SPELLING 'C' I 'Ç'

1. The consonant <c> sounds /k/ in the following cases:

    
- before the vowels <a>, <o>, <u>

Caixa, comú, acusar, etc.

    
- before any consonant consonant

Crua, esclarir, incloure, etc.

   
- at the end of word

Antic, sacsejar, etc.

               
2. Instead, consonant <c> sounds /s/ before the vowels <e> and <o>

Cent, recent, àcid, cinema, etc.

             
3. The consonant <ç> sounds /s/ and is used (see also PHONEME /s/):

   
- with the vowels <a>, <o>, <u>:

Caçar, capaços, etc.

   
- at final position:

Feliç, capaç, dolç, etc.

             
4. Therefore, with both <c> and <ç> it is possible to make up the whole phonic series of /s/:

ça, ce, ci, ço, çu

             
5. Compare it with the phonic series containing /k/:

ca, que, qui, co, cu

                    
6. The consonant <ç> is never used at the beginning of a word, except with the old-fashioned pronoun ço, which is currently used as açò.