essential phrases | phrases essentielles [French Learning - Female Voice]

To pronounce "phrases essentielles" (which means "essential phrases" or "key phrases" in French) using English phonetic sounds, break it down into two parts. Pronunciation Guide phrases: Pronounced like "frahz" Tip: The "ph" sounds like an "f". The "a" is a soft, open sound like the "a" in "father." The "s" at the end is silent. essentielles: Pronounced like "eh-sohn-see-ell" Tip: The "en" has a slightly nasal French sound, like the "on" in the English word "wrong" if you stopped short of pronouncing the "g". The "t" sounds like an "s" (just like the "t" in the English word "essential"). The "s" at the end is silent. Put together, it sounds like: frahz eh-sohn-see-ell. --- History of the Words Because both English and French share deep roots in Latin, the history of these two words shows how they evolved across centuries to become staples in both languages. 1. History of "Phrases" The word travels back to the Ancient Greek word "phrasis," which meant "way of speaking" or "expression," coming from the verb "phrazein" (to point out or tell). The Romans adopted it into Late Latin as "phrasis." By the 14th century, Old French integrated it as "phrase" to mean a short group of words. English borrowed it directly from French a couple of centuries later, keeping the spelling but changing the pronunciation of the "a" sound. 2. History of "Essentielles" This word begins with the Latin noun "essentia" (essence or being), which was originally created by Roman philosophers as a literal translation of the Greek word "ousia" (being/substance). From "essentia," the Medieval Latin adjective "essentialis" was formed. This entered Old French in the 12th century as "essentiel." Because French assigns genders to nouns, the spelling "essentielles" is specifically the feminine, plural form of the adjective, matching the feminine plural noun "phrases." English adopted the word around the 14th century, dropping the French gender endings to become "essential."