Spanish conjugation explanation
Accents with attached pronouns

<p>When object pronouns (direct, indirect, or reflexive) are attached to the end of a verb, the word becomes longer. While the spoken stress usually remains on the same syllable of the verb root, the position of that syllable relative to the end of the word changes. To preserve the original pronunciation, you often need to add a written accent mark (<strong>tilde</strong>).</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The General Rule</div>

<p>Standard Spanish stress rules state that words ending in a vowel, <span style="font-style: italic;">n</span>, or <span style="font-style: italic;">s</span> are naturally stressed on the <strong>second-to-last</strong> syllable. When attaching pronouns creates a word where the stress falls on the <strong>third-to-last</strong> syllable (or earlier), you must write an accent mark to "break" the natural rule and keep the stress in the correct place.</p>

<p>For a full review of stress rules, see

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_rules_of_stress/" target="_blank">Rules of stress</a>

.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">1. Affirmative Commands (Imperative)</div>

<p>This is the most frequent case with the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>

. When adding a pronoun to a command form that has two or more syllables, the stress counts back to the third-to-last syllable, requiring an accent.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/estudiar/" title="Click to see conjugations for estudiar" target="_blank">estudia</a>

(stress on <span style="font-style: italic;">u</span>) + la → <span class="green_emphasis">estúdiala</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Estúdiala</span> con cuidado. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Study it carefully.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/levantar/" title="Click to see conjugations for levantar" target="_blank">levanta</a>

(stress on <span style="font-style: italic;">an</span>) + te → <span class="green_emphasis">levántate</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¡<span class="green_emphasis">Levántate</span> ahora mismo! (<span style="font-style: italic;">Get up right now!</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/discutir/" title="Click to see conjugations for discutir" target="_blank">discute</a>

(stress on <span style="font-style: italic;">u</span>) + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">discútelo</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Discútelo</span> con tu jefe. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Discuss it with your boss.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p><strong>Exception: Monosyllabic verbs</strong></p>

<p>If the command is only one syllable (like <span style="font-style: italic;">da, di, haz, ten, pon</span>), adding <strong>one</strong> pronoun results in a two-syllable word ending in a vowel. Since the natural stress falls on the first syllable (the verb), <strong>no accent</strong> is needed.</p>

+ me → <span class="green_emphasis">Dame</span> la mano. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Give me your hand.</span>)</div>

+ lo → <span class="green_emphasis">Hazlo</span> bien. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Do it well.</span>)</div>

<p>However, if you add <strong>two</strong> pronouns to a monosyllable, the stress lands on the third-to-last syllable, so you must add an accent:</p>

+ me + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">dámelo</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">give it to me</span>)</div>

+ se + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">díselo</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">tell it to him/her</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">2. Gerunds (Present Participles)</div>

<p>Gerunds ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-ando</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">-iendo</span> are normally stressed on the second-to-last syllable (e.g., <span style="font-style: italic;">ha<strong>blan</strong>do</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">co<strong>mien</strong>do</span>). Because they are already multi-syllabic, adding <strong>any</strong> pronoun pushes the stress to the third-to-last syllable (or earlier). Therefore, gerunds with attached pronouns <strong>almost always require an accent</strong>.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/escribir/" title="Click to see conjugations for escribir" target="_blank">escribiendo</a>

+ la → <span class="green_emphasis">escribiéndola</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Estoy <span class="green_emphasis">escribiéndola</span> ahora. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I am writing it now.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/anotar/" title="Click to see conjugations for anotar" target="_blank">anotando</a>

+ lo → <span class="green_emphasis">anotándolo</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Sigue <span class="green_emphasis">anotándolo</span> en el cuaderno. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Keep noting it in the notebook.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/leer/" title="Click to see conjugations for leer" target="_blank">leyendo</a>

+ te + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">leyéndotelo</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Estoy <span class="green_emphasis">leyéndotelo</span> en voz alta. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I am reading it to you out loud.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">3. Infinitives</div>

<p>Under normal rules, infinitives (ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">r</span>) are stressed on the <strong>last</strong> syllable. When you add pronouns, the placement of the accent mark depends on how many pronouns you add.</p>

<p><strong>One Pronoun:</strong> The stress moves to the second-to-last syllable. Since the new word ends in a vowel (the pronoun), this stress position is natural for Spanish words. <strong>No accent mark</strong> is needed.</p>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/tomar/" title="Click to see conjugations for tomar" target="_blank">tomar</a>

+ lo → <span class="green_emphasis">tomarlo</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">to take it</span>)</div>

<p><strong>Two Pronouns:</strong> The stress moves to the third-to-last syllable. This breaks the natural rules, so an <strong>accent mark is required</strong> on the final vowel of the infinitive (a/e/i).</p>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/decir/" title="Click to see conjugations for decir" target="_blank">decir</a>

+ se + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">decírselo</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">to say it to him/her</span>)</div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/desear/" title="Click to see conjugations for desear" target="_blank">desear</a>

+ se + lo → <span class="green_emphasis">deseárselo</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">to wish it for him/her</span>)</div>

<p>For related information regarding reflexive forms, see the guide on the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_reflexive_imperative/" target="_blank">reflexive imperative</a>

.</p>

Spanish conjugation explanation Accents with attached pronouns

Spanish conjugation explanation
Accents with attached pronouns