French · Difficult words
How to pronounce zéro in French
zéro
Zero
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
zéro is pronounced /ze.ʁo/ in French. In zéro: Use gentle friction toward the back of the mouth. Keep the tongue tip relaxed while connecting r to its neighboring vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in zéro
Read zéro in these IPA segments: ze · ʁo. 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 French r /ʁ/
In zéro: 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.
2.A steady /e/ vowel
In zéro: Keep /e/ steady from beginning to end. Listen for a clear vowel without the movement at the end of English “day”.
Watch out: The English-style “ay” respelling is only a guide; avoid its final y-like glide.
3.A steady /o/ vowel
In zéro: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription.
Watch out: Avoid automatically turning a single /o/ into the moving vowel of English “go”.
Hear it in context
Le score est de deux à zéro.
The score is two to zero.
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
zéro 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 zéro
How do you pronounce zéro?
zéro is pronounced /ze.ʁo/ in French. In zéro: Use gentle friction toward the back of the mouth. Keep the tongue tip relaxed while connecting r to its neighboring vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In zéro: Use gentle friction toward the back of the mouth. Keep the tongue tip relaxed while connecting r to its neighboring vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
