French · Difficult words
How to pronounce pays in French
pays
Country
French of France · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
pays is pronounced /pɛ.i/ in French. In pays: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pɛ.i/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in pays
Read pays in these IPA segments: pɛ · i. 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 pays: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pɛ.i/.
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 pays: 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.Front-vowel position
In pays: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
Hear it in context
Quel pays veux-tu visiter l'année prochaine ?
Which country do you want to visit next year?
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
pays 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 pays
How do you pronounce pays?
pays is pronounced /pɛ.i/ in French. In pays: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pɛ.i/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In pays: The final written s is not sounded in this isolated-word reference. Finish with the last sound shown in /pɛ.i/. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
