The acute accent (´) is a graphic sign used in all vowels of the language: a, e, i, o, u.
They mark the stressed (strongest) syllable of a word and are therefore used in open and semi-open vowels.
In addition to the acute accent, the most used in our language, there is also the circumflex (^) and the grave (`), the latter called crase.
Rules
The acute accent is used:
In the open and semi-open stressed vowels "a", "e" and "o", for example:
- sofaá
- isáhate
- áI take
- réuseful
- feelétic
- congratulationséus
- sóread
- ólook
- dominoó
In stressed vowels "i" and "u", for example:
- ísteep
- beyondíscar
- thereíwho
- úuseful
- inúuseful
- úkid
New orthographic agreement
With the implementation of New orthographic agreement (2009), some paroxytone words lost their acute accent.
homographic words
- For
- Pole
Before the Agreement, they were spelled as follows:
- For
- Pole
Open diphthongs "hi" and "hey"
- herHeyco
- JibHeyThe
- For NHeyThe
- assemblyHeyThe
- idHeyThe
Before the Agreement they were accentuated:
- Heroic
- boa constrictor
- Paranoia
- Assembly
- Idea
Note: According to the New Orthographic Accord, the acute accent remains in stressed monosyllables and in oxytone words with open diphthongs “éi”, “éu” or “oi”:
Examples:
- anHeys
- decibHeys
- chapme
- islandmes
- herHey
- remHeys
Acute Accent Words
Check out some words that have an acute accent below:
Oxytone Words: last syllable is the stress.
- Sofa
- Hi
- cottage
- Coffee
- Açaí
- Piauí
- Grandfather
- Coat
- Trunk
- Grajaú
Paroxytone Words: the penultimate syllable is the stress.
- Corpse
- Kind
- Reptile
- Eden
- Odd
- Virus
- Docile
- Fossil
- Lumen
- Tunnel
Proparoxytone Words: the third to last syllable is the stress.
- Arabic
- Cup
- Army
- Species
- Liquid
- Myopic
- Next
- Cleopatra
- Rustic
- Musician
Attention!
Some identical words written with and without an acute accent are used in different contexts.
Examples:
Today was the termination of our dating
If it continues like this, I I finish with him.
I get one aid housing every month.
Me help my younger sister at homework.
Read too:
- Circumflex accent
- Use of Til
- Graphic accentuation
- Graphic Accenting Exercises