Resources: Module 01 — Introduction: Sounds, Alphabet, and First Words¶

Resources specifically relevant to French pronunciation, the alphabet, and foundational phonetics.

Pronunciation Practice¶

• Forvo — French pronunciation dictionary — Native speaker recordings of French words. Type any word to hear how it is actually pronounced. Free. Invaluable for checking pronunciation.
• IPA Chart with audio (University of Victoria) — [Verify: confirm URL is current] — Interactive IPA chart with audio samples. Use this to hear the specific sounds described in the module.
• French Phonetics — Wikipedia IPA guide — Comprehensive IPA reference for French sounds with examples. Free.

Video Resources¶

• Français avec Pierre — Pronunciation series — [Verify: confirm current channel] — YouTube videos explaining French pronunciation in French, aimed at intermediate learners but useful from the start
• Comme une Française — French pronunciation — [Verify: confirm current availability] — Videos on sounding more natural in French; good coverage of liaison and elision

Reference¶

• CNRTL Phonetics Search — Enter any French word to see its IPA phonetic transcription. Free. Use this to check your own transcription attempts.
• Wordreference French dictionary — Audio pronunciations available for most words. Free.

Alphabet and Accent Marks¶

• Académie Française — La langue française — Official resources on the French language from the Académie. Background reading on accent marks and their status.

Notes on Using These Resources¶

For this module, the most valuable practice is listening and imitation. Use Forvo and YouTube resources to hear real French pronunciation, then imitate out loud. Record yourself if possible — even a phone voice memo will reveal pronunciation issues that reading alone cannot. The gap between how you think you sound and how you actually sound is usually significant in the first weeks of pronunciation study.