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A song about three little cats in French

Three little cats (Trois petits chats) is a traditional French song that is usually sung in pairs in the playground.

You can practise your French pronunciation with this fun song:

Pronouncing words in French

Did you notice anything unusual about this song?

The song is made up of random objects connected by similar sounds. The last syllable of the last word in each verse sounds like the first syllable of the next.

The song doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it helps with the pronunciation of different sounds in French.

Phonemes

Phonemes are the different sounds that make up a language. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound.

Here are ten key French phonemes in this song. Try practising them out loud.

1. il and ill after a vowel

These letters make the English y sound.

• paille – paille – straw
• paillasson – paillasson – doormat

2. om, on

These sounds are called nasal sounds as you say them through your nose. If a vowel is followed by m or n in French, then it becomes nasal and you don’t say the m or the n.

Put your mouth in the position to say o as in the French word orange and then allow the air to come down your nose.

• paillasson – paillasson – doormat

3. u, û

This letter makes a sound not found in English. Form your lips as though you are going to whistle, then say the sound for the letters ee in English.

• somnambule – somnambule – sleepwalker
• bulletin – bulletin – report

4. in, im

in is a nasal sound. It sounds more like the English an in ran. Put your mouth in the position to say an, then allow the air to come down your nose.

• bulletin – bulletin – report
• tintamarre – tintamarre – racket, din

5. r, rr

This letter makes a sound which is not in the English language. It sounds as if you are gargling water.

• tintamarre – tintamarre – racket, din
• mare – mare – pool

6. ou, oû, où

These letters make a sound not found in English. Purse your lips tightly like a chimpanzee to say this sound.

• boue – boue – mud
• bout – bout – end

7. e before two consonants

This sounds like the e in the English word egg.

• ficelle – ficelle – string
• selle – selle – saddle

8. ch

In French ch sounds like the English for sh.

• selle de cheval – selle de cheval – horse saddle
• chapeau de paille – chapeau de paille – straw hat

9. eu, œ, œu

These letters make a sound not found in English. Imagine you have seen something unpleasant, open your mouth a little and sound disgusted.

• Terre de Feu – Terre de Feu – Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire)
• feu de bois – feu de bois – wood fire

10. oi, oî

To make the sound for these letters, say an English w and a sound as in apple to make wa.

• bois ton lait – bois ton lait – drink your milk
• trois petits chats – trois petits chats – three little cats

Did you know?

In France, this song is usually sang as a hand-clapping song in the playground.

Why not try saying the rhyme and clapping along at the same time in pairs?

Key French words