A diacritical accent (tilde diacrítica) is a written accent used to distinguish two words that would otherwise be spelled identically. Unlike regular stress accents, which mark exceptions to Spanish pronunciation rules, diacritical accents exist purely to prevent ambiguity in writing. The pairs often have a grammatical twin: one is a pronoun or verb form (with accent), the other is a possessive, article, or conjunction (without accent).
The Classic Monosyllable Pairs
Spanish monosyllables usually never take an accent, because there is only one vowel to stress. But a few pairs of single-syllable words share the same spelling and must be distinguished.
| Unaccented | Meaning | Accented | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| tu | your (possessive) | tú | you (subject pronoun) |
| el | the (masc. article) | él | he / him |
| mi | my (possessive) | mí | me (after preposition) |
| si | if | sí | yes; oneself |
| te | you (object pronoun) | té | tea |
| se | reflexive pronoun | sé | I know; be (imperative) |
| de | of, from | dé | give (subjunctive/imperative of dar) |
| mas | but (literary) | más | more |
Tú tomas tu té sin azúcar.
You drink your tea without sugar.
Sí, sí lo sé: si él viene, yo me voy.
Yes, I know: if he comes, I'm leaving.
In sí lo sé, both sí (yes) and sé (I know) carry the accent. The unaccented se would be a reflexive pronoun (se lava = he washes himself).
Interrogative and Exclamatory Words
A second major group of diacritical accents distinguishes question/exclamation words from their relative or conjunction twins. These words always take an accent when used in direct questions, indirect questions, or exclamations.
| Interrogative/Exclamatory | Relative/Conjunction |
|---|---|
| qué (what) | que (that, which) |
| cómo (how) | como (like, as, since) |
| dónde (where) | donde (where) |
| adónde (to where) | adonde (to where) |
| cuándo (when) | cuando (when) |
| quién(es) (who) | quien(es) (who) |
| cuál(es) (which) | cual(es) (which) |
| cuánto/a/os/as (how much/many) | cuanto/a/os/as (as much/many as) |
| por qué (why) | porque (because) |
¿Qué quieres?
What do you want?
Quiero que me digas la verdad.
I want you to tell me the truth.
¿Cuándo llega el tren?
When does the train arrive?
Cuando llegue el tren, te aviso.
When the train arrives, I'll let you know.
Dime dónde estás.
Tell me where you are.
La casa donde vivo es pequeña.
The house where I live is small.
Note that the accented form is used even in indirect questions (Dime dónde estás), where there is no question mark.
Por qué vs Porque
One of the most confused pairs for learners is the por qué / porque group. Here is the complete set:
| Form | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| por qué | why (question) | ¿Por qué llegas tarde? |
| porque | because | Llego tarde porque hay tráfico. |
| porqué | reason (noun) | No entiendo el porqué de su decisión. |
| por que | for which (rare) | La razón por que luchamos. |
¿Por qué estudias español?
Why do you study Spanish?
Porque me gusta mucho.
Because I like it a lot.
No sé el porqué de esa decisión.
I don't know the reason for that decision.
Solo: The Optional Exception
The word solo/sólo was historically distinguished with an accent when it meant "only" (solamente), as opposed to its meaning "alone". In 2010, the Real Academia ruled that the accent is no longer required, as context normally makes the meaning clear. Many writers still use it out of habit, especially when ambiguity would be a problem.
| Meaning | Old spelling | Modern spelling |
|---|---|---|
| alone | solo | solo |
| only | sólo | solo (optional sólo) |
Solo quiero un café.
I only want a coffee.
Aún vs Aun
One final pair to know: aún and aun.
| Form | Meaning | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| aún | still, yet | todavía |
| aun | even | incluso |
Aún no he terminado la tarea.
I still haven't finished the homework.
Aun los expertos se equivocan.
Even the experts make mistakes.
See Also
Related Topics
- Written Accent MarksA2 — When and how to write the acute accent (tilde) on Spanish vowels
- Qué (What, Which)A1 — Use ¿qué? to ask for definitions, identifications, and to modify nouns with the meaning what or which.
- Tú vs UstedA1 — The informal (tú) and formal (usted) singular 'you' and when to use each