French alphabet
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The French alphabet is the alphabet used to write French. It uses the modern Latin alphabet with its 26 letters to which must be added the letters from five diacritics, which then enrich it with thirteen accentuated vowels and the grapheme c cedilla "ç", as well as two ligatures e in the a " æ Æ "and e in the o" œ Œ ". It is therefore a total of 42 letters that make up the French alphabet.
In this chapter, you will get an overview about the French alphabet, the look and the differences between them
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Capital letters | Small letters | Examples |
---|---|---|
A | a | Annie, acheter |
B | b | Boris, belle |
C | c | Cloé, cloue |
D | d | David, déménager |
E | e | Elliot, emeraude |
F | f | France, faillite |
G | g | Gérard, garantir |
H | h | Hélène, hache |
I | i | Irma, idiot |
J | j | Jacques, jouer |
K | k | Koweit, kérastase |
L | l | Lionel, lance |
M | m | Mona, moule |
N | n | Nathalie, nappe |
O | o | Omari, oublier |
P | p | Pascal, pierre |
Q | q | Quentin, quille |
R | r | Rosalie, roue |
S | s | Sylvia, scier |
T | t | Théo, tatouage |
U | u | Ursula, unité |
V | v | Victor, voyage |
W | w | William, wagon |
X | x | Xavier, xénophobe |
Y | y | Yoan, yoyo |
Z | z | Zoé, zèbre |
There are 6 vowels in French: a, e, y, o, u, i
These letters are variant of the fundamental alphabet and can be taken from the Latin language.
Capital letters | Small letters | Examples |
---|---|---|
À | à | voilà |
 | â | Bâtir |
Ç | ç | garçon |
É | é | éphémère |
Ê | ê | Tête |
È | è | élève |
Ë | ë | Canoë |
Î | î | Accroître |
Ï | ï | Caïman |
Ô | ô | Hôtel |
Ü | ü | Capharnaüm |
Û | û | Bûche |
Ù | ù | où |
In French, only the vowels a, e, u can take a grave accent. The French grave accent is (`) and the vowels which take it are:
Alphabet | Examples | Translation |
---|---|---|
à | Je vais à Paris | (I am going to Paris) |
è | La lèpre | (Leprosy) |
ù | Où vas tu ? | (Where are you going) |
With the vowels a and u, the accent does not modify the pronunciation but is only used for the homonym. and ù is also the interrogative or relative pronoun used to differentiate it from the coordinating conjunction.
With the vowel e, the accent indicates the pronunciation of an open e
The "e" grave accent appears in a word ending in "s".
In French, the letters a, e, i, o, u can take this accent and is written (ˆ) and it indicates
Generally, you use it to "open" the vowel,
Alphabet | Examples | Translation |
---|---|---|
â | Pâques | (Easter) |
ê | Fenêtre | (Window) |
î | Epître | (Epistle) |
ô | Hôpital | (Hospital) |
û | Piqûre | (Sting) |
The circumflex accent is sometimes used to signal a missing letter
Since 1990, the circumflex accent is barely used on the i and u: you use it on conjugated verbs in the past simple, subjunctive imperfect and the pluperfect
In French, you can find an acute accent (ˊ) on the vowel e used to distinguish the phoneme with the closed tone /e/ from the phoneme /ə/.
You can meet it exceptionally on:
The ç changes the pronunciation of the alphabet letter c. You can put it in front of letters like: a, o, u.
Alphabet | Example | Translation |
---|---|---|
a | Façade | (Frontage) |
o | leçon | (Lesson) |
u | Reçu | (Receipt) |
The umlet are the two points that you put on the e, i, u to indicate that the preceding vowel must be pronounced separately.
The usage of ë, ü is rather rare in French and is only found in two categories of words. It is found in certain words where the umlaut indicates that:
Alphabet | Examples | Translation |
---|---|---|
e | Noël | (Christmas) |
i | Maïs | (Corn) |
u | Ambigüe | (Ambiguous) |
Learn about the pronunciation of all these letters of the French alphabet in the following page !
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I couldn't imagine a better teacher than Nancy! Together with Nancy you find the right method for you to improve your French in a fun and personal way. I would recommend her to everyone!
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Dear future student,
My name is Mélanie, I am 40 years old, I am Belgian and I live near Brussels in Belgium.
I have 7 years of experience in teaching French as a foreign language. I have a degree in Modern Languages and Literature. I have an agrégation in higher secondary education. French is my mother tongue. Additionally I have a C2 level in Spanish.
I have taught adults (beginner - advanced) in various training institutions (CLL, CVO Semper, ...). I have taught both large and small groups. I can therefore adapt my teaching methods according to the number of people.
As far as my teaching methods are concerned, I create communicative exercises.
I always try to get the student to express themselves as much as possible. In case of groups, I create individual exercises, in groups of two or four.
I give homework in which the students have to write a short text related to a grammatical concept they have seen. I also give additional grammatical exercises.
I also test my students' knowledge. For example, during the course, I listen to my students and comment on their oral productions. I also do small listening comprehensions and reading comprehensions.
I can also explain certain grammatical points or translate certain words into the student's language if it is needed, but generally I always try to teach in the target language.
If my student is looking for a job, I can also help him/her to write his/her CV and cover letter and also prepare his/her interview.
If my student works in a company, I can also prepare exercises specific to the company's field. I have given courses to warehouse workers for Delhaize, to plumbers, to students in Tourism.
I also taught asylum seekers.
As far as teaching material is concerned, I use a lot of material from Zexperts fle https://leszexpertsfle.com/toutes-les-ressources-fle/ which I adapt to the objectives of the lesson. I also look for exercises in FLE manuals such as Totem, Edito, Alter Ego, Expression orale... Naturally, I adapt the exercises according to the needs of the student. I also look for songs in YouTube.
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I have had about 10 lessons in French from Mélanie. We treated a lot of different subjects such as grammar, talking and listening exercises. Mélanie is a very good and patient teacher and I learned a lot in these lessons on how to communicate in French.
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Hi,
I m claudie , I m french and i have experience to teach french to foreign people.
I create in a school of langage in Spain a little faculty for my french lessons with a group from 15 years olds until 25.
The pupils were all the levels A1 until C2!
I was teaching as well with lillte children and adults in Spain and Rumania.
I m a very dynamic teacher with a lot of patient and empathy.
You will make a lot of progress!
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I have started with French courses because I needed to improve my French language for work. Claudie is a great teacher who comes up with materials that suit my medical interests and needs. Claudie makes the lessons interesting and relaxed and she’s remarkably patient. Thanks Claudie for the great lessons!!!
Claudie S.
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Thank you very much for this comment, always a pleasure to help you learn the French language !!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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I really enjoy my lessons with Natalia! She is a very talented teacher. So far she has helped me to improve a lot my vocabulory, grammaire and my conversational skills, in general. I like that all the time we talk in French, which is very useful if you already start from a certain language level (like my case). But also, she can explain in English , if I need. She chooses a lot of different topics for conversations, and for grammaire she uses the best learning materials which exist on the market! Thank you Natalia!
Natalia L.
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Hi Irina. Thank you very much for your comment. It has been a real pleasure to work with you these months and to see how you have improved your grammar as well as your oral and written expression. You have a very good level of French and I will help you to improve it in the way you need. See you soon!
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I am a graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Social Science. I am a holder of a Professional License as Teacher. I have also teaching certificates like TESOL and TEYL. I have 2 years teaching experience as ESL Teacher. I can make our class fun and engaging. Come, let's learn English together.
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Ella is a delightful and brilliant teacher. She works as a part-time teacher and with the Philippine government. Her study method is based on the level of the students and the goals they want to achieve.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hi! My name is Tiphaine, I'm french, I'm 37 years old and I live in Seville.
I grew up in the outside of Paris, I travelled all over the world and I live in Spain for 10 years now.
I'm a musician, a dancer and I love to cook and hike.
I'm a french teacher, and it's my passion! I speak 3 languages, and thanks to my learning I was able to live amazing experiences in many countries.
That's why I became a teacher, to be able to share with you my love for french language and culture and to guide you in your progress.
For me, each language is a way of seeing and interpreting the world, as glasses of different colors.
Understanding the way a language works is understanding how its people see things; it's such a exciting process, I can't wait to share it with you!
I have more than 8 years experience, in schools, companies and universities.
I work with people from all ages, beginners to advanced. I know most of french manuals.
I can prepare you to DELF and DALF exams. I also have a specialization in french for specific goals and french business.
I can offer you thematic courses, to improve your pronunciation, increase your vocabulary, prepare you for traveling or for a new job.
All my classes are in french, I adapt my vocabulary and speech speed according to your level.
I also adapt my method to your needs, personality, to take the best advantage of my classes and your french learning.
I use diversified ressources, from quizz to podcasts, videos, songs and games.
Whatever are your motivations, if you want to learn french in a pleasurable and rewarding way, book a class with me!
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The strategy of Tiphaine is simple but very effective. She assess each students by understanding their needs and goals first. What I enjoy most is I get to speak french with her more than I did in my other french classes. She also give life advices on the side. :)
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Hello there. I am Ivan and I teach German, French and English online with great success for over 7 years. My teaching technics suit to all kind of interests and goals: personal as well as professional.
I have studied, worked and lived in the French and in the German part of Switzerland, supporting customers from different ages and countries around the world. I am currently working for two online-schools (in the UK and in China).
Additionally, teaching is my passion which makes me not only a passionated and hard-working teacher but also a flexible, dynamic and compassionate person.
Please contact me for more information and a first meeting free of charge.
Looking forward to meet you soon.
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Ivan is an excellent teacher. He adapts lessons to your needs and wishes and makes learning with him fun and enjoyable by finding material which interests you or that you might find interesting even if you didn’t know it yourself before! I have had 25 lessons with him now and my progress has been much quicker than any method, or course I have taken before. I can’t rate him highly enough! He is very punctual and is very quick to respond if I have any questions. Thank you Ivan!
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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Hella is a very easy-going and open-minded person. She asked me to introduce myself and was in the process of determining my level of French, which was fine. Then she introduced herself and described her teaching model, which I found to be very sensible. We have also expressed the objectives. I believe I can reach them with Hella's help. Looking forward to our next lessons!
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Alessandra is a teacher of Italian, history and geography. She teaches in Milan as a substitute teacher. She participated in the Dante Alighieri teaching course in Milan and has Ditals level 1 certification. Her teaching method is based on the level of the student. Her motto is: teaching in a creative way. She uses the Dieci Alma edition to teach.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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WHAT I OFFER:
Online French as a second language (FSL) courses for all levels, preparation for official exams (DELF, DALF, TCF), correction of academic work, translations, preparation for job interviews or public speeches. I also teach Spanish, as I speak it fluently and know about teaching techniques.
MY METHODOLOGY:
I focus on the student, my priority. First I find out what they know, and what their objectives and motivations are. Next, we define together a way forward. Thus, my classes are customized, and based on every student’s needs.
I make sure the learning atmosphere is mellow and agreeable, but never forget that my aim is the student’s improvement. Enjoyment contributes to progress, but some discipline is also necessary. I am used to balancing these two needs.
WHO I AM:
Having taught FSL full-time for 15 years and obtained the DAEFLE (Diploma of Aptitude in Teaching French as a Foreign Language) from the Alliance Française Paris allows me to balance the two elements a good teacher needs: experience and theory. I have worked with people of all levels, from beginners to very advanced, and all ages, from 6 to 86 years old. I also have a great deal of experience in the DELF/DALF tests preparation, with over 90% of success.
I have known for a long time that teaching was my vocation. I like sharing knowledge with others, helping them improve, and feeling that at the end of the day they know more than before. Loving my job and feeling useful is what motivates me to get up every day with a smile.
After a science baccalaureate, I studied audiovisual communication, because I have always been fond of transmitting information. However, I quickly realized I needed a more direct form of contact. During a trip to South America, I started teaching private classes, and immediately understood that was the path I had to follow.
WHY I AM A GOOD TEACHER:
Extensive experience allows me to go fast with quick learners, and to be extremely patient with those who need more time. I have learnt that there isn’t just one way of teaching something, and that some people have a preference for auditory, visual or action-oriented learning. As a private teacher, my priority is to listen to my student in order to adapt my methods to their needs.
Not only do I teach languages, I also provide my students with tools for self-teaching and making progress between classes, allowing them to maximize their investment. I regularly research the latest teaching tools, the evolution of teaching methods, and the neuropsychological findings in that area. This is a surprisingly vast topic.
MY CREDENTIALS:
You will find on my LinkedIn page many letters of recommendation from my students.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-cassagnau-2b2179176/
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Benoît is an exceptional instructor. I am so pleased I found him. He is professional, always prepared for class, and always patient. He never fails to correct my pronunciation, grammar and writing in French - yet, in a kind manner. His expertise and knowledge in ways to help improve my French are worth far more than the investment I have made. He goes above and beyond to make each class count. Benoît is the best French instructor I've ever had!
Benoit C.
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Sari is an involved, responsible and hardworking student. With already an advanced level, its learning curve is very good. A pleasure to work with her.
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Degree in Teaching and in Geography and History, with certificate of French C1 by the Institut Français and by the Official School of Languages, I teach French and Spanish online since 2020.
I adapt to your level and your time needs, with maximum availability. I use my own materials and resources available on the internet, making the classes enjoyable and fun. I offer a free first class, do not hesitate to book it to meet us.
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Blanca is an excellent teacher and very friendly. She adapts the lessons to my wishes. We laugh a lot and I hope that we will continue the lessons for a long time.
Blanca N.
Thank you Jolanda, you are very nice!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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We are an Italian family residing in France for 3 months, we have two 10 year old children who have just started attending CM1. We asked Natalia to give the children two lessons a week to speed up their learning. We are super happy with the choice. Nous sommes une famille italienne résidant en France depuis janvier, nous avons deux enfants de 10 ans qui viennent de commencer la CM1. Nous avons demandé à Natalia de leur donner deux leçons par semaine pour accélérer leur apprentissage. Nous sommes super contents de Natalia. We are an Italian family living in France since 3 months, we have two 10 year old children who have just started attending CM1. We asked Natalia to give the kids two lessons a week to speed up their learning. We are super happy with this choice.
Natalia L.
Fabrizio's children are learning French very fast, I have the impression that these lessons online have been helpful for them and I am sure they will master the language easily. They are very interested in learning.
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Hi, I am Christin!
After training as a pastry chef and studying business administration, I traveled a lot and discovered my interest in languages. To find out more about teaching languages, I decided on further training at the Goethe Institute and completed it. During the Goethe Institute "Learn to teach German" course I was able to give individual language lessons and actively support the examination preparation for the Goethe certificate.
My lessons are needs-oriented. That means that learning goals are discussed with you and based on your level of knowledge. Whether grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, expression or the practice of communication situations: German as a foreign and second language classes are flexible and take place in a group or one-to-one lessons with individual support and are based on your wishes and requirements. The teaching of content and topics takes place according to the respective language level. Building vocabulary, grammar and means of speaking are structured and conveyed logically building on each other. Let's get to know each other in a free trial class. I am looking forward to meeting you!
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Christin is a committed and professional German teacher with experience in teaching German face-to-face. Her teaching methods include setting learning goals with her students and giving continuous feedback. Her activities are guided by a communicative approach and she tries to teach her students german vocabulary for everyday life.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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