L es accents

1. Les accents There are five marks that occur with letters in French. All are important for spelling; most are important for pronunciation.

2. 1-La cédille çappears only under the letter ç When the letter c comes before the vowel letters a, o, and u, it has the [k] sound, as in “car”. The cédille changes that sound to [s] as in “see.”

3. la cédille ç - Exemple : • le cahier ça • la carte français • la corbeille la leçon • le cousin le garçon • la cuisine reçu

4. 2- L’accent aigu éis used only over the letter é This accent gives the letter e the long [A] sound, as in “late.”

5. l’accent aigué – Exemple: • américain • l’école • café • étranger • la télé • répéter

6. Lexigene: the mix of 1066 The Norman Conquest (invasion of England by the duke of Normandie-France) brought the Anglo-French communities into close contact.

7. the English s + consonant =the French é + consonant • école school • étudiant student • époux/se spouse

8. the English s + consonant =the French é + consonant • épier spy • état state • étranger stranger • écharpe scarf • écarlate scarlet

9. 3-L’accent grave à, è, ùis used only over the letters à, è, ù

10. l’accent grave à, è, ù- Exemple: • à • voilà • l’élève • où • l’algèbre • déjà • très • première

11. 4-L’accent circonflexe â, ê, î, ô, û(chapeau = hat)is used over any vowel This accent represents an omitted “s” from the transition from old French to new French.

12. Lexigene: the mix of 1066 The Norman Conquest brought the Anglo-French communities into close contact.

13. the English vowel + s =the French vowel with circumflex • rôti roast • île isle • bête beast

14. the English vowel + s =the French vowel with circumflex • château castle • pâte paste/batter • hôte host • fête feast

15. 5-Le tréma ä, ë, ï, ö, üis used over any vowel This accent shows that two vowels next to each other are pronounced separately.

16. le trémaä, ë, ï, ö, ü – Exemple: • Noël • naïf • naïve • Joël • Joëlle