French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "donc" in French?

Q: How do you pronounce donc in French?

donc is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /dɔ̃k/. It means “so / therefore.” dohnk — a nasal vowel plus a hard "k", though the "k" often drops before a consonant.

dohnk — a nasal vowel plus a hard "k", though the "k" often drops before a consonant.

donc /dɔ̃k/

One syllable. Its variable final "k" makes it slightly unpredictable — a good word for listening practice, since you will hear both versions from the same speaker.

Listen: donc

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Sound it out

d A dental "d".

on The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ — rounded lips, air through the nose, tongue low and still.

c Pronounced as a "k" when the word stands alone, at the start of a sentence, or before a vowel. Before a consonant many speakers drop it, so "donc je" often comes out as /dɔ̃ ʒə/.

Hear it in a sentence

Il pleut, donc je reste chez moi.

It's raining, so I'm staying home.

Listen: Il pleut, donc je reste chez moi.

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"Il pleut, donc je reste chez moi" has "donc" before a consonant, so most speakers would soften or drop the final "k". "Chez moi" means "at my place" — "chez" is a preposition English has no single word for, and its "z" is silent unless a vowel follows. "Pleut" ends in a silent "t".

Where English speakers slip

English speakers say "donk" with a real "n" and a heavy "k". The vowel is nasal with nothing touching, and the "k" is lighter and often absent. Learners also confuse "donc" with "alors": both can translate as "so", but "donc" draws a logical conclusion while "alors" is more of a discourse marker meaning "then" or "well".