Well, I took French for two years in high school, so maybe I can think of a few things...? Uh, let me just wing this!
Things to note:
- The "r" sound is definitely tricky, but if you've got that down, it already makes you that much more convincing! It's that almost-gargling sound that only sounds pretty when it's done right. I've tried teaching this sound to my mother and she just can't grasp it; I hear it's easiest to learn when you're young.
- Where we pronounce "o" sounds in English, like in the word "actor", for example, the French would make a "euh" sound, so the word would sound like "acteur" coming from them. Basically, when an "o" sound comes before that infamous "r", it makes that "euh" sound. Other times, such as in the word "coming" or "going", it would sound fairly normal.
- "Th" sounds in English, such as the word "the", sound different coming from the French, as well, considering that "th" is never used in French. It's almost a "z" sound. In movies they often exaggerate it too much and make "the" sound like "zee". In reality, it's more between a "z" and an "s", so it's more "see"-ish. Or if you say "the" like "thuh" and not "thee", the French would say something like "zuh".
- Also, "i" sounds, such as in the word "is", is elongated to many French speakers, to make it sound more like "eez".
So in the sentence, "There is much to be done here", the French would pronounce it like, "ZaiR eez much to be done heeR." Or something like that.
Hope this helps at least a little bit. If you have any questions, I shall do my best to answer them!
