Don't Let Your Nose Sneak Into English Vowels

French has true nasal vowels — think of the sound in 'bon' or 'sans,' where air flows through your nose as part of the vowel itself. English doesn't have this feature the same way, but French speakers sometimes carry a bit of that nasal quality into words like 'man,' 'bank,' or 'hand,' especially when the vowel comes right before N or M. To English ears, this can sound like an extra, unfamiliar layer on the vowel. Here's a quick test: pinch your nose gently and say 'man.' If the sound changes a lot or feels blocked, you might be nasalizing more than needed. Try saying 'man,' 'bank,' and 'hand' again with your nose pinched, aiming to keep the vowel sound as similar as possible whether your nose is pinched or not. This trains your mouth to carry more of the vowel quality without leaning on your nose. It's a small adjustment, and it'll make these very common words feel noticeably more American.