How to read French accent marks?
Updated: March 8, 2024 by Mylene in Guides and TipsArray ▪
A diacritic is a glyph added to or combined with a letter, often used to change the sound value of the letter to which the sign is added. Some diacritics are frequently called accents. In this article, I invite you to discover the most common signs and accents in French:
We do not use an article before accents. We will call them thus: a accent grave, e accent aigu, i accent circonflexe, l apostrophe et c cédille.
Pronunciation of the French accent marks
To begin with, in this YouTube video, you will be able to listen to the correct pronunciation of each accent thanks to numerous examples.
1. Accent aigu
Pronunciation: we make the liaison: [ak.sɑ̃.te.gy]
We can find the accent aigu only on the vowel e.
- é “e accent aigu” gives the sound [e] as in the word “éternel” (eternal) [e.tɛʁ.nɛl]
2. Accent grave
Pronunciation: [ak.sɑ̃.gʁav]
An accent grave is generally found on 3 vowels: à, è and ù.
- à “a accent grave” gives the sound [a] as in the word là [la]. There is no difference in pronunciation between “la” and “là”.
- è “e accent grave” gives the sound [ɛ] as in the word “père” (father) [pɛrʁ]
- ù “u accent grave” as in the word “où” [u]. There is no difference in pronunciation between “ou” and “où”.
3. Accent circonflexe
Pronunciation: [ak.sɑ̃.siʁ.kɔ̃.flɛks]
The accent circonflexe is generally found on 5 vowels: â, ê, û, ô and î.
- â “a accent circonflexe” gives the sound [ɑ] as in the word “pâte” [pɑt]. Nowadays, we hear less and less the difference between the words patte [pat] and pâte [pɑt]. We tend to pronounce the sound [pat].
- ê “e accent circonflexe” gives the sound [ɛ] as in the word “tête” (head) [tɛt].
- î “i accent circonflexe” gives the sound [i] as in the word “île” (island) [il]. The accent tends to disappear and we find more and more words which contain the i without accent since a spelling reform. The circumflex accent on i has been removed, except in the simple past tense and in the imperfect subjunctive (example: nous fîmes, vous vîtes, bien qu’elle prétendît …)
ô “o accent circonflexe” gives the sound [o] as in the word “côte” (coast) [kot]. - û “u accent circonflexe” gives the sound [y] as in the word “mûr” (mature) [myʁ].
4. Tréma
Pronunciation: [tʁe.ma].
Tréma concerns mainly 3 vowels: ï, ü and ë.
- ï “i tréma” gives the sound [i] as in the word “mais” (maize) [ma.is]. This sign indicates that the i must be pronounced. This helps to differentiate between “maïs” [ma.is] and “mais” [mɛ]. In the word “maïs”, you have to linked 2 vowels and make what is called a hiatus.
- ü “u tréma” gives the sound [y] as in the word “aigüe” (acute) [e.gy]. This sign indicates that you must pronounce the u.
- ë “e tréma” gives the sound [ɛ] as in the word “noël” (christmas) [no.ɛl]. This sign indicates that the e must be pronounced.
5. Apostrophe
Pronunciation: [a.pɔs .tʁɔf]
It is used before a vowel and after certain words. For example, after the following words: le, de, se, ce, que. t
- L’ “l apostrophe”: as in “l’avion” (the plane) [la.vjɔ̃].
- s’ “s apostrophe” as in “s’est” [sɛ].
6. Cédille
Pronunciation [se.dij]
We only use the “cédille” with the letter C.
ç “c cedille” always gives the sound [s] as in the word “reçu” (received) [ʁə.sy]
Take the next step in your language learning journey
This blog has provided a foundation for understanding and pronouncing French accents. However, mastering French pronunciation extends beyond theoretical knowledge; it requires practice and expert input. Our course and private lessons are tailored to bridge this gap. They offer comprehensive tutorials and exercises that focus on enhancing your pronunciation skills. Personalized feedback, a key component of our offerings, ensures that your learning is targeted and effective. To further develop your proficiency in French and refine your accent, consider subscribing to our course or booking a private live call.
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