French · Places
How to pronounce Paris in French
Paris
Paris, capital of France
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Paris is pronounced /pa.ʁi/ in French. In Paris: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pa.ʁi/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
Find the sounds in Paris
Read Paris in these IPA segments: pa · ʁi. 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.The final written s
In Paris: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pa.ʁi/.
Watch out: Connected speech can differ, especially where liaison is possible. Do not generalize this word’s ending to every French word.
2.The French r /ʁ/
In Paris: Use gentle friction toward the back of the mouth. Keep the tongue tip relaxed while connecting r to its neighboring vowel.
Watch out: Avoid a strong English curled r or adding a vowel before the consonant.
3.Front-vowel position
In Paris: 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.
4.An open vowel
In Paris: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
Notre destination est Paris.
Our destination is Paris.
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
Paris 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.
Questions about Paris
How do you pronounce Paris?
Paris is pronounced /pa.ʁi/ in French. In Paris: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pa.ʁi/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In Paris: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pa.ʁi/. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
