Speaking French Without an Accent?

Every voice carries a story.

Your accent tells where you come from, which languages have shaped your ear, and which sounds your mouth has learned to form. Whether you speak French, English, or any other language, your accent gives your speech its unique colour — a melody shaped by your experiences and the people who surround you.

If you have about forty minutes, I warmly recommend this French podcast: Y a-t-il une seule façon de bien parler le français ?

You might also find this article enlightening: Glottophobie : comment le français sans accent est devenu la norme.

Both explore glottophobia — discrimination based on accent — an issue that, to me, feels profoundly unfair.

Over the years, I’ve seen how deeply this fear of judgment affects learners. Some of my students hesitate to speak French because they worry they’ll sound “stupid” or “uneducated”. And yet, in their own language, they express themselves with subtlety, humour, and nuance.

It takes real courage to speak a language you don’t yet master. Every learner who dares to do so deserves admiration, not mockery. Having an accent is not a flaw — it’s a sign of connection, of growth, of bravery.

And let’s be honest: judging someone by their accent says far more about the listener than about the speaker. It’s not intelligence that hears an accent and labels it — it’s bias.

Your accent is part of your linguistic identity. Cherish it. Let it evolve, soften, mix, and surprise you. It’s proof that you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone and embraced another world.

So tell me — what’s your relationship with accents? Has it been mostly positive or negative?