4 Common Misconceptions About French Pronunciation

Transcript:

Welcome back to another member-only episode of the French Made Easy podcast!

Today, I want to talk about 4 common misconceptions that many French learners have about pronunciation.

These are things I hear all the time, and they can really hold you back and make you feel stuck with your French

Let’s go through each one of them together — and hopefully we can shift your mindset about learning French pronunciation.

It’s very easy to think that pronunciation is something you’re either naturally good at…. or not.

But the truth is: pronunciation is a skill. It’s like learning an instrument or playing a sport. It’s about training your mouth, your tongue, your lips, and your ears to work together. Over time, with the right kind of practice, you build the muscle memory that makes your French feel natural.

Most French learners were never actually taught how to do this, how to learn pronunciation. Because pronunciation is hard to teach, it’s not taught as much as it should. You probably picked up vocabulary and grammar rules, but when it came to pronunciation, you were left to figure it out on your own.

So just a reminder that if you’ve been struggling a little bit with your French pronunciation… it’s not because of you.. It’s not because you’re not missing talent. You’ve just been missing the training.

This one is a big one. That thinking creates a lot of pressure.

The idea that your French isn’t “good enough” unless you sound like you grew up in Paris is just… not true and not helpful.

You don’t need to erase every trace of your accent to speak well and to speak confidently and clearly.

What matters most is being clear and understood, and that’s it. That’s how you converse with people.

An accent is completely fine. I have an accent! It’s your identity. It shows you’ve learned something new, a new skill, and honestly, it’s part of what makes your French yours.

So let go of perfection. Your goal is confidence and clarity, not impersonation.

Look, I get the appeal — the idea that if you could just move to France, and everything would click into place.

But actually? Many learners do move to a French speaking country… and still struggle. Because it’s hard. It takes time. Location doesn’t magically teach you pronunciation.

What you really need is a clear method, consistent practice. And yes it is helping when you are immerse in French! But when you’re not living in France, there are other ways to immerse yourself in French (you can watch movies, listen to radio, listen to French podcasts). There are lot of things you can do.

You can really get all of that from wherever you are.

I’ve worked with students all over the world who’ve made huge progress without ever setting foot in a French-speaking country.

So no — you don’t need a plane ticket. You just need a plan.

This one’s sneaky, because it sounds logical — but it actually sets you up for a lot more frustration down the road.

Pronunciation habits form early. That’s why I always recommend learning pronunciation first! And the longer you wait, the more those habits get reinforced — which means you’ll eventually have to unlearn them.

And unlearning? That’s way harder than starting fresh.

So even if you’re a beginner, now is honestly the perfect time to start.

And if you’re already further along — it’s not too late! The key is getting the right guidance so you’re not just practicing the way you’ve always been practicing… so you can finally improve.

If any of these myths hit close to home, you’re not alone — and the good news is, you can absolutely change the way you learn, and the way you sound in French.

✨ And if you’re ready to go deeper, I’d love to invite you to join French Pronunciation Made Easy — my step-by-step course that helps you speak clearly and confidently, without second-guessing the pronunciation of every word.

Right now, you can get $100 off, plus 4 special bonuses — but the offer ends March 31 at midnight.

👇 Don’t wait! Click the button below to learn more about the course, and to sign up.

À bientôt. 🤍