Language/French/Grammar/French-Accent-Marks
French Accent Marks are essential to understand when studying the French language. They can significantly change the meaning and pronunciation of a word. In this lesson, we will explore the French accent marks, including their use, pronunciation, and examples.
Accent Marks
French has five accent marks or diacritical marks. They are:
- L'accent aigu (é) - acute accent
- L'accent grave (è, à, ù) - grave accent
- L'accent circonflexe (ê, â, î, ô, û) - circumflex accent
- Le tréma (ë, ï, ü) - diaeresis
- La cédille (ç) - cedilla
It’s important to note that French words can have two or more accent marks on the same letter, which can change the pronunciation of the word entirely. Let's explore each of the accent marks in detail.
L'accent aigu
The acute accent (é) is the most common accent mark in French. It is used to indicate that the vowel is pronounced with more emphasis than usual. The pronunciation of the letter ‘e’ changes the most with l'accent aigu. It can be pronounced as ‘ay’ or ‘eh’. Some examples include:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
été | /e.te/ or /e.tay/ | summer |
café | /ka.fe/ or /ka.fay/ | coffee |
école | /e.kol/ or /e.kolay/ | school |
L'accent grave
L'accent grave can be found on three French vowels; ‘e’,’a’ and ‘u’ creating the sounds ‘è’,’à’ and ‘ù,’ respectively. The accent grave changes the pronunciation of the vowel to add extra emphasis or length. However, sometimes the grave accent does not modify pronunciation but only indicates a silent “e” at the end of a word. For example:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
père | /pɛʁ/ | father |
voilà | /vwala/ | there it is |
à | /a/ | to/at/in |
L'accent circonflexe
L'accent circonflexe is used to indicate a change in pronunciation or meaning with vowels, as it can be used on ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, and ‘u’. It can also be used when a letter has been dropped from the word over time, for example, 'fête' (celebration). It is important to note that the accent circonflexe is disappearing in some words, especially when it is not strictly necessary to clarify the meaning or pronunciation, for instance, where two words would otherwise be written identically. Examples include:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
hôtel | /o.tɛl/ | hotel |
pâte | /pat/ | paste or dough |
forêt | /fo.ʁɛ/ | forest |
Le tréma
The tréma is used over vowels to indicate that the vowel is pronounced separately, without combining with the previous letter. It is commonly used in French words of Germanic origin, where vowel combinations are common. For example:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Noël | /no.ɛl/ | Christmas |
aïeul | /aj.œl/ | ancestor |
ambiguë | /ɑ̃.bi.ɡy/ | ambiguous |
La cédille
The cedilla is a small tail-like hook under the letter ‘c’ (ç). The cedilla is used to change the pronunciation of the letter ‘c’ from a hard ‘k’ sound to a ‘s’ sound, but only when it comes before the vowels ‘a’, ‘o’, or ‘u’. For example:
French | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
français | /fʁɑ̃.sɛ/ | French |
garçon | /ɡaʁ.sɔ̃/ | boy or waiter |
reçu | /ʁə.sy/ | received |
Conclusion
Understanding the French Accent Marks is essential for a beginner who wants to learn to speak French accurately. These accent marks can change the meaning and pronunciation of words, so it's crucial to understand how they work. In this lesson, we have covered the five main French accent marks and how they alter the pronunciation of French words.
Sources
Videos
French Accents 101: Pronunciation & Accent Marks - YouTube
French accents - part 1 (French Essentials Lesson 17) - YouTube
Understanding FRENCH ACCENT Marks - YouTube
french accents aigu, grave, circonflexe - YouTube
Learn French pronunciation - The accents - YouTube
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