tache

Tache is a French noun that can refer to two distinct concepts depending on the accent: tache (no circumflex) and tâche (with circumflex). The most common meaning of tache is a stain or blot on a surface. It is feminine: une tache. Examples include une tache d'encre (an ink stain), une tache de café, or une tache sur une chemise. The phrase taches de rousseur refers to freckles, and tache de naissance can mean a birthmark. The related verb is tacher, meaning to stain or smudge.

Tâche (with the circumflex) is a different noun that means task, job, or duty. It is also feminine: une tâche. This sense covers everyday chores, assignments, and responsibilities, such as faire une tâche, accomplir des tâches, or une liste de tâches. In professional or computing contexts, tâche is used to denote a unit of work or a scheduled item.

Both forms are common in everyday French but are not interchangeable in meaning due to the accent. While tache refers to a mark on a surface, tâche denotes an activity or obligation. The distinction is usually clear from context, and correct spelling with or without the circumflex is important in written French.

Summary: tache = stain or mark; tâche = task or duty. The two forms share a familiar root but are differentiated in modern French by orthography and meaning.