art versus air
/aʁ/ vs /ɛʁ/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2+ · French pronunciation lesson
Info Culture (Plateau radio): 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.
Intégrer toutes les compétences phonétiques dans un contexte médiatique et culturel.
Six phrases for this web practice
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Bienvenue sur France Info.
/bjɛ̃vəny syʁ fʁɑ̃s ɛ̃fo/
Welcome to France Info. - 2Le festival commence‿enfin.
/lə fɛstival kɔmɑ̃s‿ɑ̃fɛ̃/
The festival is finally starting.Commence–enfin uses enchaînement: the s is already part of commence. It is not a new liaison consonant.
- 3Y a-t-il beaucoup de monde?
/ja til boku də mɔ̃d/
Are there many people? - 4Oui, les‿artistes sont partout.
/wi lez‿aʁtist sɔ̃ paʁtu/
Yes, the artists are everywhere. - 5Quel est le programme ce soir?
/kɛl ɛ lə pʁoɡʁam sə swaʁ/
What is the program tonight? - 6Un grand concert sur la place centrale.
/œ̃ ɡʁɑ̃ kɔ̃sɛʁ syʁ la plas sɑ̃tʁal/
A big concert on the central square.
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.
cent versus sang
/sɑ̃/ vs /sɑ̃/
These reference readings sound the same. Use spelling and sentence context to tell the forms apart.
scène versus Seine
/sɛn/ vs /sɛn/
These reference readings sound the same. Use spelling and sentence context to tell the forms apart.
pont versus paon
/pɔ̃/ vs /pɑ̃/
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 .
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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