LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "la souris" in French?
la soo-REE — the back "oo", a throat "r", and a silent final "s".
la sou-RIS, weight on the second syllable, ending in a bare vowel. The word covers both the animal and the computer mouse, exactly as in English.
Listen: la souris
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
La souris se cache sous la table.
The mouse is hiding under the table.
Listen: La souris se cache sous la table.
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"La souris se cache sous la table" uses the reflexive "se cacher" — French says the mouse hides itself. "Sous" has a silent "s" and the same back "oo" as the first syllable of "souris". "Cache" ends in "sh" kept audible by its silent "e". Three "s"-family sounds in one short sentence.
Where English speakers slip
Learners pronounce the final "s", giving "soo-REESS", and give the "r" an American curl. Both need attention: silent ending, throat rasp in the middle. The word is also a homophone of "sourit" (smiles, from "sourire"), so "la souris sourit" is a real and slightly absurd sentence.