# Francophones: Pronounce "Concierge", please.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 30, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181 "2015-05-30T05:33:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181/1 "2015-05-30T05:33:52Z")

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At one of my client jobs, they have a Concierge. The CEO and the Concierge pronounce the word “CON-SYER”. (short e, as in ‘bed’ and ‘ted’; you get the idea.) It irritates the effin F out of me. I think that this is some prime stupidity or misguided pretension. Of course, the French are almost as bad as a Worcestershireman Brit, so, I am not sure, but, I have only heard it pronounced with the ‘g’ being pronounced ‘zh’.  
So, Francophones, is it pronounced as CON-SYERZH, or CONSYER?

Thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181/2 "2015-05-30T05:38:31Z")

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nm

ETA: After some thought, “CON-SYER” seems more applicable.

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181/3 "2015-05-30T07:54:13Z")

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I would never have thought of not pronouncing the G as ZH, and it seems to me that the French pronunciation rules would require it, since it’s followed by an E. So I agree with CON-SYERZH (with the N representing a nasal sound, rather than being pronounced as an N in English would).

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**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181/4 "2015-05-30T07:58:09Z")

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You’re right; they’re wrong, IMO. You pronounce the g in French - or at least, every time I’ve ever heard it said, it’s been CON-SYERZH, and I lived in several buildings in Paris that had one… Depending on your accent, I guess the ZH could be quite short, but I can’t imagine it not being pronounced at all.

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2015, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/francophones-pronounce-concierge-please/721181/5 "2015-05-30T08:09:48Z")

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Thanks, guys!