5 Mistakes You’re Making with the French “Ain” Sound (& how to fix them)

[@bytheway1031]

Merci Géraldine!

[@AwareLife]

Merci , clarifié beaucoup. Abonné. 🤗🙏

[@markbernier8434]

I seem to have learned more from Chez Helene when I was little than I thought.

[@shefalishah1142]

J'aime beaucoup vos vidéos. Merci beaucoup 🥰

[@gavinwilson6556]

Un bon pain blanc😉🥖 merci Géraldine xx

[@phillycatlady]

It sounds like the pronunciation I learned for “un”. What’s the difference? I was taught a different pronunciation for the “ain” combination with more of an “ehn” sound ( I don’t know how to write it phonetically). No problem with the nasal part but the basic vowel combo sound. Your pronunciation of “main” sounds more like I learned but different than your “pain” sound.

[@chitlitlah]

I think -ain sounds just like -in and that their pronunciation has shifted to be the same or very similar to -un in the last couple of decades. My friend, who speaks French natively, told me back then that -in sounds like the -am- in the English word lamp, but in recent French lessons like these, it sounds more like the -um- in lump to me. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[@phillycatlady]

@@chitlitlah that’s exactly how I hear it

[@chitlitlah]

Wow, KZbin really screwed up the formatting in my reply making all the text strike-through from the first hyphen to the last. In case it doesn't fix itself, there was supposed to be a hyphen before 'ain' and a hyphen before and after 'am' to show that they're a suffix and infix, respectively.

[@phillycatlady]

@@chitlitlah I just ignored it. I deal with so much gibberish in the game I play that I can decipher almost anything 😂

[@michaeltres]

This is an excellent question. Only 3 of the 4 historical nasals are still pronounced in northern France. In contrast, all 4 are still pronounced in Southern France and in Belgium. This a well-known phenomenon, but when I ask for a demonstration (on several French KZbin channels), my comments are always ignored. Another well-known problem is that the IPA symbols used for French haven't changed in decades and they do not reflect current pronunciation. I have read about it, but I really want to HEAR it in a detailed discussion.

[@pamelasoares9214]

One of the best lessons ever!! This sound has been a real struggle for me, now I'll listen to this many times and I'll get it. Thanks!! AND, YOU are my favorite teacher!

[@zhilahaghbin4766]

Merci beaucoup, Geraldine

[@josedavilatraavieso4327]

Tres bien travalier a trois pronunciation est expression Geraldine.

[@michaelcrummy8397]

Bonne leçon Géraldine, au sujet de la prononciation française. Ce m’aide à pratiquer votre langue. Merci.

[@michaelcrummy8397]

Pardon. “Ça m’aide”.

[@bawhitham]

Salut Geraldine. Merci pour cette leçon. Maintenant que j'habite en France, ceci est exactement le type d'aide que j'ai besoin. C'est frustrant quand je commande un apéro, par exemple, en français, puis le serveu.r.se répond immédiatement en anglais. Certainement, je ne sera jamais pas perd mon accent américain mais je vraiment veux essayer de faire ça moins evident. Donc, des astuces d'atteint ceci sont apprécié. Sans doute, ces leçons existe sur votre site web, alors j'aura un regarde.

[@baronmeduse]

Great lesson. It's good to remember that accuracy in the sound system matters for pronunciation. Also, 'infamous' is not said like 'famous'!!

[@johnvonundzu2170]

True - it's pronounced in-fuh-mus.

[@CarinRuff]

Merci, Géraldine! I am wondering whether there has been change over time in the way "ain" is pronounced. I'm fairly certain that your "ain", which I don't doubt, is a smidge lower/farther back than the pronunciation I assimilated as a nonnative child learner. But I haven't been in Francophone environments to experience a change under way, and the older relatives on whose phonology I imprinted were born more than 100 years ago.

[@adacathy3018]

the many practice tries you give us really helps me, though i'm still not sure i'm doing it 100% right😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 haha

[@josedavilatraavieso4327]

Le bon graphique.

[@phyllobolus]

The trickiest is "un", je crois :)

[@thierryf67]

yes, maybe because in France we don't pronounce the same way every where. in Paris, and some region, they say it like the 'in' sound. In the south, it's very different, and has a specific sound.

[@KarenMSmith-ck3ul]

great but you referred to en, on and ain and then used words with an?

[@Kitiwake]

I can't understand how French people can speak at all when they have a cold.

[@paulharvey7278]

sounds ok when i pronounce after you but when in a normal conversation . . . things fall apart very quickly mdr !

[@sachihirono1657]

'Pain', you said you don't pronounce 'n' at the end, but why am I hearing it? It's the same for 'bonjour', you sound like you are pronouncing 'n' after 'bo'...??

[@timotheelegrincheux2204]

Your ears are playing tricks on you. No N sound in pain or bonjour.

[@jennyp4934]

@@timotheelegrincheux2204 I think our English background does that to us. I have to play the words over and over and over again to get it.