French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "alors" in French?

ah-LOR — an open first syllable, a short "o", a throat "r", and a silent "s".

alors /a.lɔʁ/

a-LORS, weight on the second syllable. As a discourse opener it often carries a stretched, thoughtful intonation: "aloooors..." while the speaker gathers their thoughts.

Listen: alors

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Sound it out

a A short open "ah", unstressed.

lor A light "l", a short open "o" as in "cot", then the uvular "r". The vowel keeps its own shape rather than merging into the "r".

s Silent, though it surfaces as a "z" in liaison — "alors on y va" can link across.

Hear it in a sentence

Alors, on y va ?

So, shall we go?

Listen: Alors, on y va ?

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"Alors, on y va ?" uses the word as a conversational opener, which is its most common role in speech — closer to English "so" or "right then" than to any logical connector. "On y va" carries an obligatory liaison, /ɔ̃.n‿i.va/, and the rising pitch on VA turns it into a question.

Where English speakers slip

Learners pronounce the "s", giving "a-LORSS", and give the "r" an American curl that swallows the "o". Keep the vowel short and open, rasp the "r" at the back, and leave the "s" silent. It also helps to know that "alors que" means "whereas", which is a different job entirely from the standalone discourse marker.