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 ç appears 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 é is used only over the letter é
This accent gives the letter e the long [A] sound, as in “late.”

5. l’accent aigu é – 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, ù is used only over the letters à, è, ù

10. l’accent grave à, è, ù- Exemple:
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, ü is used over any vowel
This accent shows that two vowels next to each other are pronounced separately.

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