French · Difficult words
How to pronounce tard in French
tard
Late
French of France; reference: France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
tard is pronounced /taʁ/ in French. In tard: The final written d is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /taʁ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in tard
The reference transcription for tard is /taʁ/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. French prominence belongs to the spoken phrase. Do not impose a heavy English-style stress on every isolated word.
1.The final written d
In tard: The final written d is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /taʁ/.
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 tard: 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.An open vowel
In tard: 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
Je me couche trop tard en ce moment.
I've been going to bed too late lately.
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
tard 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 tard
How do you pronounce tard?
tard is pronounced /taʁ/ in French. In tard: The final written d is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /taʁ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In tard: The final written d is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /taʁ/. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
