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Glossary

Nasal vowel

By Jibber Jabber · Updated

A vowel produced with air passing through the nose as well as the mouth.

In bon (good), the vowel is nasal. Compare it with the vowel in beau (beautiful). Pronunciation differs among speakers.

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