Spelling
CEFR A2
Cedilla under the c
The cedilla goes under the "c" before the vowels a, o, u to produce the [s] sound. It is unnecessary before e and i (where the c already sounds like [s]).
C + a/o/u: [k] sound. Ç + a/o/u: [s] sound. Before e/i: no cedilla needed.
Examples
Ça va bien.
Key word(s): ça
Without the cedilla, "ca" would be pronounced [ka].
Un garçon poli.
Key word(s): garçon
The cedilla gives the [s] sound before "o".
Nous commençons.
Key word(s): commençons
The cedilla keeps the [s] sound before "o".
Il a reçu un cadeau.
Key word(s): reçu
The cedilla gives the [s] sound before "u".
Il aperçut la mer.
Key word(s): aperçut
The cedilla before "u" keeps the [s] sound.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the cedilla in conjugations (nous commençons, il lançait)
- Adding a cedilla before e or i (pointless: "ce", "ci" already sound like [s])
- Forgetting the cedilla in "ça" ("ca" does not exist in French)
Test yourself
Nous avan___ons.
La le___on est finie.
Il pla___e ses affaires.
Tips to remember
- The cedilla only exists before a, o, u. Never before e, i.
- In conjugations, the cedilla appears when the ending starts with a or o: nous lançons, il lançait.
- Common words with a cedilla: ça, garçon, leçon, reçu, façade, français.
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