Sound contrast · French (France)
French /ɛ/ vs /ɛ̃//ɛ/ / /ɛ̃/
Adds open-mid oral versus nasal comparison; existing /e–ɛ̃/ does not cover the same oral vowel.
Practice these sounds/ɛ/
An open-mid, unrounded vowel
The tongue is toward the front, with a more open vowel position than /e/.
As inprêt
/ɛ̃/
A nasal-vowel quality
The whole vowel is nasal. Compare its quality across the different word beginnings.
As inbain
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
A small change.
A different word.
Adds open-mid oral versus nasal comparison; existing /e–ɛ̃/ does not cover the same oral vowel.
Listen for the target sound in each word.
Sound examples
Tap to hear each wordprêt
/pʁɛ/readytaie
/tɛ/pillowcasegeai
/ʒɛ/jay, a birdlait
/lɛ/milkraie
/ʁɛ/stripe; ray fishbain
/bɛ̃/bathpain
/pɛ̃/breadteint
/tɛ̃/complexionpin
/pɛ̃/pine treevin
/vɛ̃/wine10 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.