Level B1 (Intermediate)
Today’s French word of the day is la pénurie (B1), meaning shortage, scarcity, lack, shortfall and dearth.
la pénurie – IPA pronunciation /pe.ny.ʀi/
“Pénurie”: Master the French Word for Shortage & Scarcity

Word origin
The Modern French word la pénurie comes from penuria in Latin, meaning want, need and scarcity.
La pénurie example sentences
La sécheresse dans le sud-ouest des États-Unis a entraîné une pénurie d’eau.
The drought in the south-west of the United States lead to a water shortage.
La pénurie de maisons abordables devient un vrai problème en Europe et aux États-Unis.
The lack of affordable homes is becoming a real problem in Europe and in the United States.
Continue learning French!
Both of today’s example sentences used the word les États-Unis, meaning the United States. Many students have a hard time with the pronunciation of this word, which we covered in this lesson.
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