U - French Pronunciation of U

The French letter U is one of the two most difficult sounds in French for most people. (R is the other one.)

The unaccented U and the U with an accent circonflexe Û or tréma Ü are pronounced the same way: with the lips tightly pursed. Listen. There is no equivalent sound in English, so for this letter more than any other is is essential to get help from a native French speaker. In the meantime, take a look at step-by-step instructions on how to pronounce the French u.

French words with U

Click on the links below to hear the words pronounced in French:

lecture   (reading)

autobus   (bus)

sucre   (sugar)

jupe   (skirt)

tu   (you)

Letter combinations with U (click for detailed lessons)

AU
EU
EAU
OU
UE
UI
UN

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