Confused about solo and solo with a tilde.

Question

When is solo used with a tilde and when is it used without?

Answer 1

Solo means alone. Vivo solo. (I live alone)

Sólo means only. Hay sólo una (There is only one)

Thanks for the clarification. - JoAnnSW, NOV 11, 2009

Answer 2

If you look on page 29 (4.6.4) in the pdf file below you will read that sólo (only) needs to be written with the accent mark only when necessary to avoid ambiguity. Similar rules are given for demonstrative pronouns and más and other words. In 1999 they changed the rules to say that these words only need accent marks when ambiguity would arise without the accent mark.

spelling rules

Thank you. - JoAnnSW, NOV 11, 2009

that's interesting, and it resolves a bit of confusion i've had - mateo2, NOV 11, 2009

Answer 3

On the other hand, prior to '99, the rule was to always write the accent mark for the adverb (meaning the same as "solamente"). So, as Heidita said you can forget about it when writing (since it's rarely ambiguous) but when reading you will encounter it in books published before '99 and some people who learned their grammar before '99, simply ignore the new rule and continue to write the tilde (out of habit).

Answer 4

I believe solo without a tilde is only an adjective or noun while soló is a conjugation of the verb solar.

However I may be mistaken.

I don´t know any verbs "solar" nor can I find one. There is an adjective "solar", but that wouldn't be conjugated. However, I don't know everything. Can you (jaja) enlighten me? - aloshek, NOV 11, 2009

Can you solo (fly with no co-pilot) like you can in English? - 0074b507, NOV 11, 2009

I had never heard of it either, but spanishdict has a conjugation table for the verb solar. - Fredbong, NOV 11, 2009

Answer 5

HI joann, as this confusion almost does not happen, just forget about the accent. This rule is relatively new.