L'homme (Muet) versus Le hamac (Aspiré)
/l'ɔmə (myt)/ vs /lə amak (aspiʀe)/
A2 · French pronunciation lesson
H muet et H aspiré (Le mystère du H): phrase and IPA practice
Read six useful French phrases, check their IPA and English meaning, then compare four sound pairs.
Teacher note
What to notice before you repeat.
Distinguer le H qui permet la liaison/élision de celui qui les bloque comme une consonne.
Six lines from the current app lesson
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1L'homme est là.
/l'ɔmə ɛst la./
The man is there. - 2Le hockey est dur.
/lə ɔkkəj ɛst dyʀ./
Hockey is hard. - 3C'est‿un hôtel.
/k'ɛst yn otəl./
It's a hotel. - 4La honte est grande.
/la ɔ̃tə ɛst ɡʀɑ̃də./
The shame is great. - 5L'homme de l'hôtel joue au hockey ce soir.
/l'ɔmə dɛ l'otɛlʒwɛ o ɔkkɛj sə swaʀ./
The man from the hotel plays hockey tonight. - 6C'est‿un bel‿homme qui n'a pas honte.
/k'ɛst yn bəl ɔmɛki n'a pas la ɔ̃tə./
He is a handsome man who is not ashamed.
Four listening and articulation contrasts
Minimal pairs for a sharper self-check
Say the two forms slowly, alternate them, then place each one back into a short phrase. The spelling and IPA stay visible so you are not guessing from English spelling.
Les‿hôtels versus Les / halles
/ləs otɛl/ vs /ləs / al/
Un‿hiver versus Un / hibou
/yn ivəʀ/ vs /yn / ibu/
L'heure versus La hache
/l'œʀ/ vs /la aʃ/
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.
- Alternate the minimal pair and return to the complete phrase.
- Use the app when you want model audio, recording, and progress history.
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.
Continue this pronunciation lesson in Parle.
Use reviewed model audio, record the phrases, and keep the ordered A0-A2 path with you.