MORE ON THE UNSTABLE ‘E’

The vowel ‘e’ is said to be unstable because sometimes it pronounced and sometimes it isn’t.

If the syllable preceding it ends with a vowel sound it is not pronounced:

Tu ne parles pas français? You don’t speak French? The ‘e’ of ne is not pronounced

In the word ‘maintenant’ (now) the ‘e’ is not pronounced because the syllable ‘main’ ends with a vowel sound; similarly in the adverbial expression tout de suite (right away) the ‘e’ of de is not pronounced because the word ‘tout’ ends with a vowel sound (the ‘t’ is mute)

In the sequences: Tu ne, vous ne, nous ne, on ne, the ‘e’ of ne is not pronounced.

In Je ne the ‘e’ of Je is pronounced but the ‘e’ of ne is not pronounced.

> Listen and repeat and translate orally in English.

- Tu ne sors pas maintenant? You’re not going out now?

- Non, je ne sors pas maintenant. No, I’m not going out now.

- Tu ne pars pas tout de suite? You’re not leaving right away?

- Non, je ne pars pas tout de suite. No, I’m not leaving right away.

- Tu ne mens pas? You’re not lying?

- Non, je ne mens pas! No, I’m not lying!

- Tu ne réponds pas tout de suite? You’re not answering right away?

- Non, je ne réponds pas tout de suite. No, I’m not answering right away.

- Tu ne vends pas ça maintenant? Don’t you sell that now?

- Non, je ne vends pas ça maintenant. No, I’m not selling that now .

- Tu ne descends pas maintenant? Aren’t you getting off now?

- Non, je ne descends pas maintenant. No, I’m not getting off now.

- Tu ne conduis pas? You don’t drive?

- Non, je ne conduis pas. No, I don’t drive.

- Tu ne traduis pas tout de suite? You don’t translate right away?

- Non, je ne traduis pas tout de suite. No, I don’t translate right away.

- Vous ne sortez pas? You’re not going out?

- Non, nous ne sortons pas maintenant. No,we’re not going out now.

- Vous ne partez pas tout de suite? You’re not leaving right away?

- Non, nous ne partons pas maintenant. No, we’re not leaving now.

- Vous ne mentez pas? You’re not lying?

- Non, nous ne mentons pas! No, we’re not lying!

- Vous ne répondez pas tout de suite? You’re not answering right away?

- Non, nous ne répondons pas tout de suite. No, we’re not answering right away.

- Vous ne vendez pas ça maintenant? Don’t you sell that now?

- Non, nous ne vendons pas ça maintenant. No, we’re not selling that now .

 

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