How to Pronounce the French Sound [ɥi]380

The French sound [ɥi] is a rounded front vowel, similar to the English sound in "new" or "few". It is pronounced with the lips rounded and the tongue positioned in the front of the mouth, with the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth. The sound is produced by directing the airstream through the narrowed space between the tongue and the palate.

The [ɥi] sound is represented in French by the letter combination "ui", as in the words "nuit" (night) and "huile" (oil). It can also be represented by the letter combination "uî", as in the word "ruine" (ruin).

Here are some tips for pronouncing the French sound [ɥi]:
Round your lips as if you were going to whistle.
Place the tip of your tongue behind your lower teeth.
Direct the airstream through the narrowed space between your tongue and the palate.
Listen to native French speakers pronounce the sound and try to imitate them.

Here are some practice words:
nuit (night)
huile (oil)
ruine (ruin)
lune (moon)
fruit (fruit)

Once you have mastered the pronunciation of the [ɥi] sound, you will be able to speak French with greater accuracy and fluency.

Additional Notes

The [ɥi] sound is often described as a "glide" because it is pronounced with a smooth transition from the initial [y] sound to the final [i] sound. This glide is similar to the glide in the English word "yes".

The [ɥi] sound is not found in all dialects of French. In some dialects, it is pronounced as a simple [i] sound. However, the [ɥi] sound is the standard pronunciation in most dialects of French.

2024-12-06

Previous：How to Tune a Guitar in French (Free)

Next：French Pronunciation: Demystifying the Perplexing ‘u‘