4.3: Other Consonant Clusters

Objectifs

In this section, you will learn about:

• Special combinations of consonants

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Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.

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The letters P and S

When combined, the letters ps sound very differently in French and in English. In English; the p tends to be silent, while in French both the p and s are pronounced. Listen to the difference in pronunciation between these words.

 

The pronunciation of ps in French and English

French pronunciation	English pronunciation
psychologie	psychology
pseudo	pseudo
psychiatrie	psychiatry

The letters P and N

The same goes for the combined letters pn. In English, the p remains silent while the n is pronounced, but in French, both letters must be pronounced.

Listen to the difference in pronunciation.

 

The pronunciation of pn in French and English

French pronunciation	English pronunciation
pneumonie	pneumonia
pneumatique	pneumatic

The letters M and N

The letter clusters m and n have two possible pronunciations in French. First, the words automne and damné, and all words that derive from them, are pronounced [n].

 

automne automnal condamné condamnation

In all other words, the m and n are both pronounced.

 

gymnastique calomnie hymne

The letters G and N

The letters cluster gn has two possible pronunciations in French. In most words, this letter combination is pronounced like the ni in onion or the Spanish tilde or ñ.

 

montagne magnitude ignorer peigne

In a few cases, the g and n must be pronounced separately.

 

stagnation diagnostique magnum

In a very small list of words, this combination can be pronounced as gn combined or as g and n (separate).

 

ignition igné inexpugnable magnat

The letters M or N and P

In monosyllabic words, or words that end with m and p, the cluster of the letters m and p generates a nasal [ɑ̃] sound.

 

champ temps camp clamp

In words that are more than one syllable, or when the mp cluster is in the middle of the word, in the first syllable, the m produces the nasal sound [ɑ̃] while in the next syllable the letter p is pronounced separately. This rule also applies to words containing the cluster np.

In French, there are no words that end in np.

 

camping accompagner champagne compliqué

bienpensant embonpoint nonpareil panpsychisme

The letters NT, MT, ND or MD

The same rules that apply to the mp or np clusters also apply to the combined nt or mt letters.

In French, there are no words that end in mt or md.

When the letters nt or nd appear in monosyllabic words, or in words that end in nt or nd, the letter clusters also produce a nasal sound [ɑ̃].

 

lent quand complètement prend

The one exception to this rule is the third person plural conjugation of verbs that end in er, or any verb where the third person plural ends in ent. In this case, the cluster ent is silent.

 

mangent étudient arrivent prennent viennent

When the clusters mt, nt, md or nd appear in words with more than one syllable, in the first syllable, n or m produce the nasal sound [ɑ̃], while in the second syllable, the letter t or d is pronounced separately.

 

lentement circumduction abandonner comté

The letters M, P and T

When the letters mpt appear at the end of a word, the cluster generates the nasal sound [ɑ̃].

 

prompt exempt rompt corrompt

Consonant clusters in French and English

The table below contains a list of consonant clusters that exist and are pronounced the same way in French and English. There are a few exceptions to this trend.

 

Consonant Clusters in French and English

French Pronunciation	English Pronunciation
table	table
fleur	flower
critère	criteria
classe	class
transférer	transfer

Summary

The tables below summarizes what we have explained about consonant clusters above.

 

Summary of Consonant Clusters

Rule	French Words	English Translations
The p in the ps or pn clusters is pronounced in French.	psychologie pneumonie	psychology pneumonia
The cluster mn is pronounced as n in this family of words (automne, damné)	automnal condamnation	autumnal conviction, sentence
The letters m and n are pronounced separately in other words.	gymnastique hymne	gym, gymnastics anthem, hymn
Words where the consonant cluster is pronounced [ɲ].	montagne poignée ignorer incognito	mountain handle, fistful to ignore incognito

 

Clusters That Change Pronunciation Based on the Number of Syllables

Rule	French Words	English Translations
When the cluster np appears in monosyllabic words, it is pronounced [ɑ̃].	champ temps	field time
When the clusters np or mp appear in words with more than one syllable, the letters are pronounced separately.	champignon, camping bienpensant, embonpoint	mushroom, camping right-thinking person, stoutness
When the nt or nd clusters appear in monosyllabic words, they are pronounced [ɑ̃].	lent prend	slow take
When the nt, nd, mt, md clusters appear in words with more than one syllable, the letters are pronounced separately.	lentement grandement vicomte circumduction	slowly greatly viscount circumduction
When the mpt cluster appears at the end of a monosyllabic word, it is pronounced [ɑ̃].	prompt exempt corrompt	prompt exempt (he/she) corrupts
When the mpt cluster appears in words with more than one syllable, the letters mp are pronounced [ɑ̃] while the letter t is pronounced separately.	comptabilité compte	accounting count, tally

Additional Resources

• Pronunciation of the letter clusters mn
• Other consonant clusters

Let's practice!

Activity

Practice pronouncing the following words.

 

1. psychiatrie
2. capable
3. condamner
4. magnitude
5. rendre
6. psychologie
7. camper
8. automne
9. diagnostiquer
10. champs
11. pneumatique
12. corrompre
13. prompt
14. raffler
15. rentable
16. proclamer
17. pneu
18. plante
19. impromptu
20. cygne