French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "l'addition (f.)" in French?

la-dee-SYOHN — the "-tion" is "syon", and the article fuses onto the front.

l'addition (f.) /la.di.sjɔ̃/

l'ad-di-TION, weight on the final syllable. English stresses the first — AD-dition — and reduces the rest, so the French version needs all three vowels restored.

Listen: l'addition (f.)

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Sound it out

l'a The article "la" elided before the vowel, then a short open "ah".

ddi A single "d" sound despite the doubling, plus a tense, pure "ee".

tion The standard French "-tion" ending: the "t" becomes an "s", the "i" a "y" glide, and the "on" a nasal vowel. So "syohn", one beat.

Hear it in a sentence

L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

The check, please.

Listen: L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

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"L'addition, s'il vous plaît" is the phrase for asking for the bill in a restaurant — not "le compte" and not "la facture", both of which exist but belong elsewhere. This is the formal "s'il vous plaît", correct with staff. The comma gives a real pause before the politeness formula.

Where English speakers slip

The "-tion" gets the English "shun", producing "a-DISH-un". French makes it "syohn", with the "t" softening to an "s" and the "on" nasalizing. Learners also stress the first syllable. And the vocabulary point matters practically: asking for "la facture" in a bistro sounds like you want a formal invoice.