MinimalPairs
Lessons

Minimal pair · French (France)

French /o/ vs /ɔ̃//o/ / /ɔ̃/

Learn to hear the difference between o and ɔ̃ in French words.

Practice these sounds
/o/

A close-mid, rounded vowel

A rounded vowel made toward the back of the mouth.

As inbeau
/ɔ̃/

A rounded nasal vowel

Listen to the vowel quality and nasal resonance together, without adding a final n.

As inbon

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

A small change.
A different word.

Beau/bon, peau/pont and taux/ton contrast oral /o/ with nasal /ɔ̃/. The first consonant stays the same within each pair while the final vowel changes.

Listen for the target sound in each word.

A common trap

Bon, pont and ton do not end in a separate n in these isolated forms. The contrast can involve vowel quality as well as nasalization; it is not made by simply adding an n to /o/.

Sound examples

Tap to hear each word
beau
/bo/beautiful; handsome
peau
/po/skin
taux
/to/rate
dos
/do/back of the body
veau
/vo/calf; veal
faux
/fo/false
chaud
/ʃo/hot
saut
/so/jump; leap
bon
/bɔ̃/good
pont
/pɔ̃/bridge
ton
/tɔ̃/your; tone
poisson
/pwasɔ̃/fish
poison
/pwazɔ̃/poison

13 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.

Now, let your ears decide.

Can you hear the difference? Listen to two examples, then decide which sound you hear in a new word. Get feedback after every answer.

Practice these sounds

Keep the sound. Change the word.

Compare the whole final vowel as X changes its opening consonant. Keep these isolated masculine forms separate from feminine and liaison contexts.

Explore all French contrasts
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