
This accent is used on A, E, I, O and U.ĭû (past participle of verb devoir) vs. For example, dû is the past participle of verb devoir, and du is the contraction of de and le. As with the accent grave, it can be used to distinguish two words that are spelled the same, but have different meaning with the inclusion of the accent mark. It often means that in a previous version of the word, there used to be an “S.” Often the word is not a direct translation, but is similar in meaning.

L’accent circonflexe can be helpful in determining the meaning of a word. * a cédille is never used under a “c” before the letters “e” or “I”, because French rules of pronunciation dictate that the “c” automatically becomes soft in front of those two letters. It simply provides a pronunciation guide that the “C” should be pronounced as an “S”. Ç La cédille s the only accent to be used on a consonant, only the letter “C”, and only underneath. la (definite article, singular feminine noun) a (Third person singular present form of avoir)

It is often used to distinguish two words that are spelled the same, but have different meaning with the inclusion of the accent mark when written above the letters “A” or “U.” The accent aigu can only be used on the letter “E.” It tells the speaker to pronounce the E as the sound “AY.”Īt the beginning of the word, It can also mean that there used to be an “S” at the beginning.Īt the end of a word, it is often is the equivalent of -ed, or the simple past tense, and many past participles ending in é can be used as adjectives.įirst and foremost, l’accent grave tells the speaker to pronounce the “E” as “eh,” and in the English words “get” and “jet.” If you know that there is an accent in a word you are trying to spell, your luck may be with you if you use the accent aigu. The accent aigu is the most common of the French accents. French uses the accent grave, accent aigu, accent circonflexe, the cedille, and the trema. In this article you will learn not only how each accent mark is used, but when it is used, how it can make a difference in the meaning of a word, how it can change a word’s pronunciation, and how you may even be able to use an accent mark to figure out the meaning of a word. Although they can be a pain in the backside to English speakers, accent marks in French are part of the spelling of French words, and are as important as any letter.
