The U and the OU sounds in French How to produce the sounds Look at some examples Practise the U and the OU sounds Bon Départ Unité 1 Section 1.1 pp.12-14

How to produce the OU sound The OU sound in French is close to the OO sound in English, in zoo or oops To get an idea of the position of the mouth, try saying zoo or oops in English or try a scary noise ooooh and notice the position of your lips

How to produce the OU sound Position of the lips: rounded, pushed forward mouth almost closed Say OU le cou

Écoutez et répétez bijou caillou chou genou hibou joujou pou

Now read the words first, then listen bijou caillou chou genou hibou joujou pou

Position of the tongue for the OU sound at the back of your mouth and up (the middle part of your tongue is raised) Position of the lips: rounded, pushed forward mouth almost closed

The OU and the U sounds For both sounds the lips are rounded, pushed forward; mouth almost closed OU: the tongue is towards the back and up U: move your tongue forward, and place the tip behind your lower teeth front part of the tongue is curved up For U tongue in the same position as for ee/i

You can switch from the OU to the U sound just by moving your tongue Say OU Keep your lips in the same position (rounded, pushed forward; mouth almost closed) Move your tongue behind your lower teeth, front part of the tongue is curved up Say U

or you can switch from the ee position of the mouth to the U without moving your tongue Say ee (tea, cheese). The i in French is slightly shorter île Notice how you are smiling Keep your tongue in the same position Change the position of your lips: rounded, pushed forward; mouth almost closed

Écoutez et répétez Salut tu une nature utile du vu bu tutu

Now read the words first, then listen Salut tu une nature utile du vu bu tutu

Can you hear the difference? Listen and repeat tu tutu vu nu du bu puce eu Tu l’as eu? tout toutou vous nous doux bout pouce où Où es-tu?

Which words can you hear? tu tutu du bu puce eu toutou vous bout pouce où

Tu as tout? Vous avez vu? Tu as vu le loup? Vous avez vu le loup? Tu l’as eu où? - Tu tousses toujours? - Non, je ne tousse plus du tout.

Tu as vu le tutu de Lulu? Tu as tout bu? Tu vas tout au bout du tunnel. Vous nous avez vus?

The U and the OU sounds in French Merci et au revoir Bon Départ Unité 1 Section 1.1 pp.12-14 Merci et au revoir Christine Buller Acknowledgments: All pictures from Clipart, Microsoft PowerPoint