Nasal Vowels
Normally when a vowel or vowel combination is followed by the
letters m or n, that vowel is nasalized. When this is the case
the letters m or n are not pronounced; they serve only to mark
the nasalization.
| |
| un bon vin blanc |
a good white wine |
|
|
The letter combinations ain, aim, eim, ein, in, im, ym, yn and ien
all have the nasalized vowel sound [
].
| |
| faim
train
bain
pain
main |
|
sainte
plainte
plein
enceinte
sain
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| vin
pin
prince
singe
syndicat |
|
simple
sympathique
thym
moins
poing |
|
|
|
|
| |
nasalized [] |
oral |
certain
chien
le tien
ils viennent
cousin |
|
certaine
chienne
la tienne
il vient
cousine |
|
|
|
|
The letter combination un is pronounced with the nasalized vowel [
]
.
| |
| brun
parfum
Verdun |
|
lundi
commun |
|
|
|
|
| |
| nasalized |
oral |
un
aucun |
|
une
aucune |
|
|
|
|
The letters an, en, and em are pronounced with the nasalized
vowel [
]
| |
dans
Jean
dent
vent
emporter
emmener
etudiante
enfant
danse
ils vendent
|
|
ils mentent
elles chantent
constante
intelligente
lente
pendant
ingrédient
vient
viens
client
|
|
|
|
|
The letters on are pronounced with the nasalized vowel [
]
| |
mon
pont
bon
|
|
station
honte
monde |
|
|
|
|
| |
| nasalized |
oral |
son
Simon |
|
sonne
Simone |
|
|
|
|
The letters n or m following a vowel combination don't always
signify a nasal sound. When the n or m that follows the vowel
is the last letter in a word or if only a single consonant follows the m
or n, the vowel is always nasalized.
| |
| banc
champ
quand
temps |
|
teint
plomb
sens |
|
|
|
|
But if the m or n is followed by a mute e the vowel is not nasalized.
The third person verb endings (-ent) are considered a mute e.
If a vowel immediately follows the m or n and that vowel is not
a mute e, the m or n is part of the syllable of this vowel
and is therefore not nasal.
The prefixes em and en are always nasal.