What are the best methods to sound more native when speaking French?

Reader Question: I think my French is at a good level now, but I think my accent is really noticeable when I speak and I want to get rid of it. How do I improve my speaking so that I sound native?

Immersion is the best way to improve your accent, as you will subconsciously pick up speech patterns and turns of phrase that sound more native than those in a textbook.

TV shows and films are good for this, as is reading and watching videos on topics of interest or learning French on websites such as YouTube. One useful tip if you sometimes struggle to follow French on films and videos is to turn on French subtitles, if available. 

Radio shows and podcasts – where the entire focus is on the spoken word – are even more useful as you can really dial in to how words are pronounced

You can find shows and podcasts on every imaginable topic under the sun, allowing you to focus on a topic you are interested in and with whose vocabulary you are familiar.

Plenty of conversations with native speakers through local activities is also a good idea, as it allows you to hear spoken French in natural situations, helping train your ear more quickly. 

Ensure, however, that you stick to speaking French throughout the activity to improve and aim to be an equal participant, not just a follower, in the conversation.

Read more: What are some good radio shows to learn about French culture?

Lessons focused on improving your accent 

It is possible to take lessons to improve your French speaking, including your accent. 

Classes focusing specifically on phonetics are offered by language schools including the Alliance Française. 

More specifically, you can also get personal lessons with a one-on-one tutor, and ask them to focus specifically on improving your accent. 

The benefit of these classes is that you can identify areas of weakness you may not be aware of, and really focus on these.

This can be done in-person through local tutors, or online through websites such as Preply or iTalki. 

The website and YouTube channel ‘Master your French’, run by a native-speaker pronunciation expert also offers effective pronunciation tips and classes online.

Rather than grammar and vocabulary, you will want to focus on features such as your mastery of such typically French sounds as the French ‘R’ and nasal vowels, your intonation (French and English are different when it comes to how syllables are stressed) and aspects such as silent (non-pronounced) letters or syllables or liaisons and enchaînement which relate to the way certain words run into each other in a spoken phrase.

Read more: Improve your French: Our pick of the best language learning apps for 2025

Make sure you have the basics under your belt 

Wanting to sound more ‘native’ can be a good goal for a language learner but it should not be your focus too early in the process.

You should only focus on making your accent sound more native (if you wish to) once you are at an upper-intermediate level and able to have a fluid conversation without making many grammatical mistakes. 

Focusing on how you sound (beyond generally correct pronunciation of words) too early can be a sidetrack and can also be inhibiting if you are worrying about it. 

Speaking with the correct grammar and comprehension skills will make conversations much easier than ‘sounding’ French but still making errors and being unable to understand what the person you are talking to is saying.

No one really cares about if a person has an accent (French people almost always have an accent when speaking English), and in many cases French people find accents ‘charming’. 

In addition, think about what it means to sound more ‘native’ to you? ‘Parisian’ French is the standard accent for most learners and native speakers in France, but regional dialects also exist and can influence how you as a learner speak.