French Pronunciation Lesson 5 with Miss Murge [Video]142

Introduction

In this lesson, Miss Murge takes us through the pronunciation of the French vowel sounds [ɛ] and [œ]. She explains how to produce these sounds correctly and provides plenty of examples. She also covers the pronunciation of the consonant sounds [ʒ] and [ʃ], and how to combine them with the vowels [ɛ] and [œ].

The Vowel Sounds [ɛ] and [œ]

The vowel sound [ɛ] is similar to the "e" in the English word "bed". To produce this sound, start by saying "a" as in "cat". Then, raise your tongue slightly and move it forward in your mouth. Keep your lips relaxed and spread apart slightly.

The vowel sound [œ] is similar to the "u" in the English word "fur". To produce this sound, start by saying "o" as in "dog". Then, round your lips and push your tongue forward in your mouth. Keep your lips rounded and spread apart slightly.

The Consonant Sounds [ʒ] and [ʃ]

The consonant sound [ʒ] is similar to the "g" in the English word "beige". To produce this sound, start by saying "s" as in "sin". Then, curl your tongue up and back in your mouth. Keep your lips pursed and spread apart slightly.

The consonant sound [ʃ] is similar to the "sh" in the English word "she". To produce this sound, start by saying "s" as in "sin". Then, curl your tongue up and back in your mouth. Keep your lips rounded and spread apart slightly.

Combining the Sounds [ɛ], [œ], [ʒ], and [ʃ]

Once you have mastered the pronunciation of the individual sounds, you can start combining them to form words. Here are a few examples:* je (I)
* père (father)
* mère (mother)
* femme (woman)
* homme (man)
* chat (cat)
* chien (dog)
* poisson (fish)
* oiseau (bird)

Practice

The best way to improve your French pronunciation is to practice regularly. Here are a few tips:* Read aloud. Reading aloud is a great way to practice your pronunciation. Choose a text that is at your level and read it aloud slowly and carefully. Pay attention to the pronunciation of the words and try to imitate the sounds that you hear.
* Listen to native speakers. Listening to native speakers is another great way to improve your pronunciation. Try to find French movies, TV shows, or podcasts that you enjoy and listen to them regularly. Pay attention to the way that the speakers pronounce the words and try to imitate their sounds.
* Use a pronunciation dictionary. A pronunciation dictionary can be a helpful tool for learning how to pronounce French words correctly. Look up the words that you are having trouble with and listen to the audio pronunciations.
* Get feedback from a native speaker. If you have the opportunity, ask a native French speaker to give you feedback on your pronunciation. They can help you identify any areas that you need to improve.

Conclusion

With practice, you will be able to master the pronunciation of the French vowel sounds [ɛ] and [œ] and the consonant sounds [ʒ] and [ʃ]. This will help you to improve your overall French pronunciation and make you more confident when speaking the language.

2024-11-19

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