👃 Lesson 28 – Nasal sounds close to [ɛ̃] and [œ̃]
Learn to distinguish these two nasal sounds in French
📘 1. Simple explanation
In French, there are two similar nasal sounds. These are sounds produced through the nose. The difference is subtle and can vary depending on the accent:
NASAL SOUND "IN""
His more common nasal sound
Example :
bread
SON NASAL "ONE""
His nasal sound is less frequent
Example :
A
💡 Important information:
In many French regions, [œ̃] (like "un") is pronounced like [ɛ̃] (like "in"). But in some regions and in formal French, the difference is made.
✨ 2. Examples
Its nasal "in""
wine
/vɛ̃/
beverage
train
/tʁɛ̃/
transportation
bread
/pɛ̃/
food
Its nasal "un""
A
/œ̃/
article/numerical
Monday
/lœ̃.di/
day of the week
scent
/paʁ.fœ̃/
smell
🎯 Important note
In everyday French in many regions, "un" is often pronounced as [ɛ̃]. But knowing the difference is useful for formal French and certain regional accents.
💬 3. Mini-situation
Samir:
«" THE train [ɛ̃] arrives at 10 a.m.»
✅ Nasal sound [ɛ̃]
Samir:
«" It is Monday [œ̃] next. »
✅ Nasal sound [œ̃]
📝 Phonetic note:
In this sentence: "train" has the nasal sound [ɛ̃]. "lundi" has the nasal sound [œ̃]. Try pronouncing both words, paying attention to the air passing through your nose!
📚 4. Vocabulary
Monday
/lœ̃.di/
train
/tʁɛ̃/
A
/œ̃/
bread
/pɛ̃/
wine
/vɛ̃/
👃 Nasal exercise:
Place a finger under your nose. Pronounce "vin" [ɛ̃] and feel the air coming out of your nose. Do the same with "un" [œ̃]. Can you feel the difference?
✍️ 5. Interactive exercise
Circle [ɛ̃] or [œ̃] for each word
1. "Monday" →
2. "train" →
3. "bread" →
🖼️ 6. Image idea for memorization
Train + schedule
TRAIN
His [ɛ̃]
train, wine, bread
The train goes "tch-tch-tch" like the sound [ɛ̃]
CALENDAR
Its [œ̃]
Monday, one, perfume
Monday on the calendar is the start of the week [œ̃]
🌟 Memory tip:
Picture this scene: a TRAIN (🚂) arriving → its [ɛ̃] sound. A CALENDAR (📅) showing Monday → its [œ̃] sound. This association will help you memorize easily!
English 
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