LingoDrop
French · Pronunciation Guide
How do you pronounce "le moment" in French?
luh mo-MAHN — a short open "o" first, then a nasal vowel with a silent "t".
le mo-MENT, weight on the second syllable. English stresses the first and reduces the second to a schwa; French does the reverse and makes the second one nasal.
Listen: le moment
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Sound it out
Hear it in a sentence
Un moment, s'il vous plaît.
One moment, please.
Listen: Un moment, s'il vous plaît.
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"Un moment, s'il vous plaît" is what you say to ask someone to wait. "Un" carries the nasal /œ̃/, so the phrase opens and its noun closes on two different nasal vowels. This is the formal "s'il vous plaît", which is what you use with strangers and staff.
Where English speakers slip
Same spelling, same instinct: front stress, a real "n", and a released "t". French wants the weight at the end, a nasal vowel with nothing touching, and silence after it. Learners also reduce the first vowel to a schwa — keep it a clear open "o". Two "m"s in a row makes the word feel hummed, which is the right instinct.