Writing letters with accents (é, è, à, ù, ê, î, â, ï, etc.) or ç with your computer :

You have a PC

You have a Macintosh :

With an English keyboard
With a Spanish keyboard
With a Japanese keyboard

Note :
When writing in capital letters, it is not compulsory to use letters with accents (francophones seldom do so).
For example : événement ---> EVENEMENT or ÉVÉNEMENT.

In the same way, ae and oe are almost always written with two separate letters when typing with a keyboard (however, the two letters are stuck one to the other when writing by hand).

With a PC :

You can :

either use codes (slow method)
or use a Canadian French "virtual" keyboard (recommended method).
 

PC : use of codes

The use of codes is convenient when you write occasionally words containing letters with accents.

You have to press Alt + (the numbers of the code).

Maintain the Alt (Option) key pressed while typing the numbers on the number pad (and not on the range of numbers on top of the keyboard) : the letter with accent will appear when you stop pressing the Alt key.

Note : on laptops, the number pad must be activated by pressing Fn + Num lock. Then you have to keep pressing Alt + Fn key while you type the code : Alt + Fn + (numbers of the code). The numbers of the number pad on a laptop are on the right side of the keyboard. They are written on the front side of some keys. (You can keep the number pad on while writing as its keys only write numbers when the Fn key is pressed. However, if you would like to disable the key pad, press again Fn + Num lock).

PC : Use a virtual French Canadian keyboard

(Note : if you have a PC with a Japanese keyboard click here.)

It is possible to install a virtual French Canadian keyboard on your computer and switch easily from your usual keyboard to this new keyboard when you want to write in French. (It is recommended to use a virtual French Canadian keyboard and not a virtual French keyboard, as most keys are in the same place as on an English, Spanish or Japanese keyboard, when their layout is very different on a French keyboard).

In order to install a virtual French Canadian keyboard :
- Have your Windows CD-Rom ready.
- Click on Start > Settings > Control panel >
- Click twice on "keyboard" > click on "Language" > Add
- Look for "French (Canadian)" on the rolling menu.
- Click on "set as default"
- Select "left Alt+shift" for switching languages.
- Check the box : "Enable indicator on taskbar"
- Click on "Apply".

To switch to the virtual French Canadian keyboard from your usual keyboard and vice versa, press Alt (on the left side of the keyboard) and Shift together. You can also select the keyboard on the bottom left corner of your screen : you can see two initial letters indicating either your keyboard or "Ca" for the French Canadian keyboard. Choose either one or the other by clicking on these letters.

Here is the layout of keys on the French Canadian keyboard:

When pressing Shift (Maj) key :

With this keyboard, letters with accents and ç are written using keys as follows :

For some letters or symbols which cannot be written directly with the keyboard, you have to use codes on the number pad, while pressing Alt key (see Use of Codes) :

You have a PC with a Japanses keyboard :

We recommend you to read the explanations given by Tamiya Toguchi, professor at the University of Foreign Languages of Nagasaki : http://www.nagasaki-gaigo.ac.jp/toguchi/imput-fr/imput-fr-win.htm

 

The keys used for writing letters with accents are on your keyboard :

Letters with accents and ç are written using keys as follows :

Letters with accents and ç are written using keys as follows :

We recommend you to read the explanations given by Tamiya Toguchi, professor at the University of Foreign Languages of Nagasaki : http://www.nagasaki-gaigo.ac.jp/toguchi/imput-fr/imput-fr-mac.htm

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