Language/French/Pronunciation/Liaisons

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When should we pronounce the French "Liaisons" between words?
Liaisons.jpg

Unlike some other languages, in French what you read is often different from what you pronounce.

"Une liaison" in French means "a link" or "a relationship". 2 words with "a liaison" are 2 words linked together. The last letter of the first word is pronounced under certain conditions.

According to Wikipedia, "the liaison is the pronunciation of a final consonant immediately before a following word starting with a vowel".

There are 3 types of liaisons: mandatory optional and forbidden liaisons. Here we describe only mandatory liaisons and prohibited liaisons.

Mandatory Liaisons[edit | edit source]

The sign _ means "pronounce the liaison". For example "les_amis" is pronounced "LeZami" with a liaison.

  • Between a determinant and the word it determines: "les_amis", "quels_amis", "ces_amis", "les_uns et les_autres", "de bons_amis".
  • Between a verb and its subject and object pronouns: "ils_ont", "les_ont_ils", "nous_en_avons".
  • With adverbs, prepositions and monosyllabic conjunctions: "en_avion", "très_intéressant", "quand_elle parle".
  • With the auxiliary verb to be (although this is a very frequent rather than obligatory link): "il est_ici", "ils sont_arrivés".
  • Between the words constituting certain fixed expressions: "tout_à l’heure", "quand-est-ce que", "tout_à coup", "de temps_en temps", "un sous-entendu", etc.

Prohibited Liaisons[edit | edit source]

They are at the border of two important rhythmic and syntactic groups.

In this logic, the liaison is not pronounced between, for example:

The sign % means "do not pronounce the Liaison". For example "en % haut" is pronounced "en haut" without liaison.

  • A nominal group and a verbal group: "les enfants % écoutent"
  • A noun and an adjective postposed: "un étudiant % américain"
  • After the proper names: "Jean % est parti"
  • With conjunctions "et" and "ou" : "du pain % et % un bon fromage", "du pain % ou un croissant"
  • After the interrogative adverbs : "Quand % est-il arrivé?", "Combien % en as-tu?"
  • After the personal pronouns subject in an inversion : "vont-ils % arriver ?"
  • With the words beginning with an aspirated "h" (« h » aspiré): "un % héros", "en % haut"

Here are a few words starting with a « h » aspiré:

French English
hache axe
haie hedge
haine hatred
haïr hate
haleter gasp
hall lobby
halte halt
hamac hammock
hameau hamlet
hamster hamster
hanche hip
handicap handicap
hanneton cockchafer
hanter haunt
harceler harass
harem harem
hareng herring
haricot bean
harnais harness
harpe harp
harpon harpoon
hasard hazard
hâte haste
hausse rise
haut top
hautain haughty
hautbois oboe
Havane Havana
hérisson hedgehog
héron heron
héros hero
herse harrow
hibou owl
hiéroglyphe hieroglyph
hochet rattle
hockey hockey
Hollande Holland
homard lobster
Hongrie Hungary
honte shame
hoquet hiccough
houblon hop
hublot porthole
huit eight
hurler to scream
  • In some frozen groups: "nez % à nez", "riz % au lait", "mort % ou vif"

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