un ami versus une amie
/œ̃n‿ami/ vs /yn‿ami/
Compare the complete phrases; more than one sound or word may change. ‿ marks a connection between words.
A2 · French pronunciation lesson
Du café à la liaison (2 répliques + liaison): phrase and IPA practice
Read six useful French phrases, check their IPA and English meaning, then compare four words, phrases, or spoken forms.
Teacher note
What to notice before you repeat.
Relier les sons appris en phonétique à une scène quotidienne : au café, les liaisons et les articles comptent.
Six phrases for this web practice
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Bonjour, vous désirez?
/bɔ̃ʒuʁ vu deziʁe/
Hello, what would you like? - 2Un café et un croissant, s'il vous plaît.
/œ̃ kafe e œ̃ kʁwasɑ̃ sil vu plɛ/
A coffee and a croissant, please. - 3Très bien, je vous l'apporte tout de suite.
/tʁɛ bjɛ̃ ʒə vu lapɔʁt tut də sɥit/
Very well, I'll bring it to you right away. - 4Merci, c'est gentil.
/mɛʁsi sɛ ʒɑ̃ti/
Thank you, that's kind. - 5Les amis sont déjà à la table trois.
/lez‿ami sɔ̃ deʒa a la tabl tʁwa/
The friends are already at table three. - 6Parfait, j'arrive dans une minute.
/paʁfɛ ʒaʁiv dɑ̃z‿yn minyt/
Perfect, I'll be there in a minute.
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 .
Four focused comparisons
Compare the words, sounds, or delivery.
Read the label on each card. A one-sound contrast changes one sound; other cards compare whole words, identical readings, connected speech, or intonation. Follow the note before repeating.
les autres versus des autres
/lez‿otʁ/ vs /dez‿otʁ/
Compare the complete phrases; more than one sound or word may change. ‿ marks a connection between words.
très versus trois
/tʁɛ/ vs /tʁwa/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
café versus cafés
/kafe/ vs /kafe/
These reference readings sound the same. Use spelling and sentence context to tell the forms apart.
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 .
A short repeat routine
Meaning first, then shape, then speed.
- Read the English meaning so the line has a clear intention.
- Use the IPA to locate the target sound or connection.
- Repeat slowly without adding an English-style extra vowel.
- Follow the comparison card’s note and return to the complete phrase.
- Use the sound chart to hear a reference for a sound you find difficult.
Evidence boundary
IPA is a reference, not a pronunciation score.
The transcription and contrasts support deliberate practice. They do not certify an accent, diagnose a speech issue, or prove CEFR proficiency. Phrase Match in the app reports detected words and can be wrong.
Start a guided speaking task in Parle.
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