French 1 / Unit 1: Greetings and Introductions
1.5 The French Alphabet and Accents
Notes
The French alphabet uses the same 26 letters as English, but the names of the letters are different.
- Some letter names: A (ah), E (euh), I (ee), J (zhee), G (zhay), H (ash), U (ew), W (doo-bluh-vay), Y (ee-grek).
- Accents change pronunciation (and sometimes meaning): é (accent aigu), è / à / ù (accent grave), ê / â / ô / û / î (accent circonflexe), ë / ï (tréma), ç (cédille, makes a soft "s" sound).
- Accents are part of the spelling. ou (or) and où (where) are different words.
- To spell a name aloud, say each French letter name: Léa = L, E, A with an accent aigu on the E.
| Mot | Accent |
|---|---|
| élève | accent aigu (é) and accent grave (è) |
| français | cédille (ç) |
| forêt | accent circonflexe (ê) |
Practice
What is the name of the mark in « ç » ?
The ç has a cédille. It makes a soft "s" sound, as in français.
Which word contains an accent aigu?
Été (summer) has two é, which are accents aigus.
Why do accents matter in French?
Compare ou (or) and où (where): the accent changes the word.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 1 test.