Pronunciation: em/en prefixes

When “em” and “en” are used as prefixes (meaning at the start of a word) in French, they are always nasal vowels.

PrefixExamplePhoneticsAudio
em-emmenerɑ̃mneemmener
em-empirerɑ̃piʀeempirer
en-enamourerɑ̃namuʀeenamourer
en-ennuyerɑ̃nɥijeennuyer

But be careful

“én” (with an acute accent) is not the same as “en” (without an accent). As a prefix with an acute accent, it is oral, not nasal.

PrefixExamplePhoneticsAudio
én-énerverenɛʀveénerver
én-énormeenɔʀménorme

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