Minimal pair · French (France)
French /o/ vs /u//o/ / /u/
Learn to hear the difference between o and u in French words.
Practice these sounds/o/
A close-mid, rounded vowel
A rounded vowel made toward the back of the mouth.
As inbeau
/u/
A back, rounded vowel
The tongue is high and farther back, with rounded lips.
As inbout
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
A small change.
A different word.
Beau/bout, veau/vous and saut/sou keep the first consonant and contrast final /o/ with /u/. Both vowels are rounded, so listen to the complete vowel quality.
Listen for the target sound in each word.
A common trap
The letters ou represent /u/ in these examples. This is not the separate /o–ɔ/ contrast, and an English-style off-glide is not the target.
Sound examples
Tap to hear each wordbeau
/bo/beautiful; handsomeveau
/vo/calf; vealsaut
/so/jump; leappeau
/po/skindos
/do/back of the bodytaux
/to/ratefaux
/fo/falsechaud
/ʃo/hotbout
/bu/end; tipvous
/vu/you, formal or pluralsou
/su/an old coin; a small amount of moneytout
/tu/all; everythingroue
/ʁu/wheeljoue
/ʒu/cheekchou
/ʃu/cabbagecou
/ku/neck16 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.