French Grammar #5: Liaison and Enchaînement

When learning French, have you ever noticed that “words seem to blend smoothly into each other” when spoken? This is due to specific phonetic phenomena unique to French.

Two of the most important of these are liaison and enchaînement. They are directly connected to accurate pronunciation and listening comprehension, and mastering them is essential for sounding natural in conversation.

In this lesson, I will explain the difference between liaison and enchaînement, their rules, and how to practice them effectively.

1. Basics of Liaison and Enchaînement

1-1. What Is Liaison?

Liaison occurs when a final consonant—normally silent—is pronounced because the next word begins with a vowel or a mute h.

Example:

Depending on the context, liaison may be:

1-2. What Is Enchaînement?

Enchaînement occurs when a final consonant that is already pronounced links smoothly to the following word.

Example:

The difference from liaison is that in enchaînement, the consonant is not “revealed” by the link—it was already pronounced. Instead, it is simply carried over into the next word for a smoother sound.

2. Cases Where Liaison Is Mandatory / Optional / Prohibited

Liaison is not performed at random—it follows specific grammatical and stylistic rules.

2-1. Mandatory Liaison

Occurs in fixed grammatical environments:

If omitted, the sentence may sound unnatural or even be considered grammatically incorrect.

2-2. Optional Liaison

Occurs in less rigid contexts, such as:

In formal speech (news, public speaking), liaison is more likely to be used.
In casual conversation, it is often omitted. This type of liaison can help adjust the tone of speech.

2-3. Prohibited Liaison

Liaison must not be made in the following cases:

Using liaison here can sound unnatural or even change the meaning.

3. When the Final Consonant Changes in Liaison

In liaison, the final consonant that appears may not be pronounced exactly as written. Each consonant has a fixed liaison pronunciation pattern.

3-1. Final Consonant s / x → [z]

This is the most frequent pattern. When a word ending in s or x is followed by a vowel, the consonant is pronounced as [z].

3-2. Final Consonant d → [t]

When a word ends in d, it changes to a [t] sound in liaison. This is a significant spelling–sound difference.

3-3. Final Consonant n

In liaison, n remains [n], but when combined with nasal vowels, the pronunciation requires care:

4. Usage and Notes on Enchaînement

4-1. Conditions for Enchaînement

Enchaînement occurs when:

There is no pause between words, and they are pronounced as if forming one continuous unit.

4-2. Why Does Enchaînement Occur?

French tends to flow without interruptions between words. While English and Japanese often insert slight pauses between words, French links them smoothly into rhythmic groups.

Enchaînement is therefore a natural feature of French prosody, contributing to its characteristic fluidity.

5. Summary

泉（Izumi）

Author

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