French accent marks: When to use them

French accent marks can be tricky for learners, but they're essential for correct pronunciation and meaning. Let's explore when to use each type of accent mark in French.

Accent Aigu (é)

The accent aigu only appears on the letter 'e' and gives it a sharp 'ay' sound, as in "café".

Usage examples:

• été (summer)
• résumé (summary)
• éducation (education)

Accent Grave (è, à, ù)

This accent appears most commonly on 'e', but also on 'a' and 'u'. On 'e', it creates an 'eh' sound.

Examples:

• père (father)
• où (where)
• à (to, at)

Accent Circonflexe (â, ê, î, ô, û)

This "hat" accent can appear on any vowel except 'y'. It often indicates that an 's' was historically present after the vowel.

Examples:

• hôpital (hospital) - compare with "hospitalization" in English
• être (to be)
• forêt (forest)

Tréma (ë, ï, ü)

The tréma indicates that two vowels should be pronounced separately rather than as a single sound.

Examples:

• Noël (Christmas)
• naïve (naive)
• Saül (Saul)

Cédille (ç)

The cédille appears only under the letter 'c' and gives it an 's' sound before 'a', 'o', or 'u'.

Examples:

• français (French)
• garçon (boy)
• reçu (received)

Remember, accent marks in French are not optional. They can change the meaning of words and affect pronunciation, so it's crucial to use them correctly in your writing and recognize them when reading.