art versus air
/aʀ/ vs /ɛʀ/
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 sound pairs.
Teacher note
What to notice before you repeat.
Intégrer toutes les compétences phonétiques dans un contexte médiatique et culturel.
Six lines from the current app lesson
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Bienvenue sur France Info.
/bjɛ̃vənɥɛ syʀ fʀɑ̃sə ɛ̃fɔ./
Welcome to France Info. - 2Le festival commence‿enfin.
/lə fɛstival kɔmɑ̃sə ɑ̃fin./
The festival is finally starting. - 3Y a-t-il beaucoup de monde?
/i a-t-il bəokup dɛ mɔ̃də? /
Are there many people? - 4Oui, les‿artistes sont partout.
/wi, ləs aʀtistəs sɔ̃t paʀtut./
Yes, the artists are everywhere. - 5Quel est le programme ce soir?
/kəl ɛst lɛ pʀɔɡʀɑmɛ sə swaʀ? /
What is the program tonight? - 6Un grand concert sur la place centrale.
/yn ɡʀɑ̃d kɔ̃sɛʀt syʀ la plazə sɑ̃tʀalə./
A big concert on the central square.
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.
cent versus sang
/sɑ̃t/ vs /sɑ̃ɡ/
scène versus Seine
/sə̀n/ vs /səin/
pont versus paon
/pɔ̃/ vs /paɔ̃/
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.