Circumflex accent

Circumflex accent takes place on all voyels except y: â, ê, î, ô and û.

Its role is multiple. It can be a historical reason, a distinction reason or just because it is the normal tense termination.

Historical circumflex accent

In some words, circumflex accents come from the language evolution. It replaces the e or s from former words. There is still derived word with the former spelling (forêt/forestier). This is a good help to know when to put this accent:

- âge former eage
- tête former teste
- forêt, forestier
- vêtement, vestimentaire
- hôpital, hospitalier
- fenêtre, défenestrer


This evolution comes from the middle-ages. A that time, paper was rare and expensive. There was no printer. To reduce costs, monks in charge to copy books replaced the s by a s in front of the word. Little by little, this s became a ^. Finally, this s was not pronounced.

Circumflex accent to make differences

But circumflex accent can express a difference between trwo word. Typically, past participle for devoir is dû to make a difference with article du (du pain).

- que je crûsse (imperfect subjunctive of verb croître)
- crû (past participle of croître) to distinct with cru (verb croire and adjective)
- le nôtre and le vôtre to distinct with possessive prounouns notre and votre

Terminaison circumflex accent

When i is followed by a t, there is a circumflex accent. For instance, for verbs in aître and oître: il disparaît, il croît...

Note : this form should disappear because the French academy recommend not to put the circumflex on those words: apparaitre, il apparait, comparaitre, il connait, croitre etc. But be careful if you use them!

Last but not least, to subjunctive imperfect:

- qu'il mangeât
- qu'il eût mangé
- il fût venu

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