French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "aider" in French?

Q: How do you pronounce aider in French?

aider is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /e.de/. It means “to help.” ay-DAY — two syllables ending in the same vowel, with no "r" sound at all.

ay-DAY — two syllables ending in the same vowel, with no "r" sound at all.

aider /e.de/

ai-DER, weight on the second syllable. Both syllables carry essentially the same vowel, so what distinguishes them is the beat placement rather than any change in sound.

Listen: aider

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Sound it out

ai A closed "ay" /e/, cut short with no glide. Some speakers open it slightly toward /ɛ/; both pass unremarked.

d A dental "d", tongue against the back of the upper teeth.

er The -er infinitive ending: another closed "ay", with the "r" silent.

Hear it in a sentence

Est-ce que je peux vous aider ?

Can I help you?

Listen: Est-ce que je peux vous aider ?

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"Est-ce que je peux vous aider ?" is the standard shop-assistant question, and it contains a liaison you will hear constantly: "vous aider" is /vu.z‿e.de/, with the silent "s" of "vous" surfacing as a "z". The opening "est-ce que" compresses to "esk" in real speech. The object pronoun "vous" sits before the infinitive, as French requires.

Where English speakers slip

English speakers say "AY-der" with the stress at the front and a pronounced final "r", following the pattern of "aid" and "aider" as an English agent noun. French puts the weight at the end and drops the "r" entirely. The doubled "ay" sound also tempts learners into gliding both vowels toward "ee"; keep them short and closed, and the word takes half the time to say.