Language/Spanish/Pronunciation/Accents

How to use the accents in Spanish

In Spanish, the use of accents can change the meaning of a word. In this lesson, we will be discussing the rules for using accents in Spanish and how they are used to distinguish between different words. Accents are a crucial aspect of the Spanish language, and understanding their proper usage is important for clear and accurate communication. By the end of the lesson, you will have a clear understanding of when and how to use accents in Spanish, and will be able to correctly use them in your writing and speaking. Whether you are a beginner learning Spanish or just looking to improve your writing skills, this lesson will provide you with the tools you need to correctly use accents in the Spanish language.

Written accents in Spanish, á, é, í, ó, ú are very useful to know where to put the stressed syllable of the word.

Each word in Spanish includes a syllable which is more accentuated than the other: it is sometimes marked by a written accent.

Rules

The rules for where to put the accent and why to put it there may be difficult for non Spanish native speakers at the beginning.

• If the word ends in an s or n or one of five vowels (a, e, i, o, u), stress is marked on the penultimate syllable. It does not need a written accent to mark the intonation. The majority of Spanish words fall into this category.

Examples: me-sa, za-pa-tos, pa-dre

• All other words that do not end in an s, n or a vowel and do not include written accent then carry the accent on the last syllable. They do not need a written accent.

Examples: Co-mer, pa-pel, or-de-na-dor

• If the accent is marked on another syllable (for words not following the two previous rules), we then use a written accent to indicate the stressed syllable.

Examples: di-fí-cil, ár-bol (both words end with an l and should be part of the second category. As this is not the case, we must then place a written accent on the stressed syllable).

• It is the same when the accent falls on the penultimate syllable or the last such as with compound words.

Examples: dí-me-lo (imperative and two pronouns), du-chán-do-se (gerund and reflexive pronoun), los fan-tás-tic-co.

• There are exceptions to these rules for foreign words used in the Spanish language.

• There are other specific cases in the use of written accents in Spanish.

• The letter ñ is a letter of the Spanish alphabet but is sometimes seen as an accent. It changes the sound of the n as in español.

How to write the Spanish accents on your keyboard?

Spanish accents are an important aspect of spelling words: So be sure to write them.

Here is the list of shortcuts to use a keyboard that is not Spanish.

To do this, hold down the Alt key and type the number listed:

Character	Shortcut	Character	Shortcut
Á	Alt + 0193	á	Alt + 0225
É	Alt + 0201	é	Alt + 0233
Í	Alt + 0205	í	Alt + 0237
Ó	Alt + 0211	ó	Alt + 0243
Ú	Alt + 0218	ú	Alt + 0250
Ñ	Alt + 0209	ñ	Alt + 0241

Most monosyllabic words like pan and sal do not have an accent. There are some exceptions called "tilde diacrítica". Diacritical tilde is used to differentiate words that are written the same but have different meaning, like "él" (he) and "el" (the) or solo (alone) and sólo (only).

Related Lessons

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Vowels