The sound
The French R [ʁ] is a soft friction sound made at the back of the throat, near the uvula. It is not the English R, and it is not the rolled R of Spanish or Italian either.
How to make it
- 1
Relax your mouth
Keep your lips loose and slightly open.
- 2
Keep the tongue tip down
It rests behind your lower teeth and does not move.
- 3
Make friction at the back
Raise the back of the tongue toward the soft palate and let the air rub through, like a gentle gargle or a soft throat clearing.
R at the start and in the middle of a word
rouge
red
restaurant
restaurant
Paris
Paris
merci
thank you
orange
orange
R at the end of a word
A final R stays audible. In British English a final R often disappears (car sounds like “cah”), but in French the throat friction continues to the end of the word.
pour
for
jour
day
soir
evening
hiver
winter
Hear the difference
peu
little, few
peur
fear
mai
May
mer
sea
pas
not
par
by, through
One exception: in infinitives ending in -er the r is silent, for example parler (to speak) and manger (to eat).
R after a consonant and double R
After another consonant (tr, pr, br, gr …) it is the same sound. After p, t, k and f the R is just a little breathier. A double rr sounds like a single R: not rolled and not longer.
trois
three
prix
price
grand
big, tall
terre
earth, ground
arriver
to arrive
In full sentences
Bonjour, je m’appelle Pierre.
Hello, my name is Pierre.
J’adore Paris en hiver.
I love Paris in winter.
Ma mère prépare le repas.
My mother is preparing the meal.
