French Sounds That Don't Exist in English

Learning a new language is quite literally a physical workout for your mouth. French requires you to use facial muscles and tongue positions that you have never used in English.

The Nasal Vowels

If you've ever felt like French sounds like it's being spoken through the nose, you're picking up on nasal vowels. There are three main ones: an/en, on, and in/ain.

To produce these sounds, air must escape through both your mouth and your nose simultaneously. Practice saying the English word "song", freeze your mouth on the "-ng", and try to speak. That's the feeling of a nasalized sound.

The Infamous French 'U'

The sound of the letter u (as in tu) does not exist in English. If you just say "oo" (like in "too"), you are making the French ou sound, which changes the meaning of words completely (e.g., tu vs tout).

"To say the French U: shape your lips like a tight circle as if you are going to whistle, but try to say the letter 'E' inside your mouth."

With correct physical instruction, anyone can master these sounds quickly.