The sound [y] in French

Whether it is written with the symbol [y], if it is a vowel, or the symbol [ɥ], if it is a semi-vowel, this sound is pronounced the same.

We tend to have the back of our tongue a tad too high for it, resulting in a squeezed version of the sound, closer to [i] than to the actual sound [y]. Additionally, when the back of our tongue is too high, our head might inch forward, creating tension in our throat.

Found in other languages as well, this vowel requires a tall and vertical space, there is nothing tight about it. The lips are very engaged, in the position of a closed [o], and the tongue should be in an [i] position, with the sides of the tongue touching the upper teeth, and making sure the middle of the tongue is not too high, but more in the shape of a spoon.

Note that the letter "u" in French is ALWAYS pronounced [y] when initial in a word, in between two consonants, or when preceded by a consonant and followed by a vowel (in which case it is a semi-vowel and we write it [ɥ]). Only when the letters "o" and "u" are together is the resulting sound [u].

Image: <a href="https://fr.vecteezy.com/vecteur-libre/alphabet-grec">Alphabet Grec Vecteurs par Vecteezy</a>