L’élision: j’, l’, d’, n’ / Elision before vowels

Level: Topic:

In French, elision occurs when certain short words lose their final vowel before a word beginning with a vowel or silent h. The dropped vowel is replaced by an apostrophe (‘). This is mandatory—not optional—and makes French sound smooth and natural.

How It Works

When words like je, le, la, de, ne, que, or se come before a word starting with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or a silent h, the final -e or -a disappears:

Without Elision With Elision IPA English
je aime ❌ j’aime ✓ [ʒɛm] I love
le ami ❌ l’ami ✓ [la.mi] the friend
la école ❌ l’école ✓ [le.kɔl] the school
de avoir ❌ d’avoir ✓ [da.vwaʁ] to have / of having
ne aime pas ❌ n’aime pas ✓ [nɛm pa] doesn’t like

Words That Use Elision

1. Articles: le, la → l’

The definite articles le and la become l’ before vowels:

  • l’eau [lo] — the water
  • l’orange [lɔ.ʁɑ̃ʒ] — the orange
  • l’homme [lɔm] — the man (silent h)
  • l’hôtel [lo.tɛl] — the hotel (silent h)
  • l’idée [li.de] — the idea

Note: les never elides—use liaison instead: les amis [le.za.mi].

2. Pronoun: je → j’

The subject pronoun je becomes j’ before vowels:

  • j’ai [ʒe] — I have
  • j’aime [ʒɛm] — I love/like
  • j’écoute [ʒe.kut] — I listen
  • j’habite [ʒa.bit] — I live
  • j’arrive [ʒa.ʁiv] — I arrive

3. Preposition: de → d’

The preposition de becomes d’ before vowels:

  • beaucoup d’amis [bo.ku da.mi] — a lot of friends
  • une tasse d’eau [yn tas do] — a cup of water
  • près d’ici [pʁɛ di.si] — near here
  • d’accord [da.kɔʁ] — okay / agreed
  • D’où venez-vous? [du və.ne vu] — Where are you from?

4. Negation: ne → n’

The negation particle ne becomes n’ before vowels:

  • Je n’ai pas [ʒə nɛ pa] — I don’t have
  • Il n’aime pas [il nɛm pa] — He doesn’t like
  • Ce n’est pas [sə nɛ pa] — It’s not
  • Je n’habite pas ici. [ʒə na.bit pa i.si] — I don’t live here.

5. Other Common Words

Word Elided Example IPA English
que qu’ Qu’est-ce que c’est? [kɛs kə sɛ] What is it?
se s’ Il s’appelle Jean. [il sa.pɛl ʒɑ̃] His name is Jean.
me m’ Il m’aide. [il mɛd] He helps me.
te t’ Je t’aime. [ʒə tɛm] I love you.
ce c’ C’est bon. [sɛ bɔ̃] It’s good.
si s’ S’il vous plaît. [sil vu plɛ] Please.
jusque jusqu’ jusqu’à demain [ʒys.ka də.mɛ̃] until tomorrow

Special Rules

  • ce → c’ — only before forms of être starting with “e”: c’est, c’était
  • si → s’ — only before il and ils: s’il, s’ils (NOT si elle → s’elle ❌)

Silent H vs. Aspirated H

Elision happens before silent h (h muet), but not before aspirated h (h aspiré).

Silent H — elision happens:

  • l’homme [lɔm] — the man
  • l’heure [lœʁ] — the hour
  • l’hôpital [lo.pi.tal] — the hospital
  • l’histoire [lis.twaʁ] — the story
  • l’hiver [li.vɛʁ] — winter

Aspirated H — NO elision:

  • le héros [lə e.ʁo] — the hero
  • la Hollande [la ɔ.lɑ̃d] — Holland
  • le haricot [lə a.ʁi.ko] — the bean
  • la honte [la ɔ̃t] — shame
  • le hasard [lə a.zaʁ] — chance

Tip: You cannot tell from spelling if an h is silent or aspirated—check a dictionary. Good news: most h-words have silent h.

Common Mistakes

❌ Wrong ✓ Correct Rule
Je aime J’aime Elision is mandatory
la eau l’eau la + vowel = l’
Je ne ai pas Je n’ai pas ne + vowel = n’
l’héros le héros Aspirated h blocks elision
si il s’il si + il always elides
s’elle si elle si only elides before il/ils

Practice Sentences

  1. J’habite à Paris.
    [ʒa.bit a pa.ʁi]
    I live in Paris.
  2. C’est l’ami de Marie.
    [sɛ la.mi də ma.ʁi]
    This is Marie’s friend.
  3. Je n’aime pas l’hiver.
    [ʒə nɛm pa li.vɛʁ]
    I don’t like winter.
  4. Il y a beaucoup d’eau.
    [il ja bo.ku do]
    There is a lot of water.
  5. Qu’est-ce qu’il fait?
    [kɛs kil fɛ]
    What is he doing?
  6. Elle s’appelle Anne.
    [ɛl sa.pɛl an]
    Her name is Anne.
  7. J’arrive à l’école à huit heures.
    [ʒa.ʁiv a le.kɔl a ɥi.tœʁ]
    I arrive at school at eight o’clock.
  8. S’il vous plaît, où est l’hôtel?
    [sil vu plɛ u ɛ lo.tɛl]
    Please, where is the hotel?
  9. Je t’aime beaucoup.
    [ʒə tɛm bo.ku]
    I love you very much.
  10. D’où venez-vous?
    [du və.ne vu]
    Where are you from?

Exercise: Add the Elision

Rewrite these phrases with correct elision:

  1. je ai faim → _______
  2. la orange → _______
  3. je ne aime pas → _______
  4. ce est bon → _______
  5. si il te plaît → _______
Answers
  1. j’ai faim [ʒe fɛ̃] — I’m hungry
  2. l’orange [lɔ.ʁɑ̃ʒ] — the orange
  3. je n’aime pas [ʒə nɛm pa] — I don’t like
  4. c’est bon [sɛ bɔ̃] — it’s good
  5. s’il te plaît [sil tə plɛ] — please (informal)

Quick Reference

Original Elided When?
je j’ Before vowel / silent h
le, la l’ Before vowel / silent h
de d’ Before vowel / silent h
ne n’ Before vowel / silent h
que qu’ Before vowel / silent h
me, te, se m’, t’, s’ Before vowel / silent h
ce c’ Before est, était, en
si s’ Before il, ils only
jusque jusqu’ Before vowel / silent h