Accents in Spanish Words (Acentos en Palabras)

In Spanish, accents, or acentos, are essential for correct pronunciation, meaning, and grammatical usage. The accent mark in Spanish, called a tilde (´), is a small diagonal line placed over a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) to indicate the stressed syllable in a word or to differentiate between two words that are otherwise spelled the same.

Types of Accents in Spanish

1. Tilde (´) or Acute Accent: This is the most common accent mark in Spanish and is used for various purposes, including indicating the stressed syllable in a word. For example, hablé (I spoke) vs. hable (speak [subjunctive]).
2. Diaeresis (¨) or Umlaut: Rarely used, this mark (called diéresis in Spanish) appears over the letter “u” in combinations like güi and güe to indicate that the “u” should be pronounced, as in pingüino (penguin).

Rules for Using Accents in Spanish

Spanish words can be divided into four categories based on where the stress naturally falls:

1. Palabras Agudas: Words where the stress falls on the last syllable. An accent mark is used if the word ends in a vowel, “n,” or “s.”
   • Examples: café (coffee), papel (paper), canción (song)
2. Palabras Llanas (also known as Graves): Words where the stress falls on the second-to-last syllable. An accent mark is used if the word ends in a consonant other than “n” or “s.”
   • Examples: árbol (tree), fácil (easy), lunes (Monday)
3. Palabras Esdrújulas: Words where the stress falls on the third-to-last syllable. These words always carry an accent mark.
   • Examples: pájaro (bird), esdrújula (proparoxytone), télfono (telephone)
4. Palabras Sobreesdrújulas: Words where the stress falls on any syllable before the third-to-last. These words always carry an accent mark.
   • Examples: dígamelo (tell it to me), cuéntaselo (tell it to him/her)

Distinguishing Between Words

Accents are also used to differentiate between words that are otherwise spelled the same but have different meanings or grammatical functions. These are called diacríticos. For example:

• tú (you) vs. tu (your)
• él (he) vs. el (the)
• sí (yes) vs. si (if)
• mí (me) vs. mi (my)

Key Points About Accents in Spanish

• Accents indicate stress: In Spanish, accents mark the syllable that should be stressed when pronouncing the word.
• Accents change meanings: The presence or absence of an accent can completely change the meaning of a word.
• Accents are mandatory: They are not optional in writing; omitting an accent can lead to grammatical errors or confusion.