When “em” and “en” are used as prefixes (meaning at the start of a word) in French, they are always nasal vowels.
| Prefix | Example | Phonetics | Audio |
| em- | emmener | ɑ̃mne | emmener |
| em- | empirer | ɑ̃piʀe | empirer |
| en- | enamourer | ɑ̃namuʀe | enamourer |
| en- | ennuyer | ɑ̃nɥije | ennuyer |
“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.
The letter “c” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “c” in the word “coriace,” meaning “tough,” “leathery,” or “hard-headed,” pronounced [KOH REE AHSS]. Or it can be soft, like the last “c” in “coriace.” How do you know whether a “c” will be hard or…
In French, there are two types of “h”: the h muet (mute h) and the h aspiré (aspirated h). Both are silent in pronunciation, but they behave differently in grammar. This distinction is important for correct French grammar and pronunciation and must be learned word by word. Words starting with an h aspiré come from…
The pronunciation of the French words “six” (6) and “dix” (10) is a bit unusual. There are three ways of pronouncing the final “x.” When counting, eg from 1 to 10, “six” is pronounced SEESS and “dix” is pronounced DEESS. So the last letter sounds like a soft “s” sound. When saying something like “six…
In French, the numbers six (6) and dix (10) have pronunciation patterns that often confuse learners. Depending on context, these words can be pronounced with three different sounds: The pronunciation changes depending on: 1. Pronouncing Six and Dix with an “S” Sound This happens when the number is part of a series of numbers being…
The French word femme (“woman” or “wife”) is pronounced FUM, (not FEM) differing from its spelling due to its evolution from Old French fame, itself derived from Latin femina. The silent e and nasalized m reflect centuries of phonetic change. Below are traditional examples of its usage, emphasizing historical and domestic contexts. Etymology and pronunciation…
Some French words ending in -ille are pronounced with a “y” sound (like fille → [fij], meilleur → [mɛjœʁ]), while others keep a regular l sound (mille → [mil], ville → [vil]). This difference goes back to the history of French and how Latin words evolved over time. Two Pronunciations of -ille French actually has…