How do I add accents and umlauts to documents I typed in MS Word??

[gatorsmom]

I'm working on copying to the computer a couple of documents for DH's company (he's self employed). They are in French, Spanish and German. I've already typed the French one up but I need to add accent marks. I've never had to do this before. In college the teacher just asked us to go back after we printed it and add the accents with a pencil (this was in the days of Word Perfect, before MS Windows- yes I'm old as the dinosaurs ;)). Can't I just go back into the document and insert symbols? Will that work? Or do I have to retype it in a special format or something?

Does anyone know how this works? TIA!

[Zansu]

Insert: Symbol

[Penny's Pappa]

Insert: Symbol

:yeahthat: And don't look for the accent mark itself. That won't work. Look for the letter WITH the accent mark

[MontrealMum]

You can probably do a "find and replace" and then "insert symbol" as pp have mentioned if it's always specific words you want to fix. "Find" is off the dropdown from "Edit".

In the future if you don't want to install a French keyboard (and why would you if you're typing nearly 100% of the time in English), you can memorize several keystrokes to get certain accented letters. It's much faster with long docs or with lots of foreign words to just do the keystrokes as you type than to insert symbol all the time. You must hold down the first 2/3 keys at the same time, then release and press the vowel/letter you want accented.

FOR FRENCH:
ctrl + quotation marks +e = é
-will produce an accent aigu on any vowel that takes it

ctrl + comma + c = cédille

ctrl + shift + colon + vowel = umlaut over any letter that takes it

ctrl + tilde + vowel = accent grave over any letter that takes it

You can do all of these with capitals as well but you have to add in the shift key. So, (ctrl + quotation) let go, + shift + E=É

Forgot the circonflexe: ctrl + shift + 6, then vowel = ô

[sariana]

Also, if you use Insert: Symbol, look at the bottom right of the window. It will show you the keystroke (if there is one).

[BillK]

Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Character Map

Find the character/symbol you want - copy and paste it.

[gatorsmom]

You guys are awesome, thank you!