What Spanish Accent Marks Tell You
An accent mark is a pronunciation instruction, not decoration. Follow the mark to stress the intended syllable and compare words whose rhythm changes visibly.
Learning objective
Use a written accent mark to place stress on the correct syllable.
A Spanish written accent is the small rising mark seen in á, é, í, ó, and ú. When it marks stress, it points directly to the vowel in the prominent syllable. In café, the mark tells you to say ca-FÉ even though an unmarked vowel-ending word would normally stress earlier.
The mark does not create a sixth vowel or require a completely different vowel quality. The é in café keeps the clear family of the Spanish e sound; it simply carries the word's stress. Likewise, teléfono is te-LÉ-fo-no, with the marked middle syllable standing out in the rhythm.
Accent marks can also distinguish short words that otherwise look alike. Sí with a mark means yes, while si without it means if. Tú means you, while tu means your. These pairs show another job of accents, but the mark still belongs in the official spelling and should not be dropped casually.
When reading, scan for a marked vowel before applying general ending rules. Say every syllable, give the marked one natural prominence, and copy a recording for rhythm. Typing the accent accurately is part of learning the word, just as writing ñ is part of learning a word that contains eñe.
Examples
café
coffee
The accent places stress on the final é.
teléfono
telephone
The marked é identifies the stressed second syllable.
música
music
The mark directs stress to mú at the beginning.
sí
yes
The accent distinguishes this answer from si, meaning if.
Common mistake
- Instead of
- Ignoring the accent and saying cafe with stress on ca.
- Try
- Follow the written mark and say ca-FÉ.
The accent is an instruction, not decoration. Applying only the normal vowel-ending rule would put stress on the next-to-last syllable, but the mark deliberately overrides that prediction. Reading the full spelling before speaking prevents a familiar-looking word from pulling stress to the wrong place.
Practice
Try it yourself
Read médico, canción, inglés, and sábado. Copy each word, circle the accented vowel, and write the stressed syllable in capital letters. Then explain whether the accent creates a new vowel letter.