French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "bleu" in French?

Q: How do you pronounce bleu in French?

bleu is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /blø/. It means “blue.” bluh, with the lips rounded forward — the same vowel as "deux". One syllable, no "oo".

bluh, with the lips rounded forward — the same vowel as "deux". One syllable, no "oo".

bleu /blø/

One syllable, so the word takes whatever weight the phrase gives it. In "bleu clair" or "bleu foncé" the peak moves to the second word, leaving "bleu" short and quick.

Listen: bleu

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Sound it out

bl A straightforward cluster, same as English "blue", though the "l" is lighter and made further forward.

eu The vowel /ø/. Say "ay" and freeze the tongue at the start of it, then round your lips into a small tight circle. Not "oo", not "uh" — something in between that English has no letter for.

Hear it in a sentence

Le ciel est bleu.

The sky is blue.

Listen: Le ciel est bleu.

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"Le ciel est bleu" ends on the colour, giving that /ø/ vowel its full value at the phrase peak. "Ciel" is one syllable, /sjɛl/, with the "i" acting as a "y" glide rather than a separate vowel, and "est" is again just /ɛ/. The whole sentence is only four syllables: luh-SYEL-eh-BLUH.

Where English speakers slip

The English word "blue" is so close in spelling and meaning that it gets substituted wholesale, giving "bloo". The French vowel is completely different: /u/ (as in "vous") is made at the back of the mouth, while /ø/ has the tongue forward and high. Learners who avoid "bloo" often overshoot into a flat unrounded "bluh", which loses the characteristic sound. Round the lips deliberately — you should be able to feel them pushing forward.