FRANCE · FORWARD
How to pronounce
Ousmane Dembélé
Say it
oos·MAHNdahm·beh·LAY
American /usˈmɑn dɑmbɛˈlay/
Sound by sound
5 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- oos the ‘oo’ in food
- MAHN the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
- dahm the ‘ah’ in father
- beh the ‘eh’ in bed
- LAY the ‘ay’ in day — say this beat loudest
Get it right
- oos·MAHN dahm·beh·LAY — stress on MAHN and LAY
- Nation
- France
- Position
- Forward
Why French names trip up English speakers
- Nasal vowels. -an, -on, -in, -en are said through the nose in French; American English just uses the plain vowel + n.
- Silent endings. Final consonants are often silent, and -é is ‘ay’ (Dembélé → dahm-beh-LAY).
- The French R is made in the back of the throat; Americans simply use a normal ‘r’.
- Stress falls late — usually toward the last syllable, not the first.
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Practice in the appMore France names
FAQ
How do you pronounce Ousmane Dembélé?
Ousmane Dembélé is pronounced oos·MAHN dahm·beh·LAY in American English — 5 beats, stressing MAHN and LAY.
What position does Ousmane Dembélé play?
Ousmane Dembélé is a forward for France (the French national team).