Language
French
Unit
Consonnes
IPA
/ɲ/
Practice words
5

Sample pronunciation audio — Open the full phoneme overview

Start with one sample audio file for nasales - /ɲ/.

Quick tip

Nasals are produced by letting air flow through the nose.

Letters and IPA

Letters

ɲ

/ɲ/

Practice words

  • montagne

  • mignon

  • peigner

  • vigne

  • baigner

Minimal pairs

How to produce this sound

Put the middle of your tongue against the hard palate and let the air pass through your nose, like Spanish ñ.

Common mix-ups

Closest comparison

This sound is not present in standard English. Spellings like 'ny' in 'canyon' are only approximations and do not match French /ɲ/ exactly.

Hear "montagne" pronounced by French natives

Listen to native speakers and see real-world usage on these reference sites. Each link opens in a new tab.

Word of the Day

Today's hand-picked vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation page for French. Bookmark this section — it refreshes every day.

Keep exploring

Play SmartWords games

Six word games built around our real vocabulary — free in the browser, no install.

Open the game hub →
  • Word Sling illustration

    Word Sling

    Match the center word under time pressure and keep the combo alive.

    Play now →
  • Word Gate illustration

    Word Gate

    Fly through the correct gate before the speed ramps up.

    Play now →
  • Word Ninja illustration

    Word Ninja

    Slice the goal-language words, avoid the main-language decoy, and chase the announced bonus target.

    Play now →
  • Word Zip illustration

    Word Zip

    Trace a single path across the board, hit each letter anchor in order, and fill every open cell.

    Play now →
  • Word Oddity illustration

    Word Oddity

    Pick the word that doesn't belong from a topic-driven set — every tap reveals all four meanings and images so the round becomes a flash-card too.

    Play now →
  • Word Memory illustration

    Word Memory

    Flip and match goal-language words to their main-language meaning before your lives run out.

    Play now →