What is the difference between ‘a’, ‘à’ and ‘as’?
It may seem confusing at first, but once you know the basics all you need to do is ask yourself what the purpose of the word is in your sentence. ‘A’ functions as the verb in the sentence- it’s a form of the verb ‘avoir’ (to have) in the 3rd person singular il/elle/on (he/she/it). Example: Il a les cheveux bruns et ondulés. (He has brown and wavy hair) ‘As’ is another form of the verb ‘avoir’, this time conjugated in the 2nd person singular tu (you). Example: Tu as les cheveux bruns et ondulés. (You have brown and wavy hair) ‘À’ is different to the other two- it’s not a verb, but a preposition which can mean a variety of things, for example ‘to’ (i.e. going to a place), or ‘at’ (i.e. at a place). Example: Nous allons à la pharmacie. (We are going to the pharmacy); Je suis à la plage. (I am at the beach) Therefore, if you are confused about whether or not the word should have an accent, the first thing you need to do is find out if it is a form of the verb ‘avoir’ in the sentence. If so, ask yourself who the verb is referring to- ‘he/she/it’ or ‘you’? If not, then it probably needs an accent!
