Learn French : The 4 seasons
Quelle est ta saison préférée ?
Je n’ai pas de saison préférée.
J’aime les quatre saisons.
J’aime les couleurs de l’automne.
J’aime la neige en hiver.
J’aime le printemps …
… quand les papillons sont sur les fleurs.
J’aime aussi beaucoup l’été.
En été, il y a les grandes vacances.
Leave your comment below.
The music of the language is stronger than grammar – the example of the seasons
In English, to talk about the seasons, you just use the preposition in or in the. It’s the same for all four seasons.
In French, you must use en only for the months été (summer), automne (autumn), hiver (winter). But you must use au with the word printemps (spring)
au printemps
en été
en automne
en hiver
You’re going to say disappointed, angry or amused: « This is another grammar rule and its exception! »
But in fact, there is no real exception, because the rule is at a higher level than grammar. Because in terms of phonology (the music of the language), there is no problem here.
The French language loves situations where a vocal sound (a vowel) is preceded by a consonant sound (a consonant).
With this structure [consonant-vowel], the French language can « sing ». It operates a link between the two words.
If you had the succession [vowel-vowel], there would be an annoying vocal collision: imagine *au automne ou *au été. It’s not pleasant to say.
By using en before the name of a season starting with a vowel, the French language offers the melodious structure [consonant-vowel]. For pronunciation, we practice a link between the two words and we will almost carry the sound ‘n’ on the next word.
And What about the ‘h’ of the word hiver (winter)?
You write it down, but you don’t pronounce it. It’s as if this letter does not exist orally. Then the word hiver is pronounced as if it began with the vowel « i ». And so, the structure [consonant-vowel] allows us to have the connection (la liaison) that makes the language sing.
Listen to the ‘liaisons’
Well, okay, you have to learn 3 x ‘en’ and 1 x ‘au’… But understanding this ‘musical’ rule helps to remember things better.
Do you want something more concrete? Try the video Les quatre saisons de mon pommier (The four seasons of my apple tree) by clicking here.
à bientôt, Jérôme
