Pronunciation Pairs #1 - High Front Vowels: i vs e
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This is the /i/ sound and this is the /e/ sound. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to tell them apart. Plus, you'll be practicing them on your way to perfect pronunciation. I'm Doria and this is French pronunciation through minimal pairs. First is /i/. This is the /i/ sound in "il", "si", "vi" and other words. /e/ is the /e/ sound in "école", "chanter", "ner" and other words.

"I" and "I" are called front vowels because they are pronounced with the highest part of the tongue positioned in the front part of the mouth. To make the French "I" sound, the tip of your tongue should touch the bottom row of teeth. Your lips should be very tensed and the corners of your mouth stretched apart. "I" "I" "I" "I" "I"

To make the /e/ sound, the lips and teeth part slightly. Place the tip of your tongue against your lower teeth and keep your lips unrounded and relaxed. It sounds similar to the /e/ sound in play, but your mouth is more closed and the vowel is shorter. /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ The difference between these two sounds is about how open your mouth is.

Both vowels are pronounced with fairly closed lips, but one is slightly more open than the other. /i/ is more closed and /e/ is slightly more open. When you say the vowel /i/ like in "heal", your lips are very tense, your tongue is high up and towards the front of your mouth, and your lips are stretched out more.

For the vowel "é", like in "manger", the highest point of your tongue is a bit lower, and your lower jaw moves a little bit away from the upper jaw, which makes the mouth slightly more open than "i". So listen to the difference and repeat after me. "i", "é", "é". "i", "é", "i", "é", "i", "é".

So try to focus on the openness of the mouth when you pronounce these two sounds. Listen and repeat or speak along with me. Ready? C C D D D D Let's review. Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after me, focusing on pronunciation. Do you remember the sound that's slightly more open? E

/e/ And the more closed sound? /i/ Let's practice. Compare the sounds in these two words. Which word has the more closed sound and which has the more open sound? /si/ /se/ /si/ has the more closed sound and /se/ has the more open sound. Let's try another. /di/ /de/

dix has the more closed sound and dix has the more open sound. Let's try one more. prix has the more closed sound and pré has the more open sound. Now listen to the following sentences. Which words have the more closed sound and which have the more open sound? Si ça sonne, ses amis arrivent. si c'est

Il dit des mots. Dit des. Read the following sentence out loud, focusing on the different sounds. Le prix pour le prêt est cher. Here's a special resource just for you. 30+ French PDF cheat sheets that will improve your French twice as fast. Yours free! Just click the link in the comment section.