10.4: The Vowel [ɛ̃] - IN, IM, YM, YN, AIN, EIN, AIM, EIM and [œ̃]- UN, UM
- Page ID
- 269276
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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 vowel sounds [ɛ̃] and [œ̃].
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
Let's get started!
The Vowel [ɛ̃]
As a nasal vowel, the grapheme in is pronounced [ɛ̃] as in:
fin, vin, invité, mince
This sound can also be written with the following graphemes:
im, ym, yn, ain, ein, aim and eim
If any of these graphemes are followed by a vowel, they will no longer produce the nasal sound [ɛ̃].
In the case of in, im, yn and ym, the i and the y will be pronounced [i] and n and m will be pronounced [n] and [m]. There are exceptions to this. For example, in the words gym and gymnase the ym is not nasal and is pronounced [im].
When followed by an e, ain, ein, aim, and eim, the ai or ei will be pronounced [ɛ] and the n and the m will be pronounced [n] and [m]:
saine, aime, pleine, seime
Sometimes, the e in eim will be part of a prefix and therefore take on a different pronunciation. Take, for example: réimaginer. In a word like téléimpression, the im will be nasal because it is followed by a consonant, because there's an accent aigu on e, and because e is part of the prefix télé.
Here is summary of these differences:
| Graphemes pronounced [ɛ̃] | When they are nasal vowels (examples) | When they are not nasal vowels (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| in | vin, singe, individuel, printemps | fine, pinot, féline, innovant |
| im | impatient, grimper, simple, imbiber | imitation, grimace, immortel, régime |
| yn | synchronie, syntaxe, larynx | synapse, dynamique, cynique |
| ym | thym, symbole, symphonie | anonyme, gymnastique, antonyme |
| ain | pain, Alain, demain | Maine, centaine, cubaine |
| ein | plein, tein, atteint | peine, baleine, Seine |
| aim | faim, essaim | aime, vraiment |
| eim | Reims | seime |
Practice pronouncing in, ym, aim, ain, ein, eim.
The vowel [œ̃]
When un or um is the end a word, or when it is followed by another consonant, it is pronounced [œ̃]:
un, brun, lundi, humble, parfum
When it is followed by a vowel, the sound is no longer nasal:
une, brune, fumé, allumer
Let's practice!
Activity
Listen and repeat.
- un, une
- brun, brune
- l'un, lune
- parfum, résume
- lundi, lunaire
- plein, pleine
- bain, laine
- teint, peine