Are there certain rules for accents?

Question

I find that it is very hard for me to remember where accents go, and where they do not go. Are there any specific "grammar rules" that could help me with this?

Answer 1

Yes, there are rules but this one is easiest: You use an accent when the emphasis in the word you are writing falls on a syllable that is not the syllable that would normally be emphasized. For example, the word policía, the accent would normally fall on the second syllable. However, in Spanish, the accent falls on the third syllable so you need the accent.

• In other word, the written accent (mostly) indicates a departure from the default (but then you need to know the rules for the default stress). - samdie Sep 10, 2009
• So you should be asking, if there is no written accent, which syllable is stressed? a search of the forum/reference should provide the answer. - samdie Sep 10, 2009
• Samdie, if you had written this as an answer, I would have voted for it. - Alicia-53 Sep 10, 2009
• Yes, to the first comment. The accent indicates a departure from the normal emphasis EXCEPT in certain cases like relative pronouns such as esté but that's for a different anwer to a different question. - ocbizlaw Sep 15, 2009

Answer 2

No, just sprinkle them on your writing wherever you feel like it. They just make your writing look Latin or exotic. Other than that they have no meaning. (Was that a serious question??)

accents

• Not very nice. He's asking if there are rules that he can apply. - ocbizlaw Sep 10, 2009
• Well defined, it works for me. :-) - Zoltán Sep 10, 2009
• I like your sense of humor, Q. They do look kind of exotic! - Alicia-53 Sep 10, 2009
• Don't pau any attention to what quenin "says", he is alwasy this grumpy, jeje, just hav a look at the link, very useful :) - Heidita Sep 11, 2009
• Oh no, Heidita, a typo in your comment? Okay, at least we know you are human (and that you are always here to watch over us). - ocbizlaw Sep 15, 2009

Answer 3

Thanks ocbizlaw for the lucid explanation.

To summarize with an example:

[Point 1] Usually, if the last character is like N or S, then the stress will be at the end. Otherwise, the stress will be in the penultimate syllable (one but last). [Point 2] If the stress is NOT at that syllable, then we need to place the accent in the position where the stress should be applied. Example: Esta (usual pronunciation) and Está (because we're supposed to stress on the last á)

Tips to type the accented-characters from regular/ English keyboard:

Example: To type é: - press down ALT key - type 130 in the Number pad (nothing should appear in the screen) - release ALT key

These are the numbers to be typed for different accented characters: 130 é 160 á 161 í 162 ó 163 ú 164 ñ

I'm quite a beginner, so, please feel free to correct me if I've written anything wrong here. Hope it helps

Cheers!!