Rx 3. [s] / shh! | Final “s”
Your instructor has identified this sound as a challenge for you. Please complete the training below. These exercises will help you understand when to pronounce and when not to pronounce [s] at the end of a word in French.
Read and listen
As a general rule, the final -s in French is not pronounced, but there are many important exceptions that we will cover below.
One exception that you may already know occurs when “les” or “des” appears before a word that begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u). For example, des amis, les yeux, etc. In this case, the final “s” in “les” or “des” makes a [z] sound. While you will hear this [z] sound in this lesson, it is not the focus.
Listen to this dialogue and notice when you hear the final -s pronounced and when you do not.
A : On n’a pas cours lundi. Tu veux voyager ce week-end ?
N : Oui, je veux bien. On part où ?
A : Je ne sais pas… Je pensais à Paris ou Marseille.
N : Ah, non, j’ai besoin du repos. Je préfère un endroit plus paisible.
A : D’accord, je vois…tu préfères Aix-les-Bains près des Alpes ou Cannes sur la côte d’Azur ?
N : Je ne sais pas. Quel temps fera-t-il dans les Alpes ce week-end ?
A : Attends, je vais voir. Tac, tac. Ok, apparemment il fera gris dans les Alpes et du soleil sur la côte.
N : Alors, dans ce cas, on part au sud !
In which words did you hear a final -s pronounced?
Listen and differentiate
French & English Proper Nouns
Pay attention to the difference between the French and English pronunciations of these places in France.
Alpes Alps Paris Paris Tours tours
Based on what you’ve heard, would you pronounce ‘s’ at the end of “AMIENS”?
Amiens with s or without s?
Listen and repeat
Listen and repeat these common words in which the final -s is silent.
1.des, les, ces, ses, mes, tes
2. vos, nos, leurs, gris, gros
3. vous, nous, ils, elles, sous
4. en bas, pas, trois, très, dans
5. bras, corps, cours, dos, jus, temps, logis, pays, chaos, repas
6.français, anglais, jamais, mais
Listen and repeat these these subject and verb combinations.
1.Tu as, je suis, tu es, il est, tu parles
2. Je fais, tu fais, je vais, tu vas, tu écris
3. Nous sommes, nous parlons, nous disons
4. Vous êtes, vous faites
Exceptions
Here’s a list of other common words that end in -s in which you pronounce the final -s.
- un as – an ace
- un iris – an iris (flower)
- du maïs – corn
- un ananas – a pineapple
- un lys – a lily (flower)
- un cactus – a cactus
- les cassis – black currant (a fruit that grows in bunches on bushes)
- du couscous – couscous (a grain served at meals)
- un oasis – an oasis
- un campus – a campus
- un virus – a virus
- un os – a bone (do not pronounce -s when plural–des os)
- le tennis – tennis
- un ours – a bear
- une vis – a screw
- un fils – a son
- un bus – a bus
Listen and repeat these exceptions in which you pronounce the final -s .
fils, ours, hélas, maïs, sens, mars, as, oasis, biceps, bis, cassis, Venus, fleur de lys
Now listen to the speaker talk about a meal that she is preparing and pay attention to when you hear the final -s pronounced.
Je fais une liste des ingrédients pour un repas français : des épices, du cassis, et un peu de maïs.
Which shows in bold the sound [s] based on the sentence you heard (not the final -s [z] sound)?
- Je fais une liste des ingrédients pour un repas français : des épices, du cassis, et un peu de maïs.
- Je fais une liste des ingrédients pour un repas français : des épices, du cassis, et un peu de maïs.
-s list
Listen in context and notice
Listen to this famous poem by Paul Verlaine. Pay attention to which final -s sounds are pronounced and which ones are not. Then listen to the song version of this poem by Charles Trénet.
Culminating Recording
If you have carefully followed the above instructions, you should be able to now read and correctly pronounce the following sentences in an audio file for your professor.
Tu prépares un voyage en France? Tu es déjà allé dans ces grandes villes? Paris, Cannes ou Tours?