# cinq (prononciation)



## sarrah

Note: when the following word begins with a consonant, the final consonant in cinq, six, huit, dix is not pronounced

par example:
cinq arbres /cinq livres

if the above note right
then in which of the following situations is the "q" of "cinq" pronounced :

cinq filles
cinq amis

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads have been merged to create this one.


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## Hyppolite

That's not exactly true. In "cinq livres", you do pronounce the "q". In fact, you always pronounce it. For six, huit, and dix, the final consonant isn't pronounced when followed by another consonant.


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## Fred-erique

yes, cinq is a bad example because you pronounce the q in almost all cases except in cinq cents or cinq milles (et encore ça dépend des régions)


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## Hyppolite

Frédérique, tu ne prononces pas le q dans cinq cent ou cinq mille ? Et si c'est le cas, quelle est la meilleure prononciation ?


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## Fred-erique

Personnellement je ne le prononce pas, mais dans le midi les gens le prononcent. Je ne sais pas s'il y a une meilleure prononciation. Les deux sont valables à mon avis.  Mais attendons de voir l'avis des autres....


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## LV4-26

Je ne le prononce pas non plus.


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## ZhenDaoCreditsWriters

Moi, je le prononce, mais j'habitais dans l'Auvergne.  Le q dans cinq mille est difficile à entendre.


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## sarrah

Merci Beacoup :
So are you saying that  on:
Cinq filles 
& on :
Cinq amis 
we do pronounce the "q" 
thanks 4 the input....


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## polaire

"Si tu es dans les cinq premiers. . . ."

[I think that's right.  I vaguely remember it from Les Quatre Cents Coups.]

Some people pronounce the "q" as a "k," others drop the q.  What's the difference in tone, if any?


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## carolineR

polaire said:
			
		

> "Si tu es dans les cinq premiers. . . ."
> Some people pronounce the "q" as a "k," others drop the q.


Indeed both pronunciations cohabit.


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## geve

Also, by pronouncing the Q you avoid possible misunderstandings between "5 premiers"/"100 premiers"... "in" and "an" are both nasal sounds and one could mishear one sound for the other.


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## floppydream

Est-ce que parfois on entend le *q* dans "cinq cents"? Je veux dire, est-ce qu'il y a des Francais qui le prononce?

Merci d'avance


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## FranParis

Oui, il y a des Français qui le prononcent..


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## Hakro

Mais en général, on ne le prononce pas, quoi ? Surtout à Paris ?


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## FranParis

En effet, en général on ne le prononce pas, surtout à Paris.


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## Wedgetail

Bonjour

I've been told not to pronounce the q in cinq when it is followed by a noun.

In the case of "cinq euros" would it be pronounced either:

a) sank-ero
b) san-ero

Merci,
WedgeT


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## Petite-Belette

Hello,

You have to pronounce the "q" (sank-ero)


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## thbruxelles

We definitely liaise and pronounce the 'q' in cinq euros. 
We would also liaise the 'q' with any other noun beginning with a vowel or a 'h':
Cinq hommes, cinq oranges etc

Actually I realize that I pronounce the 'q' in cinq all the time whether the noun following begins with a vowel or a consonant. And I think that is what most French do.


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## wildan1

La liaison est obligatoire ici.


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## petitpetitours

Bonjour! Est-ce qu'on prononce la consonne finale des numèros comme cinq, six, sept, et huit? Par exemple:

cinq livre (pas de consonne finale?)

Par contre,

cinq enfants (en prononçant le "q")


Merci d'avance!


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## SwissPete

cinq livre*s* (pas de consonne finale?) 

Par contre,

cinq enfants (en prononçant le "q") 

Same with six, sept and huit.


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## soleil-sol

Hello, I am having trouble understanding what is the correct way to pronounce the word *cinq*.
I was used to pronouncing it sort of like this "sa(n)k" but the other day someone told me it is more like "se(n)k.
I would really appreciate your input. THanks a lot in advance.
soleil.


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## ymc

probably the nearest sound to cinq in English is "saint", just change the 't' sound for a "k" sound at the end.


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## Wopsy

Stick with a nasalised 'sank' and you'll be fine, soleil-sol. It's easy to remember & you can't please everyone anyway, no matter which pronunciation you choose


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## JAQT

So, in _cinq cents euros_ (or whatever), is the q in _cinq _pronounced?  And in the simple _cinq euros_, is the q in _cinq _pronounced?  In other words, is _cinq _pronounced differently as between the phrases _cinq cents euros _and _cinq euros_?


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## pointvirgule

The original question was: "Est-ce que parfois on entend le q dans "cinq cents"?", "est-ce qu'il y a des Français qui le prononcent?"

For _cinq cents_, you may do like the minority or like the majority (especially the Parisians).

As for _cinq _+ noun beginning with a vowel, however, the [k] sound is always pronounced:_ cink euros_,_ cink îles, cink olives..._


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## JAQT

Is the q pronounced for _cinq _+ noun beginning with a consonant, as in _cinq pour cent_?


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## Nawaq

cinq pour cent, /sɛ̃*k* puʁ sɑ̃/


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## jekoh

JAQT said:


> Is the q pronounced for _cinq _+ noun beginning with a consonant, as in _cinq pour cent_?


_"cinq pour cent" _is not_ "cinq + noun_".


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## LoveVanPersie

Wikipedia said: (when stressed) the nasal vowels are lengthened before any consonant.
According to this, _cinq_ would be pronounced with a phonetic long [ɛ̃ː] ([æ̃ː]). However, the transcription on TLFi is [sɛ̃k], with a short [ɛ̃]. Is it a typo?
Just ignore the fact that all length symbols are mistranscribed as colons on TLFi, such as _trente_.


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## Masood

I wouldn't get too hung up on it, to be honest. Simplest thing to do is search for _cinq_ in the WR dictionary and click on 'Ecouter' to listen to the pronunciation.


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## atcheque

Bonjour,

There is no more vowel length in French.


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## LoveVanPersie

I mean phonetic vowel length not phonimic one.


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## atcheque

Still no more, since a long time ago. No one would correct you, unless it's not understandable or too abusive.


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## OLN

Le Petit Robert, le Larousse, le Wiktionnaire donnent aussi la prononciation /_sɛ̃k_/.

Je crois que j'ai trouvé l'extrait en question :


> /o/, /ø/, /ɑ/, and the nasal vowels are lengthened before any consonant: _pâte_ [pɑːt] ('dough'), _chante_ [ʃɑ̃ːt] ('sings').


On oublie là complètement la place du phonème dans le mot_._
_Chanteur_ : /ʃɑ̃tœʀ/; _pâtisserie_ : /pɑtisʀi/ ; _teinte _:_ /_tɛ̃̃:t/ mais_ teinturier _: /tɛ̃tyʀje/ ; _conte_ : [kɔ̃:t] mais _racontar_ : /ʀakɔ̃ta:ʀ/, etc.

Je dirais qu'en dehors de particularités régionales*, la différence entre /sɛ̃*ː*k/) et /sɛ̃k/ serait tellement ténue qu'on l'entendrait à peine. Le son est certainement court lorsqu'on fait suivre _cinq _d'un nom ("cinq heures" ou "cinq et deux font sept") et carrément bref quand la consonne finale est élidée ("cinq minutes") — mais on s'éloigne du sujet.

De toute manière : ne pas prendre tout ce qu'écrivent les contributeurs de Wikipedia (et des forums ) pour parole d'évangile. 

* par exemple _vingt _prononcé /vɛ̃ːt/


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## Icetrance

Et le "q" dans "cin*q p*ersonnes" et "cin*q m*ots"?  Et vous tous, comment prononceriez-vous le "q" dans ces deux exemples donnés?

Je pronounce toujours le "q" de peur qu'on ne me comprenne pas.


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## tartopom

Icetrance said:


> Et le "q" dans "cin*q p*ersonnes" et "cin*q m*ots"? Et vous tous, comment prononceriez-vous le "q" dans ces deux exemples donnés?


Even if it's very slightly I pronounce it. I don't say / sɛ̃ /.
I've just noticed that when I pronounce the sound /k/ in 'cin*q *personnes' or ' cin*q* mots' my lips are more rounded than the / k / in 'J'en ai cin*q*.'.

Edit: I'm still trying and guess what? That's the opposite. They're more spread.


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## Bezoard

It depends a little on the speech context. I may pronounce the /k/ or not. Strangely enough, I would probably keep more easily the /k/ silent in _cinq mots_ rather than in _cinq personnes._


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## tartopom

Bezoard said:


> Strangely enough, I would probably keep more easily the /k/ silent in _cinq mots_ rather than in _cinq personnes._



Interesting.
Do you mean, Bezoard, that you can pronounce '*cinq* *mots*' and '*st* *mo*ret' the same?


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## Bezoard

Yes, exactly the same. That was very normal in my youth and my area (Paris). I think younger people tend to sound the /k/ much more nowadays.
Of course, if there is a risk of confusion between c_inq morts_ et _Saint-Maur_, I might sound the /k/.


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## guillaume de manzac m

Of course, the cinq with a /q/ pron*u*nciation is correct for English phoneticians.

I taught my students a mnemonic to remember French numbers :        "There were 3 cats skating on a lake. The ice was melting and very thin. The ice cracked, of course and .....  un deux trois cat - s - ank.   --- (to be spoken as "un deux trois quat cink".

e


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