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Leçon 3

Lesson 3

Звуки [s], [z]

French sound	Similar English sound	French letters and letter combinations	Notes
consonant [s]	[s] as in the word set	S, s ss
		C, c	The letter с is pronounced as [s] before e, i, у.
		Ç, ç	The special sign under the letter ç indicates that it is pronounced as [s] before а, о.
consonant [z]	[z] as in the word zebra	S, s Z, z	The letter s is pronounced as [z] between two vowels.

Exercise 1. Read the following words:

sa, ça, ass, lai, lass, sev, pass, rass, cette.

Exercise 2. Practise writing by drawing the outlines of the French letters with a pencil (not on your screen):

Ai	ss	S	Th	F	M	R	z
ç	Z	r	th	f	è	D	N
L	n	V	d	ai	Ç	ph	s
l	m	v	Ph	t	ei	ê	à

If a word ends in [z], any stressed vowel before it usually lengthens, for example: phase [fa:z] — phase.

Exercise 3. Read aloud. Remember that the vowel before the final [v], [r] or [z] is usually lengthened:

pèse, slave, mer, frère, rêve, vase, avare, phrase, thèse, affaire, rare, mère, base, serre, brave, terre, père, faire, aire, fer, verre.

Exercise 4. Read the words and try to memorize them:

phrase [fra:z] — phrase
vase [va:z] — vase
sa [sa] — her, his, its (answering the question whose?; feminine form)
sale [sal] — dirty
salle [sal] — room; hall
salade [salad] — salad
salaire [salɛ:r] — salary
sel [sɛl] — salt
cette [sɛt] — this (feminine form)
veste [vɛst] — jacket
stade [stad] — stadium
adresse [adrɛs] — address
trace [tras] — trace
place [plas] — place

Exercise 5. Translate from French into English:

sa mère, ma place, cette phrase, la salle est sale, Nana est belle, elle est prête, elle est malade.

Key

Exercise 6. Translate from English into French:

1. She is ready.

2. Nana is sick.

3. His mother is beautiful.

4. This jacket is dirty.

Key