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l | ![]() | The French 'l' is similar to the 'l' in English "with Lee". The tongue tip usually touches the back of the upper teeth. It is also a so-called "clear" l: in other words, you don't raise the back of your tongue as you pronounce the French 'l', as occurs in some cases in English. | |
ə | ![]() | The 'schwa' or 'neutral e' is pronounced with the tongue in a "central, relaxed" position and the mouth also in a 'half open, relaxed' position. Note that many French speakers actually tend to pronounce this vowel as a 'close eu' vowel (as occurs at the end of words ending in -euse), or at least with some rounding of the lips. | |
n | ![]() | The French 'n' sound is similar to the 'n' of English "tenth", i.e. pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth. | |
õ | ![]() | The French 'nasalized o' is pronounced with the lips in a similar to position to the 'close o'. However, the vowel is nasalized: air escapes through the nose as well as the mouth. |