French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "bas" in French?

bah — two sounds. The "s" is silent, and the vowel is a long open "ah".

bas /bɑ/

One syllable ending in open air. The feminine "basse" is a completely different shape — /bas/, with a real "s" — so gender is very audible here.

Listen: bas

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Sound it out

b A normal "b".

a An open "ah", slightly further back and longer than the "a" in "la" for speakers who still distinguish the two French "a" sounds. Most modern speakers use one "a" throughout.

s Silent. It marks the masculine and can surface as a "z" in liaison before a vowel.

Hear it in a sentence

Le prix est très bas.

The price is very low.

Listen: Le prix est très bas.

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"Le prix est très bas" ends on the adjective, giving the open vowel its full length. "Prix" has a silent "x", so it is just /pʁi/, one syllable. "Très" makes no liaison before "bas", since "bas" begins with a consonant. Note that "bas" also means "stocking" as a noun, and "en bas" means downstairs.

Where English speakers slip

Learners pronounce the "s", producing "bass", which is actually close to the feminine "basse" and therefore causes real confusion. The masculine ends in open air. The vowel is also often flattened to the English "a" of "cat" — keep it open and back, closer to "father". And remember the feminine doubles the "s" precisely to make it audible.