Where to place accents

[LJM]

Hi,

I'm going over accents and where to use them and I've grasped the default rules but there is one thing I don't understand in relation to them.

If I was reading or speaking from some text and noticed there was an accent I would know where the stress was placed and that the word had broken one of the two default rules. What I struggle with is, how I do know when a word breaks one of the rules. I understand what to do when the word breaks a rule, I just don't understand why certain words break the rules and why they do?

Any help would be great!

Thanks,

LJM

[Rusty]

Technically, no word with an accent mark is breaking a rule. It is following a rule.

All words have a syllable that is stressed. When that stress doesn't fall on the second-to-last syllable, there are rules for whether an accent mark is included or not for the syllable that is stressed.
The correct spelling of a word includes an accent mark, when the rules dictate the need for one.

I believe you'll find all the answers you need to your question in another thread here in the forums. You can perform a search to find it.

[LJM]

Thanks Rusty, I understand what you're saying.

I've spent the day trying to find out exact what it is I'm looking for both on this forum, other sites and youtube and just can't seem to find it anywhere. Can anyone answer this query? If I was in conversation with someone (in Spanish) and I wanted to say a word that I knew of but wasn't particularly sure of how to say, how do I know when I should stress a syllable that isn't the penultimate or last syllable of the word (and thus adding an accent to the word)? The same applies for when a word ends in a vowel, n or s but the stressed syllable is the final syllable and vice versa, just how do I know without having seen the word has an accent to put the stress on the other syllable?

[Rusty]

There are only two sources you should be getting your words from.

Either you'll see a word in edited print or you'll hear the word spoken.

If it is printed, say it aloud using the rules of accentuation. There will be only one possible way to pronounce the word.

If it is spoken, you'll hear which syllable is stressed. Write the word down using the rules of accentuation. There will be only one right way to write it, but because some Spanish consonants overlap, you'll need to consult a dictionary.

I believe it's that simple. You already know the rules. Just apply them to correctly pronounce or write a word.


The only time you'll get tripped up is with words that are accented to differentiate them from their homonyms, like tu/tú, si/sí, te/té and de/dé, interrogatives and exclamations.

[LJM]

Okay I understand completely now. I'll have to do a lot of dictation to try and get used to placing accents whilst listening to speech!

Thanks Rusty, you have been a lot of help!