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Sounds and listening

How to hear French nasal vowels

By Jibber Jabber · Updated

Answer in brief

French nasal vowels are vowel sounds made with air passing through the nose as well as the mouth. Compare whole words and listen for the vowel, not just the spelling.

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Scope: This guide is a practical starting point, not a complete course.

A French example

Compare bon (good) and beau (beautiful). The vowel in bon is nasal; the one in beau is not.

How to practise

Listen to each word in a short phrase. Alternate the phrases and identify which word you hear before checking the text.

What to keep in mind

Pronunciation differs among speakers and regions. Spelling alone does not always determine whether a vowel is nasal.

Sources for this entry

  1. Jibber Jabber French language guide Related guide from this site's publisher.

Continue this reading path

  1. Why is spoken French hard to understand? French words often join in speech, and spelling does not show every sound directly. Familiar written words can therefore be hard to recognise in a continuous sentence.
  2. French liaison and elision by ear Liaison links a normally silent final consonant to a following vowel sound. Elision removes a vowel in writing and speech before another vowel, as in l’ami.

Connected entries

  • Why is spoken French hard to understand? French words often join in speech, and spelling does not show every sound directly. Familiar written words can therefore be hard to recognise in a continuous sentence.
  • French liaison and elision by ear Liaison links a normally silent final consonant to a following vowel sound. Elision removes a vowel in writing and speech before another vowel, as in l’ami.
  • French silent letters in listening Many final letters in French words are not pronounced, but they can still show grammar or become audible in another form. Learn them in phrases rather than applying one rule to every word.

Glossary terms Nasal vowel

How the related sites connect

This guide is one of a coordinated collection of comprehensible input guides published by Jibber Jabber. They share one publisher and are not independent endorsements. See Related websites or visit the Jibber Jabber official site.

Cite this entry

Jibber Jabber. "How to hear French nasal vowels." Comprehensible Input French, updated 2026-11-09. https://comprehensibleinputfrench.com/french-nasal-vowels/