By Mrs. Valdez-Rodriguez All words are accented (have a stress) ! All words are accented (have a stress) ! But not all words are visually accented (´)

UnderstandingUnderstandingThe Rules of AccentuationThe Rules of Accentuation

in thein theSpanish LanguageSpanish Language

ByBy

Mrs. Valdez-RodriguezMrs. Valdez-Rodriguez

Understanding The Rules of Accentuation in the Spanish Understanding The Rules of Accentuation in the Spanish LanguageLanguage

• AllAll words are accented words are accented (have a stress)(have a stress) !!

• But not all words are But not all words are visuallyvisually accented accented (´)(´) !!!!


Question:Question:

So, if all words are accented So, if all words are accented (stressed)(stressed), then how does , then how does one determine whether a particular word takes a one determine whether a particular word takes a

tilde tilde (´)(´) or not? or not?

Tip:Tip:

The diacritical mark (´) in Spanish is often somewhat erroneously referred to as The diacritical mark (´) in Spanish is often somewhat erroneously referred to as el el acentoacento..

It is more accurately called It is more accurately called el tildeel tilde or or la virgulilla.la virgulilla.


Answer:Answer:

First First classifyclassify the word. the word.

Tip:Tip:

In the majority of cases determining whether a particular word requires a tilde, or not, is In the majority of cases determining whether a particular word requires a tilde, or not, is a two step processa two step process..


STEP 1:STEP 1:

WORD CLASSIFICATIONWORD CLASSIFICATION

All words in Spanish can essentially be classified in 1 of 4 ways:All words in Spanish can essentially be classified in 1 of 4 ways:

• AgudaAguda• Grave Grave (a.k.a. Llana)(a.k.a. Llana)

• EsdrújulaEsdrújula

• SobresdrújulaSobresdrújula


STEP 1:STEP 1:WORD CLASSIFICATIONWORD CLASSIFICATION

AgudaAgudaAny word whose accent Any word whose accent (stress)(stress) falls on the last falls on the last

syllable.syllable.i.e.,i.e., comer, información comer, información

Note that not all words classified as agudas take a tildeNote that not all words classified as agudas take a tilde (accent mark) (accent mark)

Tip:Tip:Roughly 35% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as agudas.Roughly 35% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as agudas.

Behind graves, agudas are the next most popular classification.Behind graves, agudas are the next most popular classification.



Grave Grave (a.k.a. Llana)(a.k.a. Llana)

Any word whose accent Any word whose accent (stress)(stress) falls on the penultimate falls on the penultimate (second from last)(second from last) syllable. syllable.

i.e.,i.e., dulce, árbol dulce, árbol

Note that, like agudas, not all words classified as graves take a tildeNote that, like agudas, not all words classified as graves take a tilde (accent (accent mark)mark)

Tip:Tip:Roughly 55% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as graves.Roughly 55% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as graves.

Graves are the most popular classification.Graves are the most popular classification.



EsdrújulaEsdrújulaAny word whose accent Any word whose accent (stress)(stress) falls on the antepenultimate falls on the antepenultimate(third from last)(third from last) syllable. syllable.

i.e.,i.e., clásico, íntimo clásico, íntimo

Note that, unlike agudas and graves, Note that, unlike agudas and graves, allall words classified as esdrújula take a words classified as esdrújula take a tildetilde (accent mark) (accent mark)

Tip:Tip:Roughly 9% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as esdrújula.Roughly 9% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as esdrújula.



SobresdrújulaSobresdrújulaAny word whose accent Any word whose accent (stress)(stress) falls before the falls before the antepenultimateantepenultimate(third from last)(third from last) syllable. syllable.

i.e.,i.e., simbólicamente, públicamente simbólicamente, públicamente

Note that, like esdrújulas, Note that, like esdrújulas, allall words classified as sobresdrújula take a tilde words classified as sobresdrújula take a tilde (accent mark)(accent mark)

Tip:Tip:Roughly only 1% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as sobresdrújula.Roughly only 1% of the words in the Spanish language can be classified as sobresdrújula.

The few sobresdrújulas that exist tend to be adverbs (ending in –mente), but not all adverbs!The few sobresdrújulas that exist tend to be adverbs (ending in –mente), but not all adverbs!


Question:Question:

Once the classification of a word has been Once the classification of a word has been establishedestablished

(Step 1)(Step 1),, what is the second, and final, step in what is the second, and final, step in determining whether a visual accent determining whether a visual accent (a tilde)(a tilde) is, or is, or

is not, required?is not, required?

Tip:Tip:Tildes appear only over vowels.Tildes appear only over vowels.


STEP 2:STEP 2:

Once determined that a particular word’s classification is:Once determined that a particular word’s classification is:

AgudaAguda

If it ends inIf it ends in “ “nn””,, “ “ss” ” or aor a vowelvowel then a tilde is placed over the last syllable.then a tilde is placed over the last syllable.

i.e., i.e., algodón, Panamá, cortés algodón, Panamá, cortés

Otherwise, no tilde is required.Otherwise, no tilde is required.

i.e., i.e., logical, tomar, caracollogical, tomar, caracol


STEP 2:STEP 2:


EsdrújulaEsdrújula

All esdrújulasAll esdrújulas take a tilde placed over the antepenultimate syllable.take a tilde placed over the antepenultimate syllable.

i.e.,i.e., simbólico, anímico, águila simbólico, anímico, águila

Tip:Tip:Esdrújulas are easy since they Esdrújulas are easy since they allall take tildes. take tildes.


STEP 2:STEP 2:


GraveGrave

If it If it DOES NOTDOES NOT end in end in ““nn””, , ““ss”” or a or a vowelvowel then a tilde is placed over the then a tilde is placed over the penultimate syllable.penultimate syllable.

i.e.,i.e., árbol, azúcar, ángel árbol, azúcar, ángel

Otherwise, no tilde is required.Otherwise, no tilde is required.

i.e., i.e., , camino, polen, telecomunicaciones , camino, polen, telecomunicaciones


STEP 2:STEP 2:


SobresdrújulaSobresdrújula

All sobresdrújulasAll sobresdrújulas take a tilde placed over the stressed syllable before the take a tilde placed over the stressed syllable before the antepenultimate position.antepenultimate position.

i.e.,i.e., simbólicamente, fácilmente, rápidamente simbólicamente, fácilmente, rápidamente

Tip:Tip:If an esdrújula can be converted to an adverb (-mente) then that new word is now sobresdrújula and If an esdrújula can be converted to an adverb (-mente) then that new word is now sobresdrújula and

keeps its original tilde. Otherwise the word gets reclassified (see below).keeps its original tilde. Otherwise the word gets reclassified (see below).

i.e.,i.e., simplemente, lentamente, justamente simplemente, lentamente, justamente


OTHER CHARACTERS SEEN IN SPANISH:OTHER CHARACTERS SEEN IN SPANISH:

ññ

• The The ññ is an actual letter in the Spanish alphabet. is an actual letter in the Spanish alphabet.

• Some confusion between Spanish and English exists because in Some confusion between Spanish and English exists because in English the diacritical mark “~” is also called a “tilde”.English the diacritical mark “~” is also called a “tilde”.

• In Spanish, the “~” is actually part of the letter (ñ) and helps to In Spanish, the “~” is actually part of the letter (ñ) and helps to distinguish it from the “n”, in the same way essentially that the distinguish it from the “n”, in the same way essentially that the line through the letter “Q” helps distinguish it from the letter “O”.line through the letter “Q” helps distinguish it from the letter “O”.

i.e.,i.e., año, señor, español año, señor, español

Tip:Tip:Technically, Spanish only contributes one visual accent mark to its own language, the aforementioned Technically, Spanish only contributes one visual accent mark to its own language, the aforementioned

tilde (´).tilde (´).


OTHER CHARACTERS SEEN IN SPANISH:OTHER CHARACTERS SEEN IN SPANISH:

üü

• The German The German üü (umlaut)(umlaut) has been borrowed by the Spanish has been borrowed by the Spanish language.language.

• It is used infrequently but, when required, always follows the letter It is used infrequently but, when required, always follows the letter “g” and precedes the vowels “e” or “i”.“g” and precedes the vowels “e” or “i”.

i.e.,i.e., vergüenza, lingüístico, pingüino vergüenza, lingüístico, pingüino

vs.vs.

i.e.,i.e., guerra, guitarra, espagueti guerra, guitarra, espagueti

Diptongos y Triptongos

•La unión de una vocal fuerte (aeo) con una débil (iu) o dos/tres débiles.

hacia Uruguay Mario Dios diaria

•Los diptongos y triptongos siempre forman una sílaba. •Nunca dos vocales fuertes forman un diptongo (teatro).

Diptongos y triptongos Diptongos y triptongos con acento escritocon acento escrito

→→Si la fuerza en un diptongo o triptongo cae Si la fuerza en un diptongo o triptongo cae en laen la vocal débilvocal débil (iu) entonces el (iu) entonces el diptongo o triptongodiptongo o triptongo se rompese rompe y se pone y se pone un acento escrito en la vocal donde cae la un acento escrito en la vocal donde cae la fuerza y por lo tanto, fuerza y por lo tanto, se dividen en dos se dividen en dos sílabas diferentes.sílabas diferentes.

dí-a Ma-rí-a ha-cí-adí-a Ma-rí-a ha-cí-a con-ti-nú-con-ti-nú-oo

Otras reglas de Otras reglas de acentuaciónacentuación

1.1. Los interrogativos y las Los interrogativos y las exclamaciones llevan acentos para exclamaciones llevan acentos para que no se confundan con los que no se confundan con los pronombres relativos o adverbios.pronombres relativos o adverbios.

¿¿QuéQué quieren Uds.? quieren Uds.? ¡¡CómoCómo!!

2. Las palabras con 2. Las palabras con una sola sílabauna sola sílaba (monosílabos) (monosílabos) no llevan acento no llevan acento escritoescrito al menos que haya otra al menos que haya otra palabra que se escriba igual:palabra que se escriba igual:

dede→→dédé sese→sé→sé te→téte→té

elel→él→él si→sísi→sí tu→tútu→tú

mi→mími→mí solo→sólosolo→sólocomo→cómocomo→cómo

Pronombres Pronombres demostrativosdemostrativos

• No llevan acento al menos que se omita No llevan acento al menos que se omita elel

nombre.nombre.

Me gustan Me gustan estosestos pantalones. pantalones.

A mí me gustan A mí me gustan éstoséstos..

La conjunción “o”La conjunción “o” lleva un acento lleva un acento cuandocuando

está entre dos números.está entre dos números.

En el taxi hay 5 En el taxi hay 5 óó 6 personas. 6 personas.

¿Prefieres café ¿Prefieres café oo té? té?

“o” “ó”

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By Mrs. Valdez-Rodriguez All words are accented (have a stress) ! All words are accented (have a stress) ! But not all words are visually accented (´)