Trap 13 of 22 · French speakers
U says YOU: music, menu, computer
Le U se dit « you » : music, menu, computer
What French speakers do
You use the French u (lips rounded, tongue forward): mü-ZIK, me-NÜ. English has no such vowel, so it sounds clearly foreign.
The American rule
A U that sounds like its letter name is the word you: Y + OO. Add the Y, then a round English oo (as in food).
The French u (as in tu, rue) does not exist in English. When it appears in an English word, listeners notice it immediately.
The fix: when the u sounds like the letter U, say the word you. Music = MYOO-zik. Menu = MEN-yoo. Computer = kum-PYOO-der.
When the U is in an unstressed syllable it shrinks, but the Y stays: popular = PAH-pyuh-ler, regular = REG-yuh-ler.
Watch for the opposite trap too: after r and l there is no Y — rule, blue, true are plain oo.
The words
music
/ˈmjuzɪk/
✗mü-ZIK
✓MYOO-zik
“What kind of music do you like?”
menu
/ˈmɛnju/
✗me-NÜ
✓MEN-yoo
“Could we see the menu?”
computer
/kəmˈpjutɚ/
✗kon-pü-TER
✓kum-PYOO-der
“My computer is really slow today.”
university
/ˌjunəˈvɝsəti/
✗ü-ni-ver-si-TÉ
✓yoo-nuh-VUR-suh-dee
“He teaches at a university.”
unique
/juˈnik/
✗ü-NIK
✓yoo-NEEK
“Every person is unique.”
human
/ˈhjumən/
✗ü-MAN
✓HYOO-mun
Two traps: say the H, then YOO.
“It's only human to make mistakes.”
communication
/kəˌmjunəˈkeɪʃən/
✗ko-mü-ni-ka-SYOHN
✓kuh-myoo-nuh-KAY-shun
“Good communication is everything.”
popular
/ˈpɑpjəlɚ/
✗po-pü-LAR
✓PAH-pyuh-ler
“This song is really popular.”
regular
/ˈrɛɡjəlɚ/
✗ré-gü-LAR
✓REG-yuh-ler
“She's a regular customer.”
particular
/pɚˈtɪkjəlɚ/
✗par-ti-kü-LYÉ
✓per-TIK-yuh-ler
“Is there a particular reason?”
value
/ˈvælju/
✗va-LÜ
✓VAL-yoo
“We value your feedback.”
continue
/kənˈtɪnju/
✗kon-ti-NÜ
✓kun-TIN-yoo
“Please continue.”