sept versus sait
/sɛt/ vs /sɛ/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
A2+ · French pronunciation lesson
Sortie entre Amis (Organiser une sortie): 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 dialogue social et amical.
Six phrases for this web practice
French phrases with IPA and English meaning
- 1Salut! Tu fais quoi ce soir?
/saly ty fɛ kwa sə swaʁ/
Hi! What are you doing tonight? - 2Rien de spécial, je reste à la maison.
/ʁjɛ̃ də spesjal ʒə ʁɛst a la mɛzɔ̃/
Nothing special, I'm staying home. - 3On se voit au ciné avec les‿autres ?
/ɔ̃ sə vwa o sine avɛk lez‿otʁ/
Shall we meet at the cinema with the others? - 4Pourquoi pas! C'est quel film?
/puʁkwa pa sɛ kɛl film/
Why not! Which movie is it? - 5Une comédie française très rigolote.
/yn kɔmedi fʁɑ̃sɛz tʁɛ ʁiɡɔlɔt/
A very funny French comedy. - 6Ça marche! Rendez-vous là-bas à sept heures.
/sa maʁʃ ʁɑ̃de vu la ba a sɛt‿œʁ/
Okay! Meet there at seven o'clock.Sept keeps t before heures. The s in rendez-vous and là-bas does not become a separate final sound.
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. OQLF: huit. OQLF: sept and neuf. 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.
soir versus sœur
/swaʁ/ vs /sœʁ/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
ciné versus signé
/sine/ vs /siɲe/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
rien versus rein
/ʁjɛ̃/ vs /ʁɛ̃/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
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.
The app has 35 free sound references with recording and replay, plus a separate speaking course. Try its first 4 missions on greetings and introductions free; Premium opens all 120 missions.