How do you know when and when not to use accent marks.

Question

I did pretty well with my first Spanish lesson except for the recall section. I knew what the words were but when I had to write them, I started to get confused. I didn't know which words I had to use accents. Is there a rule of thumb for this or are there just some words that use accents and some that don't?

Answer 1

Here is a Reference Article from Span¡shD!ct's reference library. It will go a long way to explaining the use of the "tilde" accents.

Accents

Answer 2

Moe, your article is fine.

But I cannot find there the description of the role of soft vowel and hard vowel. See please my own question of correct writing of rio / rió in the third person of preterito simple. I have formulated this question like 6th answer to question "What is correct for conjugation for reir?".

Thanks Mirek

Answer 3

For Mirek:

I am sorry Mirek because I am not sure I understand your question. In your question "What is the correct conjugation for reir?", there are already many answers. I don't think I can add anything that will improve on those answers.

Here in this Post/Thread, you have said "I cannot find there ( in the the"Accents Reference Article") a description of the role of soft vowel and hard vowel. This is what I am confused about.

For me, there is only one single way to pronounce vowels in Spanish. That is good because in English, you sometimes have to guess which vowel pronounciation is correct because there is always more than one sound for each English vowel.

The role or purpose of the tilde accents over Spanish vowels is to direct a speaker (or reader) which syllable of a word to emphasize. But, in emphasizing a syllable, there is no change in the pronounciation of the vowel. So, maybe you mean emphasized vowel or not emphasized vowel.

For example, use the word for river, which is "río" and the past perfect 3rd person form of the verb to laugh which is "rió". When you read what I am about to write, please emphasize or accent the capitalized syllable.

río = rio ─ and ─ rió = rio

When you say these different words, pronounce the "i" and the "o" in the same way. Just emphasize (or say louder) the vowel that has the tilde accent mark over it.

I hope that is some help, otherwise I do not know how to reply to you.

Moe

Answer 4

Moe, thank you very much for your answer and I apologize for my not clear question.

Yes, I only wanted to know the necessity to use tilda (for emphasized or not emphasized) over vowels. That is the role of not using tildas for creating diphtongs.

I undestand the basic use of tilda (that is the n-rule and s-rule in last syllables of the word), but I am not sure when it can or must be used with one of the nejghbouring vowels.

I know (or I hope, I know...) these rules conserning of two vowels connected together:

1) Spanish distinguish 2 types of vowels: hard (a, e, o) ane soft (u, i).

2) When there are 2 hard vowels connected, they always create two syllables. For example maestro like mA - E - estro.

3) When is connected one hard vowel and one soft vowel, then accent is on the hard one. For example rio like riO (one syllable like diphthong) or aire like Ai - re (two syllables).

And if we when we want to create two syllables (with stress on soft vowel), we must to use tilda over the soft one. Like río (pronounced like "ree" - "oh", 2 syllable).

And one of my question was initiated by my finding that "official" resource (http://www.rae.es/rae.html - Real Academia Española) differs in www.spanishdict.com in the case of thitd person of single i preterito simle:

rio versus rió.

My sugestion was this: the rio is new form and rió is older form of the same form. And Heidita just has affirmed it is true.

But I was confused why there exist.

So I once more apologize to you for my unclear question and I would like if you can add some rules into your nice article, rules conserning soft and hard vowels and one or two (or three) syllables that are yeald with using tilda over soft vowels.

And sorry for my terrible English.

Mirek

• rió is the third person past definite of reír. Did you mean to type río? - Eddy Oct 23, 2009
• Mirek - With your permission, I will not add to my reply. I now think this reply of yours properly explains your question. Let's leave it to readers to follow the whole of your Post/Thread Q & A's. - Moe Oct 23, 2009