A Closer Look I

Contractions

A. The omission of "e" 
 

As in English, contractions are extremely important in conversational French. This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of understanding the spoken language and conversing like a native!

In certain cases, the letter "e" is commonly dropped from a word in order to make it easier to pronounce. This omission only takes place when the "e" (or e caduc, as it is called) is preceded and followed by one pronounced consonant. For example:

samedi = sam'di 
devenir = dev'nir 
Je te vois = J'te vois

However, it is important to note that in some cases the e caduc must not be omitted. If dropping the e caduc means that three consonants will appear one after the other, then you have just committed the ultimate phonetic faux pas by breaking the "règle des trois consonnes" (rule of three consonants). For example, if the e caduc were dropped in the word vendredi, creating vendr'di, it would be extremely difficult to pronounce and unpleasant to the French ear.

Below are some commonly heard contractions. Make sure to learn this section thoroughly before going on to the following chapters!

NOTE (1) : When je is followed by me, the contraction becomes either j'me or je m' : J'me lève * Je m'lève

NOTE (2) : When j' (je) is followed by a word beginning with c, f, p, q, s, or t, it is commonly pronounced sh: 
 

J'compte sur toi. ("Sh'compte")

J'fais ça facilement. (" Sh'fais")

J'peux pas y aller. ("Sh'peux")

J'quitte la maison ("Sh'quitte")

J'sais pas. ("Sh'sais" or "Shais")

J'te parle ("Sh'te")

NOTE (3) : When j', c', m', d', t', l', or s' is followed by the same letter, the sound of that letter is simply held a little longer: 
 

Elle a décidé de danser                 Il va le lire. 
Elle a décidé d'danser.                 Il va l'lire.

B. The omission of "ne"

In colloquial French, ne is omitted entirely: 
 

Il ne va pas y aller. = Il va pas y aller. 
Je n'ai pas d'argent sur moi. = J'ai pas d'argent sur moi. 
Ne bouge pas = Bouge pas! 
Je ne sais pas. = J'sais pas. (pronounced: shè pas)

C. The omission of « u » in «tu »

The letter « u » in « tu » may frequently be muted when followed by a vowel: 
 

tu es = t'es (t'es pas) 
tu annonces = t'annonces (t'annonces pas) 
tu ouvres = t'ouvres (t'ouvres pas) 
tu invites = t'invites (t'invites pas)

EXEMPLE : Tu avoues que tu es riche? = T'avoues qu' t'es riche?

D. The omission of « re » 
 

In everyday speech, when something is difficult to pronounce, it may simply be slurred over or even dropped. These reductions, as they are called, are certainly common in spoken American-English. For example, going to = gonna, have to = hafta, what are you doing = whatcha doin', did you eat yet = djeetjet, etc.

As seen so far in this section, the French commonly make reductions and contractions in their speech. The omission of "re" is also very common. For example: when the "re" ending is followed by a consonant, it is not easy to articulate quickly even for the native speaker of French. For this reason, the "re" sound is very often omitted entirely:

le pauvre chat = le pauv'chat 
un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq = un, deux, trois, quat', cinq 
notre maison = not'maison 
votre mère = vot'mère

The same applies to the "re" verbs:

EXEMPLE : II va mettre son cahier sur la table. Il va met'son cahier sur la table. 
 

Je vais prendre le train à onze heures pour être chez vous à midi. 
J'vais prend' le train à onze heures pour êt'chez vous à midi.

Ça fait deux semaines que j'essaie de vendre ma vieille voiture! 
Ça fait deux s'maines que j'essaie d'vend'ma vieille voiture!

NOTE : The re sound can only be dropped when it ends a word. Therefore, words like apprendre, comprendre, contrepoint, montrer, etc., must retain the "re" sound.