How French Sounds
A friendly narrative through nasal vowels, liaison, and melody
A guided tour of French sounds you actually hear daily.
Knowing ‘why it sounds like that’ makes words click and stick.
Read one plate at a time. Practice the tiny lines out loud. Listen‑along coming soon.
Nasal Vowels
French nasal vowels hum gently through the nose. Practice contrasts slowly: an vs on, then in vs un. Keep your jaw relaxed and avoid a hard ‘ng’ ending.
- an/en [ɑ̃] — sans, temps
- in [ɛ̃] — vin, matin
- on [ɔ̃] — bon, maison
- un [œ̃] — un, parfums
Liaison & Silent Finals
Final consonants often go silent (petit, grand, vous). But in liaison, they link to a following vowel: vous‿avez, les‿amis. Read smoothly; don’t over‑pronounce endings.
- Common liaison: les‿enfants, un‿ami, vous‿êtes
- Finals usually silent: t, d, s, p, x
Melody & Rhythm
French favors smooth phrases over punchy word stress. Let the phrase rise slightly, then ease off at the end. Short shadowing sessions (30–60 seconds) beat long drills.
- Shadow: Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît
- Keep it legato; avoid staccato English rhythm
Listen Along (coming soon)
