Language
French
Unit
Voyelles
IPA
/ɛ̃/
Practice words
5

Sample pronunciation audio — Open the full phoneme overview

Start with one sample audio file for voyelles nasales - /ɛ̃/.

Quick tip

Nasal vowels are pronounced with air flowing through both the mouth and the nose.

Letters and IPA

Letters

ɛ̃

/ɛ̃/

Practice words

  • pain

  • main

  • vin

  • matin

  • lapin

Minimal pairs

How to produce this sound

Open your mouth for /ɛ/, lower the soft palate, and let the air go through both the mouth and the nose. Do not pronounce a final n.

Common mix-ups

Closest comparison

Ce son est nouveau; le plus proche en anglais est souvent /æ/ ou /ɛn/, mais sans nasalisation phonémique.

Hear "pain" pronounced by French natives

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

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