/œ̃ bijɛ puʁ ljɔ̃ sil vu plɛ/
A ticket to Lyon, please. - AgentVous voulez partir à quelle heure?2
/vu vule paʁtiʁ a kɛl œʁ/
What time would you like to leave? - ClientLe prochain train, si c'est possible.3
/lə pʁɔʃɛ̃ tʁɛ̃ si sɛ pɔsibl/
The next train, if possible. - AgentIl y en a un dans dix minutes, quai numéro huit.4
/il jɑ̃n‿a œ̃ dɑ̃ di minyt | kɛ nymeʁo ɥit/
There is one in ten minutes, platform number eight.Dix loses its final consonant before minutes, but huit keeps /t/ when the number is said on its own. Lyon ends in a nasal vowel.
- ClientC'est parfait, est-ce qu'il y a un wagon-bar?5
/sɛ paʁfɛ | ɛs kil ja œ̃ vaɡɔ̃ baʁ/
That's perfect, is there a buffet car? - AgentOui, au milieu du train. Bon voyage à vous!6
/wi o miljø dy tʁɛ̃ | bɔ̃ vwajaʒ a vu/
Yes, in the middle of the train. Have a good trip!
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.
Pour voyager en TGV, vérifiez l'heure, le numéro du train et le quai. Gardez votre billet sur votre téléphone ou sur papier. Arrivez quelques minutes avant le départ.
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.
train versus terrain
/tʁɛ̃/ vs /tɛʁɛ̃/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
quai versus clé
/kɛ/ vs /kle/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
billet versus filet
/bijɛ/ vs /filɛ/
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.