Nasal Vowel Sounds

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 [ɛ̃].

faim
hunger
train
train
bain
bath
pain
bread
main
hand
sainte
saint
plainte
complaint
plein
full
enceinte
pregnant
sain
healthy
vin
wine
pin
pine
prince
prince
singe
monkey
syndicat
trade union
simple
simple
sympathique
nice, kind adj.
moins
less
poing
fist

Nasalized [ɛ̃]

Oral

certain
certain
certaine
certain
chien
dog
chienne
female dog
le tien
yours
la tienne
yours
il vient
he comes
ils viennent
they come
cousin
cousin
cousine
cousin (female)

The letter combination un is pronounced as [œ̃] .

brun
brown
parfum
parfume
Verdun
Verdun
lundi
monday
commun
common

Nasalized

Oral

un
a, an
une
a, an (female)
aucun
no, none
aucune
no, none

The letters an, en, and em are pronounced as [ã]

dans
in, inside, into prep
Jean
dent
tooth
vent
wind
emporter
to take
emmener
to take
étudiante
student
enfant
child
danse
dance
ils vendent
they sell
ils mentent
they lie
elles chantent
they sing
constante
constant
intelligente
intelligent
lente
slow
pendant
during
ingrédient
ingredient
vient
comes
viens
come
client
client

The letters on are pronounced with the nasalized vowel [ɔ̃]

on
my
non
my
mon
my
pont
bridge
bon
good
station
..
honte
..
monde
..

Nasalized

Oral

son
..
sonne
..
Simon
..
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.

ils dînent
..
fine
..

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.

a/mi
..
a/nnée
..
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