How to pronounce natation

Do you find the information below useful? If you do, you can get guides like it for 1,000+ French words by downloading this app for your iPhone or iPad.

l	The French 'l' is similar to the 'l' in English "with Lee". The tongue tip usually touches the back of the upper teeth. It is also a so-called "clear" l: in other words, you don't raise the back of your tongue as you pronounce the French 'l', as occurs in some cases in English.
a	The French 'a' vowel is pronounced with the tongue far forward in the mouth and the mouth quite wide open, but not quite as open as for a typical English 'a' vowel.
n	The French 'n' sound is similar to the 'n' of English "tenth", i.e. pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the upper teeth.
a	The French 'a' vowel is pronounced with the tongue far forward in the mouth and the mouth quite wide open, but not quite as open as for a typical English 'a' vowel.
t	The French 't' is pronounced like an English 't' after a 'th' sound (as in "with two"). Your tongue touches the back of the teeth. Also try to avoid a "strong burst of air" (aspiration) as in English. If you are a native English speaker, repeat the word "tool" then "stool" with your hand in front of your mouth. In "tool", you'll feel a stronger burst of air than in "stool". In French, pronounce the 't' as in English "stool", without the strong burst of air.
a	The French 'a' vowel is pronounced with the tongue far forward in the mouth and the mouth quite wide open, but not quite as open as for a typical English 'a' vowel.
s	A French 's' sound is made in a very similar way to an English 's' sound, by bringing the front part of the tongue very close to the ridge behind the teeth, causing friction as the air escapes. However, many English speakers use the very tip of the tongue, whereas in French it is common to use the part of the tongue just behind the tip (called the "blade" of the tongue).
j	This is a sound a little like an English "y" as in "yes". To pronounce it, you "glide" rapidly between a French 'i' vowel and the following vowel. (And on the end of a word, you pronounce it by going rapidly from the previous vowel to a French 'i' vowel.) Note the phonetic symbol [j] doesn't mean the sound at the start of "je" or "jean".	You might have expected this sound to be a normal i vowel here. However, whenever i is followed by another vowel in French, the two vowels generally "merge" together (technically speaking, they form a diphthong). In other words, you start in the position for a normal i vowel, but then "glide" into the second vowel, which is what you hear in this case.
õ	The French 'nasalized o' is pronounced with the lips in a similar to position to the 'close o'. However, the vowel is nasalized: air escapes through the nose as well as the mouth.