Cité versus Côté
/site/ vs /kote/
A0 · French pronunciation lesson
Salutations et accents utiles: 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.
Commence par bonjour et merci, puis garde les voyelles accentuées courtes et claires.
Six lines from the current app lesson
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Bonjour.
/bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/
Hello. - 2Salut !
/sa.ly/
Hi! - 3Merci.
/mɛʁ.si/
Thank you. - 4Un café, s'il vous plaît.
/œ̃ ka.fe sil vu plɛ/
A coffee, please. - 5Ça va ?
/sa va/
How are you? - 6Très bien, merci.
/tʁɛ bjɛ̃ mɛʁ.si/
Very well, thank you.
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.
Mace versus Maçon
/maz/ vs /masɔ̃/
Pate versus Pâté
/pat/ vs /pate/
Dé versus Dès
/de/ vs /dɛ/
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.