Cuándo utilizar la tilde

Question

Cuando se emplea la palabra "este" o "esta", cuando se utiliza una tilde, cuando es el tilde utilizado sobre la última vocal, y cuando es utilizado a lo sobre primera vocal?

Agradecería cualquier ayuda,

Jim

Answer 1

The verb estar is spelled the same as the pronouns esta and este but the pronoun lacks the tilde and is accented on the first syllable, whereas the verb is accented on the last syllable and hence, by rule, requires an accent:

Está - 3rd person singular present indicative of estar

esté - 3rd person singular present subjunctive of estar

esta - demonstrative pronoun, singular, feminine

este - demonstrative pronoun, singular, masculine; also adjective or noun for east

Gracias, Jeremias pero ¿cuándo utilizado el tilde sobre la primera vocal? - jgundy, Oct 30, 2011

éste(a) (the pronoun) no longer requires a tilde unless it is to avoid anbiguity with este(a), the adjective or este (the noun) - 0074b507, Oct 31, 2011

Answer 2

cuándo utilizado el tilde sobre la primera vocal?

The accent is not used over the first syllable with estar.

Here is a link to when the accent is required in Spanish. It will answer all your questions.

Accents

•If a word ends in a vowel, n or s, the stress is on the penultimate (next to last) syllable. For example, toro, computadora, joven and zapatos all have their accent on the next-to-last syllable. Most words fit this category.

•Words that end in other letters have the stress on the last syllable. For example, hotel, hablar, madador and virtud all have the accent on the final syllable.

•If a word isn't pronounced according to the above two rules, an accent is placed over the vowel of the syllable that gets the stress. For example, común, lápiz, médico, inglés, and ojalá all have the stress on the indicated syllable.