The final L that stays in French

1. 1
   festival/fɛstival/

   festivalnoun

   A celebration that lasts several days, with concerts, films or shows.
2. 2
   hôtel/otɛl/

   hotelnoun

   A building where you pay for a room to sleep in during a trip.
3. 3
   journal/ʒuʁnal/

   newspapernoun

   Printed pages you buy to read the day's news.
4. 4
   tunnel/tynɛl/

   tunnelnoun

   A passage dug under the ground or a mountain to let a road or train through.
5. 5
   appel/apɛl/

   callnoun

   The act of calling someone, out loud or by phone.
6. 6
   ciel/sjɛl/

   skynoun

   The great space above our heads, where you see clouds and stars.
7. 7
   essentiel/esɑ̃sjɛl/

   essentialadjective

   Something you cannot do without, truly necessary.
8. 8
   naturel/natyʁɛl/

   naturaladjective

   Coming from nature, without anything added or manufactured.
9. 9
   local/lɔkal/

   localadjective

   Coming from the town or region you're in.
10. 10
    seul/sœl/

    aloneadjective

    Without anyone else with you.

The sentences

1. Le festival dure trois jours, avec un concert chaque soir.

   The festival lasts three days, with a concert every evening.

2. Bonjour, je cherche un hôtel près du centre.

   Hello, I'm looking for a hotel near the center.

3. Vous vendez le journal du matin à la réception ?

   Do you sell the morning paper at the front desk?

4. Le train traverse un long tunnel sous la montagne.

   The train goes through a long tunnel under the mountain.

5. Vous avez reçu mon appel de ce matin ?

   Did you get my call from this morning?

6. Le ciel est dégagé, le concert aura lieu dehors.

   The sky is clear, the concert will be outdoors.

7. Il est essentiel de réserver la chambre avant le festival.

   It's essential to book the room before the festival.

8. Je voudrais un jus naturel, sans sucre ajouté.

   I'd like a natural juice, with no added sugar.

9. Le journal local annonce tous les concerts de la ville.

   The local paper lists all the concerts in town.

10. Je cherche un seul billet pour le concert de demain.

    I'm looking for a single ticket for tomorrow's concert.

Pronunciation

• hôtel/otɛl/

  The h is silent, and the last syllable is said with an open e.

• tunnel/tynɛl/

  The u sounds like in 'tu', never like 'ou', and the ending sounds like /nɛl/, with an open mouth.

• essentiel/esɑ̃sjɛl/

  The en is nasal, /ɑ̃/: you don't hear the n, and the ending rhymes with 'ciel'.

• naturel/natyʁɛl/

  The u sounds like in 'tu', and the last syllable is open, /ʁɛl/, like in 'elle'.

Questions

How do you say 'hotel' in French?

Hôtel. You'd say 'Bonjour, je cherche un hôtel près du centre.'

What does 'essentiel' mean in French?

It means essential, something you truly cannot do without, as in 'Il est essentiel de réserver la chambre avant le festival.'

How do you ask if the sky is clear in French?

You could ask 'Le ciel est dégagé ?' before heading to an outdoor concert, using 'ciel' for sky.