[englishtext]Introduction to French I

French is a musical, romantic language, and its sounds need practice and a fair amount of attention. Although you can make yourself understood in French despite your own regional accent, use this chapter to help you sound as much like a native as possible.

Four areas need your undivided attention: accents, vowels, nasal sounds, and consonants, combined with the techniques of liaison and elision. The sounds of French vowels and nasals are quite different from the sounds you may be accustomed to in English; for that reason, vowels and nasals require some practice to obtain good results. Unlike English, French has accent marks that may or may not effect a change in pronunciation. In addition, many French consonants have the same pronunciation as those in English — only a few require additional concentration.

Keep in mind that each syllable in a French word has about equal stress, so by putting about the same emphasis on each syllable, you get the best results possible. Slightly stronger emphasis is placed on the last syllable of a group of words.

In addition, consider the following tips for better pronunciation:


Speak slowly and clearly.

Combine sounds and words for a more natural flow.

Practice reading aloud authentic French materials.

Listen to tapes and records to get a better feel for the sounds of the language.

Don't be afraid to ham it up; that is, trying your best to sound like a native French speaker.

Pay attention to accents and nasal sounds.

Liaison refers to the linking of the final consonant of one word with the beginning vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or vowel sound (generally, h and y) to the following word, as in the following example: vous imitez (voo zee-mee-tay).

Note how pronunciation of the final “s” of vous takes on the sound of “z” and combines with the pronunciation of the beginning “i” of imitez.

Elision usually occurs when two vowel sounds are pronounced: one at the end of a word and the other at the beginning of the next word. Drop the final vowel of the first word and replace it with an apostrophe. The two words then simply slide together: je + imite = j'imite (zhee-meet).

Note how the final “e” (uh) sound of je (zhuh) is dropped.[/englishtext]

yours Y.H.M

Yamen,

Merci beaucoup

يامن

اهلا وسهلا فيك يامن فهمت من موضوعك انو عم تحكي عن اللغة الفرنسية كلغة مدروسة يعني احرف صوتية ونبرات ومقاطع صوتية او لفظية وعم تحكي عن الاصوات باللغة الفرنسية ومخارج الحروف الانفية والحلقية يعني كانو عم تحكي عن بداية او مدخل لعلم اللسانيات هادا علم توسعنا كتير فيه بالجامعة وبالبداية كانت تماما متل ماكاتب بس طبعا بالفرنسي
شرفتنا يامن mercie beaucoup mon ami

[englishtext]Accents

An accent mark may change the sound of a letter, the meaning of a word, replace a letter that existed in old French, or have no perceivable effect at all. Accents are used only on vowels and under the letter c.


An accent aigu ( ) is only used on an e (é) and produces the sound ay, as in “day.” It may also replace an s from old French. When you see this letter, replace the é with an imaginary s to see if its meaning becomes more evident.

é tranger = stranger

An accent grave (`) may be used on an à or ù where it causes no sound change, or on an è, producing the sound of eh as in the e in “get.”

An accent circonflexe (∧) may be placed on any vowel but causes no perceptible sound change. It, too, often replaces a “s” from old French, which may give a clue to the meaning of the word.

forêt = forest

A cédille ( ) is placed under a “c” (ç), to create a soft (s) sound before the letters a, o, or u.

ç a (sah)

A tréma ( ) is placed on the second of two consecutive vowels to indicate that each vowel is pronounced independently.

Noël (noh- ehl)[/englishtext]

ميرسي يا انيق

Merci Yamen

Yamen,
وبالفرنسي كمان...الله يسلم هالايدين

الله حيك اخي يامن

مرسي و الله ميرسي .حبيب البي

والله يا يامن محتار كيف بدي وصلك شكري
بس ياريت تقبل هال كعربون صداقة