7.3: The Lapsed E
- Page ID
- 268178
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn about the lapsed E.
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
Let's get started!
Le e caduc
The e caduc is a lapsed or mute e. We have already seen that when the letter e appears at the end of a word and has no accent, it will be silent.
This rule excludes monosyllabic words, of course. Here are a few examples.
Je, ne, le, de, me, te, se
In the case of monosyllabic words that end in an e, this vowel should be pronounced.
Below, we will talk about when the letter e can be silent, depending on the speaker, formal or informal context, or regional accent.
The word caduc means to "to fall". This means that the letter e can be lapsed, or it can disappear in certain contexts.
This is mostly the case in spoken and informal French. In the south of France, since the accent is more articulate, the e caduc is actually pronounced.
So here, we will mostly focus on spoken French of mostly the Parisian accent, where the letter e can be easily dropped by speakers.
In spoken French, the e can be lapsed in the following instances:
- When the letter e in the middle of a word is pronounced [ə].
- When the letter e is between a vowel, a consonant, and yet another consonant.
- When the letter e appears in the middle of a word, between another vowel and a consonant.
- In monosyllabic words that end in e, like the ones mentioned above.
When the letter e in the middle of a word is pronounced [ə] and it appears between three consonants, it should always be pronounced.
The table below will show examples of the rules mentioned above.
| Rule | Example | The Lapsed E or Not | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
In monosyllabic words that end in e. |
Je vais bien. Pas de crayon? Elle se lève. |
J'vais bien. Pas d'crayon? Elle s'lève. |
I am doing well. No pencil? She gets up. |
|
In words between two consonants. |
maintenant enveloppe fenêtre développement arrondissement heureusement |
maint'nant env'loppe f'nêtre dév'lop'ment arrondiss'ment heureus'ment |
now envelope window development city district luckily |
| When the letter e appears between a vowel and a consonant. |
Nous étudierons. Vous jouerez au tennis. dénouement paiement |
Nous étudi'rons. Vous jou'rez au tennis. dénou'ment pai'ment |
We will study. You will play tennis. outcome, denouement payment |
|
In cases where e appears between three consonants, it must be pronounced. Sometimes, even when there's no e, it is added when speaking. This is to ease up transition between three vowels. |
ours blanc porte-feuille garderie gouvernement brusquement |
ourse blanc |
white bear, polar bear wallet day nursery, day-care center government abruptly, suddenly |