The silent final s in French

1. 1
   temps/tɑ̃/

   weathernoun

   The state of the air outside: sun, rain, wind or cold.
2. 2
   bois/bwa/iAlso said bwɑ.

   woodsnoun

   An area covered with trees, smaller than a forest.
3. 3
   repas/ʁəpa/

   mealnoun

   The dishes eaten together at midday or in the evening.
4. 4
   tapis/tapi/

   rugnoun

   A large piece of thick fabric laid on the floor of a room.
5. 5
   souris/suʁi/

   mousenoun

   A small grey animal with short fur and a long thin tail.
6. 6
   frais/fʁɛ/

   cooladjective

   Slightly cold, pleasant when it has been hot.
7. 7
   fils/fis/

   sonnoun

   A male child, in relation to his parents.
8. 8
   autobus/otɔbys/

   busnoun

   A large vehicle that carries passengers along a fixed route.
9. 9
   toujours/tuʒuʁ/

   alwaysadverb

   All the time, every time, without exception.
10. 10
    volontiers/vɔlɔ̃tje/

    gladlyadverb

    Willingly, without needing to be asked twice.

The sentences

1. Est-ce que le temps va rester beau demain ?

   Is the weather going to stay nice tomorrow?

2. On peut se promener dans le bois après le repas.

   We can go for a walk in the woods after the meal.

3. Le repas sera prêt dans quelques minutes seulement.

   The meal will be ready in just a few minutes.

4. Enlève tes chaussures avant de marcher sur le tapis.

   Take your shoes off before walking on the rug.

5. Une souris est passée sous le tapis hier soir.

   A mouse ran under the rug last night.

6. L'air est vraiment frais ce soir dans le jardin.

   The air is really cool tonight in the garden.

7. Ton fils dort déjà dans la chambre du haut ?

   Is your son already asleep upstairs?

8. Le dernier autobus pour le village part à sept heures.

   The last bus to the village leaves at seven.

9. Tu prends toujours le même chemin pour venir ici ?

   Do you always take the same way to get here?

10. Je prendrais volontiers un autre verre de vin frais.

    Id gladly have another glass of cool wine.

Pronunciation

• temps/tɑ̃/

  Neither the p nor the s is pronounced: only a nasal vowel is left, without an n.

• souris/suʁi/

  The ou sounds like the oo in boot, never like the u of French tu.

• frais/fʁɛ/

  ai sounds like an open e, and the final s stays silent.

• fils/fis/

  Here the l is not pronounced but the s is: it sounds like fiss.

• autobus/otɔbys/

  The u sounds like the u in French tu, and the final s is pronounced, unlike that of repas.

• volontiers/vɔlɔ̃tje/

  The r and the final s are not pronounced; the ending sounds like tie, and on is nasal.

Questions

How do you say meal in French?

Repas, as in Le repas sera pret dans quelques minutes seulement.

How do you say mouse in French?

Souris, as in Une souris est passee sous le tapis hier soir.

Whats the French word for always?

Toujours, as in Tu prends toujours le meme chemin pour venir ici.