French · Difficult words
How to pronounce hibou in French
hibou
Owl
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
hibou is pronounced /i.bu/ in French. In hibou: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in hibou
Read hibou in these IPA segments: i · bu. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. French prominence belongs to the spoken phrase. Do not impose a heavy English-style stress on every isolated word.
1.Front-vowel position
In hibou: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
2.Back rounded vowels
In hibou: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA.
Watch out: Avoid inserting a y sound before the vowel unless the IPA includes /j/.
Hear it in context
Un hibou a hululé cette nuit.
An owl hooted last night.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
hibou is presented using French of France. Regional accents and connected speech can change details. The isolated word and the example let you compare the dictionary form with a short spoken context.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about hibou
How do you pronounce hibou?
hibou is pronounced /i.bu/ in French. In hibou: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In hibou: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
