French letters with accents (à, â, é, è, ù…): pronunciation guide
French letters with accents, such as à, é, è, ù, are an essential part of the French language and can greatly affect the pronunciation of a word.
There are three accents in French:
- the acute accent, which appears on the letter e (é)
- the grave accent, which appears on the letters e, a, and u (à, è, ù)
- the circumflex accent on all vowels except y (â, ê, î, ô, û)
Accents, placed on certain letters, help specify pronunciation and distinguish homonymous words with identical pronunciation.
Here’s a short pronunciation guide for these accent marks to help you master the French language:
à: The letter “à” is pronounced as the sound “ah” in French. For example, “chat” is pronounced “sha”.
â: The “â” is pronounced as an extended nasal sound. It is similar to the “a” in “car” in English, but more nasal. For example, “âne” is pronounced “ahn”.
é: The sound of “é” is close to the “ay” in English. It is a closed and short sound. For example, “été” is pronounced “eh-tay”.
è: The “è” is a more open sound than “é”. It is pronounced like the “e” in “bet” in English. For example, “père” is pronounced “pehr”.
ù: The “ù” is less common in French. It is often used in less frequent words or in words borrowed from other languages. Its pronunciation is similar to “ew” in English. For example, “où” is pronounced “oo”.
In conclusion, French letters with accents can greatly affect the pronunciation of a word.
It is essential to master these accent marks to improve your French language skills and accurately pronounce French words.
Practice makes perfect, so make sure to incorporate these accent marks into your daily French studies.
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