LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "l'ours (m.)" in French?
loors — one syllable, and unusually, the final "s" IS pronounced.
One syllable, article included. Singular and plural are identical in sound, since the plural adds nothing audible — "l'ours" and "les ours" differ only in the article and its liaison.
Listen: l'ours (m.)
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
L'ours dort tout l'hiver.
The bear sleeps all winter.
Listen: L'ours dort tout l'hiver.
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"L'ours dort tout l'hiver" contains two elisions: "l'ours" and "l'hiver", the second across a mute "h". "Tout" here modifies the season and its final "t" is silent before the consonant-like "l". "Dort" ends in a silent "t". So the sentence has three silent final consonants and one surprisingly audible "s".
Where English speakers slip
Learners silence the "s", applying the general rule, and produce "loor". This word keeps it. They also aspirate nothing but give the apostrophe a beat, saying "luh-OORS". It is one syllable. And note the plural liaison: "les ours" is /le.z‿uʁs/, so you hear a "z" and then an "s" in quick succession.