When comparing French and English, we notice that some letters, like O, are pronounced exactly the same, while others, like R, must be pronounced quite differently.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with the R: for some, it will be avoidance by finding a multitude of synonyms without R, others will deal with it without fear even if it means not being understood by anyone and finally, there are those who remember their Spanish lessons and say to themselves that since they are both Latin languages, it must be the same pronunciation.

Well, let me give you some tips and advice to avoid falling into one of these three categories 😉

Why is it so difficult to pronounce the R correctly in French?

It is important to note first of all that the pronunciation of the R varies slightly from one region to another, from one country to another. For example, when I listen to YouTube videos, it is often the pronunciation of the R that will tell me if it is someone from France, Belgium or Switzerland. It is therefore very likely that your first difficulty comes from trying to imitate people with different accents. But don’t worry, with this article, no matter where you go, you will be understood.

So, the purpose of this article is to help you pronounce the Rs like a French speaker. Because the important thing (the most important thing at least) is not to speak “without an accent ” but to make yourself understood. I will use simple tips, short and clear instructions; I will not get into vocal cord analysis or speech therapy language.

You should also know that the consonant R is the most pronounced in French. It is therefore possible that it is its repetition that adds a degree of difficulty in mastering it.

For many of my students, pronunciation is a real problem in learning French. Yes, there are the three categories mentioned earlier, but there are also those who want to pronounce words so perfectly that it takes them 4 minutes to say a 3 word sentence… And believe me, at this point, it becomes extremely difficult for the person you are talking to to follow the thread of the conversation.

I’ve had students who were at a C1 level in reading and writing, but couldn’t order a coffee in French. So, pronunciation is important to work on, but don’t kill yourself over it.

The R in French ≠ the R in Spanish

I think this is the mistake I see most often when faced with the pronunciation of the R in French.

The majority of my students are native English speakers and the vast majority have already taken a Spanish 101 course. It is with great pride that they tell me that they know exactly how to pronounce Rs in French… and it is with great confidence that they begin to read a text… only to have me tell them that the French R and the Spanish R have nothing to do with each other. Moreover, it is the same with the Italian R.

How to pronounce the R in French

The French R is created in the back of the throat and not in the front. In fact, it sounds a lot like a cat purring.

You need to place your tongue up in the back of your throat, as if you were trying to pronounce a K (kangaroo, Koala, etc.).

The tip of your tongue is flat against the bottom teeth.

When pronouncing, your tongue should not move, it should remain fixed.

Once your tongue is in position, try to purr like a cat.

What about the pronunciation of the R in Quebec?

Today, the R in Quebec is pronounced almost identically to the pronunciation in France. So, for all of you who have had French lessons with people from France, there is no need to change anything in your learning.

For the record, 60-70 years ago, people in Montreal were recognizable by the fact that they rolled their R’s much more than in other parts of Quebec. It seems that during the first part of the 20th century, rolling your Rs in an accentuated way was a way to show that you had a higher education and thus distinguish yourself from the rest of the population. This “fashion” will be on the decline from the 1940s.

If you are curious, here is a video that demonstrates this. Even for me, this 1967 accent seems strange, far away and totally belonging to my grandparents’ generation. (I ask you to focus on the accent, not the opinion or what people say. Although there is nothing really bad, mentalities evolve in time as much as languages do.)

Your Challenge: Practice pronouncing the R

It’s easy enough for you to practice purring like a cat on your own, but to make it a real challenge and to help you progress, I’ve created a few categories of words containing Rs that I’m asking you to pronounce. To guide you, you will have an audio of me pronouncing these same words.

In the audio, I pronounce each word twice: once at normal speed and once with spaced syllables.

There are two ways to do this challenge: 

1. You pronounce all the categories once a day, several days in a row.
2. You say one category, three times in a row, and move on to the next category the next day.

Tell me in the comments which method you chose.

Words beginning with R:

Words with R in them:

Words ending with R:

At the end of a word, it is always pronounced, unless it is combined with an E, as in “parler, “aller”, “manger”. In those cases, the pronunciation is “hey” but without the H. (Of course, there are some exceptions like “mer”, “cher” or “hiver”).

Words with too many Rs:

Sentences with Rs: