Pronunciation / elision and deletion

In French, it is difficult to hear the end of each word since the pronunciation of the final consonant of a word can be combined with the first vowel of the following word. 

In a group of words grammatically combined, the final consonant (“ e ”, “ a ” most of the times, sometimes “ i ”, “​​​​​​​ u ”), of the first word disappears before a word starting with a vowel. When writing, the elided vowel is represented with an apostrophe; “ ' ”.

 

For pronunciation, the consonant preceding the elided vowel forms a syllable with the following word:

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	Un employé / une employée / les ordinateurs / les universités / les immeubles / les autobus.

However, in the plural form:

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Les employés, les employées, les ordinateurs, les universités, les immeubles, les autobus.

The elided vowel is most of the time an “ e ” (le, ce, me, je, te, se, ne, de, que, parce que, puisque, lorsque, jusque...), as well as an “​​​​​​​ a ” (la), an “​​​​​​​ i ”, in the structure si + il -> s'il.

 

Deletion

In some common words and only when spoken in an informal situations, vowels or consonants can disappear:
 
 - Deletion of [y] in “​​​​​​​ tu ”  in front of a vowel:

- Deletion of [l] in “​​​​​​ il(s) ” :

“​​​​​​​ Il y a ” > “ Y a ”

“​​​​​​​ Il n'y a rien ” > “ Y a rien ”

“ Il n'y a pas de chemin. ” > “​​​​​​​ Y a pas de chemin. ”