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Accents in Spanish

Phonetic Stress and Accent Marks

 

Spanish words have only one phonetic stress. The stress is marked with a written accent ( ´ ) according to the following rules:

 

 

Rule 1

 

Words stressed in the last syllable have a written accent on it only if the last letter ends in "n", "s", or vowel. These words are named "agudas".

 

For example:

Word

Syllable separation 

 

 

 

 

 

Word

Syllable separation 

verás

ve-rás

japonés     

ja-po-nés

marqués    

mar-qués

balancín

ba-lan-cín

bufón

bu-fón

menú

me-nú

bailarín

bai-la-rín

veintidós

vein-ti-dós

 

 

Rule 2

 

Words stressed on the next to last syllable need an accent on it  if the last letter is any consonant, except "n" or "s". These words are named "graves"

 

For example:

Word

Syllable separation 

 

 

Word

Syllable separation 

mártir   

már-tir

útil

ú-til

árbol

ár-bol

néctar   

néc-tar

lápiz

lá-piz

túnel

tú-nel

débil

dé-bil

trébol

tré-bol

dátil

dá-til

cáliz

cá-liz

                    

                    Exceptions:

                            Words that end in "ps", like "fórceps" and "bíceps".

 

 

Rule 3

 

Words which stress two syllables before the last one need an accent on it regardless of the last letter. These words are named "esdrújulas".

 

For example:

Word

Syllable separation  

 

Word

Syllable separation 

cámara

cá-ma-ra

estático

es-tá-ti-co

clásico

clá-si-co

estómago    

es-tó-ma-go

pálido

pá-li-do

águila

á-gui-la

lámpara

lám-pa-ra        

crédito

cré-di-to

pronóstico  

pro-nós- ti-co 

rápido

rá-pi-do

 

 

Rule 4

 

Words with stress three syllables before the last need an accent on it regardless of the last letter. These words are named "sobresdrújulas".

 

For example:

Word

   Syllable     separation 

 

Word

Syllable separation

poniéndoselo

po-nién-do-se-lo marcándotelo mar-cán-do-te-lo
empacándomelo    em-pa-cán-do-me-lo  tomándoselo       to-mán-do-se-lo

 

 

   

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