Ten words that trip you up in French

1. 1
   anticonstitutionnellement/ɑ̃tikɔ̃stitysjɔnɛlmɑ̃/

   unconstitutionallyadverb

   In a way that is contrary to a country's constitution.
2. 2
   gageure/ɡaʒyʁ/

   tall ordernoun

   Something so difficult it seems impossible to achieve.
3. 3
   asthme/asm/iAlso said azm.

   asthmanoun

   An illness that tightens the airways and makes breathing difficult.
4. 4
   tuyau/tɥijo/

   pipenoun

   A long tube through which water, air or gas passes.
5. 5
   fusil/fyzi/

   riflenoun

   A long weapon used to fire bullets or shot.
6. 6
   orgueil/ɔʁɡœj/

   pridenoun

   An excessively high opinion someone has of themselves, to the point of looking down on others.
7. 7
   exigu/ɛɡziɡy/

   crampedadjective

   Too small, too cramped for what you want to do in it.
8. 8
   cinquième/sɛ̃kjɛm/

   fifthadjective

   Coming right after the fourth in an order.
9. 9
   créer/kʁee/

   to createverb

   To make something exist that did not exist before.
10. 10
    chuchoter/ʃyʃɔte/

    to whisperverb

    To speak very quietly, almost without voice, so as not to be heard.

The sentences

1. Le journaliste a écrit que la loi a été votée anticonstitutionnellement.

   The journalist wrote that the law had been passed unconstitutionally.

2. Lire cet article sans hésiter, c'est une vraie gageure.

   Reading this article without stumbling is quite a challenge.

3. Depuis l'hiver, son asthme le gêne pour parler longtemps.

   Since winter, his asthma has made it hard for him to talk for long.

4. Le plombier a changé le tuyau sous l'évier hier.

   The plumber replaced the pipe under the sink yesterday.

5. Dans l'article, le chasseur pose son fusil contre un arbre.

   In the article, the hunter leans his rifle against a tree.

6. Il a refusé de demander de l'aide par pur orgueil.

   He refused to ask for help out of pure pride.

7. Le studio est trop exigu pour recevoir toute la famille.

   The studio is too cramped to host the whole family.

8. Le cinquième mot de la ligne me fait toujours buter.

   The fifth word in the line always trips me up.

9. Nous voulons créer une petite association dans notre quartier.

   We want to create a small association in our neighborhood.

10. Il faut chuchoter dans la salle de lecture de la bibliothèque.

    You have to whisper in the library's reading room.

Pronunciation

• anticonstitutionnellement/ɑ̃tikɔ̃stitysjɔnɛlmɑ̃/

  Three nasal vowels: an-, -on- and the ending -ment; the u in -tu- is pronounced like in « tu ».

• gageure/ɡaʒyʁ/

  Despite the spelling, -geu- is pronounced like in « nature »: /ɡaʒyʁ/, never 'ga-jeur'.

• asthme/asm/

  The th is silent and so is the final e: nothing between the s and the m, /asm/.

• tuyau/tɥijo/

  The u is the one from « tu », followed by a sound that glides: /tɥijo/, not 'tou-yo'.

• fusil/fyzi/

  The final l is silent, and the u is the one from « tu »: /fyzi/.

• orgueil/ɔʁɡœj/

  -gueil is pronounced /ɡœj/: the u is silent, only the hard g remains.

• exigu/ɛɡziɡy/

  The x is pronounced /ɡz/ and the final u is the one from « tu », not « ou ».

• cinquième/sɛ̃kjɛm/

  cin- is nasal: the n is not pronounced, and the è in -quième is open.

• créer/kʁee/

  Two é in a row: /kʁe.e/, both are clearly heard.

• chuchoter/ʃyʃɔte/

  The u is pronounced like in « tu »; the ending -er is pronounced é, the r stays silent.

Questions

How do you pronounce anticonstitutionnellement in French?

Say /ɑ̃tikɔ̃stitysjɔnɛlmɑ̃/, with three nasal vowels (an-, -on- and the final -ment) and a u in -tu- pronounced like in « tu ».

What does gageure mean?

It means something so difficult it seems impossible to achieve, like reading a tricky article without stumbling.

How do you say fusil in French?

Say /fyzi/: the final l is silent, and the u is pronounced like in « tu ».