Rhume, Rhum, Rome: here's your French Pronunciation survival guide!
Last week, one of my students asked me why French words sometimes sound so similar that they could be siblings in disguise.
And it reminded me of one of my favourite trios:
un rhume [ʀym] → a cold (the illness)
le rhum [ʀɔm] → rum (the drink)
Rome [ʀɔm] → Rome (the city)
See the problem? One little vowel sound and suddenly you’re either sneezing, drinking, or sightseeing in Italy.
Rhume, Rhum, Rome: The classic mix-ups
J’ai un rhume.
→ I have a cold.J’ai du rhum.
→ I have some rum.Je suis à Rome.
→ I’m in Rome.
Now imagine mixing them up after a long flight:
❌ J’ai un rhum.
→ Congratulations, you’ve just ordered alcohol instead of announcing your flu.
Fun with phonetics
French loves to keep learners on their toes with tiny vowel shifts:
- [ʀym] → rhume, brume (cold, mist)
- [ʀɔm] → rhum, Rome (rum, Rome)
- [ɔm] → homme, somme (man, sum/nap)
These sounds are close enough that, after a glass of rhum, you might start confusing them anyway.
Rhume, Rhum, Rome: The tongue twisters
Here’s the short, easy-to-remember one (perfect as a slogan):
👉 J’ai un rhume alors je bois du rhum à Rome.
→ I have a cold, so I’m drinking rum in Rome.
And here’s the more challenging, almost poetic one:
👉 Un homme à Rome a un rhume et boit du rhum dans la brume.
→ A man in Rome has a cold and drinks rum in the mist.
Trust me, if you can say that quickly three times without choking on your croissant, your pronunciation is in excellent shape.
Rhume, Rhum, Rome: The moral of the story
When in France:
- If you’re sick → say rhume [ʀym].
- If you’re celebrating → say rhum [ʀɔm].
- If you’re sightseeing → say Rome [ʀɔm].
And if you’re doing all three at once… well, then you’re living the full French learner’s experience. Santé! 🥂
