LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "l'oiseau (m.)" in French?
lwa-ZOH — the article fuses into the "oi" glide, giving just two syllables.
l'oi-SEAU, weight on the second syllable. Seven letters in the noun produce three sounds — this is often cited as the French word with the highest letter-to-sound ratio.
Listen: l'oiseau (m.)
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
L'oiseau chante le matin.
The bird sings in the morning.
Listen: L'oiseau chante le matin.
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"L'oiseau chante le matin" uses "le matin" to mean "in the morning" as a habit — with the article, and no preposition. "Chante" has "ch" as "sh" and a nasal vowel, ending in a silent "e" that keeps the "t" audible: SHAHNT. "Matin" ends in the nasal /ɛ̃/.
Where English speakers slip
The spelling suggests four or five syllables and learners deliver them, producing "loy-see-OW". It is two beats: lwa-ZOH. The "s" also stays a hiss for most people, when between vowels it must be a "z". And the "eau" needs to be one steady "oh", not a diphthong.