Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Pronunciation/Aspirated-VS-non-aspirated-h"

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In French, the letter h can be aspirated, (h aspiré), or not aspirated, (h non aspiré), depending on which language the word was borrowed from.  
In French, the letter h can be aspirated, (h aspiré), or not aspirated, (h non aspiré), depending on which language the word was borrowed from.  


What do these terms mean?
Example:


• Ex.: the word héros, (hero) has an aspirated h, because when the definite article le is placed before it, the result is le héros, and both words must be pronounced separately.  
*the word '''héros''', (hero) has an aspirated h, because when the definite article le is placed before it, the result is le héros, and both words must be pronounced separately.
 
*However, the feminine form of héros, héroïne is a non-aspirated h. Therefore, when you put the definite artcle in front of it, it becomes l'héroïne, and is pronounced as one word.


However, the feminine form of héros, héroïne is a non-aspirated h. Therefore, when you put the definite artcle in front of it, it becomes l'héroïne, and is pronounced as one word.


The only way to tell if the h at the beginning of a word is aspirated is to look it up in the dictionary.
The only way to tell if the h at the beginning of a word is aspirated is to look it up in the dictionary.


Some dictionaries will place an asterisk (*) in front of the entry word in the French-English H section if the h is aspirated. Other dictionaries will include it in the pronunciation guide after the key word by placing a (') before the pronunciation. In short, the words must be memorized.
Some dictionaries will place an asterisk (*) in front of the entry word in the French-English H section if the h is aspirated. Other dictionaries will include it in the pronunciation guide after the key word by placing a (') before the pronunciation. In short, the words must be memorized.


==Some French words which begin with a mute "h"==
==Some French words which begin with a mute "h"==

Revision as of 13:21, 11 October 2021

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French Pronunciation: Aspirated vs. non-aspirated "h"

Rule: How to know weither a "H" is aspirated or not?

In French, the letter h can be aspirated, (h aspiré), or not aspirated, (h non aspiré), depending on which language the word was borrowed from.

Example:

  • the word héros, (hero) has an aspirated h, because when the definite article le is placed before it, the result is le héros, and both words must be pronounced separately.
  • However, the feminine form of héros, héroïne is a non-aspirated h. Therefore, when you put the definite artcle in front of it, it becomes l'héroïne, and is pronounced as one word.


The only way to tell if the h at the beginning of a word is aspirated is to look it up in the dictionary.

Some dictionaries will place an asterisk (*) in front of the entry word in the French-English H section if the h is aspirated. Other dictionaries will include it in the pronunciation guide after the key word by placing a (') before the pronunciation. In short, the words must be memorized.

Some French words which begin with a mute "h"

  • Homme: l’homme, les‿hommes
  • Hôpital: l’hôpital, les‿hôpitaux
  • Hiver: l’hiver, les‿hivers
  • Hôtel: l’hôtel, les‿hôtels
  • Horaire: l’horaire, les‿horaires
  • Heure: l’heure, les‿heures
  • Habit: l’habit, les‿habits
  • Hélicoptère: l’hélicoptère, les‿hélicoptères
  • Histoire: l’histoire, les‿histoires
  • Huile: l’huile, les‿huiles
  • Huître: l’huître, les‿huîtres
  • Hirondelle: l’hirondelle, les‿hirondelles
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