Master the “liaison,” and you’ll begin to understand

Written by Gabriela Estrada

Mastering the liaison not only helps you understand what a conversation in French is about, but it also improves your pronunciation and makes it sound much more natural and fluent.

The liaison occurs when we pronounce a final consonant that is normally silent, because the following word begins with a vowel or with a silent h silent/silent/ follows.

A typical example is les amis, where the consonant “s” is pronounced [z].

If you feel like the French speak too fast and you can never understand them, then today you'll learn that this is normal and that you can master it by practicing your listening skills.

Read this article, where I'll show you how to handle the liaison correctly, depending on how it’s pronounced. 

The liaison: Linking Words to Speak French

The liaison is a phonetic phenomenon that consists of linking words together. It is an automatic and necessary process when speaking, as it makes pronunciation sound fluid rather than segmented or robotic.

In Spanish, when we pronounce words like “los amigos,” from every perspective—semantic, visual, and auditory—we know where each one begins and ends.

In French, the same phrase: “les amis,” is pronounced differently. Normally, we wouldn’t pronounce the “s,” but since the next word begins with a vowel, we need to link the “s” to the vowel “a”.

That s that didn’t sound like a z suddenly becomes a z, which is why we have to pronounce it that way: “lezamis.”

How the Brain Responds When Learning French

When a student learns French, they must adapt to the language’s distinctive phonetics. It’s not that speaking this language is difficult; it’s just that, at first, the brain doesn’t know where one new word begins and where the next one ends.

The system needs to understand that the vocabulary will not be heard as a separate list of words, but rather as a combination of them when the pronunciation calls for it.

This is grammar on the one hand and phonetic fluency on the other. The French don't speak either slowly or quickly; they simply speak in their own way.

The secret lies in identifying the context of a phrase so that the ear can immediately begin to distinguish the beginning of one word from the end of the next. In that combination, you’ll find the liaison that causes them to blend together to such an extent that, if you’re not paying attention, the message becomes confusing.

Practical Tip

To avoid misunderstandings when listening to French speakers, it's important that you continue to pronounce and practice the liaison. Once your ear gets used to hearing these liaisons, French will stop sounding like a jumble of illogical, guttural sounds and will become a language that is understandable and easy to speak.

Types of liaison based on the final consonant

The liaison does not occur only with the letter “s.” Depending on the structure of the words, various final consonants that are usually silent come to life when they encounter a vowel or a silent “h”. 

Here are the main cases:

The liaison with the letters “s” and “x” (pronounced [z])

In this group, the final consonant changes from its natural sound to a soft [z] when it encounters the initial vowel of the following word.

• Children: The “s” is linked and sounds like [z].
• Birds: the “s” becomes [z].
• Ten years: the final “x” is pronounced [z].

The liaison with the letters “t” and “d” (which sound like [t])

When a word ends in “t” or a voiced consonant such as “d” (letters that are normally not pronounced at the end of a word), that sound becomes slightly voiceless and blends with a [t] sound when it meets a vowel.

• Petit oiseau: The final “t” is pronounced clearly when it comes together with oiseau.
• A great man: the final “d” in "grand" changes to adapt to the [t] sound when it connects with homme.

The liaison with the letter “n” (creates a nasal bridge)

This occurs mainly with articles, determiners, or adjectives such as a or mon, where the nasal consonant is linked directly to prevent a break in the flow of speech.

• A man: The “n” is joined to the silent “h” in homme.
• My friend: The “n” creates a direct link to the initial vowel.

Which of these combinations have you been able to identify in French? If you feel like your French needs some guidance, at Planeta Immiland Education we can help you.

Learn with us

At Planeta Immiland Education, we offer French and English courses tailored to your interests, at your level, and at your own pace.

If you want to master phonetics, overcome your fear of speaking, and take your language skills to the next level, our classes are for you—they're designed specifically to help you overcome the challenges of the language.

We are the first language school with a focus on immigration. We are accredited by Languages Canada, and our teachers are certified to use the best teaching methods to help you improve your language skills while navigating the immigration process.

We offer: 

• English and French courses.
• Preparation for international exams.
• Programs focused on academic and immigration goals.
• Conversation activities to build your confidence in real-life situations.

Visit our online academy and find out what the ideal level is to start at: https://www.planeta-immiland-education.com/.

If this article was helpful to you, share it with anyone who needs to understand French when listening to podcasts, work instructions, study materials, or any other conversation in that language.

See you in the next blog post, where we'll continue to explore how languages can help you understand your surroundings, open the door to new experiences, and discover international opportunities!

With love,

Planeta Immiland Education