Ç (C Cedilla) – Type C with Tail, Meaning & Usage

The letter Ç (C cedilla) is a modified version of the letter C, commonly used in French, Portuguese, Turkish, and other languages to represent a soft “s” sound — as in “façade” or “ça va“.

If you’re wondering how to type Ç (uppercase) or ç (lowercase) on your keyboard, this guide will help you type it easily on Windows, Mac, Android, and in Microsoft Word.

We also include Alt codes, copy-paste buttons, Unicode, and a clear explanation of the symbol.

What Is a Cedilla (¸)?

A cedilla (¸) is a diacritical mark that looks like a small tail placed under the letter “C” to form Ç or ç. It changes the pronunciation of “C” from a hard /k/ to a soft /s/ sound.

  • “C cedilla” is the English term.
  • “C cédille” is the French version.

A cedilla is often confused with a comma, but they are different:

  • A comma sits beside or below a letter.
  • A cedilla is always attached directly under the letter C.
Ç (C Cedilla)

Copy and Paste C with Tail

How to Type Ç (C with Cedilla)

Here are some ways to type the Ç c cedilla on different devices and operating systems:

How to Type Ç in Microsoft Word

Method 1: Keyboard shortcut

  1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the c with cedilla.
  2. Press and hold Ctrl + , (comma)
  3. Release both keys.
  4. Press the letter c

Method 2: Insert Symbol

  1. Click on the “Insert” tab at the top of the page.
  2. Click on “Symbol” and select “More Symbols”.
  3. In the “Subset” drop-down menu, select “Latin-1 Supplement”.
  4. Find ç or Ç, click Insert.
C with Cedilla

On Mac Keyboard

  1. Press and hold the Option key on your keyboard.
  2. While holding the Option key, press the letter “c”.
  3. Release both keys at the same time. This types ç

“To type Ç (uppercase), press Shift + Option + C“.

CharacterShortcut
çOption + C
ÇShift + Option + C

How to Type Ç on Windows (Using Character Map)

Character Map is a built-in Windows application that allows users to view and select various characters and symbols, including the c-cedilla. Here are the steps to use the Character Map to type C with cedilla on Windows:

The #1 Writing Tool
  • Open the Start menu and search for “Character Map” or “charmap.exe”.
  • Click on the Character Map application to open it.
  • Type “cedilla” in the search box then Select the ç character from the list of available characters.
  • Click on the “Copy” button to copy the character to the clipboard.
  • Paste the character in the desired location by pressing “Ctrl + V” or right-clicking and selecting “Paste”.
C Cedille

How to Type C cedilla Ç on Android Phones

  1. Open the app where you want to type the c-cedilla, such as Messages or Gmail.
  2. Tap on the text box to bring up the keyboard.
  3. Long-press the letter “c” on the keyboard to bring accented characters.
  4. Slide your finger to select ç.

Alt Codes for Ç

Use the keyboard shortcut for C with a tail on your Windows PC

  • For capital C cedilla: Alt + 0199 → Ç
  • For lowercase c cedilla: Alt + 0231 → ç
CharacterAlt CodeHow to Type
ÇAlt + 0199Hold Alt and type 0199 on numeric keypad
çAlt + 0231Hold Alt and type 0231 on numeric keypad

Unicode for Ç and ç

Unicode provides universal character codes:

  • Ç (uppercase): U+00C7
  • ç (lowercase): U+00E7

When to Use Ç in Spelling

Use ç only when required by the language’s spelling rules.

  • In French, don’t use ç at the beginning of a word (there are no native French words that start with ç).
  • In Turkish, it is common at the beginning, middle, or end.
  • Avoid replacing regular “c” with “ç” unless it changes the pronunciation as intended.

Ç vs C – What’s the Difference?

FeatureCÇ (C Cedilla)
PronunciationHard (/k/) or Soft (/s/) depending on following letterAlways soft or /ch/ (in Turkish)
MarkNo accentCedilla (¸) below
UseCommon in English and most languagesSpecific to Romance and Turkic languages
UnicodeU+0043 (C), U+0063 (c)U+00C7 (Ç), U+00E7 (ç)

What is the cedilla called in French?

It’s called a “cédille“, and the letter “ç” is referred to as “c cédille“.

What’s the difference between ç and č?

ç = C with cedilla (used in French, Portuguese, etc.)
č = C with caron (used in Slavic languages like Czech, pronounced like ch)

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