Nasal Contrast: an / on / in
Train your ear on French's three main nasal vowels, an, on and in, which run through food words like pain, vin, viande and jambon.
French has three main nasal vowels: an/en (/ɑ̃/, nasal 'ah'), on (/ɔ̃/, nasal 'oh'), and in/un (/ɛ̃/, nasal 'eh'). Air passes through the nose; the N or M itself is never fully pronounced.
Keep the three sounds distinct by mouth shape: /ɑ̃/ opens the mouth wide, /ɔ̃/ rounds the lips, /ɛ̃/ spreads the lips like a smile.
Trap for English speakers: English has no true nasal vowels, so the instinct is to pronounce the N/M as a full consonant — vin (wine) is not 'van', the N is never released.
Why it matters for food: menus and shops are full of these vowels: du pain (bread), du vin (wine), de la viande (meat), du jambon (ham), du poisson (fish), un croissant (a croissant). Say vin (wine) with the wrong nasal and it becomes vent (wind).
- an — year — nasal an
- on — the pronoun 'on' — nasal on
- vin — wine — nasal in
- blanc — white — nasal an
- blond — blond — nasal on
- vent — wind — nasal an