French Accents Chart
French has five accent marks: the aigu (é), the grave (è, à, ù), the circonflexe (â, ê, î, ô, û), the tréma (ë, ï, ü) and the cédille (ç), plus the joined letter œ. Some change the sound, like é and è, and some only tell two words apart, like ou and où. Missing accents are spelling mistakes, so learn to type them before a computer-based exam.
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In the TEF / TCF Canada exam
Accents count as spelling in TEF and TCF Canada writing. Learn to type them fast if your centre's test is on a computer.
French Accents Chart: the full chart as text
Every accent at a glance
| Letter | Name | Sound | When you see it | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| é | accent aigu | closed "ay", as in day | Very common; past participles in -é | été, café, parlé |
| è | accent grave | open "eh", as in bet | Before a final syllable with a silent e | mère, très, j'achète |
| ê | accent circonflexe | open "eh", as in bet | Often marks an old s (forêt, forest) | fête, tête, forêt |
| à ù | accent grave | no change | Tells two words apart | à vs a, où vs ou |
| â î ô û | accent circonflexe | â, ô slightly longer; î, û same | Often an old s: hôpital, hospital | hôpital, île, sûr |
| ë ï ü | tréma | vowel said on its own | Two vowels are pronounced apart | Noël, maïs, naïf |
| ç | cédille | soft "s" | Before a, o, u, to keep c soft | ça, garçon, reçu |
| œ | e dans l'o | like eu | Two letters joined | sœur, cœur, œuf |
Accents that change the meaning
- a / àhas / to, at
- ou / oùor / where
- la / làthe / there
- du / dûsome / owed, due
- sur / sûron / sure
- mais / maïsbut / corn
- il marche / le marchéhe walks / the market
Windows: Alt codes
| Letter | Alt + | Letter | Alt + |
|---|---|---|---|
| é | 0233 | à | 0224 |
| è | 0232 | ù | 0249 |
| ê | 0234 | ç | 0231 |
| ë | 0235 | œ | 0156 |
| â | 0226 | î | 0238 |
| ô | 0244 | û | 0251 |
| ï | 0239 | É | 0201 |
Hold Alt and type the code on the number pad, with Num Lock on.
Windows: US-International keyboard
- Add it in Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
- ' then e = é, ' then c = ç
- ` then e = è, ^ then e = ê
- " then i = ï. Type the key then a space for a plain ' or ".
Mac, phone and AZERTY
- Mac: hold a letter (e) and pick the accent from the menu.
- Mac shortcuts: Option+e then e = é, Option+` then e = è, Option+i then e = ê, Option+c = ç.
- Phone: long-press the letter on iPhone or Android.
- AZERTY: é, è, à, ç, ù have their own keys; ^ then e = ê.
Capitals keep their accents
In standard French, capital letters keep their accents. Leaving them off is common in casual writing, but keeping them is correct and clearer.
- les États-Unis, Émiliethe United States, Émilie
- À bientôt, Ça va ?See you soon, how are you?
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Questions
Hold Alt and type a code on the number pad: Alt+0233 gives é, Alt+0232 è, Alt+0224 à and Alt+0231 ç. Faster: add the US-International keyboard in Windows settings, then type ' followed by e for é.
é (accent aigu) is a closed sound, close to the "ay" in day without the glide. è (accent grave) is an open sound, like the "e" in bet. Compare été (summer) and mère (mother).
Yes. A missing or wrong accent is a spelling mistake, and some change the meaning, like a (has) and à (to). Practise typing them if your centre runs a computer-based version.
