How To Type French Accents On Windows

Emphasis marks are a required part of writing in French. Many English language-speaking beginners' reactions to them are along the lines of, "Do they really matter?"

They do!

However, learning how to read and write French accent marks is only role of the boxing. Since we live in the twenty-beginning century, it's important to know how to blazon them as well.

Here's the problem: French emphasis marks don't appear on most U.s.a. English keyboards. Never fear! Typing French accents is easier than it looks, and you lot don't even demand a French keyboard.

This guide will encompass how to blazon French accent marks on English language keyboards for PC, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices. This information volition help you lot whether yous're taking French tutoring or a class, organizing a trip to Paris, or only learning the nuts.

What are French emphasis marks?

Visit our incredible guide to French pronunciation to read more than nearly all the accent marks, their French names, and explanations of how they alter the letter's pronunciation. Here'due south a brief overview:

É – Emphasis aigu

The accent aigu only appears above the letter E. Pronounced similar -ay.

Examples of words that include information technology: desolé, médicin.

È – Accent grave

Accent grave usually appears in a higher place the alphabetic character E, simply can appear above whatever vowel. Pronounced like the E in the English word "become."

Examples of words that include emphasis grave: problème, deuxième

Ç – Accent cedille

The cedille appears under the letter of the alphabet C, and makes the sound soft, like an S, as opposed to difficult, like a K.

Examples of words that include emphasis cedille: français, garçon

Ö – Accent trema

The trema can appear over any vowel. It makes the 2nd vowel in a pair voiced, and is ofttimes used with names and places.

Examples of words that include information technology : coïncidence, Zoë

Ô – Circonflexe

The circonflexe can appear over any vowel. Information technology does not significantly alter the pronunciation. At that place is a movement to remove it from the language, only it is withal important to recognize it and know which words include it.

Examples of words that include it: être, hôtel

Inserting French emphasis marks in discussion processors

Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Mac computers all have features that allow you to insert special characters that don't announced on the keys. This is the most intuitive way to type French accent marks.

GoogleDocs

In Google Docs, start past clicking "Insert", and then "Special Characters." Two driblet-downward menus and a filigree of symbols will pop upwards. Select "Latin" from the outset drop-down card, so select the accented letter you desire to type from the filigree. Easy!

Microsoft Word

In Microsoft Word, also start by clicking "Insert." Next, click "Symbol." A grid of symbols will popular upwardly. If the one you lot're looking for is not on at that place, click "More Symbols" at the lesser. You lot'll encounter two driblet-down menus and a grid. Select "Bones Latin" from the second drop-down menu, select the accented letter you lot want to type from the grid, and click "Insert."

Mac

On a Mac, start by clicking "Edit" in the menu bar. And then choose "Special Characters" and select "Roman" from the drop-down card. Next, select the "Absolute Latin" grapheme palette. So, click the character you want to type, and striking "Insert".

Of grade, word processors are far from the only identify where people type!

Accent mark shortcuts for PC

To enter these codes for French accent marks, use a sustained central press – press each key i at a time, and concord it down until all the keys in the sequence are pressed down (note: don't type the "+" symbol).

Accent aïgue (é): Press CTRL+' (apostrophe), followed past the letter
Accent grave (à, è, ù): Printing CTRL+` (the primal to the left of "1"), followed by the letter
Accent circonflèxe (â, ê, î, ô, û): Press CTRL+Shift-half-dozen followed by the letter
Trëma (ë, ï, ü): Press CTRL+Shift+; followed past the letter
Cédille (ç): Printing CTRL+ followed by the letter of the alphabet

If these codes don't piece of work on your computer, don't fret. Attempt these Windows ALT codes for French accent marks by just using your number pad:

Alt+0233 (é)
Alt+0224 (à)
Alt+0232 (è)
Alt+0249 (ù)
Alt+0226 (â)
Alt+0234 (ê)
Alt+0238 (î)
Alt+0244 (ô)
Alt+0251 (û)
Alt+0235 (ë)
Alt+0239 (ï)
Alt+0252 (ü)
Alt+0231 (ç)

French emphasis marker shortcuts for Mac

You tin type French accents on an Apple device with Option Cardinal Accents codes and KeyCaps.

Option Key Accents codes

The modern Mac Bone offers an exceptionally fast method of typing French accents, and it'due south easy to use:

Accent aïgue (é): Press Selection + Eastward
Accent grave (à, è, ù): Press Selection + ` followed past the letter
Emphasis circonflèxe (â, ê, î, ô, û): Press Option + I followed by the alphabetic character
Trëma (ë, ï, ü): Printing Option+u followed by the letter
Cédille (ç): Press Choice + C

KeyCaps

To utilize KeyCaps to blazon French accent marks, click on the little Apple logo on the top left side of your screen.

Adjacent, open up KeyCaps. A little keyboard volition appear on the screen. Hold downward the Option key until a series of emphasis marks appears. Click on the French emphasis marking you wish to type, and then type the letter that it modifies.

For example, if y'all wanted to type é, click `, and then type the E. Et voila.

Accent mark shortcuts for mobile devices

For iPhone, Android, and tablet keyboards, concur down any letter, and French accent options volition appear (with other non-French accents, every bit well). In a nutshell, if you want to type "e" with an accent, concur down the "E" key, and yous'll instantly run into these options pop up: è é ê ë ē ĕ ė ę ě and ə. Only click the one you're looking for, and proceed on writing.

Typing French accent marks in Linux

In that location are two options for typing emphasis marks in a Linux operating system: Character Palette and Compose Key.

Graphic symbol Palette

To use the graphic symbol palette, right-click on the top bar and choose "Add to Console". And so, click "Character Palette". To insert the accent mark you're looking for, left-click it, which will re-create the accent mark to your clipboard. Just apply Ctrl + V (Paste) to place it in a word or sentence

Compose Key

To use the Compose Cardinal, you have to outset designate an unused key equally the Compose Key past following this click sequence:

Control Eye > Accessibility Options > Keyboard Properties > Options > Etch Key choice

Once it's designated, hold down your Compose Key, followed by the letter and the accent mark, to identify the symbol.

Here are some examples:

To blazon é, the sequence is: compose fundamental, E, '.
To type è, the sequence is: compose key, East, `.
To type ö, the sequence is: compose key, O, ".

Windows International Keyboard add together-ons

Another option for typing French accents in Windows is to add an alternate keyboard layout. The options available for typing in French are International Keyboard, French Keyboard, and Canadian French Keyboard.

The International Keyboard is the most convenient to US-based users who are used to a QWERTY-style layout. The French Keyboard is AZERTY and has several keys in different places than a US English language keyboard. That makes switching dorsum and forth disruptive. The Canadian French keyboard has all the un-modified letters in the same spots, merely has some additional characters.

Still, the typing of the accents themselves is easier on the French and Canadian French Keyboards. On the French keyboard, most accent marks are available as keys. On the Canadian French, yet, fewer are bachelor as keys, but the codes are simpler.

International Keyboard accent codes

When you use the International Keyboard, you have to watch out when typing quotation marks and apostrophes before letters that accents aigu, cédilles, and trémas typically modify. If yous practice not put an extra infinite between the punctuation and the letter, information technology will assume that y'all want the accent mark. For example, for c'est not to go cést, you would have to type it as "c' est" and then go dorsum and remove the space.

To type accent grave (à, è, etc), blazon ` (to the left of 1) then the vowel.
For Emphasis aigu (é), type ' (single quote) then Eastward.
To type cédille (ç), type ' then C.
To enter a **circonflexe **(ê), blazon ^ (shift + half dozen) and so E.
To utilize tréma (ö), type " (shift + ') and so O.

French Keyboard Accent Codes

To blazon anything with a circumflex (â, ê, etc), blazon ^ then the vowel
For a tréma, (ä, ë, etc), blazon ¨ and the vowel

Canadian French Keyboard Accent Codes

For an aigu accent (é), type ´ (next to the correct-hand shift key) and then eastward
For a grave accent (à, è, ù), type ' (apostrophe / single quote) then the vowel
The circumflex ˆ and tréma ¨ are in the upper-right corner, side by side adjacent to the Enter key
For cédille (ç), type ¸ (left of the "Enter" key) and and so C

Once you determine which keyboard add-on you want to apply, hither are the instructions for enabling it:

Open Control Panel
Nether "Clock, Language, and Region," click "Modify input methods"
Click "Options" to the right of your linguistic communication
Click "Add together an Input Method"
Scroll down to the language you want to add, click + next to it, and then select the layout*
Click OK in each dialog window.

No affair which method you like the best, you'll be ready to type in French whether it's in present, by, or future tense. Don't forget to make the most of your learning by booking a French tutor.

To acquire everything y'all need to commencement learning French, check out our indispensable guide.

Lauren Harsh is a French tutor and content writer based in Chicago. They accept a dual BA in International Studies and French and Francophone Studies from the University of Michigan and 10 years of French experience. Request Tutoring From Lauren