Learning French always starts with the basics—and that means the alphabet. At first glance, the French alphabet looks familiar if you already know English: it uses the same 26 letters. The big differences come from pronunciation and the accent marks (diacritics) you’ll see on some letters.
In this guide, you’ll learn the French alphabet A–Z, what makes French pronunciation unique, what each accent means, and the easiest ways to type French characters on Windows, Mac, and mobile—without frustration.
The French Alphabet (A–Z)
French uses the same letters as English:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
So what changes? Mostly how the letters are pronounced when you spell words out loud (like in names, emails, or phone calls).
Here are a few key examples:
- A often sounds like “ah”
- E can sound like “uh”, “ay”, or be silent depending on the word
- J sounds like “zh” (often written as “zhee”)
- R is typically produced in the throat, not with the tongue tip like English “r”
Even though the letters are the same, French pronunciation rules can make reading and spelling feel very different at first. The good news: once you get used to the patterns, it becomes much easier.
Accented Letters in French
Accents in French are not decoration—they’re part of correct spelling and often signal a change in pronunciation or meaning. Leaving accents out can look incorrect and sometimes changes what a word means.
Here are the main accents you’ll see:
1) Acute Accent (é)
- Appears only on e
- Often sounds like “ay”
- Example: café
2) Grave Accent (è, à, ù)
- Can change pronunciation (especially è)
- Also helps distinguish meaning in some cases (like à)
- Examples: très, là
3) Circumflex (â, ê, î, ô, û)
- Often marks a historical missing letter in older French
- Example: forêt, hôtel
4) Diaeresis / Umlaut (ë, ï, ü)
- Shows that vowels should be pronounced separately
- Example: Noël
5) Cedilla (ç)
- Makes c sound like “s” before a, o, u
- Example: garçon
French Characters You’ll Want to Type Often
If you’re writing French regularly, these come up constantly:
- é, è, ê, ë
- à, â
- ù, û
- î, ï
- ô
- ç
- œ (less common, but useful)
Typing them comfortably is one of the quickest upgrades you can make as a learner.
How to Type French Accents on Windows
Option 1: Use Alt Codes
You can type many French characters using Alt + a number (with the numeric keypad).
Examples:
- é → Alt + 0233
- è → Alt + 0232
- ç → Alt + 0231
This works, but it’s usually slower—and easy to forget if you don’t use it daily.
Option 2: Use an International Keyboard (Recommended)
If you type French often, switching your keyboard layout is usually the fastest solution.
A popular choice is US International (or a French keyboard layout).
With US International, common patterns include:
- ‘ + e → é
- ` + e → è
- ^ + o → ô
- , + c → ç
Once your fingers learn these shortcuts, typing French becomes much more natural.
How to Type French Accents on Mac
Mac makes this very simple:
- Press and hold the letter key (like e or c)
- A small menu appears with accent options
- Press the number for the character you want
Examples:
- Hold e → press 2 → é
- Hold c → press 1 → ç
This works in most apps and is one of the easiest methods overall.
How to Type French Accents on Phones and Tablets (iOS & Android)
On both iPhone and Android:
- Press and hold the letter
- Select the accented version from the pop-up
This is usually the easiest method—especially for quick messages.
Do Accents Really Matter?
Yes—accents matter a lot in French.
They can change meaning and avoid confusion. For example:
- a (has) vs à (to/at)
- ou (or) vs où (where)
- sur (on) vs sûr (sure)
Even when someone can guess your meaning, using accents correctly signals clarity and care—and makes your French look much more natural.
Final Thoughts
The French alphabet itself isn’t difficult. The real challenge is getting comfortable with accents and learning how to type them quickly.
Once you set up a typing method that fits your device, it becomes second nature. If you plan to write in French regularly, take a few minutes to set up an international keyboard (or learn the shortcuts you prefer). It will save time, reduce mistakes, and make your French look much more confident from the start.
