French · Difficult words
How to pronounce jamais in French
jamais
Never
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
jamais is pronounced /ʒa.mɛ/ in French. In jamais: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /ʒa.mɛ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in jamais
Read jamais in these IPA segments: ʒa · mɛ. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. French prominence belongs to the spoken phrase. Do not impose a heavy English-style stress on every isolated word.
1.The final written s
In jamais: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /ʒa.mɛ/.
Watch out: Connected speech can differ, especially where liaison is possible. Do not generalize this word’s ending to every French word.
2.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In jamais: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide.
Watch out: Avoid turning this vowel into English “ay”.
3.An open vowel
In jamais: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
Je ne bois jamais de soda.
I never drink soda.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
jamais is presented using French of France. Regional accents and connected speech can change details. The isolated word and the example let you compare the dictionary form with a short spoken context.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about jamais
How do you pronounce jamais?
jamais is pronounced /ʒa.mɛ/ in French. In jamais: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /ʒa.mɛ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In jamais: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /ʒa.mɛ/. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
