How to type Spanish accents and letters on a Mac

How to Type Spanish Accents and Letters on a Mac

May 27, 2020

A handy guide about how to use your English keyboard when you want to type accent marks, letters and punctuation marks in Spanish such as the letter "ñ" or the word "adiós" with the accented "ó" on your mac.

When I write the "+" symbol it means you need to keep pressing the previous key as you press the next one. Example: option + e means holding the "option" key FIRST and then the letter "e" (while keeping the "option" key pressed).

How to type ñ (lowercase)

  1. Option + n. Release both keys when you see this symbol: ˜
  2. Then press n.

How to type Ñ (uppercase)

  1. Option + n (lowercase). Release both keys when you see this symbol: ˜
  2. Then press Shift + n (or Caps Lock N)

How to type Accent Marks on lowercase vowels: á - é - í - ó - ú

How to type a word with an accent mark as in the word "canción" (song).

  1. Option + e (lowercase). Release both keys when you see this symbol: ´
  2. Then press the desired vowel (a-e-i-o-u).

How to type Accent Marks on uppercase vowels: Á - É - Í - Ó - Ú

  1. Option + e (lowercase). Release both keys when you see this symbol: ´
  2. Then press Shift + desired vowel (or Caps Lock N)

Initial Exclamation Point: How to type ¡

  • Option + 1

Initial Question Mark: How to type ¿

  • Option + Shift + ?

Hope this helps! I'm definitely gonna be checking this often since sometimes I don't remember how to type accent marks or the "¡" or "¿" when I need to use them. Why I forget? Because we don't use them much when typing! Read below ;-)

GOOD TO KNOW: Keep in mind that accent marks in Spanish aren't used in informal communications such as text messages or informal emails ;-) The same goes with the initial question and exclamation marks. We never use the initial exclamation and question marks in text messages or emails (we rarely use them in "formal" emails). We use them if we want to write an essay, a project for school or an article for a newspaper/magazine and that kind of stuff.

Keep practicing your Spanish skills :-)

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Jess

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