French · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "le nom" in French?

luh NOHN — one nasal beat. The first "n" is real, the "m" at the end is not a consonant at all.

le nom /lə nɔ̃/

The phrase peaks on NOM, one nasal syllable that fades. The word sounds identical to "non" (no), so context is what distinguishes them.

Listen: le nom

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

Sound it out

le A light "l" plus a weak schwa.

n A real "n" consonant, tongue on the ridge behind the upper teeth.

om The nasal vowel /ɔ̃/ — rounded lips, air out through the nose. The "m" is a nasalization marker, exactly like "n" elsewhere; nothing closes at the end.

Hear it in a sentence

Écris ton nom ici.

Write your name here.

Listen: Écris ton nom ici.

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

"Écris ton nom ici" is a "tu" imperative, dropping the "-s" the present tense would carry. "Écris" has an accented "é" giving a closed "ay" and a silent "s": ay-KREE. "Ton nom" makes no liaison since "nom" begins with a consonant, and "nom ici" runs together across the vowels.

Where English speakers slip

The "m" gets pronounced, giving "nome", because English readers expect a written "m" to close the word with the lips. It is a nasal vowel with the mouth still open. Learners also confuse "nom" with "prénom" — in French, "nom" usually means surname and "prénom" is the first name, so a form asking for your "nom" wants your family name.