LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "le lion" in French?
luh LYOHN — one syllable, with the "i" as a "y" glide into a nasal vowel.
The phrase peaks on LION, one syllable despite four letters. The "-ion" ending is a single glide-plus-nasal unit throughout French.
Listen: le lion
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Hear it in a sentence
Le lion vit en Afrique.
The lion lives in Africa.
Listen: Le lion vit en Afrique.
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"Le lion vit en Afrique" links "en" into the vowel of "Afrique": /ɑ̃.n‿a.fʁik/, with the nasal releasing into a real "n". "Vit" is /vi/ with a silent "t". "Afrique" ends in a hard "k" from the "qu", with the final "e" silent. Continents take "en" when feminine.
Where English speakers slip
The English "lion" has two clear syllables with a diphthong in the first; the French word has one, with a glide and a nasal. Learners produce "LEE-on" with a real "n" at the end. Compress it: "lyohn", all in one beat, with nothing touching in the nose.