Liaison

One of the trickiest aspects of French pronunciation for learners is liaison – the smooth linking of a normally silent final consonant to the beginning of the following word when that word starts with a vowel or a silent “h”. Knowing when to do a liaison and when to avoid it is key to sounding more natural and fluent in French.


What Is a Liaison?

In French, many words end in consonants that are normally silent, such as:

  • vous [vu]
  • petit [pə.ti]
  • grand [ɡʁɑ̃]

However, when the next word starts with a vowel sound (or a mute “h”), that final consonant often reappears to link the words smoothly.

Example:

  • vous avez → [vu‿za.ve]
    (The normally silent s in vous is pronounced as [z])

This is what we call liaison.


Obligatory Liaisons (Always Required)

These occur in certain grammatical contexts and should always be made:

1. Between a determiner and a noun

  • les enfants → [lez‿ɑ̃.fɑ̃] (the children)
  • un homme → [œ̃‿nɔm] (a man)

2. Between a pronoun and a verb

  • nous avons → [nu‿za.vɔ̃] (we have)
  • ils arrivent → [il‿za.ʁiv] (they arrive)

3. Between an adjective and a noun (when the adjective comes before the noun)

  • petits enfants → [pə.ti‿zɑ̃.fɑ̃] (small children)
  • grands arbres → [ɡʁɑ̃‿zaʁbʁ] (tall trees)

4. In fixed expressions

  • états-unis → [e.ta‿zy.ni] (United States)
  • de temps en temps → [də tɑ̃‿zɑ̃ tɑ̃] (from time to time)

Optional Liaisons (Style/Formality Dependent)

These are common in formal speech but may be dropped in informal or casual conversation.

1. After plural nouns

  • des enfants intelligents → [dez‿ɑ̃.fɑ̃ ɛ̃.te.li.ʒɑ̃] (intelligent children) – optional liaison between enfants and intelligents

2. After verbs (when the subject is a noun)

  • Ils finissent à huit heures → [il fi.nis‿a ɥit‿œʁ] (They finish at eight o’clock) – both liaisons are optional

Note: Optional liaisons are often used by news anchors, politicians, or in formal settings.


Forbidden Liaisons (Never Done)

Some liaisons are considered incorrect and can sound unnatural or even ungrammatical.

1. After a singular noun

  • le président‿est ici – wrong
    le président est ici → [lə pʁe.zi.dɑ̃ ɛ.ti.si]

2. After “et” (and)

  • un père et‿un enfant – wrong
    un père et un enfant → [œ̃ pɛʁ e œ̃n ɑ̃.fɑ̃] – no liaison after et

3. Before an aspirated ‘h’

Some words that begin with “h” do not allow liaisons. These are called aspirated h-words.

  • les‿haricots – wrong
    les haricots → [le a.ʁi.ko] (beans) – no liaison because haricots begins with an aspirated h

Compare:

  • les‿hommes → [lez‿ɔm] (men) – hommes starts with a mute h, so liaison is required

Common Liaison Sounds

Here are the most common liaison consonants and how they are pronounced:

Final LetterLiaison SoundExamplePronunciation
s, x[z]vous avez[vu‿za.ve]
d[t]grand homme[ɡʁɑ̃‿t‿ɔm]
n[n]bon ami[bɔ̃‿na.mi]
t[t]tout à fait[tu‿ta fɛ]
r[ʁ]premier étage[pʁə.mje‿ʁ‿taʒ]

Note that in the case of s, x and d, the liaised consonant becomes a harder and harsher version of itself. For example, an s becomes a z sound, and a d becomes a t sound.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • to notice

    The English verb “to notice” has several possible translations in French. The right choice depends on the context and the nuance of meaning. Sometimes it means to perceive something with the senses, sometimes to realize or become aware, and sometimes to point out or remark. Remarquer The most common translation of “to notice” is remarquer,…

  • je vous en prie

    The French phrase “je vous en prie” means “you’re welcome,” but it carries several additional meanings depending on the context. Meanings of “Je vous en prie” The phrase “je vous en prie” is a polite expression that can serve several functions in French. Here are the main uses: 1. You’re welcome This is the most…

  • à peu près

    The French expression “à peu près” is a versatile phrase that translates to “approximately,” “more or less,” or “roughly” in English. It is used to indicate an approximation, an estimation, or a lack of precision in statements. The phrase can be applied in various contexts, from time and quantity to descriptions and opinions. One common…

  • lors de

    Understanding the French Phrase “lors de” The phrase “lors de” is a formal preposition in French that translates to “during”, “at the time of”, or “on the occasion of” in English. It is often used in written or formal speech to refer to a specific event or moment in time. Unlike “pendant”, which can imply…

  • Auxiliary verbs

    French auxiliary verbs, also known as helper verbs, are used alongside main verbs to express tense, mood, or voice. Some of the most common auxiliary verbs in French include aller, vouloir, devoir, savoir, and pouvoir. These verbs modify the meaning of the main verb and are essential for constructing various grammatical structures. Aller (To Go)…

  • g pronunciation

    The letter “g” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “g” in the word “garage,” which is both a French word and an English word. Or it can be soft, like the last “g” in “garage.” How do you know whether a “g” will be hard…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *