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French sounds and spelling · Free lesson

French Open vs Closed O: Video Lesson

Hear closed /o/ and open /ɔ/ without confusing the labels.

Watch, listen, then practise · 1 minute 33 seconds

Original Parle lesson with English captions, AI-assisted graphics and synthesized reference audio. The vowel clips model isolated sounds; written words are examples, not word recordings. Watch on YouTube · Read the captions.

Use the lesson

  1. Listen with rounded lips in mind: the jaw is higher for /o/ and slightly lower for /ɔ/.
  2. Repeat during the gaps, then choose the sound before its answer appears.
  3. Read eau and or as written examples. They are not a minimal pair; vowel use varies with words and accents.
Try the open / closed O listening round

Lesson text and French models

Read the French models and the instructions you see in the video. Open the plain-text captions.

Synthesized isolated vowels; written word examples have no word audio. The two listening questions assess choices only.

French Closed vs Open O

Hear /o/ and /ɔ/. Then test your listening.

Listen: CLOSED O /o/

Listen: OPEN O /ɔ/

Listen: CLOSED O /o/

/o/ · Lips rounded, jaw higher.

/ɔ/ · Lips rounded, jaw slightly lower.

These written examples are not a minimal pair. Vowel distribution varies by word and accent.

Listen to /o/. Then try it during the pause.

Listen to /ɔ/. Then try it during the pause.

Which vowel do you hear? A /o/ or B /ɔ/?

Answer: /o/

Which vowel do you hear? A /o/ or B /ɔ/?

Answer: /ɔ/

eau /o/ · water

or /ɔʁ/ · gold

Written word examples; clips model isolated vowels.

Contrast /o/ and /ɔ/. Keep both vowels steady.

Free lesson link in the description.

App: 35 Sounds and first 4 Course missions free.

Full 120-mission App course requires Premium.

Continue in Parle

This video and its matching website practice are free. In the optional iPhone and iPad App, all 35 Sounds pages and the first 4 First Contact Course missions are free. The full 120-mission course requires Premium. Phrase Match detects words; it does not grade your accent.

Explore all 35 Sounds free

Original lesson by the developer of Parle: Learn & Speak French, App ID 6761505050. AI-assisted scripts and graphics; synthesized reference audio. About Parle.