Pronouncing -AN and -EN

The letters an and en are pronounced the same. Listen and repeat. 

Pronouncing -AN and -EN

J'ai de la chance.


Le temps passe vite ici.


Le dimanche, moi, je ne travaille pas.


Les parents s'inquiètent pour les enfants. Tu t'appelles comment?


Je ne travaille pas pendant les vacances. Vous avez un bon accent en français. 

Pronunciation The Final -R

In the infinitive of an -er verb, we don't hear the final r. 

-er is pronounced like é:

J'aime skier
But when r is followed by -e as in the infinitive faire



Qu'est-ce que vous aimez faire?



you do not pronounce the e, but you must pronounce the final r clearly. The r
is also pronounced in the word endings -ir, -oir. Listen to the following words, repeat until you have mastered the pronunciation, then record the finished product for Thursday 16 Jan:

Main Exercise--Pronouncing the Final -R

Nous allons voir. 

Elle peut sortir le soir? 

Tu peux me dire l'heure? 

C'est une montre en or. 

Tu aimes faire du sport? 

Je préfère courir. 

Les Expressions Vivantes

Read the sentences below while listening to the audio. Practice until you have mastered the pronunciation.

Audio 7:3

Le dimanche, moi, j'aime me reposer.

On Sundays, me, I like to rest.

Si j'ai faim, je prépare un petit repas, des pâtes. Si j'ai sommeil, je reste au lit.

If I'm hungry, I prepare a little meal, some pasta. If I am sleepy, I stay in bed.

Si le téléphone sonne... j'hésite!

Si c'est un ami, c'est bien. J'ai le temps.

If the telephone rings... I hesitate!

If it's a friend, that's good. I have the time.

d05ex2 Exercices

Play the recording and repeat each of the words and expressions until you are confident that you can say them correctly.

d05ex2 Exercices

le son a

la - la valise - le sac - le panier- les parents - habiter à la campagne - un arbre - C'est calme. - Il y a des arbres.

the - the suitcase - the bag - the basket - the parents - to live in the countryside - a tree - It's calm. - There are trees.

le son ai

j'ai - Je n'ai pas de maison à la campagne. - C'est mon anniversaire. - C'est vrai. - J'ai vraiment de la chance.

I have - I don't have a house in the countryside. - It's my birthday. - It's true. - I really am lucky.

le son es

les parents - des amis - Tu es très gentil. - Ma soeur est jeune. - Ton frère estun intellectuel. - Mes collègues sont ici. - Tes idées sont intéressantes. - Sesfrères ont de la chance d'être là.

the parents - some friends - You are very nice. - My sister is young. - Your brother is an intellectual. - My colleagues are here. - Your ideas are interesting. - His (or her) brothers are lucky to be there.

Pronunciation 1

Listen to the links below. Use the "Beginning French Lessons" PDF to see the words. Lessons covered are all in the "Practical Exercises" sections of the lessons. Use Practical Exercise 1:3 and 2:2


P2

une grille

a gate

Devant chez nous il y a une grille.

In front of our house there is a gate.

une fille

a daughter, a girl

Sur la photo, il y a ma fille.

On the photo, there is my daughter.

une quille

a skittle (UK), a ninepin (US), a keel

Le bateau a une quille.

The boat has a keel.

une taille

a size

Je cherche une chemise à ma taille.

I am looking for a shirt in my size.

P4

But careful, there are some words where -ille is pronounced eel.

 

tranquille

peaceful

tranquillement

peacefully

une ville

a town

P5

une cerise

a cherry

Il y a des cerises sur la table.

There are some cherries on the table.

une cible

a target

Le directeur a une cible: le succès!

The director has one target: success.

P6

c followed by a, o or u is pronounced k:

Coca-cola

Coca-cola

c followed by a, o or u is pronounced k:

Coca-cola

Coca-cola

Le Coca-cola est universel.

Coca-cola is world-famous.

la cuisine

the kitchen, the cooking

J'apprécie la bonne cuisine.

I appreciate good cooking.

To produce a c with the soft sound s before an a, o or u, we put a squiggle under the c comme ça:

ça

that

Ça va bien?

Things going well?

Oui, ça va, merci! Et vous?

Yes, fine, thank you. And you?

français

French

J'apprends le français maintenant.

I am learning French now.

Françoise

Françoise (the woman's name)

François

François (the man's name)

Ma professeure s'appelle Françoise.

My teacher is called Françoise.

The correct name for the squiggle under the c is

 une cédille.

Lesson 4

Listen to the following and follow along in the PDF guide.

Lesson 4

Lesson 4 Ex :1

Lesson 4 Ex: 2

Lesson 4 Ex:3

Pronunciation practice

I'll be posting a series of short word and phrase lists with audio recordings of the proper pronunciation. Practice them. Make sure you are forming the sounds correctly. Make the proper "R" sound. We will evaluate each other's pronunciation on the day that each list is due. Click on the links to hear the recordings.

Tuesday, 29 January (Mardi, le vingt-neuf Janvier)

You must make a clear distinction between the sounds ou and u. Both are made with the lips in a small circle. With the u sound, the lips are more tightly compressed. Listen now to the following words and repeat after each one.

le mur
the wall
l'amour
love
toujours
always
L'air est pur.
The air is pure.
Je suis pour.
I'm for.
la confiture
the jam
la structure
the structurel'agriculture agriculture
C'est vous?
Is it you?
la rue
the street
la roue
the wheel

More practice on the ou and u sounds, but several of these words are unusual in that one pronounces the final consonant.

un but
a goal
un bout
an end
une bulle
a bubble
une boule
a boule
une mule
a mule
une moule
a mussel
un moule
a mold
une soupe
a soup

Wednesday, 30 January (Mercredi, le trente Janvier)

Here are some more sentences to listen to and repeat. Keep practising until you can run them off fluently.

Comment tu t'appelles?
What's your name? (Informal)
Vous vous appelez comment?
What's your name? (Formal)
Tu pourrais faire attention, chauffard! T'as eu ton permis dans une pochette surprise?
You could pay attention, road hog. Did you get your driving licence in a lucky dip?

Thursday, 31 January (Jeudi, le trente et un Janvier)

Practice your pronunciation of the sound i - it's like the ea in the English please

Qui habite ici?Who lives here?
Mon fils habite ici.My son lives here.
La petite fille est très jolie.The little girl is very pretty.

Now the pronunciation of the sound è

le père           
the father
la mère
the mother
le frère
the brother
le problème
the problem
la planète
the planet
elle
she
la terre
the earth
belle
beautiful
Elle est belle, la terre!
It is beautiful, the earth!
tu es
you are
elle est
she is
Non, ce n'est pas correct.
No, that's not correct.
Il y a un problème.
There is a problem.
C'est elle, la mère de Pierre.
It's her, Peter's mother.