Language/French/Grammar/French-Accent-Marks

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French Grammar → Alphabet and Pronunciation → 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.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Agreement of the past participle with the subject of “être” & Punctuation.

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

• French Accent Marks: How to Use & How to Type | Langster
• French Accent Marks - Master Typing French Symbols | OptiLingo
• French Accent Marks: The Ultimate Guide

Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Adjectives agreeing with just one noun & Future Tense.

Table of Contents - French Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• The French Alphabet
• French Vowels and Consonants
• French Accent Marks
• Introductions and Greetings

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Gender and Number of Nouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Partitive Articles

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Common Irregular Verbs
• Passé Composé
• Futur Proche

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Agreement of Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
• Formation and Use of Adverbs

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Negation and Interrogation

• Negation
• Interrogation

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Numbers and Time

• Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers
• Time and Dates

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Romantic Relationships

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Food and Drink

• Food and Eating Habits
• Beverages and Drinking Habits

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Hobbies and Interests

• Sports and Fitness Activities
• Music and Entertainment

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Geography and Travel

• Regions and Cities in France
• Transportation and Accommodation

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French Culture and Arts

• French Cuisine and Gastronomy
• French Cinema and Literature

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French History and Society

• Major Events in French History
• French Society and Lifestyle

Other Lessons

• Location of adverbs modifying sentences
• Direct object and indirect object pronouns differences between English and French
• Marked use of tu
• Omission of the article in lists
• Partitive Articles
• Subjunctive versus indicative in clauses dependent on a superlative adjective
• Place adverbs
• Impersonal Verbs
• Use of the definite article with superlatives
• Indirect and Direct Transitive Verbs

◀️ French Vowels and Consonants — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Introductions and Greetings ▶️