Why is très in French pronounced even though the accent grave produces a soft e sound?

You're right, the accent grave (`) generally indicates a soft "e" sound in French. However, there are a few exceptions, and "très" is one of them.

The reason for the pronunciation of "très" lies in its etymological history. It comes from the Latin word "tres," which was pronounced with a hard "e" sound. When French evolved, the pronunciation of "très" remained relatively unchanged, despite the spelling changes.

While the accent grave generally indicates a soft "e," it doesn't always do so. Some words retain the hard "e" sound for historical reasons, like "très," "père," and "mère."

Here's a breakdown of the pronunciation:

* The "e" in "très" is pronounced as a hard "e" sound, similar to the "e" in "bed" in English.

* The accent grave doesn't indicate a silent "e" in this case.

So, while the accent grave usually signals a soft "e," it's essential to remember that some words retain their historical pronunciation.