1. Accents: When to write them, and when not to. An accent mark is normally NOT required if: The word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or n or s and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable. (llana) Examples: camino [ca-MI-no ends in a vowel, and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable] hablan [HA-blan ends in an n and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable] muchachas [mu-CHA-chas ends in an s and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable]

2. Accents: When to write them, and when not to. An accent mark is normally NOT required if the word ends in a consonant other than n or s and the stress falls on the last syllable. (aguda) Examples: querer [que-RER ends in an r and the stress falls on the last syllable] ciudad [ciu-DAD ends in a d and the stress falls on the last syllable]

3. A written accent mark IS required if the situation is not as given in the above two rules, that is, when: The word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or n or s and the stress falls on the last syllable. (aguda) Examples: caminó [ca-mi-NO ends in a vowel, and the stress falls on the last syllable] canción [can-CION ends in an n and the stress falls on the last syllable] verás [ve-RAS ends in an n and the stress falls on the last syllable]

4. A written accent mark IS required if… The word ends in a consonant other than n or s and the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable. (llana) Examples: mártir [MAR-tir ends in an r and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable] cárcel [CAR-cel ends in an l and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable] Martínez [mar-TI-nez] ends in a z and the stress falls on the penultimate syllable. (As a result Spanish last names that end in “z” will have an accent.

5. A written accent mark IS required if… The stress falls on any vowel more than two syllables from the end of the word. Examples: propósito [pro-PO-si-to is stressed on the third-from-the-last syllable] (esdrújula) dándoselo [DAN-do-se-lo is stressed on the fourth-from-the last syllable] (sobreesdrújula)