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The French pronunciation app that tells you which sound slipped

Listen to a native phrase, record yourself, and see exactly which of the 37 French sounds to fix — from the R and the U to the nasal vowels.

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4.7·50,000+ installs

1

Listen

Hear a short phrase spoken by a native French speaker, at a pace made for learning.

2

Record yourself

Say the phrase out loud and record your own voice, right in the app.

3

Get instant feedback

See exactly which sounds landed and which need another try — no guessing.

The 3 sounds English speakers miss most

Get these three right and your French instantly sounds more natural. They are also the sounds Parle users practise the most.

[ʁ]

The French R

Made at the back of the throat, close to a soft gargle. It is nothing like the English R.

Common mistake: Curling the tongue tip like an English R, or rolling it like a Spanish R.

Practise with: rouge, Paris, très, merci, parler

[y]

The French U

A sound English does not have: the tongue says "ee" while the lips say "oo".

Common mistake: Saying "oo", which turns "tu" (you) into "tout" (all) and "dessus" into "dessous".

Practise with: tu, rue, plus, salut, une

[ɑ̃ ɔ̃ ɛ̃]

The nasal vowels

Air flows through the nose and the mouth at the same time. The N or M after the vowel is not pronounced.

Common mistake: Adding a final N: "bonjour" becomes "bon-n-jour" and "vin" sounds like "van".

Practise with: sans, enfant, bonjour, vin, pain

Read the full guide to the R, U and nasal vowels

The French vowels, mouth by mouth

French has 37 sounds, and its vowels are where most accents give themselves away. Here is what each one looks like, the mistake English speakers usually make, and how to fix it. Parle scores every one of them in your own recordings.

Mouth position for the French vowel [i], as in merci, ici

[i]As in merci, ici

Common mistake: A relaxed "ih" as in bit.

How to say it: Smile wide, tongue high and forward. Short and tense.

Mouth position for the French vowel [y], as in tu, plus

[y]As in tu, plus

Common mistake: "Tu" comes out as "too".

How to say it: Say "ee", then round your lips tightly without moving your tongue.

Mouth position for the French vowel [u], as in vous, pour

[u]As in vous, pour

Common mistake: A gliding "you" or a lazy "oo".

How to say it: Lips tightly rounded and pushed forward, tongue pulled back.

Mouth position for the French vowel [e], as in parlez, été

[e]As in parlez, été

Common mistake: The English "ay-ee" glide.

How to say it: A slight smile and one steady, short sound. No glide.

Mouth position for the French vowel [ø], as in peu, deux

[ø]As in peu, deux

Common mistake: "Peu" becomes "puh" or "pew".

How to say it: Tongue placed as for [e], lips rounded as for [o].

Mouth position for the French vowel [o], as in hôtel, beau

[o]As in hôtel, beau

Common mistake: The English "oh-oo" glide.

How to say it: Round your lips and hold one pure vowel.

Mouth position for the French vowel [ɛ], as in avec, père

[ɛ]As in avec, père

Common mistake: Merged with the closed [e] of été.

How to say it: Like "bed", with the jaw a little lower than for [e].

Mouth position for the French vowel [œ], as in fleur, heure

[œ]As in fleur, heure

Common mistake: "Fleur" said like "flur", with an English R.

How to say it: Mouth more open than for [ø], lips loosely rounded.

Mouth position for the French vowel [ɔ], as in alors, homme

[ɔ]As in alors, homme

Common mistake: Flattened into "ah" or closed into "oh".

How to say it: Drop the jaw and keep the lips rounded.

Mouth position for the French vowel [a], as in avec, la

[a]As in avec, la

Common mistake: The flat "a" of cat, or a vague "uh".

How to say it: A bright, front, open "a". Keep it short.

Mouth position for the French vowel [ə], as in le, petit

[ə]As in le, petit

Common mistake: "Le" said like "lay", or with spread lips.

How to say it: A relaxed, slightly rounded "euh". Often dropped in fast speech.

Mouth position for the French vowel [ɑ̃], as in sans, en

[ɑ̃]As in sans, en

Common mistake: Pronouncing the N: "sahn".

How to say it: Open back vowel with air through the nose. No N at the end.

Why Parle instead of other apps

Parle

  • Learn the sounds you actually struggle with
  • Practise just five minutes a day
  • Instant, sound-by-sound feedback
  • Real native audio, not robotic text-to-speech

Other apps

  • Generic lessons — you learn a lot you never need
  • Courses want up to an hour every day
  • Vague right/wrong, no real pronunciation feedback
  • Text-to-speech that sounds nothing like a real person

Practise the phrases you actually want to say

1

Add a word or phrase you came across in real life

2

We build a practice plan around the sounds you find hardest

3

Practise five minutes a day — and your pronunciation keeps getting more natural

Start speaking French

Real progress on pronunciation

Amazing App !

I have used this for a couple of months; One of the most powerful tools to help your French pronunciation, easy to use; and you can add your own sentences to practice—I found that's really useful! 5 stars !!

Better than Duolingo

I've been learning on Duolingo for a long time now, but I realized that all of the pronunciations are wrong and I didn't learn much but I do like this app

Highly effective

The app works smoothly and effectively. I had a minor technical issue with my subscription, but the support team handled it perfectly. All issues are resolved quickly and professionally. It's great to see such a responsive team. Highly recommended!

4.7·50,000+ installs

Frequently asked questions

How does Parle improve pronunciation?

You listen to real phrases, record yourself, and get instant feedback to fix sounds and rhythm.

Which French sounds are hardest for English speakers?

The French R (made at the back of the throat), the U of "tu" (an "ee" with rounded lips) and the nasal vowels of "sans", "bon" and "vin". The guide above shows how to say each one, and Parle scores them in your own recordings.

Can an app really improve my French accent?

Yes, if it listens to you. Parle compares your recording with the expected French sounds and shows which sound was off, so you practise the exact sound you miss instead of repeating the whole phrase blindly.

Does Parle work for Canadian French?

Yes. When you start, you choose between European and Canadian French, and the practice phrases and feedback follow that accent.

Is Parle available on iPhone and Android?

Yes. Parle is available on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android phones.

Do I need any French experience to start?

No — Parle starts with short, guided phrases and builds up gradually, so complete beginners can start right away.

How is this different from other language apps?

Parle focuses specifically on speaking and pronunciation, with instant sound-by-sound feedback on your own recordings — not just vocabulary quizzes.

How much time do I need each day?

Most sessions take about five minutes. Short, daily practice is more effective than long, infrequent sessions.

Is Parle free?

Parle is free to download and try. Some advanced features are part of a paid subscription.

How can I contact you?

You can reach us at support@parleapp.fr. We are always happy to answer your questions.