six and dix
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:
- “Sss” sound (like a hissing snake)
- “Zzz” sound (like a buzzing bee)
- Silent ending (just stop at the vowel)
The pronunciation changes depending on:
- Whether the number stands alone
- The gender of the noun that follows
- Whether it appears before a vowel
1. Pronouncing Six and Dix with an “S” Sound
This happens when the number is part of a series of numbers being counted (eg 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), or at the end of a sentence, or before a pause.
Examples:
- neuf, dix, onze, douze (9, 10, 11, 12) – Pronounced deess
- J’en veux six. (I want six of them.) – Pronounced seess
- Il y en a dix. (There are ten of them.) – Pronounced deess
Why?
In these cases, the final *-x* is silent, leaving just the *s* sound from the vowel *i*.
2. Pronouncing Six and Dix with a Silent “X”
This occurs when the number is followed by a consonant sound or an h aspiré as found in nouns like haricot – bean and héros – hero, but not before words starting with a mute h – called “h muet” in French, such as homme – man).
Examples:
- six jours (six days) → Pronounced see (no *-x* sound)
- dix haricots (ten beans) → Pronounced dee (no *-x* sound)
Why?
French avoids awkward consonant clusters, so the *-x* is dropped before another consonant.
3. Pronouncing Six and Dix with a “Z” Sound
This happens when the number is followed by a vowel or mute *h* (a liaison occurs).
Examples:
- six ans (six years) → Pronounced see-zahn
- dix hommes (ten men) → Pronounced dee-zom
Why?
French requires smooth transitions between words. The *-x* becomes a *z* sound to link with the following vowel.
Special Cases & Exceptions
1. Before “Cent” and “Mille”
- six cents (600) → Pronounced see (no *-x* sound)
- dix mille (10,000) → Pronounced dee (no *-x* sound)
2. In Fractions
- un sixième (one-sixth) → Pronounced see-zee-em (with *z* sound)
3. In Dates
- le six avril (April 6th) → Pronounced see-zavril (with *z* sound)
Summary Table
| Situation | Six Pronunciation | Dix Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone / Before pause | seess | deess | J’en ai six. |
| Before a consonant | see | dee | six livres |
| Before a vowel / mute *h* | seez | deez | six enfants |
Practice Exercises
How would you pronounce these?
- six garçons – see (before consonant)
- dix oranges – deez (before vowel)
- Il y a six héros. – see (before an aspirated h [h aspiré])
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – seess (counting)
Summary
The pronunciation of six and dix depends on the word that follows. Remember:
- “S” sound when alone or before a pause.
- Silent “X” before consonants.
- “Z” sound before vowels (liaison).
