Pure vowels (voyelles orales):
a(front a) - pronounced like the Russian sound a, but the tip of the tongue is pressed against the lower teeth ( la table - table)
a, â (rear a) - pronounced like the Russian sound a ( la classe - class)
e(er, ed, ez), é , ai(ais), (closed e) - average between e and i ( parler - talk, l ’é t é - summer, je parlais - I spoke)
e(+ double consonant),è , ê , ei, ai(open e) - pronounced like the Russian sound e, the tip of the tongue is pressed against the front lower teeth ( terre - earth, la m è re - mother, la f ê te - holiday, treize - thirteen, la chaise - chair)
e(silent e) - pronounced briefly with slightly rounded lips ( la le ç on - lesson)
i, y- like Russian and, but more intense
o, ô (closed o) - sound, average between o and y; When pronouncing this sound, the lips are strongly rounded ( trop - too, t ô t - early)
o, au(open o) - more open sound than Russian o ( la gome - gum, mauvais - bad)
ou- like Russian u, but more intense ( rouge - red)
eu, œ , u- to pronounce this sound, the lips are set in the position for y, and it is pronounced e (deux - two, les œ ufs - eggs)
eu, œ , œ u, ue- to pronounce this sound, the lips are set in position for o, and pronounced e (la fleur - flower, la s œ ur - sister, l ’ orgueil - pride)
u,
û
,
eu- to pronounce this sound, the lips are set to the position for y, and it is pronounced u (la rue - street, s û r - confident, j ’ ai eu - I had) Nasal vowels ( Voyelles nasales)
The four nasal vowels of the French language are indicated in writing by the following letter combinations (if these letter combinations are not followed by a vowel):
am, an, em, en(nasal a) - articulation is the same as for sound a la lampe - lamp, dans - in, entrer - enter)
in, im, yn, ym, ain, aim, ein, eim(nasal e) u , however, when pronouncing, the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( le vin - wine, simple - simple, le s indicat - trade union, le symbole - symbol, le pain - bread, la faim - hunger, plein - full)
on, om(nasal o) - articulation is the same as for sound o , however, when pronouncing, the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( mon - mine, le nom - name)
un, um(nasal –) - articulation is the same as for the sound œ, however, when pronouncing, the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( un - one, le parfum - aroma)
Semi-voyelles
In French there are 3 semi-consonant sounds: short ones that do not form a separate syllableou, u And i. They can be indicated in writing by the following:
vowels if they are followed by a vowel sound ( l ' ouest - west, oui - yes, huit - eight, muet - dumb, le ciel - sky, les yeux - eyes)
word combinations that convey diphthongs that include these semivowels:
oi, oê (ou short + a), oin (ou short + e nasal) ( moi - I, po ê le - oven, loin - far)
uin(ou short + e nasal) (le juin - June)
ilafter a vowel at the end of a word,illereads like Russian i ( le travail - work, la fille - girl)
Consonants)
French has 17 consonants:
b, bb- reads like Russian b ( beau - beautiful, l ’ abb é - abbot)
d, dd- reads like Russian d ( danser - dance, l ’ addition - addition)
f, ff, ph- reads like Russian f ( le caf é - cafe, l ’ effort - effort, le t é l é phone - telephone)
g before e, i, y - reads like Russian w ( le genou - knee)
g, gg- reads like Russian g ( grand - big, agglom é rer - pile up)
gg- before e, i, y - reads as mzh ( sugg é rer - to suggest)
x- read as ks; after ex -, inex - before a consonant- like gz (le texte - text, l ’ exemple - example)
c, cc, ch, k- reads like Russian k ( le camarade - comrade, accompagner - to accompany, chlore - chlorine, kilo - kilogram)
l, ll- reads softer than Russian l ( la lampe - lamp)
m, mm- reads like Russian m ( le mai - May, nommer - to appoint)
n, nn- reads like Russian n ( la neige - snow, l'ann é e - year)
gn- reads like n ( la montagne - mountain)
p, pp- reads like Russian p ( la Patrie - Motherland, la nappe - tablecloth)
r, rr, rh- reads as r (la route - road, la guerre - war)
s, ss- reads like Russian with ( le soleil - sun, la classe - class)
s- between two vowels reads like Russian z ( poser - to put)
ch- reads like Russian sh ( chercher - search)
j- reads like Russian w ( le jour - day)
Syllability and stress
French words, like Russian ones, are divided into syllables. There are as many syllables in a word as there are pronounced vowels.
A syllable ending in a pronounced vowel is called open:
A syllable ending with a pronounced consonant is called closed:
When pronouncing any final consonant, quickly stop articulating to avoid additional sounds.
Say:
When pronouncing final [m], [n], immediately and vigorously open your lips to prevent nasalization of the preceding vowel.
Say:
Remember that final voiced consonants [b], [d], [v] are never devoiced.
Pronounce final voiced consonants: [рab]
Pronounce, paying attention to the clear contrast between final voiceless and voiced consonants:
Read:
pa, ba, ta, da, fa, va, ma, na, la, ap, ab, at, ad, af, av, am, an, al, pab, dab, tad, fab, nam, vap, nat, pad, lad.
In a stressed syllable before the final [v], the vowel is lengthened, i.e., pronounced longer. A colon after a vowel indicates its length.
Say:
Pronounce clearly, distinguishing between the final voiceless [f] and the final voiced [v]:
Open syllables
ma - ;fa - ; ta - ; va -
Letter s at the end of the word is not readable and the syllable remains open:
pas - ;bas - ;
Closed syllables
fat -; paf - ;
Letter e at the end of the word is not readable, and the syllable remains closed.
Read the following words, consisting of one closed syllable. Remember that double consonants are pronounced as one sound, and the final letter e unreadable:
date - date, femme - woman, nappe - tablecloth,
dame - damapanne - accident, breakdown
In a French word, the stress is always on the last syllable of the word, regardless of the number of syllables.
Read, emphasizing the last syllables:
papa [ra-'ra] - dad, banane - banana, madame - madam,
Consonant sound [r]
When pronouncing the consonant [r] graded, the tip of the tongue rests on the lower incisors; the back of the back of the tongue rises to the soft palate; the lateral edges of the tongue are pressed against the lower row of teeth; a small tongue begins to vibrate under the influence of a stream of exhaled air.
The Parisian version of French [r] has some peculiarities. When pronouncing it, the back of the tongue takes the position necessary for the articulation of the subsequent vowel. The small tongue is down but does not vibrate. A stream of air passing through the resulting gap creates a friction sound.
Remember!
1. The vowel before the final [r] is long: bar:
2. The final [r] in the position after a consonant is deafened: maître [mεtr];
Read:
ha, rat, rab, ram [ha - rat - rab - ram], pa, ra, ar, rat, rab. pab, dat, ram;
Read the words:
parade- parade, rame - oar;
FRENCH
Module 1
Lesson 1. I. Theoretical part: Phonetic structure of the French language. Consonants. Vowels. Semivowels. Hyphenation. Speech flow. Intonation
II. Practical part: Sounds [a, l, r, f, v, k, g, t, d, s, z].Tick grammar: French sentence structure. Types of words in French. Articles.
Lesson 2. Sounds [e, s, z, g, p, b, m, n]. Grammar: Demonstrative and possessive adjectives. Verb"être". Turnover "c"est".
Lesson3.Sound [e]. Grammar: Verbs of group 1. Plural of nouns. Failure to use the article when addressing. Conversation topic: Greetings.
Lesson 4. Sounds (i, j ]. Grammar: Word order in a sentence. Cases of non-use and omission of the article, 3rd person plural of verbs III groups s and verbs of all groups in the present tense. Question to the subject. Pretextà in the meaning of the dative case. Conversation topic: Getting to know each other.
Lesson 5. Sound . Grammar: Possessive adjectives. Vowel loss. Definite article. 1st person singular of verbs of groups 1 and 3. Negative form of the verb. Pretext de.
ALPHABET
font-size:12.0pt;line-height:141%">SIGNS OF PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION
FR style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:75%"">LEÇON 1 lesson 1
PHONETIC STRUCTURE OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
VOWELS
CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF FRENCH VOWELS
The French phonetic system has 15 vowels. French vowels are classified according to the position of the tongue, lips and palatal
curtains. 1. Depending on the place and position of the tongue, vowels are divided into
front and back vowels. When pronouncing front vowels, the tip of the tongue rests on the lower teeth:
[A]. [E]. [E~]. [e]. [i]. [se]. [s~]. [e]. [y].
When pronouncing back vowels, the tongue is pulled to the back of the mouth, its tip is always down:
,,. [y].[A].[A ~].
2. According to the degree of elevation of the tongue to the palate, all vowels are divided into open and closed. Vowels pronounced with a greater rise of the tongue are called closed:
[e].[i]..[y].[o],[u].
Vowels pronounced with a smaller rise of the tongue are called open:
[A]. [E], [E~], [oe]. [s~]. [A]. [A~]. [O], [O~].
3. Depending on the participation of the lips in the articulation of sound, French vowels are divided into labialized (collapsed), pronounced with rounding of the lips, and non-labialized (non-rounded), pronounced without rounding of the lips. The labialization of French vowels is much more vigorous compared to Russian ones. French has 8 labialized vowels:
[oe].[s~],.M...[o].[i].
4. Depending on the position of the soft palate (velum), vowels are divided into pure and nasal.
When the velum is raised and the passage into the nasal cavity is closed, the exhaled air resonates only in the oral cavity and pure sounds are obtained.
When the velum is lowered and the passage into the nasal cavity is open, the exhaled air resonates not only in the oral cavity, but also in the nasal cavity, and nasal sounds are produced.
There are four nasal vowels in French: [E~], [ы~], , [A~]. The remaining vowels are pure. Characteristic feature French vowels is tension
articulation, which explains the clarity and brightness of the sound of vowels. The speech apparatus (lips, tongue, soft palate) during the articulation of French vowels is much more tense than during the articulation of Russian vowels, and French unstressed vowels are more tense than even stressed Russian vowels. The tension of articulation explains the absence of reduction "in the French language - a phenomenon characteristic of Russian vowels.
So, for example, in the word revolutionnaire Each vowel sounds clearly and intensely, while in the Russian language “revolutionary” the unstressed vowels are reduced, and only the stressed vowel sounds clearly.
Another very important distinguishing feature of French vowels is the uniformity of their quality, complete absence diphthongization2: vowels sound the same from beginning to end, there are no overtones or splitting. The uniformity of vowel quality is achieved by the fact that the pattern3 is completed before the sound begins and is maintained throughout the sound of the vowel.
So, for example, in the word “fort” there appears an oversound before the accented o, which is not observed in the French wordforte.
There are no vowels in French that are completely similar to Russian ones. The vowels are only partially similar[i], [e], [E], [a], [O], (i). The vowels [oz], (v), [u] (o), [A] and nasals have no equivalents in Russian.
Note. As stated above, there are no nasal vowels in the Russian language, but partial nasalization of vowels preceding nasal consonants is observed. Care should be taken to ensure that this feature of Russian pronunciation is not transferred to French pronunciation and that vowels in the position before nasal consonants sound clean (compare: “sleepy” and sonner).
CONSONANTS
CHARACTERISTICS OF FRENCH CONSONANTS
The French phonetic system has 20 consonants. French consonants have a number of articulatory features that distinguish them from Russian consonants.
1. There is no palatalization in French, i.e. consonants are not softened before front vowels. So, for example, in the wordstir, telephone, directeurhard ones are pronounced[t], [l], [d], [r], while in Russian, soft consonants are pronounced in appropriate cases: “shooting gallery”, “telephone”, “director”.
To avoid palatalization, it is necessary to ensure that when articulating a consonant there is no additional work of the middle part of the tongue, i.e., that the middle part of the tongue does not rise to the hard palate. Compare: "shooting gallery" andtir.
However, in French there are two consonants that are influenced by the vowel that follows them. These are [d] and [k]. Before front vowels they acquire a more forward connotation and are pronounced more softly:guerre, cavalcade.
" Reduction- reducing tension and shortening the duration of sound, leading to a qualitative change.
2 Diphthongization- the transition of a simple vowel sound to a diphthong. (Diphthong- a combination of two vowels pronounced as one syllable.)
3 Way of life- the position of the speech organs necessary to pronounce a sound.
2. Final voiced consonants in French are never devoiced, while in Russian, at the end of a word, instead of voiced consonants, the corresponding voiceless consonants are pronounced. Compare:
la plage - beach [dance] la parade - parade [parat] Arabe - Arab [Arap].
The exception is the consonants [r] and [I], which are deafened in the group of indivisible consonants on a pause:
te maître p@-mEt) r], la table
Note. Pronunciation of the group “consonant + r or I” during a pause is very difficult at the initial stage, because very often between the consonant and r or 1 the overtone s appears, which is completely unacceptable in the French language (compare: meter - mètre). To avoid this phenomenon, it is recommended to start by pronouncing a weak [@ ] at the end: mètre.
3. In French, when pronouncing final consonants, the opening is very energetic, due to which the final consonants sound clearly. In Russian, the opening is weak. Compare: telephone -le telephone.
It is necessary, however, to ensure that vigorous opening does not lead to the appearance of the overtone a or y after the final consonants.
SEMI VOWELS
Sonants [j], [w], [and] form a special group of sounds called semi-vowels or semi-consonant and. This name is explained by the fact that, like vowels, these sounds are devoid of friction noise and, like consonants, they are non-syllable-forming: they form one syllable with a subsequent or preceding vowel: lui, travail.
RULES OF PHONETIC SYLLABILITY
1 . When one consonant is between vowels, the resulting boundary passes before the consonant:
camarade.
2. If there are two different consonants surrounded by vowels, the syllabic boundary passes between the consonants:
" Opening- separation of the speech organs involved in articulation.
marcher, parier.
3. If, of two consonants, the first is noisy and the second is a sonant, the syllabic boundary passes in front of them:
tablette, acrobate.Note: Group "consonant + sonant"([m], [p], [o], p], [r], [w], [and ]) is called a group of indivisible consonants.
4. In a group of two sonants, the syllabic boundary passes between them:
journal, parier, calmer.
5. In a group of two identical consonants pronounced as one sound, the syllable boundary passes before the consonants:
addresser.
6. In a group of two identical consonants, pronounced as a double consonant, the syllable boundary passes within the group:
illégal, il litpl-li].
7. In a group of three consonants with s in the middle the syllabic boundary passes after s:
perspective.
SPEECH STREAM
WORD STRESS
In Russian, the stress in a word can fall on any syllable and move depending on the change in the form of the word:
essence (1st syllable), nationality (4th syllable), hand - hands, head - heads.
The French language is characterized by constant stress; in an isolated word, the stress always falls on the last pronounced syllable:
la camarade pa-ka-ma-€rad], administratif. STRESS IN THE SPEECH STREAM
Rhythmic group and rhythmic stress
The distribution of stress in the speech stream in French is fundamentally different from the distribution of stress in Russian.
In Russian, when combining words into semantic groups, each word retains its accent:
€ I read it.
€ I chi € that yu |ho € growing € book.
In the French language, the stress in the speech flow is not carried by each word within a semantic group, but by the semantic group as a whole. Thus, the semantic group is simultaneously a group of one stress, a rhythmic group,
and the number of stresses in a phrase is determined not by the number of words (as in Russian), but by the number of rhythmic groups with stress on the last syllable:
Jelis.
Je lis l un bon livre. The rhythmic group consists of:
1 . A significant word with related functional words:
la camarade, elle parle Je ne le lui ai pas écrit.
2. The word being defined with all the defining words preceding it:C "est une très belle salle. Elle est bien contente.
3. The word being defined with the monosyllabic word defining it coming after it:
un livre russe vous écrivez bien.
If the qualifying word that comes after the qualifying word is polysyllabic, it forms a separate rhythmic group:
un livre interior [ ьг - € li | vrE--te-rE-€ sA~].
4. Ready-made sayings expressing one concept:l"arc-en-ciel, de temps en temps.
To correctly distribute stress in a French sentence, you must remember the following law of French rhythm: there cannot be two stressed syllables in a row within a rhythmic group.
Therefore, any significant word that comes before a monosyllabic word ending a rhythmic group loses its emphasis:
II ne travaille pas. Pariez-vous?
Additional emphasis
In addition to the rhythmic stress, which is placed on the last syllable of a rhythmic group, there are secondary stresses that occur in long rhythmic groups.
Additional stress is placed on odd syllables, starting from the end of the rhythmic group. The additional stress is much weaker than the rhythmic one:
Adèle n"est pas malade.
Parlez-vous? [€€par-le-€vu].
Additional stress can also be inside a word:
une camarade.
LINKING SOUND IN THE SPEECH STREAM
In the French language, in the flow of speech it is difficult to grasp the boundary between words; the words are not separated from each other in any way, as is the case in the Russian language.
This is explained by the phenomena of cohesion characteristic of the French language.(enchainment), voice linking(liaison vocalique) and binding (liaison) sounds in the speech stream, thanks to which a continuous flow of syllables is achieved from pause to pause.
Clutch.Enchainement
If a word ends with a pronounced consonant or group of indivisible consonants, and the word that follows begins with a vowel, then the final pronounced consonant of the previous word forms a syllable with the initial vowel of the next word
Thus, in a stream of speech, syllables can consist of elements belonging to two different words:
Elle b est malade.
Cohesion is obligatory both within a rhythmic group and between rhythmic groups, within a syntagma ( Sintagma- phonetic unity, expressing a single semantic whole in the process of speech - thought and can consist of either one rhythmic group or a number of them):
Elle b aime.
Claire b et Michel b habitent Orléans. [IE -re-mi-SE | la-bi | tCr-te-A-]
If a word ends in a vowel, and the next word also begins with a vowel, then when moving from vowel to vowel, the vibration of the vocal cords does not stop: Marthe va b àlagare., consonant dgets stunned and goes into[t]:
" tes entants deux élèves un grand arbre.Linking is required:
1. Between the article and the word that follows it:
les élèves pe-ze-IE:v].
2. Between a possessive or demonstrative adjective and the word that follows:
mes amis, cet élève ces heureuses rencontres.
3. Between a definition expressed as an adjective or numeral and a noun:
un grand ami | s ~- dgA ~-1 a - t!] mes deux amis mes vieux amis.
4. Between a subject pronoun and a verb or between a verb and adverb pronounsenand y:
vous êtes - partez-en ils aiment pl-zE:m] - je les aime ils habitent - allez-y.
5. Between a verb and a subject pronoun during inversion:
Partent-ils? Faith-elle? .
6. Between the 3rd person singular and plural auxiliary verb and the past participle:
ilestallép-IE-ta-le] ils sont allés pl-sO-ta-le].
7. Between the linking verb in the 3rd person singular and plural and the nominal part of the predicate:
il est étudiant ils sont heureux pl-sO~-ta3-f0].
8. Between prepositionsdans, en, chez, sous, sans, dès and the following word:
enété dans une rue chez elle.
9. Between adverbstrès, bien, plus, tropand the following word:
très occupé plus attentivement.
10. In resistant phrases:
Let's start with the rules of reading. I just beg you: don’t try to learn them right away! Firstly, it won’t work - after all, there are a lot of them, and secondly, it’s not necessary. Everything will settle down over time. You can just look at this page periodically. The main thing is to read them carefully (maybe more than one sitting), look at the examples, try to do the exercises and check yourself - next to the exercises there is a sound - how the French pronounce the same words.
During the first six lessons, in a separate tab you will find a cheat sheet for all French reading rules, so you will always have all the material from this page in a compressed form at your fingertips. :)
During the first six lessons, in a separate tab you will find a cheat sheet for all French reading rules, so you will always have all the material from this page in a compressed form at your fingertips. :)
The main thing you need to remember is that the reading rules There is. This means that, knowing the rules, you can always - almost always - read an unfamiliar word. This is why French does not require transcription (only in the case of fairly rare phonetic exceptions). The beginnings of the first five lessons are also devoted to reading rules - there you will find additional exercises to consolidate skills. Starting from the third lesson, you can download the sound and listen to detailed explanations of the reading rules made by a professional phonetician.
Let's start learning :) Let's go!
In French, the stress ALWAYS falls on the last syllable... This is news to you, isn't it? ;-)
-s, -t, -d, -z, -x, -p, -g (as well as their combinations) at the end of words are NOT READABLE.
Vowels
e, è, ê, é, ё under stress and in closed syllable read as "e": fourchette [buffet] - fork. “But there is a nuance” (c) that can be neglected at the initial stage. Reading a letter e in all its guises is discussed in detail in the third lesson from the very beginning - I must say, there is a lot there.
e V unstressed syllable reads approximately like the German "ö" - like the letter "e" in the word Möbius: menu [menu], regarder [rögarde]. In order to make this sound, you need to stretch your lips forward like a bow (as in the picture below) and at the same time pronounce the letter “e”.
In the middle of words in an open syllable, this letter is dropped completely during pronunciation (e is fluent). So, for example, the word carrefour (crossroads) is read as [kar "fur] (the unstressed "e" in the middle of the word is not pronounced). It would not be a mistake to read it [karefur], but when you speak quickly, it falls out, as it turns out to be a weak sound Épicerie (grocery) is read as [epis"ri]. Madeleine- [madeleine].
Madeleine metro station in Paris
And so - in so many words. But don’t be afraid - weak “e” will fall out on their own, because this is natural :)
This phenomenon also happens in our speech, we just don’t think about it. For example, the word “head”: when we pronounce it, the first vowel is so weak that it falls out, and we practically do not pronounce it and say [glava]. I’m not even talking about the word “eleventh”, which we pronounce as [one] (I discovered this in my son’s notebook; at first I was horrified: how could so many mistakes be made in one word, and then I realized that the child simply wrote this word down by ear - we really pronounce it that way :).
e at the end of words (see exceptions below) is not read (it is sometimes pronounced in songs and poems). If there are any icons above it, it is always readable, no matter where it stands. For example: régime [mode], rosé [rose] - rose wine.
In monosyllable words e at the end of words it is read - if it is not read there, a syllable cannot be formed at all. These are articles, prepositions, pronouns, demonstrative adjectives: le [le], de [de], je [zhe], me [мё], ce [сё].
Unreadable ending -s, forming plural in nouns (something familiar, right?) and adjectives, if it appears, the letter does not make -e at the end of the word readable: régime and régimes are read the same - [mode].
-er at the ends of words it is read as "e": conférenci er[entertainer] - speaker, ateli er[studio], dossi er[dossier], canotier, collier, croupier, portier and, finally, foyer [foyer]. You will find -er at the end of all regular verbs:parl er[parle] – talk, mang er[manzhe] - there is; -er is the standard ending for French regular verbs.
a- reads like “a”: valse [waltz].
i(including with icons) - reads like "and": vie [vi] - life (quickly remember "C" est la vie" :).
o– reads like “o”: locomotive [locomotive], compote[compote] - fruit puree.
u reads like the "yu" in the word "muesli". Example: cuvette is read [ditch] and means “ditch”, parachute [parachute] - means “parachute” :), the same happens with purée (puree), and c configuration(jam).
To make an open sound “u”, use the combination ou(this is familiar from English: you, group [group], router [router], tour [tour]). Souvenir [souvenir] - memory, fourchette [buffet] - fork, carrefour [carrefour] - crossroads; pronouns nous (we) read [well], vous (you and you) read [vu].
Consonants
Letter l read softly: étoile [etoile] - star, table [table] - table, banal [banal] - banal, canal [channel], carnaval [carnival].
g read like "g", but before e, i And y it is read as "zh". For example: général - read [general], régime [mode], agiotage [excitement]. Good example the word garage - read [garage] - first g before a reads firmly, and the second g before e- like "w".
Letter combination gn read as [н] - for example, in the name of a city Cognac[cognac] - Cognac, in the words champi gn ons [champignon] - mushrooms, champa gn e [champagne] - champagne, lor gn ette [lorgnette] - binoculars.
c pronounced as "k", mas ca rade [masquerade], already mentioned by us co mpote and cu vette. But before three vowels e, i And y it is read as "s". For example: ce rtificat read [certificate], vélo ci pède - [bicycle], moto cy cle - [motorcycle].
If you need to change this behavior, that is, make this letter read like [s] before other vowels, attach a tail to it at the bottom: Ç And ç . Ça is read as [sa]; garçon [garson] - boy, maçon (mason), façon (style), façade (facade). The famous French greeting Comment ça va [coma~ sa va] (or more often just ça va) means “how are you”, and literally “how is it going”. In films you can see - they say hello like that. One asks: “Ça va?”, the other answers: “Ça va, Ça va!”.
At the ends of words c is rare. Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule about when to read it and when not to. This is simply remembered for each word - fortunately there are few of them: for example, blanc [bl "an] - white, estomac [estoma] - stomach and tobacco[taba] is not readable, but cognac and avec are readable.
h NEVER read. It's as if she doesn't exist. Except for the combination "ch". Sometimes this letter acts as a separator - if it occurs inside a word between vowels, then this indicates their separate reading: Sahara [sa "ara], cahier [ka "ye]. In any case, it itself is not readable. For this reason, by the way, the name of one of the most famous cognac houses Hennessy correctly pronounced (surprise!) as [ansi]: “h” is not readable, “e” is fluent, double ss is used to silence s and as double [s] is not readable (see below for the rule for reading the letter s); other pronunciations are categorically incorrect. I bet you didn't know that! :) Combination ch gives the sound [w]. For example, chance [chance] - luck, luck, chantage [blackmail], cliché [cliché], cache-nez [muffler] - scarf (literally: hides the nose);
ph read as "f": photo. th read as “t”: théâtre [theater], thé [those] - tea.
p reads like a Russian "p": portrait [portrae]. In the middle of the word, the letter p before the t is not readable: sculpture [sculpture].
j- reads like a Russian "zh": bonjour [bonjour] - hello, jalousie [blinds] - envy, jealousy and blinds, sujet [plot] - plot.
s reads like Russian “s”: geste [gesture], régisseur [director], chaussée [highway]; between two vowels s is voiced and reads like “z”: fuselage [fuselage], limousine [limousine] - very intuitive. If you need to make s unvoiced between vowels, it is doubled. Compare: poison [poison] - poison, and poisson [poisson] - fish; the same Hennessy - [ansi].
The rest of the consonants (how many of them are left? :) - n, m, p, t, x, z- read more or less obviously. Some minor features of reading x and t will be described separately - rather for the sake of order. Well and n And m in combination with vowels they give rise to a whole class of sounds, which will be described in a separate, most interesting section.
Here is a list of words given above as examples - before doing the exercise, it is better to listen to how the French pronounce these words.
menu, regarder, carrefour, régime, rosé, parler, cuvette, parachute, confiture, souvenir, fourchette, nous, vous, étoile, table, banal, canal, carnaval, général, valse, garage, cognac, champignons, champagne, certificate, chance, théâtre, thé, portrait, sculpture, bonjour, sujet, geste, chaussée.
The French alphabet, like the alphabets of other languages, has vowels and consonants. Everything is clear with consonants, but French vowels require special attention.
As you already understand, friends, the first type of vowels in French are pure vowels or voyelles orales. Here they are:
- a(front a) - this sound is pronounced like the Russian sound a, but the tip of the tongue should be pressed to the lower teeth ( la table – table)
- a, â(back a) - the sound is pronounced like the Russian sound a ( la classe - class)
- e(er, ed, ez), é , ai(ais), (closed e) - something between e and and ( parler - to speak, l’été - summer, je parlais - I spoke)
- e(+ double consonant), è , ê , ei, ai(open e) - this sound pronounced like the Russian sound e, the tip of the tongue should be pressed against the lower front teeth ( la fête - holiday, terre - earth, la mère - mother, treize - thirteen, la chaise - chair)
- e(silent e) - this sound is pronounced briefly, with slightly rounded lips, something between e and o ( la leçon – lesson)
- i, y- like Russian and, but more intense ( fleur-de-lys – lily)
- o, ô (closed o) - a sound intermediate between o and y; when pronouncing this sound, the lips are strongly rounded, since it is a closed sound ( trop - too muchbientôt – early)
- o, au(open o) is a more open sound than Russian o ( la gome - gum, mauvais - bad)
- ou- like Russian u, but pronounced more intensely ( rouge – red)
- eu, œ , u- to pronounce this sound, the lips are set in the same position as for y, but pronounced e ( deux - two, les œufs - eggs)
- eu, œ , œu, ue- in order to pronounce this sound, the lips are set to the position for o, but e is pronounced ( la fleur - flower, la sœur - sister, l’orgueil - pride)
- u, û , eu- to pronounce this sound, the lips are placed in the position for u, but u is pronounced ( la rue - street, sûr - confident, j’ai eu - I had)
Nasal vowels or Voyelles nasales
We examined nasal vowels in French in detail in a separate article. But since this article is devoted to French vowels, it is worth mentioning them again. Nasal vowels or Voyelles nasales
French has four nasal vowels, which are represented in writing by the following letter combinations (unless these letter combinations are followed by a vowel):
- am, an, em, en(nasal a) - the pronunciation is the same as for the sound a, only when pronouncing the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( la lampe - lamp, entrer - enter)
- in, im, yn, ym, ain, aim, ein, eim(nasal e) - we pronounce it in the same way as the sound u, but when pronouncing the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( le vin - wine, simple - simple, le sindicat - trade union, le pain - bread, plein - full)
- on, om(nasal o) - we pronounce it the same way as the sound o, only when pronouncing the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( mon - mine, le nom - name)
- un, um(nasal œ) - the pronunciation is the same as for the sound œ, but when pronouncing, the air flow is directed simultaneously through the mouth and nose ( un - one, le parfum - aroma)
There are three semi-consonant sounds in French: these are short sounds that do not form a separate syllable.ou, u And i. They can be indicated in writing as follows:Semivowels or Semi-voyelles
- corresponding vowels if they are followed by a vowel sound ( oui - yes, muet - dumb, huit - eight, le ciel - sky, les yeux - eyes, l’ouest - west)
- corresponding letter combinations that convey diphthongs that include these semivowels:
- oi, oê(ou short + a), oin (ou short + e nasal) ( loin - far, moi - I, poêle - oven)
- uin(ou short + e nasal) ( le juin -June)
- il after a vowel at the end of a word, ille reads like the Russian sound й ( le travail - work, la fille - girl)
These are the French vowels! Read as much as possible in French, and you will definitely develop correct and beautiful pronunciation!
VOWEL [a]
The vowel [a] is the most open front vowel. When pronouncing this sound, the mouth is opened quite wide. The tongue lies flat. The tip of the tongue rests on the lower teeth. The language is more tense than when pronouncing Russian a. The jaw is dropped.
CONSONANT [l]
French [l] has nothing in common with Russian hard l (for example, in the word paw). Articulatory French [l] is close to Russian л. When pronouncing French [l], the tip of the tongue rests on the base of the upper teeth, and the middle part of the tongue is lowered, forming two passages on the sides for a stream of exhaled air. When pronouncing the Russian soft l, the middle part of the tongue is pressed against the hard palate, resulting in a softening of the sound, i.e. palatalization, a phenomenon that is unacceptable in French pronunciation.
CONSONANT [r]
There are two types of [r] in French.
The most common is the traced [r], formed as a result of vibration of a small tongue or as a result of friction of air escaping from the lungs against the edge of the soft palate and the back of the tongue. In the latter case, the small tongue is tense, but does not produce any vibrations.
The other [r], front-lingual, resembles the Russian r, but it is not as sharp and less rolling. This sound is produced by vibration of the tip of the tongue raised to the hard palate.
CONSONANTS [f], [v]
The French consonants [f] and [v] are pronounced more energetically and intensely than the corresponding Russian consonants.
When articulating French [f], the lower lip rests forcefully against the upper incisors, while when pronouncing Russian f, the lip lies completely calm.
The sound [v] is a voiced parallel to the sound [f].
CONSONANTS [k], [g]
When pronouncing the sound [k], the back of the tongue rests forcefully on the palate, and the tip of the tongue touches the lower teeth. The lips take the position required to pronounce the next vowel.
The sound [g] is a voiced parallel to the sound [k]. It should be remembered that before front vowels, the consonants [g] and [k] acquire a more forward connotation and are pronounced softer.
CONSONANTS [t], [d]
The French consonants [t] and [d] are formed when the very anterior part of the back of the tongue meets the alveoli; in this case, the tip of the tongue rests forcefully on the lower incisors.
Care should be taken that French [t] and [d] are not softened before front vowels.
CONSONANTS [s], [z]
French [s] compared to Russian s - the sound is more energetic. In terms of articulation, French [s] has a more forward sound. The gap between the front of the tongue and the hard palate is much narrower for French [s] than for Russian s. The tip of the tongue rests on the lower teeth, and the sides of the tongue press against the upper molars. The tongue does not touch either the hard palate or the upper incisors.
The sound [z] is a voiced parallel to the sound [s].
VOWEL [ε]
The vowel [ε] is a front open vowel. When pronouncing [ε], the tip of the tongue rests forcefully on the lower teeth, the back of the tongue lies flat. The jaw is lowered, but somewhat less than for [a]. The lips are not tense. The corners of the lips are slightly drawn back.
CONSONANTS [ʃ], [ʒ]
The sounds [ʃ] and [ʒ] are pronounced much softer than the Russian sh and zh. When pronouncing these sounds, the tip of the tongue approaches the upper teeth, the back of the tongue is slightly raised, and the lips are moved forward more than for Russian sh and zh.
CONSONANTS [р], [b]
The French consonants [p] and [b] are articulated in the same way as the corresponding Russian consonants, but more clearly and intensely.
CONSONANTS [m], [n]
The French consonants [m] and [n] are articulated in the same way as the corresponding Russian consonants, but more clearly and intensely.
You should also ensure that [m] and [n] are not softened before front vowels and that the opening when pronouncing final [m] and [n] is energetic.
VOWEL [e]
[e] is a front closed vowel.
When pronouncing [e], the tip of the tongue rests on the lower teeth, the back of the tongue is raised. The lateral edges press hard on the upper molars. The jaw is lowered less than for [e]. The corners of the lips are stretched and very tense.
VOWEL [i]
[i] is the most closed vowel of the front row. When pronouncing [i], the tip of the tongue rests on the lower teeth, the middle part of the back of the tongue is raised high to the hard palate and almost touches it. The mouth opening is smaller than for [e], the corners of the mouth are greatly stretched.
SEMI-VOWEL [j]
When pronouncing [j], the position of the tongue is the same as when pronouncing [i], but the passage between the tongue and the palate is so narrowed that the stream of escaping air creates a friction noise.
The semivowel [j] is pronounced in the same syllable with a following or preceding vowel, and its arrangement depends on the syllabic vowel.
The sound [j] should be pronounced very energetically, intensely and be as sonorous as possible.
VOWEL
- front vowel, labialized. When pronouncing this sound, the position of the tongue is the same as for the sound [e], but the lips are slightly rounded and slightly moved forward.
VOWEL [ø]
[ø] is a front vowel, labialized. To pronounce the sound [ø], the position of the speech apparatus is the same as for [e], but the lips are rounded, very tense (especially in the corners) and have the shape of a slit.
VOWEL [y]
[y] is the most closed labialized front vowel. When pronouncing the sound [y], the position of the tongue is the same as for [i], but the lips are rounded, very tense and extended forward, but do not move away from the teeth.
VOWEL [ɔ]
[ɔ] is an open back vowel.
When pronouncing [ɔ], the tongue is slightly pulled back, the tip of the tongue is lowered onto the alveoli of the lower teeth, and the back of the tongue lies almost flat. Lip articulation [ɔ] is similar to articulation: the lips are slightly rounded and slightly protruded; the upper lip is slightly raised.
VOWEL [o]
When pronouncing a closed [o], the tongue is slightly pulled back, the tip of the tongue is lowered onto the alveoli of the lower teeth, and the back of the tongue is raised at the back. The lips are rounded, pushed forward and very tense. The sound [o] is historically long.
VOWEL [u]
[u] is the third back vowel in terms of degree of labialization.
When pronouncing [u], the tip of the tongue is moved away from the lower teeth more than for [o], and the back of the tongue is even more raised towards the soft palate. The lips are strongly rounded, pulled forward and very tense.
CONSONANT [ɳ]
The consonant [ɳ] is midlingual in articulation: when pronouncing [ɳ], the middle part of the tongue is pressed against the middle part of the hard palate, and the tip of the tongue is located at the lower teeth. Care should be taken that [ɳ] is not likened to the Russian soft н, which, unlike [ɳ], is articulated by the front part of the tongue, pressing against the upper teeth and palate.
VOWEL [ɔ̃]
The sound [ɔ̃] is pronounced on the basis of articulation intermediate between [ɔ] and [o:], the tip of the tongue does not touch the teeth, the tongue is pulled back further than for [o], the back of the tongue lies flat, the lips are rounded more than for [ɔ] , but less than for [o]. The velum palatine is lowered, due to which the vowel [ɔ] acquires a nasal timbre.
The sound [ɔ̃] is historically long.
VOWEL [ε̃]
[ε̃] - front nasal sound.
When pronouncing [ε̃], the position of the speech organs is the same as when pronouncing [ε], but the palatine curtain is lowered, due to which the stream of exhaled air exits simultaneously through the mouth and nose, and the sound acquires a nasal timbre.
Make sure that the tongue lies flat and the corners of the lips do not stretch.
The sound [ε̃] is historically long.
VOWEL [œ̃]
[œ̃] - front nasal sound, labialized. The position of the tongue and lips is the same as when pronouncing a sound, but the palatine curtain is lowered, due to which the sound acquires a nasal timbre.
The sound [œ̃] is historically long.
VOWEL [ɑ]
[ɑ] is the deepest back sound and the most open. When pronouncing [ɑ], the jaw is strongly lowered and the tongue is pulled back strongly. The back of the tongue lies flat. The lips are slightly rounded. The sound [ɑ] is historically long.
VOWEL [ɑ̃]
[ɑ̃] is a back nasal vowel, open. The position of the tongue, the opening of the mouth and the position of the lips when pronouncing [a] are the same as for the vowel [ɑ], but the velum is lowered, due to which the vowel [a] acquires a nasal timbre.
The sound [ɑ̃] is historically long.
SEMI-VOWEL [w]
The structure of the lips and tongue for [w] is the same as for [i]. But in order to pronounce [w], you need to round your lips more, move them forward more and, as soon as the vocal cords begin to vibrate, immediately move on to the formation of the next vowel, so that both sounds form one syllable. This rapid transition from the pattern [i] to the pattern of the next vowel creates the sound [w].
Consonants preceding [w] are labial.
SEMI-VOWEL [ɥ]
The structure of the lips and tongue for [ɥ] is the same as for [у]. But in order to pronounce [ɥ], you need to round your lips more and, as soon as the vocal cords begin to vibrate, immediately move on to the next vowel. This fast travel and forms the semivowel [ɥ].
Consonants preceding [ɥ] are labial.