French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "deux" in French?

Q: How do you pronounce deux in French?

deux is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /dø/. It means “two.” A rounded "duh" — like "duh" but with your lips pushed forward. The "x" is silent.

A rounded "duh" — like "duh" but with your lips pushed forward. The "x" is silent.

deux /dø/

One syllable. When counting aloud, French speakers give each numeral roughly equal length, so "deux" is not lengthened the way an English speaker might stretch it.

Listen: deux

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Sound it out

d A clean "d" made with the tongue against the upper teeth, slightly further forward than the English "d".

eu The vowel /ø/, which English lacks. Say "ay" as in "day" and hold the very start of it, then round your lips into a small circle without moving your tongue. It ends up close to the vowel in British "her", but with no "r" colouring at all.

x Silent when the word stands alone or before a consonant. Before a vowel it wakes up as a "z" in liaison.

Hear it in a sentence

Deux billets, s'il vous plaît.

Two tickets, please.

Listen: Deux billets, s'il vous plaît.

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"Deux billets, s'il vous plaît" has "deux" before a consonant, so the "x" stays silent: /dø bi.jɛ/. Contrast that with "deux euros", where the "x" would become a "z" and link across: /dø.z‿ø.ʁo/. Also note "billets" — the "ll" after "i" makes a "y" sound, giving bee-YAY, with the final "ts" silent.

Where English speakers slip

Most learners say "dooks" or "dux", pronouncing the "x" because English always does. It is silent here. The vowel is the other hurdle: people substitute "oo" or "uh", when /ø/ needs the tongue in an "ay" position with the lips rounded. Get it wrong toward "oo" and you drift toward "doux" (soft); get the rounding right and you have a distinctly French sound that also unlocks "peu", "jeu", and "bleu".