[Originally posted on 02/21/14 on the Duolingo French for English speakers forum by JC70]
I just remembered something I learned a while ago that you may find useful.
English speakers often have trouble with the French ‘u’ vowel (as in ‘tu’, ‘mal entendu’ etc.), as it is not a sound that appears in English. While you can fudge your way through saying ‘ou’ (basically the vowel sound in ‘blue’ as said in a comedy French accent) instead of ‘u’ in many situations, there are cases where this is not an option. For example, ‘au-dessus’ (“above”) means the opposite of ‘au-dessous’ (“below”). Confusing ‘u’ and ‘ou’ is thus particularly inadvisable for construction workers, bank managers and those seeking a haircut.
So how can you articulate that ‘u’? Well, here’s an effective way to simulate it at least.
First, purse your lips as if you are about to say ‘ooo’. Then, holding your mouth in the same shape, say a short, sharp ‘eee’. If done correctly, the result is a sort of nasal ‘u’. This is basically the sound you are looking for.
Selected comments on original post
It’s the same as “ew” in English if I’m not mistaken. As in “ewwwww, gross” or “there’s dew on window”, or few, lieu (which is a French word!). Also it’s the same as the German u mit umlaut.
I think that may depend on your accent. For me, it’s definitely not the same as ‘ew’ in any of those examples.
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