spellcheck Alphabet and tones
Fon diacritics
In written fɔ̀ngbè, diacritics (accents and tildes) are essential. They mark tones and nasality. Here is how to read and write them correctly.
schedule 5 min
signal_cellular_alt Intermediate
1
Tones
The 4 tone marks
á é í ó úHigh tone (acute accent)
à è ì ò ùLow tone (grave accent)
ǎ ě ǐ ǒ ǔRising tone (caron)
â ê î ô ûFalling tone (circumflex)
xó vs xò
Word (high) vs hit (low)
2
Nasality
The tilde and final n
2 ways to mark nasality:
ã ẽ ĩTilde above
an en inFinal N (spelling variant)
Ɔ̃ ɔ̃Tilde + open vowel
Mɛ̃Person (with nasality)
3
Pitfalls
Common mistakes
Ignoring tonesMeaning completely changed
á vs àConfusion = a different word
əNot used in Fon (ɛ and ɔ are enough)
ã or anEquivalent variants depending on the source
Source
The official spelling in Benin (CENALA) recommends the tilde. Togolese sources often use the final « n ». Both are acceptable.
Precision = understanding
Without diacritics, written Fon loses all its meaning. Learning to see them and to type them = reading and writing correctly.
A fɔn ganji à ?
« Did you wake up well? » — lesson 1, free
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Go further
- Getting started in Fon: the 4-step method — tones, first words, resources
- The Fon video course: see the program — 79 lessons with a native speaker from Cotonou, taught in French
- What is your Fon level? — the free 15-question test