French conjugation explanation
Cédille
<p>In French, the letter <strong>c</strong> has two possible pronunciations depending on the letter that follows it:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Hard C [k]:</strong> like in <span style="font-style: italic;">cat</span>. This happens before <strong>a, o,</strong> and <strong>u</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Soft C [s]:</strong> like in <span style="font-style: italic;">sun</span>. This happens before <strong>e, i,</strong> and <strong>y</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The purpose of the <strong>cedilla</strong> (<span style="font-style: italic;">la cédille</span>) is to force a <strong>Soft C</strong> sound where the letter would normally be hard. By adding the cedilla <strong>(ç)</strong>, we change the pronunciation from [k] to [s].</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">When to use the Cedilla</div>
<p>You only use the cedilla before the "hard vowels" (<strong>a, o, u</strong>) when you need to keep the [s] sound. You <strong>never</strong> use it before <strong>e</strong> or <strong>i</strong>, because the <span style="font-style: italic;">c</span> is already soft in that position.</p>
<p><strong>Hard → Soft</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>ca → <span class="green_emphasis">ça</span></li>
<li>co → <span class="green_emphasis">ço</span></li>
<li>cu → <span class="green_emphasis">çu</span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Already Soft (No Change)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>ce</li>
<li>ci</li>
<li>cy</li>
</ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Verbs ending in -cer</div>
<p>This rule is most important for verbs with an infinitive ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-cer</span> (like
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/commencer/" title="Click to see conjugations for commencer" target="_blank">commencer</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/lancer/" title="Click to see conjugations for lancer" target="_blank">lancer</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/avancer/" title="Click to see conjugations for avancer" target="_blank">avancer</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/placer/" title="Click to see conjugations for placer" target="_blank">placer</a>
). The stem of these verbs ends with a soft [s] sound. To preserve this sound throughout the conjugation, we must add a cedilla whenever the ending starts with <strong>a</strong> or <strong>o</strong>.</p><ul>
<li>
<div><strong>Present Indicative:</strong> In the <span style="font-style: italic;">nous</span> form, the ending is <span style="font-style: italic;">-ons</span>. Without the cedilla, <span style="font-style: italic;">nous commencons</span> would be pronounced "commen-Kong".</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nous <span class="green_emphasis">commençons</span> à comprendre. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We are starting to understand.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>Imperfect:</strong> The endings <span style="font-style: italic;">-ais, -ait, -aient</span> all start with <strong>a</strong>, so the cedilla is required.</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il <span class="green_emphasis">lançait</span> le ballon. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He was throwing the ball.</span>)</div>
</li>
</ul>
<p>However, if the ending starts with <strong>e</strong> or <strong>i</strong>, strictly stick to the normal <span style="font-style: italic;">c</span>.</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Tu <span class="brown_emphasis">commences</span> le travail. (<span style="font-style: italic;">You are starting work.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(Followed by <strong>e</strong>, so no cedilla.)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nous <span class="brown_emphasis">lancions</span> des pierres. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We were throwing stones.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(Followed by <strong>i</strong>, so no cedilla.)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Irregular Verbs</div>
<p>Some irregular verbs, particularly
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/recevoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for recevoir" target="_blank">recevoir</a>
(to receive),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/apercevoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for apercevoir" target="_blank">apercevoir</a>
(to catch sight of), and<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/d%C3%A9cevoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for décevoir" target="_blank">décevoir</a>
(to disappoint), also use the cedilla when the stem changes to include an <strong>o</strong> or <strong>u</strong> sound.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">J'ai <span class="green_emphasis">reçu</span> une lettre. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I received a letter.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il m'a <span class="green_emphasis">déçu</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He disappointed me.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Conjugation Tables</div>
<p>In the tables below, the forms requiring a cedilla are highlighted. Note the pattern regarding the letters <strong>a</strong> and <strong>o</strong>.</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/25/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
je
</span>commence
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tu
</span>commences
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
il
</span>commence
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vous
</span>commencez
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ils
</span>commencent
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/26/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imparfait</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençais<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençais<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençait<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nous
</span>commencions
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vous
</span>commenciez
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençaient<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/25/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Présent</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
je
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">reçois<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">reçois<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
il
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">reçoit<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">recevons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vous
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">recevez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ils
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">reçoivent<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>