French, but Fun — Part 14

10 min readAug 20, 2023

In this lesson we dive a bit more into the liaisons of the French language, the relative pronoun dont, and some exercises that cover reading and listening comprehension.

Have fun!

Les Liaisons

Consonants Pronunciation

Consonants in French can change their pronunciation when participating in liaisons, creating a smoother transition between words.

Here’s how some consonants change their pronunciation during liaisons:

‘S’ Pronunciation:

Normally, the letter ‘s’ is silent at the end of words.
In liaisons, ‘s’ can become voiced, resembling the sound ‘z,’ when followed by a vowel sound.
Example: “les amis” (the friends) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “lez-ah-mee.”

‘D’ Pronunciation:

The letter ‘d’ at the end of a word becomes pronounced as a voiced ‘t’ in liaisons.
Example: “grand homme” (great man) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “gran-tom.”

‘T’ Pronunciation:

The letter ‘t’ at the end of words is generally pronounced as an aspirated ‘t’ (with an exhalation of breath).
In liaisons, ‘t’ can become a softer, unvoiced sound resembling ‘t’ without the aspiration, when followed by a vowel sound.
Example: “petit ami” (small friend) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “peh-tee za-mee.”

‘X’ Pronunciation:

The letter ‘x’ at the end of words is typically pronounced as an unvoiced ‘s’ or ‘z’ sound.
In liaisons, ‘x’ can retain its ‘z’ sound when followed by a vowel sound.
Example: “deux amis” (two friends) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “deu-zah-mee.”

’N’ Pronunciation:

The letter ’n’ at the end of words is normally pronounced as a nasal sound.
In some liaisons, the nasal quality of ’n’ is retained, but it’s not always as strong as in isolation.
Example: “un ami” (a friend) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “uhn-ah-mee.”

‘P’ Pronunciation:

The letter ‘p’ at the end of words is typically silent.
In certain formal speech contexts, like poetry or some formal presentations, ‘p’ can be pronounced in liaisons.
Example: “grand-père” (grandfather) — In liaison, it’s pronounced “gran-pehr.”

Mandatory Liaisons

Article and Noun

When an article (definite, indefinite, or partitive) precedes a noun, a liaison is mandatory if the article ends in a consonant sound and the noun begins with a vowel sound.

Example: Les amis [lez-a-mee] (The friends)

The liaison occurs between the article “les” and the noun “amis.”

Adjective and Noun

Mandatory liaisons happen between an adjective and a noun when the adjective ends in a consonant sound, and the noun begins with a vowel sound.

Example: Un grand homme [uhn gran-tom] (A great man)

The liaison occurs between the adjective “grand” and the noun “homme.”

Pronoun and Noun

Liaisons occur between a pronoun and a noun when the pronoun ends in a consonant sound and the noun begins with a vowel sound.

Example: Mon ami [moh-na-mee] (My friend)

The liaison is formed between the pronoun “mon” and the noun “ami.”

Pronoun and Verb

In some cases, a liaison occurs between a subject pronoun and the following verb.

Example: Ils ont [eel-zon] (They have)

The liaison takes place between the pronoun “ils” and the verb “ont.”

Auxiliary Verb and Past Participle

A liaison happens between the auxiliary verb and the past participle when forming compound tenses (such as the passé composé).

Example: Elle est arrivée [el-leh-ta-ree-veh] (She arrived)

The liaison occurs between the auxiliary verb “est” and the past participle “arrivée.”

Adverb and Reference Word

Mandatory liaisons also occur between certain adverbs and reference words (e.g., “y” or “en”) and the following word.

Example: Très intéressant [treh-zan-te-ray-sahnt] (Very interesting)

The liaison takes place between the adverb “très” and the adjective “intéressant.”

Possible Yet Not Mandatory Liaisons

Noun and Adjective

When an adjective follows a noun, a liaison can occur, but it’s not mandatory. It can add a smoother transition between the two words.

Example: Une belle amie [uhn bell-uh-zah-mee] (A beautiful friend)

A possible liaison between the noun “amie” and the adjective “belle.”

Noun and Verb

A liaison between nouns and verbs is possible, but it’s not always required. This often occurs with certain verbs and nouns.

Example: Le chien aboie [luh shyen-na-boh-ee] (The dog barks)

A possible liaison between the noun “chien” and the verb “aboie.”

Verb and Adverb

Sometimes, a verb followed by an adverb might allow a liaison, but it’s not obligatory. This usually occurs with specific adverbs.

Example: Il parle souvent [eel parl-so-veh] (He often talks)

A possible liaison between the verb “parle” and the adverb “souvent.”

Forbidden Liaison

After “et”

In French, liaisons are not made after the conjunction “et” (and). This is a consistent rule, and liaisons are not allowed even if the following word starts with a vowel sound.

Example: “Un chat et un chien” [uhn sha eh uhn shyen] (A cat and a dog)

After a Noun at Singular Ending with a Mute Consonant

When a singular noun ends with a mute consonant (a consonant that is not pronounced), no liaison is made between the noun and the following word, even if it starts with a vowel sound.

Example: “Un ami intéressant” [uhn ah-mee an-tay-ray-sahnt] (An interesting friend)

Before “Oui” and “Onze”

Liaisons are not made before the words “oui” (yes) and “onze” (eleven). These words are pronounced without a liaison, regardless of the preceding word.

Example: “Cinq heures et onze minutes” [sank uh-ruh eh ohnz mee-noo-tuh] (Five o’clock and eleven minutes)

Before and After Full Names

Liaisons should not be made before or after full names, regardless of whether the name starts with a vowel sound. This rule helps maintain the clarity and distinctness of proper names.

Example:

Full Name: Marie Dupuis

Forbidden Liaison Before: Marie et Dupuis [ma-ree ay doo-pwee]

Forbidden Liaison After: Dupuis et Marie [doo-pwee ay ma-ree]

In both cases, liaisons are not made before or after the full name “Marie Dupuis” because proper names are generally not subject to liaisons. The correct pronunciations would be “Marie et Dupuis” and “Dupuis et Marie,” without the liaisons.

History Dive

“Oui” (Yes)

Etymology: The word “oui” comes from the Old French “oïl,” which evolved from the Latin “hoc ille,” meaning “this one.” In Old French, “oïl” was used as an affirmative response. Over time, “oïl” transformed into “oui” and retained its affirmative meaning.

Phonological Shifts: In Old French, the word “oïl” was pronounced with a pronounced “l” sound at the end. However, the final “l” sound gradually became silent as the language evolved. This silent ending contributed to the modern pronunciation of “oui.”

“Onze” (Eleven)

Etymology: The word “onze” comes from the Latin “undecim,” meaning “eleven.” The word has maintained its meaning across languages and time.

Phonological Shifts: Similar to “oui,” the word “onze” underwent historical changes in its pronunciation. In Old French, “onze” was pronounced with a final consonant sound. However, as with many words, the final consonant became silent over time, leading to the modern pronunciation of “onze.”

Reading Comprehension

Read the text and answer the questions.

Text:

Bonjour à tous ! Je me présente, je m’appelle Sophie. J’ai douze ans et je vis dans un petit village près de la montagne. Mon village s’appelle BelleVue, et comme son nom l’indique, il offre des vues magnifiques sur les montagnes environnantes.

J’ai une passion pour la nature et les animaux. Chaque matin, je me lève tôt pour faire une promenade dans la forêt. J’aime écouter le chant des oiseaux et sentir l’air frais. Parfois, je rencontre des écureuils jouant dans les arbres ou des lapins sautillant dans les champs.

À l’école, ma matière préférée est la géographie. J’adore apprendre sur les différentes régions du monde, les paysages variés, et les cultures uniques. Mon rêve est de voyager et de voir ces endroits par moi-même.

Ma meilleure amie s’appelle Carla. Elle habite également à BelleVue. Nous partageons beaucoup d’intérêts, comme la randonnée et la peinture. Souvent, nous nous promenons dans la montagne avec nos chevaux. Nous aimons capturer les paysages magnifiques sur nos toiles.

Le week-end, ma famille et moi faisons des pique-niques au bord du lac. Nous adorons nous détendre, jouer à des jeux et partager de délicieux repas en plein air. Mon petit frère, Maxime, adore jouer au football, et nous avons un terrain près du lac où nous jouons ensemble.

Questions

Comment s’appelle la personne qui parle dans le texte ?
Où habite-t-elle ?
Quelle est sa passion ?
Que fait-elle chaque matin ?
Qu’aime-t-elle écouter et sentir pendant ses promenades ?
Quels animaux rencontre-t-elle lors de ses promenades ?
Quelle est sa matière préférée à l’école ?
Quel est son rêve ?
Qui est sa meilleure amie et quels intérêts partagent-elles ?
Que font Sophie et Carla avec leurs chevaux ?
Comment la famille de Sophie passe-t-elle les week-ends ?
Quelle est l’activité favorite de Maxime ?

Answers

La personne s’appelle Sophie.
Elle habite dans un petit village près de la montagne, BelleVue.
Sa passion est la nature et les animaux.
Chaque matin, elle se lève tôt pour faire une promenade dans la forêt.
Elle aime écouter le chant des oiseaux et sentir l’air frais.
Elle rencontre des écureuils jouant dans les arbres ou des lapins sautillant dans les champs.
Sa matière préférée à l’école est la géographie.
Son rêve est de voyager et de voir différents endroits du monde.
Sa meilleure amie s’appelle Carla, elles partagent des intérêts comme la randonnée et la peinture.
Sophie et Carla se promènent dans la montagne avec leurs chevaux.
La famille de Sophie fait des pique-niques au bord du lac et profite de jeux et de repas en plein air.
L’activité favorite de Maxime est de jouer au football.

The Relative Pronoun Dont

“Dont” is a versatile and important French pronoun with multiple meanings and usages. It can be tricky to grasp at first, but once you understand its various functions, you’ll find it a valuable tool for expressing more complex ideas.

Possession (Whose/Of Which)

“Dont” is used to indicate possession or belonging. It’s often translated as “whose” or “of which” in English.

Structure:

[Noun] + “dont” + [Possessor’s subject]

Example: Les livres dont je parle. (The books I’m talking about.)

“Dont” here indicates possession, implying “the books of which I’m talking.”

Replacement for “De + Object”

In some cases, “dont” replaces “de + object.” This occurs when the object of the verb requires “de” and the main verb is the same as or related to the preceding verb.

Structure:

[Verb] + [Preposition] + “dont”

Example: J’ai besoin de la voiture. J’ai besoin dont. (I need the car. I need it.)

“Dont” replaces “de la voiture,” preserving the meaning of the sentence.

Relative Pronoun (About Whom/Which)

In more advanced contexts, “dont” can also be used as a relative pronoun, introducing a relative clause that provides additional information about a preceding noun.

Structure: