What Toddlers Can Teach You About How to Improve Your French Pronunciation

1. Obsession is part of the process

If you’ve ever lived with a toddler, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about:

• The same bedtime story, every night
• The same TV episode on loop
• And certain words… oh, the words!

Kids get hooked. On words, especially.

My son? Utterly obsessed with the word “truck”.

Only, his pronunciation was… how shall I put it… unfortunate. Let’s just say we got a lot of awkward looks in public.

He said it over and over – day in, day out – for weeks. Then one day, just like that, he moved on to “car.” (Phew.)

And my daughter? Her first French obsession was the oh-so-sassy “N’importe quoi !” She even nailed the pauses, adding extra stress and swag – (n’im-por-te quoi)!

The first time she said it? To her French grandad, Papi Guili (Grandad Tickle), the room erupted in laughter and applause. So of course… she said it even more. Cause and effect. 

(We were less thrilled with her “caca boudin” (poo-sausage) phase… but hey, it passed.)

Children repeat and recycle language like it’s their job. That’s how they make it their own.

Catchphrases, refrains, bits of songs or dialogue — they hear them, repeat them, and before you know it, they’re using them naturally in conversation.

One day, my son casually dropped the word archnemesis into a chat with his great aunt. She was floored. (Thank you, superhero cartoons.)

So when you find a French word you love — lean into it. Use it often. The more you say it, the easier it gets.

2. Repetition works. 

If you want to improve your French pronunciation, repetition is your best friend.

Don’t be afraid to go back to the same podcast episode, the same short story, or the same scene from a Netflix series. Each time, your brain picks up something new. A different rhythm. A sound you didn’t notice the first time. A word you finally get.

What feels boring is actually brilliant for your pronunciation.

3. Be a word collector 

Toddlers are natural word hoarders. And you can be one too.

When I was learning French, I got utterly obsessed with the word parsemer — “to sprinkle”. It was my everything. I sprinkled parsemer into every essay, every conversation.

And guess what? I’ve never forgotten it.

So if there’s a word you love? Let it move in. Write it down, say it aloud, tell it to your dog. That kind of joyful repetition is exactly how to improve your French pronunciation in a way that actually sticks.

Toddlers don’t strive for perfection. And neither should you.

They fumble, giggle, mispronounce, and move on. They don’t overthink it — and they’re not afraid to try again.

The same goes for you. If you’re struggling to pronounce something, keep going. The sound will come. Confidence comes from the trying.

(And yes — my son can now say “truck” perfectly, in case you were still worried!)

The long hike is worth it

Learning how to improve your French pronunciation isn’t a quick sprint — it’s more like a long walk through the Alps.

It can feel slow sometimes. You might get a bit lost. But the view from the top? Incroyable.

And you don’t have to hike it alone.

Want support on your French pronunciation journey?

Inside my membership group, The Sound More French Café, I help English speakers like you:

• Feel more confident speaking French

• Master tricky pronunciation points

• And build that natural, native-like rhythm

We recently welcomed a fab bunch of new members after a flash opening, and we’re having our little Bienvenue Bash this weekend — complete with games, cake, and plenty of franglais.

The Café doors are closed for now, but they’ll be open again soon.

Pop your name on the waitlist to join the next round: JOIN THE WAITLIST 

Thanks for reading, and remember — if a toddler can do it, so can you!

Frannie x