Parle: French Pronunciation Parle Get Parle on the App Store

A1 · French pronunciation lesson

Le son nasal [ɛ̃] (in, ain, ein, un): phrase and IPA practice

Read six useful French phrases, check their IPA and English meaning, then compare four sound pairs.

Practise this lesson in ParleStart with the phrases

Teacher note

What to notice before you repeat.

Maîtriser le son [ɛ̃] en gardant la langue vers l'avant et les lèvres étirées (bouche mi-fermée).

Six lines from the current app lesson

French phrases with IPA and English meaning

  1. 1
    C'est du vin.

    /k'ɛst dy vin./

    It's wine.
  2. 2
    Il a faim.

    /il a fɛm./

    He is hungry.
  3. 3
    Quel beau dessin!

    /kəl bəo dɛsin! /

    What a beautiful drawing!
  4. 4
    Prends le train.

    /pʀɑ̃ds lə tʀɛn./

    Take the train.
  5. 5
    Je vais prendre le train de demain matin.

    /ʒə vɛs pʀɑ̃dʀɛ lɛ tʀɛn dɛ dəmɛn matin./

    I'm going to take tomorrow morning's train.
  6. 6
    Mon voisin a faim et cherche un bon magasin de pain.

    /mɔn vwazin a fɛm ət ʃɛʀʃɛ yn bɔn maɡazin də pɛn./

    My neighbor is hungry and is looking for a good bread shop.

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.

1

Paie versus Pain

/pə/ vs /pɛ̃/

2

Lait versus Lin

/lɛ/ vs /lɛ̃/

3

Mai versus Main

/mə/ vs /mɛ̃/

4

Tas versus Teint

/tas/ vs /tɛ̃/

A short repeat routine

Meaning first, then shape, then speed.

  1. Read the English meaning so the line has a clear intention.
  2. Use the IPA to locate the target sound or connection.
  3. Repeat slowly without adding an English-style extra vowel.
  4. Alternate the minimal pair and return to the complete phrase.
  5. 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.

Get Parle on the App Store