Lit versus Là
/li/ vs /la/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A1- · French pronunciation lesson
Pureté des voyelles (i, a, o): 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.
Assurer la clarté et la tension des voyelles fondamentales sans diphtongaison.
Six phrases for this web practice
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Il arrive vite.
/il aʁiv vit/
He arrives quickly. - 2Le sac est là.
/lə sak ɛ la/
The bag is there. - 3Le vélo est beau.
/lə velo ɛ bo/
The bike is beautiful. - 4Alice habite ici.
/alis abit isi/
Alice lives here. - 5Il arrive très vite avec son nouveau vélo bleu.
/il aʁiv tʁɛ vit avɛk sɔ̃ nuvo velo blø/
He arrives very quickly with his new blue bike. - 6Le sac d'Alice est là, juste à côté du piano.
/lə sak dalis ɛ la ʒyst a kote dy pjano/
Alice's bag is there, right next to the piano.
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.
Mot versus Ma
/mo/ vs /ma/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
Si versus Saut
/si/ vs /so/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
Pic versus Pack
/pik/ vs /pak/
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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