1. Accentuation in Spanish:
á é í ó ú

2. First, it’s important to review how to pronounce words in Spanish.

3. EVERY word in Spanish has stress. This is true in English as well.
Just think of your name. There is a correct way to pronounce it.
For example, if your name is Judy, you would stress the first syllable quite naturally.
Let’s try some other examples.

4. There are three primary rules in Spanish.
If a word ends in n, s or a vowel, the stress falls on the next-to-last (penultimate) syllable.
Examples: hablan, comes, casa, muchacho, examen, apartamento

5. Rule 2:
If a word ends in any consonant other than n or s, the stress falls on the last syllable.
Examples: español, usted, regular, subir

6. Examples: teléfono, álbum, centímetro, ratón
Rule 3:
Any exception to rules 1 and 2 requires a written accent on the stressed vowel.
Examples: teléfono, álbum, centímetro, ratón

7. Question and Exclamation Words…
Always require a written accent:
Examples: ¿Cómo? ¿Cuándo? ¿Qué?

8. Sometimes an accent mark is needed to change the meaning of a word.
Examples:
tú = you / tu = your
Él = he / el = the

9. Dipthongs:
A dipthong is the combination of two vowels that only form one syllable.
Examples: vuelvo, tiene, ciudad

10. Dipthongs cot’d.
When the dipthong is broken up because it has two syllables, it is no longer a dipthong and if the stress falls on a weak vowel (i or u), it requires a written accent.
Examples: país, día, envío, Raúl

11. In other words…
Whenever you see two vowels together, keep them as one single syllable. Then, test out the rules that you learned about word stress. If it breaks the rule, an accent mark is required.
Examples: día, país, canción, comía
Piano, rueda,

12. Let’s test it out… Bai lar Bailar Rule 2
Stress the next-to-last syllable.
Do we need an accent mark?

13. Let’s try another one… Cancion Can cion Rule 1
Stress the second-to-last syllable
Does it require an accent mark?

14. Vowel Combinations: ai: 1 syllable: (baile) 2 syllables: (país)
ia: 1 syllable: (ciudad) 2 syllables: (día)
ei: 1 syllable: (peine) 2 syllables (creí)
ie: 1 syllable: (piedad) 2 syllables (guié)
oi: 1 syllable: (boina) 2 syllables: (oí)
io: 1 syllable: (Dios) 2 syllables: (río)

15. More Vowel Combinations:
ui: 1 syllable: (cuidado) 2 syllables: (guía)
iu: 1 syllable: (ciudad) 2 syllables ???
au: 1 syllable: (causa) 2 syllables (Raúl)
ua: 1 syllable: (cual) 2 syllables (grúa)
ue: 1 syllable: (cuento) 2 syllables (???)

16. More Vowel Combinations:
uo: 1 syllable: (cuota) 2 syllables (búho)

17. Practice: Does the word require an accent? Where?
1. libro
2. bailar
3. lectura
4. Gomez
5. Hernandez
6. papel

18. Practice: Does the word require an accent? Where?
7. tijeras
8. lapiz
9. mundo
10. hablo
11. caracter
12. ultimo

19. Does the word require a written accent? Where?
13. arbol
14. matrimonial
15. soldado
16. español
17. frances
18. habito

20. Does the word require a written accent? Where?
19. llave
20. camino
21. Navidad
22. carcel
23. quizas
24. caminaba

21. Dipthongs:
1. dia
2. fiesta
3. graduacion
4. cancion
5. tiene
6. Dios

22. More dipthongs:
7. ruido
8. causa
9. periodo
10. rio