The rule, in plain English
Read a Spanish accent mark as an instruction, not decoration. If a word ends in a vowel, n, or s, the voice normally stresses the next-to-last syllable: CA-sa, HA-blan. With most other final letters, stress the last syllable: ha-BLAR, ciu-DAD. A written accent either moves that stress—in-GLÉS—or separates meanings: tú means you, but tu means your.
Why it's hard for English speakers
English vowels often become a relaxed uh sound, and English stress is hard to predict. Spanish is more regular: say every vowel clearly and follow the written accent. Compare Sí, puedo (Yes, I can) with Si puedo (If I can): one small mark changes the meaning.
Worked examples
Start with these worked examples, then reveal more when you are ready.
- La casa es blanca.The house is white.Basic stress pattern: Casa ends in a vowel, so the default stress is on the next-to-last syllable: CA-sa.
- Ellos hablan español.They speak Spanish.Basic stress pattern: Hablan ends in -n, so its default stress is HA-blan.
- Necesito comprar pan.I need to buy bread.Basic stress pattern: Comprar and pan end in consonants other than n or s, so the last syllable is stressed.
- El inglés es útil.English is useful.Basic stress pattern: The accents in inglés and útil mark stress that breaks the default ending rule.
- Mi teléfono está aquí.My telephone is here.Basic stress pattern: TE-lé-fo-no is stressed three syllables from the end, so it must show that stress with a written accent.
- La canción empieza después.The song starts afterwards.Basic stress pattern: Canción and después end in n or s but stress the final syllable, so they need accents.
- Tú tienes tu billete.You have your ticket.Accents that change meaning: Tú is the subject pronoun; tu without an accent is possessive.
- Él compra el pan.He buys the bread.Accents that change meaning: Él is the pronoun he; el without an accent is the article the.
- Sí, voy si tengo tiempo.Yes, I will go if I have time.Accents that change meaning: Sí means yes; si without an accent means if.
- ¿Qué té quieres?Which tea do you want?Accents that change meaning: Qué is the question word which or what, and té means tea. Both need an accent here.
- No sé dónde está.I do not know where it is.Accents that change meaning: Sé means I know, dónde still asks where inside the sentence, and está is stressed on its last syllable. Each accent has a job.
- Mi madre me da más café.My mother gives me more coffee.Accents that change meaning: Mi and me have no accent; más meaning more does have one.
Default word stress
| Word ending | Default stress | Examples | Accent needed when... |
|---|---|---|---|
| vowel, -n or -s | next-to-last syllable | CA-sa, HA-blan, JO-ven | another syllable is stressed: can-CIÓN, in-GLÉS |
| other consonant | last syllable | ha-BLAR, ciu-DAD, re-LOJ | another syllable is stressed: FÁ-cil, LÁ-piz |
| antepenultimate or earlier | always written | TE-lé-fo-no, MÚ-si-ca | always |
Five clear Spanish vowels
| Letter | Keep the sound... | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a | open and steady | casa, mapa |
| e | clear, without an English-style glide | mesa, café |
| i | high and steady | vino, sí |
| o | rounded and steady | foto, no |
| u | rounded; silent in que/qui and gue/gui unless marked ü | luna, queso, pingüino |
Diphthong or hiatus?
| Pattern | Result | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| weak i/u + strong a/e/o, weak vowel not stressed | usually one syllable (diphthong) | tierra, bueno |
| two weak vowels | usually one syllable (diphthong) | ciudad, ruido |
| two strong vowels a/e/o | separate syllables (hiatus) | teatro, poeta |
| stressed weak vowel í/ú beside another vowel | separate syllables (hiatus) | María, país, río, baúl |
Accents that distinguish meaning or questions
| Without accent | With accent | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tu (your) | tú (you) | Tú tienes tu libro. |
| el (the) | él (he) | Él compra el pan. |
| si (if) | sí (yes / oneself) | Sí, voy si puedo. |
| mi (my) | mí (me after a preposition) | Es para mí, no para mi hermano. |
| te (you / to you) | té (tea) | Te preparo té. |
| de (of/from) | dé (form of dar) | Quiero que me dé agua. |
| se (pronoun) | sé (I know / be!) | Sé que se llama Ana. |
| mas (but, literary) | más (more) | Quiero más. |
| que, como, donde, cuando | qué, cómo, dónde, cuándo | ¿Qué haces? / No sé cuándo llega. |
High-value consonant patterns
| Spelling | Pronunciation guide | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| h | silent | hola, ahora |
| j; g before e/i | strong breathy sound | jamón, gente, girar |
| g before a/o/u | hard g sound | gato, goma, gusto |
| ñ | one distinct sound | niño, España |
| r / rr | tap / trill between vowels | pero / perro |
| b / v | normally the same sound | baca / vaca |
| c before e/i; z | s in most of Latin America; th-like in much of Spain | cine, zapato |
| ll / y | pronunciation varies by region | llave, yo |
| qu before e/i | k sound; u is silent | queso, quince |
| gü before e/i | the diaeresis makes u audible | pingüino, vergüenza |
Common mistakes
- Como estas?¿Cómo estás?The interrogative cómo and final-stressed estás need accents, plus Spanish opening punctuation.
- Tu eres mi amigo.Tú eres mi amigo.The subject pronoun tú has an accent; possessive tu does not.
- inglesinglésA word ending in -s would normally stress the next-to-last syllable, so final stress must be written.
- pronouncing every hhola and ahora have a silent hThe letter h is silent in standard Spanish pronunciation.
Practice
___ eres mi amigo. (you)
Esta casa ___ lejos. (is)
Yes = ___ (with accent)
'hablan' is stressed on…
Which word means ‘your’?
He buys bread = ___ compra pan. (he)
Which word means ‘if’?
How are you? = ¿___ estás?