French sounds and spelling · Free lesson
French AN vs ON: a Video Listening Lesson
Hear the difference between the two reference nasal vowels.
Watch, listen, then practise · 1 minute 33 seconds
Original Parle lesson with English captions, AI-assisted graphics and synthesized reference audio. The clips model isolated nasal vowels, not whole-word recordings. The lesson uses broad European reference symbols; French varieties differ. Watch on YouTube · Read the captions.
Use the lesson
- Listen to AN / EN /ɑ̃/ and ON /ɔ̃/ with different mouth shapes.
- Repeat during each pause without adding a final n; these broad European reference cues vary across French varieties.
- Answer before each reveal. Banc and bon are written examples; the clips model isolated vowels, not those whole words.
Lesson text and French models
Read the French models and the instructions you see in the video. Open the plain-text captions.
French AN vs ON
Hear two nasal vowels. Keep the vowel shapes different.
Listen: AN / EN /ɑ̃/
Listen: ON /ɔ̃/
Listen: AN / EN /ɑ̃/
/ɑ̃/ · More open jaw; lips unrounded.
/ɔ̃/ · Lips rounded; nasal resonance.
These are broad European reference cues. French varieties differ.
Listen to /ɑ̃/. Then try it during the pause.
Listen to /ɔ̃/. Then try it during the pause.
Which vowel do you hear? A /ɑ̃/ or B /ɔ̃/?
Answer: /ɔ̃/
Which vowel do you hear? A /ɑ̃/ or B /ɔ̃/?
Answer: /ɑ̃/
banc /bɑ̃/ · bench
bon /bɔ̃/ · good
The clips model isolated vowels, not these whole words.
Contrast /ɑ̃/ and /ɔ̃/ without adding a final n.
Free matching lesson: getparle.app.
App: 35 Sounds and first 4 Course missions free.
Full 120-mission App course requires Premium.
Synthesized reference audio and AI-assisted graphics. Created by the Parle developer; no voice assessment.
Word readings adapted from Lexique3.83, Boris New and Christophe Pallier et al. (https://openlexicon.fr/datasets-info/Lexique383/README-Lexique.html), with IPA examples under CC BY-SA4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). This does not license the audio or software. Nasal-vowel variation: https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/22133/la-prononciation/notions-de-base-en-phonetique/les-traits-articulatoires-des-voyelles
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This video and its matching website practice are free. In the optional iPhone and iPad App, all 35 Sounds pages and the first 4 First Contact Course missions are free. The full 120-mission course requires Premium. Phrase Match detects words; it does not grade your accent.
Explore all 35 Sounds freeOriginal lesson by the developer of Parle: Learn & Speak French, App ID 6761505050. AI-assisted scripts and graphics; synthesized reference audio. About Parle.