French liaisons can be required – optional – forbidden. Today, we are focusing on French Optional Liaisons, which you can choose to pronounce or not. Remember that French liaisons are made for the language to have a good flow and not sound broken. Here are the 5 optional French liaisons with examples and audio.
Watch the video for the little quiz for you at the end.
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French liaisons are optional:
after longer adverbs and prepositions
between 2 verbs in compound tenses and between a conjugated verb and an infinitive verb.
after plural nouns
after est and sont
after pas – trop – fort
Let’s see some examples for each situation.
Liaisons after longer adverbs and prepositions are optional in French.
Tellement
Il y a tellement à voir = Il y a tellement Tà voir.
There is so much to see.
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Après
On arrivera après eux = On arrivera après Zeux.
We will arrive after them.
Formal when pronounced.
Depuis
Je l’attends depuis une heure de l’après-midi = Je l’attends depuis Zune heure de l’après-midi.
I’ve been waiting for him since one o’clock in the afternoon.
Formal when pronounced.
Liaisons between two verbs are optional in French.
Ils sont allés au magasin ce matin = Ils sont Tallés au magasin ce matin.
They went to the store this morning.
Nous avons enregistré le document = Nous avons Zenregistré le document.
We saved the document.
Ils ont eu une mauvaise journée = Ils ont Teu une mauvaise journée.
They had a bad day.
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Liaisons after plural nouns are optional in French.
Les enfants iront à l’école demain matin = Les enfants Ziront à l’école demain matin.
The children will go to school tomorrow morning.
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Liaisons after est and sont are optional in French.
Il est ici = Il est Tici.
He is here.
Ils sont heureux = Ils sont Theureux.
They are happy.
Mon amie est à l’heure = Mon amie est Tà l’heure.
My friend is on time.
Mes parents sont en retard = Mes parents sont Ten retard.
My parents are late.
C’est à toi ? = C’est Tà toi ?
Is it yours?
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Liaisons after pas – trop – fort are optional in French.
Pas
Je n’ai pas assez d’argent = Je n’ai pas Zassez d’argent.
I don’t have enough money.
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Trop
Il s’est trop emporté = Il s’est trop Pemporté.
He got too carried away.
Pronounced and not pronounced. 50/50.
Fort
C’est fort apprécié = C’est fort Tapprécié.
It’s much appreciated.
Formal when pronounced.
If you prefer to watch a video lesson, you can watch this video.
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