One syllable: C'est La Guerre.
SE la GER
/ˈsɛ la ˈɡɛɹ/
C'est La Guerre is pronounced SE la GER (/ˈsɛ la ˈɡɛɹ/). It has one syllable (C'est La Guerre), with the stress on "C'est La Guerre". C'est La Guerre is a French-language nominal phrase meaning “that’s war” or more idiomatically “that’s war,” often used to acknowledge conflict or the harsh realities of combat. In English contexts it’s treated as a foreign phrase, typically italicized or quoted, and can function as a thematic label or quoted declaration in discussions of history, politics, or literature. It carries a formal, historical register and formal pronunciation cues for non-native speakers.
nounC'est La Guerre is a French-language nominal phrase meaning “that’s war” or more idiomatically “that’s war,” often used to acknowledge conflict or the harsh realities of combat. In English contexts it’s treated as a foreign phrase, typically italicized or quoted, and can function as a thematic label or quoted declaration in discussions of history, politics, or literature. It carries a formal, historical register and formal pronunciation cues for non-native speakers.
How to Pronounce C'est La Guerre
"- The exhibit labeled the section as C'est La Guerre to underscore the grim era it depicts."
"- In class, the professor quoted C'est La Guerre to introduce the theme of inevitability in wartime rhetoric."
"- The narrator intoned, C'est La Guerre, as the frontline scenes unfolded."
Pronounce approximately as /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/ with French phonology. C’est = /sɛ/ (like ‘say’ without an e diphthong); La = /la/ (lip rounded lightly); Guerre = /ɡɛʁ/ with a voiced uvular fricative [ʁ] at the back of the throat. Stress falls on the first syllable of C’est and on Guerre’s single stressed syllable; keep a steady pace without over-articulating final vowels. You’ll want a soft French /ʁ/ rather than an English r. Practice: contrast with English approximations to hear the difference, then aim for authentic French vowel height. IPA: US/UK: /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/.
Two common pitfalls: (1) treating C’est as ‘say’ with a long e; instead, keep /ɛ/ as in ‘bet’ and avoid diphthongization. (2) Mispronouncing Guerre with a standard English /ɡɜːr/ or /ɡər/—French /ʁ/ is uvular and the vowel is /ɛ/ in /ɡɛʁ/. Correction tips: practice /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/ slowly, then add a tight French /ʁ/ with a slight throat constriction; keep the final r loud but not rolled. And remember La is an unstressed, light /la/.
In US/UK English talk, you’ll hear English-adapted approximations like /sɛt lɑ ɡɑrɡ/ or anglicized renditions; the crucial French feature is the final /ʁ/, which English speakers often soften or replace with /ɹ/. Australian speakers may mirror US English intonation but still attempt the French /ʁ/ and the mid/low /ɛ/. To approximate: aim for the French /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/ but allow a slight, perceptible English accent in rhythm and intonation. IPA guidance remains /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/ for accuracy.
Three factors: the French /ɛ/ vowel can be unfamiliar; the /ʁ/ sound is a guttural uvular fricative produced in the back of the throat, not common in English; and the liaison and pace between words require precise timing. You may also tense up the lips or jaw, turning /la/ into /laa/. To overcome: practice /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/ in slow, deliberate phonation, exaggerating the /ʁ/ at the end, then smooth into natural speech. Focus on jaw relaxation and a slight throat constriction for the /ʁ/.
A distinctive feature is the final French /ʁ/ in Guerre, a uvular fricative produced with back-of-tongue articulation and pharyngeal constriction. English speakers often substitute with a post-alveolar /ɹ/ or glottal stop; to achieve authentic pronunciation, train the uvular /ʁ/ with a light breath and a relaxed throat. Also note the unstressed tie between C’est and La; avoid full enunciation of every vowel—let /ɛ/ in C’est and Guerre carry the core vowels, but keep the final consonant clearly audible.
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US: tendency to anglicize vowels; ensure mid vowels stable, not shifting toward /eɪ/ or /ɛə/. UK: more clipped towards /sɛ la ɡɛː/ with a lighter /ʁ/; AU: similar to US but with more vowel length in /la/; keep the /ɛ/ constant across dialects. IPA references help keep you consistent: /sɛ la ɡɛʁ/.
C'est La Guerre is a French phrase composed of C'est (contraction of ce + est, meaning “it is” or “this is”), La (the feminine singular definite article, used here as part of the fixed noun phrase La Guerre meaning “the war”). Guerre derives from Latin bellum via Old French guerre, itself from Frankish *werra* meaning ‘confusion, strife’ and ultimately linked to Germanic roots associated with battle and conflict. The construction C'est La Guerre appears in the 18th–19th centuries as a condensed, almost proverbial expression in French to reflect philosophical or fatalistic acceptance of war’s inevitability; its usage can be formal and literary, appearing in histories, novels, and political rhetoric. The phrase spread into English-language discussions as a direct loanword, often italicized, to convey a nostalgic or fatalistic perspective on conflict. First known uses trace to French essays and narrative prose commemorating warfare, with English translations and cultural references appearing in 19th/20th century translations of French war literature. The exact stylistic formulation—combining a demonstrative clause with a definite article and a concrete noun—gives it a stark, declarative tone that has kept it resonant in both historical and literary contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "C'est La Guerre"
-eur sounds
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