Shadowing Practice: Learn To Read French With Me | A1 Level French for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
A1
Bonjour!
254 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Bonjour!
2
In today's video, we are going to do something quite cool.
3
We are going to read together.
4
This exercise has two objectives.
5
To improve your French reading skills and improve your pronunciation.
6
So we are going to do it a little bit like a karaoke.
7
So let's read together.
8
Julie adore passer du temps avec ses enfants.
9
Tous les mercredis après-midi, la mère et la fille font de la natation.
10
Le samedi matin, Julie regarde son fils jouer au foot.
11
Pour lui, c'est une passion.
12
Les enfants jouent aussi du tambourin.
13
La famille finit la semaine par une randonnée.
14
Parents et enfants se retrouvent ensuite tous ensemble autour d'un bon goûter.
15
Right, so we've read it once with a rhythm using the syllable.
16
Now what I'm going to do is run through the text again
17
and show you some tips and tricks of how to pronounce the words.
18
First of all, what you need to be aware is
19
that there are many letters at the end of French words that we do not pronounce.
20
For example, the S are not often pronounced,
21
or the E, which is an E sound,
22
you know, and you see that in the first sentence.
23
We've got to make liaisons as well in some words.
24
We're going to see an example here and why it is so important to do the liaison when reading.
25
Another thing will be identifying the verb that ends with ENT and pronouncing not EN but E.
26
instead of EN.
27
So let's see what happens when we apply these rules.
28
So here we go.
29
Je lis adore.
30
Now you will notice that the E is not pronounced,
31
the R is pronounced, it's adore.
32
Okay, it's adore.
33
And here we've got to pronounce the ER sound, which is E.
34
So, passé, passé, u, du,
35
im is pronounced en in French.
36
And listen to that, temps, not temps, temps.
37
So the P is not pronounced,
38
the S is not pronounced.
39
Avec, and then c, again the S is not pronounced.
40
The c is an A sound the same as passé,
41
but it's not the same spelling.
42
And then I do a liaison.
43
So, ces enfants.
44
The word enfant on its own doesn't sound with a ze sound.
45
But put a C that has an S at the end,
46
then you must pronounce and do the liaison because enfant begins with a vowel.
47
So, ces enfants.
48
An AN is the same pronunciation as EM.
49
Ensemble.
50
Again, we're not pronouncing the T or the S at the end.
51
Julie adore passer du temps avec ses enfants.
52
Okay, so you need to be aware of all of these when you have EN,
53
when you have AN, when you have EM,
54
when you have AM, we have an EN sound.
55
Now have a look at the next one.
56
Tous les mercredis, a bit like C and les are pronounced the same,
57
but ES, we don't pronounce the S.
58
Mercredi, we don't pronounce the S.
59
Again, the plural is never pronounced, you don't hear it.
60
So, tous, again an S,
61
we don't pronounce in that case.
62
Les mercredis après, we pronounce this vowel E with an accent grave,
63
which is an E sound,
64
but not the S, midi.
65
And then here's another accent grave, E, mère, la mère.
66
Again, we don't pronounce the E as in E sound,
67
we say E, la mère.
68
Okay, and you see that with E for fille as well.
69
Et la fille.
70
Okay, now notice that because we have I with double L,
71
the sound is Y.
72
So, fille.
73
Okay, you will find that in a lot of words with I double L.
74
So, I, okay.
75
Fon.
76
O-N is an ON sound.
77
Here it is again.
78
Fon.
79
Natation.
80
Okay.
81
Ils font de la natation.
82
Le samedi, ok, matin.
83
And again, IN, together is a un sound.
84
So you will see that in AIN.
85
You will see that in EIN.
86
You will see that in IIN or IIM, sometimes un sound, ok.
87
Julie regarde, again, E, ends with a DE.
88
Son, S-O, you've got it in fond and you've got it in natation.
89
Son fils.
90
Now this one, unless you know it,
91
you know it's very hard.
92
This word here is pretty much the only word here that has the S pronounce.
93
Okay, it's not fil.
94
If it had been les fils,
95
such as the string, okay,
96
then you pronounce the L but not the S.
97
Okay, however, we are talking the sons, her son here.
98
The word, I'm afraid, is fils in that case.
99
Okay, but you need to know that.
100
It's all a vocabulary thing.
101
Okay, we have lots of exceptions in French.
102
Now, let's have a look at ou.
103
Ou, together, is the sound.
104
And er, together, is the sound.
105
Et.
106
So, jou, et.
107
Et you, together, is the sound au foot.
108
Now this one is very hard okay so Julie regarde son fils jouer au foot.
109
OU together is OU.
110
Pour lui.
111
Pour lui, c'est une passion.
112
Now look what's happening here so we've got another O-N,
113
passion, natation, font, son.
114
Okay we've got all these words in that text.
115
We've got another liaison.
116
C'est une.
117
Can you see that?
118
So we must pronounce the T here.
119
Why?
120
Because C ends with a T and UN begins with a vowel.
121
C'est une passion.
122
Now you could say C'est une passion,
123
but it doesn't sound like it's flowy enough.
124
So C'est une passion.
125
Now, again, look at there.
126
Here, can you do the liaison between les and enfants?
127
Enfants.
128
So we've got it here at the beginning with ces and enfants,
129
but it's the same with les and enfants.
130
So here we go.
131
Les enfants.
132
Okay, remember that A-N is EN.
133
Okay.
134
Les enfants jouent.
135
Now this one is hard.
136
And that's what I said at the beginning.
137
Sometimes you're going to have words that have E-N-T at the end and must be pronounced en.
138
However, when it's a conjugated verb in the present tense,
139
it is a sound.
140
So joues.
141
You technically do not pronounce the ENT at the end.
142
And this is what's very tricky when reading out loud.
143
And that should help you with the speaking as well,
144
understanding how to pronounce all these words.
145
So, les enfants jouent au-eu-si.
146
Double S is a s sound.
147
Les enfants jouent aussi du en tambourin.
148
Have a look at that.
149
We've got the A-M is en.
150
O-U is ou.
151
And I-N or I-N is un tambourin.
152
Okay, let's have a look at the next word.
153
La is la.
154
Esther.
155
Fa.
156
Now, do you remember what I said about the I double L,
157
which is here, by the way?
158
What was the sound?
159
It was Y.
160
So, Fa-mi-ye.
161
La-fa-mi-ye.
162
Okay.
163
La-fa-mi-ye.
164
FI-ni.
165
The T is not pronounced.
166
And I have a great video about,
167
uh, uh, please don't sound this,
168
please, or a video that tells you all the letters at the end of French words that are not pronounced.
169
Don't sound these, please, with an X.
170
So it's a DE, S,
171
T, don't sound these, please, P, and a kiss.
172
So be aware that all these letters at the end of French words are usually not pronounced.
173
So here we go, la famille finit la and a,
174
a, a, a, a, okay.
175
So a is the same as the a with the accent grave,
176
it's the same pronunciation.
177
So la semaine, again we don't pronounce the i at the end,
178
we pronounce the letter before that.
179
La semaine par une, une, rang, donné, okay when you have an accent aigu,
180
you pronounce this first accent, so E sound, okay?
181
Une randonnée.
182
It is quite often you're going to see two E's next to each other,
183
but pronounce whatever accent you have at the beginning, okay?
184
It's an accent aigu, so it's an E sound.
185
Now, EN is another EN sound,
186
So, PARENTS ET ENFANTS, again,
187
PARENTS ET ENFANTS, PARENTS ET ENFANTS,
188
you could say as well,
189
or you could do the liaison if you want it here.
190
Now, bear in mind that some people do the liaison and some don't.
191
It depends on the the sentences that you have in front of you.
192
For ses enfants, it sounds natural to do that.
193
For parents et enfants, it is also natural,
194
but equally parents et enfants can work too in that case.
195
Parents et enfants se re- ou trouvent.
196
And again, the ENT is a verb here,
197
So you do not pronounce the ENT at the end.
198
So you may wonder, but when do I pronounce the ENT?
199
For example, I have an example of the adverb souvent,
200
often, ENT, because it's not a verb here,
201
you pronounce the ENT at the end.
202
So completely different pronunciation.
203
Retrouve.
204
Souvent.
205
Ensuite.
206
Ensuite.
207
Huit.
208
OK.
209
Tous ensemble.
210
And again, here.
211
Tous ensemble.
212
Autour.
213
D'un.
214
D'apostrophe.
215
Un.
216
C'est un bon.
217
O-N.
218
And here, O-U is.
219
OU.
220
I-R-S.
221
ET.
222
Goûter.
223
Goûter.
224
OK.
225
So you will notice that sometimes,
226
tooth, depending on the function of that word,
227
is it an adverb, is it an adjective,
228
is it a pronounce, depending on the function of all tooth,
229
sometimes you are going to have an s and sometimes pronounce and sometimes you will not,
230
such as here.
231
Okay?
232
Okay, we've gone through some sounds together,
233
we've read it technically twice,
234
I would like it to be read a third time together now.
235
I will point out the syllables again but try to do it with me, properly.
236
Okay, sound like a French speaker.
237
Here we go.
238
Julie adore passer du temps avec ses enfants.
239
Tous les mercredis après-midi, la mère et la fille font de la natation.
240
Le samedi matin, Julie regarde son fils jouer au foot.
241
Pour lui, c'est une passion.
242
Les enfants jouent aussi du tambourin.
243
La famille finit la semaine par une randonnée.
244
Parents et enfants se retrouvent ensuite tous ensemble autour d'un bon goûter.
245
Ok, why don't you try to have a go by yourself now?
246
Just freeze the text or do something,
247
I don't know, but try to practice alone now.
248
And for more A1 content,
249
why don't you have a look or click on the link,
250
wherever that link is.
251
That's it for me.
252
Au revoir.
253
A bientôt.
254
Bisous, bisous.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will engage in a unique reading exercise designed to enhance your French reading skills and improve your pronunciation. By following along with a provided text, you’ll practice the *shadowing technique*, an effective method that involves mimicking native speakers to build fluency and confidence in your language abilities. As you read together, you’ll develop a keen understanding of rhythm and intonation in the French language, which is essential for successful communication. This approach not only aids in mastering pronunciation but also enhances your overall language comprehension.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Bonjour! - Hello!
- Julie adore passer du temps avec ses enfants. - Julie loves spending time with her children.
- Tous les mercredis après-midi. - Every Wednesday afternoon.
- Les enfants jouent aussi du tambourin. - The children also play the tambourine.
- Une randonnée. - A hike.
- Autour d'un bon goûter. - Around a nice snack.
- La mère et la fille font de la natation. - The mother and daughter go swimming.
- Pour lui, c'est une passion. - For him, it's a passion.
Practice Tips
When utilizing the shadowing technique, it’s crucial to maintain the same pace and tone as the original speaker. In this video, the rhythm is essential for understanding the nuances of French pronunciation. Here are a few tips for effective practice:
- Watch and Listen: Pay close attention to the speaker's delivery. Note their pauses, emphasis, and intonation—these elements are key when learning to speak naturally.
- Repeat with Rhythm: Read the text out loud after the speaker, mimicking their speed. This "karaoke" approach helps in reinforcing the flow of conversation.
- Focus on Pronunciation: Be mindful of silent letters in French, such as the endings of words where the S and E are often not pronounced. For instance, in the phrase "avec ses enfants," emphasize the correct sounds while avoiding the silent letters.
- Identify and Practice Connections: In French, liaisons are common. Understand how words link together, such as “ces enfants.” Practice these liaisons to improve your fluency and sound more natural.
- Use Repetition: Go over challenging sections multiple times. Repeating phrases enhances retention, so don’t hesitate to play segments of the video repeatedly until you feel comfortable.
Combining these tips with a shadowing site will maximize your learning potential. Remember, learning English from resources like YouTube can be both engaging and beneficial. Incorporate this method into your English speaking practice, and you will be well on your way to effective communication!
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏