Pronunciation of "petite"

Question

When she says "Quand j’étais petite" the last word does not sound like it starts with "p" to me.  It sounds like "tetite".  I listened several times and I just don't hear the initial "p" sound.  Is it just me?  What should I be listening for to be sure I hear the "p" sound?

Accepted Answer

Hi Stuart,
I have listened to the dictation and I hear 'petite'....

Answer

I hear 'p'etite also. One should remember that pronunciation of 'p' and 't' can sound very similar. It is also good to remember the context of the sentence. "petite" makes sense here. And I'm not even sure that "tetite" is a word.

Answer

many French speakers say the first syllable very quickly and it's sometimes nearly inaudible, much like "I don't know" becomes "Idunno" in English.