Accents in Vowel Sequences
When a stressed i or u sits next to another vowel but does not form a diphthong with it, it takes an accent: pa-ís, lú-a, sa-í-a.
How It Works
Hiatus or diphthong. Two vowels side by side can share one syllable, a diphthong, as in pai (father), or belong to two syllables, a hiatus, as in pa-ís (country). When the stressed vowel of a hiatus is i or u, Galician marks it with an accent.
The rule always applies. A stressed i or u right before or after an unstressed vowel takes an accent, whatever the general rules say: aínda (still), lúa (moon), súa (his, her), túa (your), raíña (queen), miúdo (small), ruído (noise), raíz (root), saír (to go out), saía (was going out). Saír and raíz end in r and z, which would normally mean no accent, but the hiatus rule wins.
No accent in a diphthong. When i or u joins the other vowel in one syllable, there is no accent: pai, pais, partiu, seguiu, puido (could). País (country) and pais (parents) show how the accent changes the word.
A silent h does not count. If an h stands between the two vowels, no accent is written: prohibe (forbids), prohibido (forbidden).
Different from Spanish. Spanish writes ruido and construido without an accent, but Galician writes ruído and construído. This rule explains the accents in Possessives: My and Your and in past forms such as saía, taught in Imperfect of -er and -ir Verbs. A few of those forms mark an unstressed i with two dots instead (caïamos, we were falling), which you will meet later.
Examples (6)
- Portugal é un país veciño.
Portugal is a neighbouring country.
Word by Word: Portugal is a country neighbour.
País has two syllables: pa-ís.
- Esta noite hai lúa chea.
There is a full moon tonight.
Word by Word: This night there-is moon full.
In lúa, the stressed u is in its own syllable.
- Cando saía da casa, comezou a chover.
As I was leaving the house, it started to rain.
Word by Word: When I-was-leaving of-the house, it-started to rain.
Saía has three syllables: sa-í-a.
- A miña irmá aínda non chegou.
My sister hasn't arrived yet.
Word by Word: The my sister still not arrived.
Aínda has three syllables: a-ín-da.
- Os meus pais viven nun país pequeno.
My parents live in a small country.
Word by Word: The my parents live in-a country small.
Pais (parents) has a diphthong and no accent; país (country) has a hiatus and an accent.
- Que ruído fai ese carro!
What a noise that car makes!
Word by Word: What noise makes that car!
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the accent on a hiatus.
Vivo nun pais pequeno.Vivo nun país pequeno.Without the accent, pais is the plural of pai (father). Country is país, with a stressed í in its own syllable.
Copying the Spanish spelling ruido.
Que ruido fai ese carro!Que ruído fai ese carro!Galician marks the stressed i of the hiatus: ruído.
Accenting an i that forms a diphthong.
Onte partíu cedo.Onte partiu cedo.In partiu, the i and u form a diphthong, so there is no hiatus and no accent.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A stressed i or u in hiatus can require an accent beyond the general rules.
Related Patterns
- Diacritic Accent
Another special accent rule that the general rules do not cover.
Level 1 - o meu / a miña / o teu / a túaPossessives: My and Your
Túa and súa carry a hiatus accent.
Level 1 - Imperfect of -er and -ir Verbs
Imperfect forms like saía and caía have a hiatus accent.
Level 2 - Preterite of -er and -ir Verbs
Preterite forms like partiu and saíu show when i does or does not take an accent.
Level 2 - Silent H
A silent h between two vowels means no hiatus accent: prohibe, prohibido.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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