You’ve probably noticed that a lot of consonants at the end of French words (like s and d) are silent. But if the next word begins with a vowel or a silent h, that consonant is no longer silent! This is called liaison, and it actually makes French sentences easier to pronounce. Notice below how a final s sounds like a z in liaison, while a d sounds like a t.
| Silent Consonants | Liaison |
|---|---|
| les | les enfants |
| ils | ils arrivent |
| vous | vous avez |
| grand | grand arbre |
| quand | quand il fait soleil |
There are exceptions! For example, there is never a liaison after et.
Je visite avec Marie et Anna.
I visit with Marie and Anna.
Je pars et il arrive.
I leave and he arrives.
Remember that some French sounds can be spelled more than one way.
| Sound | Other Spellings |
|---|---|
| ‑ssion profession |
destination station conversation |