French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "ou" in French?

Q: How do you pronounce ou in French?

ou is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /u/. It means “or.” oo — a single vowel, identical in sound to "où" (where). Two letters, one sound.

oo — a single vowel, identical in sound to "où" (where). Two letters, one sound.

ou /u/

One unstressed syllable sitting between the two things it connects. It never takes the beat — the emphasis belongs to the alternatives on either side.

Listen: ou

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Sound it out

o On its own this letter would be an "oh" or "aw" sound. It is the "u" behind it that changes everything, which is why the pair has to be read as a unit.

ou Together they make the back "oo" of "soup": lips pushed forward, tongue pulled back, vowel held steady with no drift. The one exception is when another vowel follows, in which case the pair collapses into a "w" glide, as in "oui".

Hear it in a sentence

Tu préfères le thé ou le café ?

Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Listen: Tu préfères le thé ou le café ?

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"Tu préfères le thé ou le café ?" uses the definite article before both drinks, which French requires when talking about them in general. "Préfères" has a grave accent marking an open "eh" in the middle, and "thé" has a silent "h" — French treats "th" as a plain "t", with none of the English "th" sound.

Where English speakers slip

The word itself is easy; the confusion is with its accented twin. "Ou" (or) and "où" (where) are homophones, and learners sometimes over-articulate one of them trying to differentiate. They sound identical. Also watch the vowel: French "ou" is a pure, steady "oo", where English "oo" tends to glide slightly toward a "w" at the end.