French pronunciation has two defining features that shape how the whole language sounds in connected speech: nasal vowels, and liaison, the linking of words that written French doesn't fully show.
French has vowel sounds pronounced partly through the nose — heard in words like "bon," "vin," and "un" — with no equivalent in English. These aren't a stylistic flourish; they're distinct phonemes that can be the only difference between otherwise similar-sounding words.
Many French words end in a consonant that's silent on its own but pronounced when the next word starts with a vowel — "les amis" (the friends) links the normally silent "s" to sound like "lezami." This means spoken French often sounds noticeably more connected than its written form would suggest.
Related to liaison, French also drops certain vowels before a following vowel sound — "le" + "ami" becomes "l'ami," not "le ami." This is a standard, required spelling and pronunciation rule, not an optional contraction.
Vowel sounds produced partly through the nose, as in "bon," "vin," and "un" — they have no equivalent in English and are genuinely distinct sounds, not a stylistic variation.
The pronunciation of a normally silent final consonant when the next word begins with a vowel, such as "les amis" sounding like "lezami" — it makes spoken French sound more connected than its written form suggests.
Related but distinct — elision drops certain vowels before a following vowel sound ("le" + "ami" = "l'ami"), while liaison links a normally silent consonant to the next word.
That's the plan, matching the audio-based approach already used in Tarc's existing courses.
See also: French Alphabet · French Listening & Speaking · Learn French