The answer is YES!
How many times did you write a word without any accent because you didn’t know where to put them? How many times did you write an accent between two letters hoping that it would just fit in?
Well, fear no more!
Today, we will explain the “accent aigu” (the acute accent). Be ready.
First of all, you can only find it on the letter “e” and it changes the pronunciation to “ay “.
Usually, this accent is placed on the “e” when this one is the first letter of a word:
- Une écharpe, un éclair, une énergie, un équilibre
You will also find an “é ” at the end of a word, when it is the last letter (even when plural or feminine):
- La spiritualité , un canapé , un cliché , un fiancé , une fiancée , le marié , la mariée , les mariés
When the word starts with dé – , mé – or pré – don’t forget to add “l’accent aigu” !
- Un début, un départ, un mélange, la méditation, un préavis, un présent
Write this accent above the “e” when it is before a syllable without a silent “e” (!):
- un aéroport, concrétiser, un numéro, expédier, une spécialisation
At last, there is always an “accent aigu” at the past tense for the verbs usually ending with “er” : allé , parlé , marché , mangé , fermé
On the other hand, you will never see an accent on the “e”:
- when followed by the letters -d, -f, -r or a -t at the end of a word : une clef, un cahier, un trépied, un perroquet
- when before an “x”: un exercice, un exemple, une excellente idée, un index, une expédition
- when before a double letter: une chaussette, des lunettes, une erreur, un ennemi, essuyer
- when before -rc , -rb, -rp, -rv : un exercice, un serpent, une réservation, un verbe, un réverbère
Bon d’accord, this is a lot to remember! Just try practising your “accent aigu” using our exercices below!
To write “é ” using your keyboard:
PC: Alt + 130 or 0233
Mac: Press option and type “e”. Release both keys and type “e”.
