Spanish Accent Marks: What to Type and Why They Matter
Accent marks are part of Spanish spelling. They can show which syllable to stress or distinguish words that otherwise look alike. Learn the common patterns first, then use whichever keyboard method is easiest.
Start with the vowels and ñ
Spanish uses the written accent on vowels: á, é, í, ó, ú. The letter ñ is a separate letter, not an n with an optional decoration. For example, ano and año are different words, so the tilde matters.
Accents can distinguish meaning
Compare si (“if”) with sí (“yes”), and tu (“your”) with tú (“you”). Question words take accents in direct and indirect questions: ¿Qué quieres? (“What do you want?”) and No sé qué quieres (“I don’t know what you want”).
Written accents also mark stress when a word does not follow the usual spelling pattern. Most words ending in a vowel, n, or s are stressed on the next-to-last syllable; most other words are stressed on the last syllable. The written accent tells you when a word breaks that expectation, as in café and teléfono.
How to type accents
On phones, press and hold a vowel to choose its accented form; the keyboard usually offers ñ the same way. On a computer, add Spanish as an input language or use the operating system’s accent-entry shortcut. Exact steps depend on your device and keyboard layout, so the device settings are the most reliable place to check.
In Puente, you can type accents directly in the answer box. The practice tool is designed to focus on building a sentence; if you are just starting, aim for meaning and verb choice first, then review spelling. As your writing improves, include the accents so the words are clear and correctly written.
Mini practice
Add the accent where it changes the word
Tu sabes si el cafe esta abierto. ¿Que quieres?
Reveal a corrected version
Why: Tú is “you,” café has a written stress mark, está is the verb form, and qué is a question word. Si means “if” here and needs no accent.