solo

Question

For as much as I've studied Spanish, this has always escaped me:
When does solo get an accent mark, and when is it left plain?
Thanks, ME

Answer 1

I think it goes like this:

solo (plain) = alone. Pretty much the same as English. Flying solo.

Sólo (with accent) = only, there is only one apple left, etc.

I'm fairly new at Spanish, but I'm reasonably sure the above is correct.

Answer 2

Entonces, antes de un sustantivo, lleva acento, y solo (je je ) no la lleva...'verdad?
Thanks for your help. I am a veteran, but somehow that has always escaped me...weird, huh?

Answer 3

hola ME
no wonder it has confused you, because it still confuses me. i believe the correct definitions are as follows.
solo without the accent is an "adjective" which describes a noun. ie english example, the quick boy.
solo with the accent is an "adverb" which decribes a verb. ie english example, the boy runs quickly.
even knowing this, when applying solo in spanish it is one of those words that appears to contradict the definitions, because I even believe there are instances when solo without the accent can ALSO BE AN ADVERB. best of luck.

Answer 4

Hi!

Solo does not take an acent ever, unless there is a possibilty of confusing the meanings. This rule is fairly new. Before: solo (alone) and sólo (solamente, only) i HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORDS BELOW.

sólo/solo. La palabra solo puede ser un adjetivo: No me gusta el café solo(ALONE, WITHOUT MILK); Vive él solo(ALONE) en esa gran mansión; o un adverbio: Solo(IT ONLY RAINED...) nos llovió dos días; Contesta solo(ONL/JUST SAY YES OR NO) sí o no. Se trata de una palabra llana terminada en vocal, por lo que, según las reglas generales de acentuación (? 1.1.2), no debe llevar tilde. Ahora bien, cuando esta palabra pueda interpretarse en un mismo enunciado como adverbio o como adjetivo, se utilizará obligatoriamente la tilde en el uso adverbial para evitar ambigüedades: Estaré solo un mes (al no llevar tilde, solo se interpreta como adjetivo: 'en soledad, sin compañía'); Estaré sólo un mes (al llevar tilde, sólo se interpreta como adverbio: 'solamente, únicamente'); también puede deshacerse la ambigüedad sustituyendo el adverbio solo por los sinónimos solamente o únicamente.

Answer 5

didn't bother reading any further once i saw the capitals HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORDS BELOW

Answer 6

Well, for non Spanish readers: solo doesn't have an accent unless there may be a confusion. It behaves like any other word "llana", the phonetic accents lies on the second last syllable.

Answer 7

no me gusta estar solo ( i don't like to be alone) NO LLEVA TILDE
me comprare sólo un polo (i'll only buy one shirt) LLEVA TILDE CUANDO PUEDES CAMBIAR LA PALABRA SÿLO POR SOLAMENTE/UNICAMENTE/SIMPLEMENTE, si cambias la palabra sólo por las palabras anteriores y la oración no tiene sentido, entonces solo no debe llevar tilde, con el timpo y la practica te daras cuenta de que automaticamente reemplazaras las palabras y se te hara fácil.

Answer 8

tu no lleva tilde

Answer 9

Really, quizás or quizá is not plural or singular. both spellings are accepted.

I corrected yours becuase you spelled it with an s, which is the sound it takes in Mexico.

I was asking myself what you meant with "contesta"? did you mean: respuesta'

Answer 10

Maia elena: Please, don't get confused here. the fact is:

solo doesn't take an accent, tú, as a pronoun, DOES take an accent. (Just in case)

Answer 11

Eso entiendo, gracias
ME

Answer 12

Sólo vs. solo:
Sólo (with an accent) = solamente, "only" (an adverb)
Sólo quería saludarte. I only wanted to greet you.

solo (without an accent mark) = "alone" (an adjective).
Estoy solo(a) en casa. I am home alone.

Answer 13

Cherry, this is not correct, but if you choose to use it this way, choose yourself.

Solo does not take an accent. This is a fact. Do read my former post, where I include the link from the Rae.

cheers

Answer 14

RAE

Answer 15

Heidita,
This is what the RAE says about sólo:
1. adv. m. ÿnicamente, solamente.
[url=http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta'TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=s]http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta'TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=s[/url]ólo

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

and here is one from the spanishdict.com
[url=http://www.spanishdict.com/AS.cfm'e=s%F3lo]http://www.spanishdict.com/AS.cfm'e=s%F3lo[/url]