French · Difficult words
How to pronounce main in French
main
Hand
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
main is pronounced /mɛ̃/ in French. In main: Let some air pass through the nose while keeping the vowel continuous. The tilde /̃/ marks nasalization. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in main
The reference transcription for main is /mɛ̃/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. French prominence belongs to the spoken phrase. Do not impose a heavy English-style stress on every isolated word.
1.Nasal vowels
In main: Let some air pass through the nose while keeping the vowel continuous. The tilde /̃/ marks nasalization.
Watch out: Do not automatically add a separate n or m after the nasal vowel.
2.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In main: 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”.
Hear it in context
Il me serre la main poliment.
He shakes my hand politely.
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
main 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 main
How do you pronounce main?
main is pronounced /mɛ̃/ in French. In main: Let some air pass through the nose while keeping the vowel continuous. The tilde /̃/ marks nasalization. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In main: Let some air pass through the nose while keeping the vowel continuous. The tilde /̃/ marks nasalization. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
