Commas instead of decimals? Upside down question marks? When language learners come across these and other Spanish punctuation marks, they may stop and scratch their head. We tend to think that punctuation works the same in all languages, but it’s not so!
Though the overall concepts are generally similar when it comes to marks like periods or commas, there are many ways in which Spanish punctuation differs. It’s fun to learn about the special uses of these symbols in Spanish—they add character to a language already rich with nuance.
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What are the main differences between Spanish and English punctuation?
Punctuation is useful in all circumstances, both when we’re reading silently or out loud. It helps us to know when sentences end, statements pause, and questions inflect. Now that you know that punctuation is not the same across all languages, let’s look at some of the main differences between Spanish and English punctuation.
Commas are usually used for decimals
We generally see commas used to indicate the decimal place like this:
650,30 = 650.30
However, occasionally you’ll see periods employed for decimals as they are in most publications in the United States and Britain. Both are correct in Spanish, but commas are used more frequently.
Questions require two question marks—one of which is upside down
To introduce a question in Spanish, we use the inverted question mark at the beginning and the regular question mark at the end. This immediately clues the reader into the fact that it’s a question, which also helps with intonation when reading aloud.
¿Qué es tu nombre? = What is your name?
This especially helps with questions that are simply inflected statements:
¿Y son cosas buenas? = And they’re good things?
Exclamations also require two marks
Similar to question marks, exclamatory phrases require two marks: one inverted mark at the beginning of the exclamation and one at the end.
¡Qué calor hace! = How hot it is!
Comillas are preferred over English quotation marks
Comillas are Spanish quotation marks. They are also known as Spanish or angular quotes or brackets. Sometimes you’ll hear them called French quotes (guillemets). No matter how they’re referred to, they look like this:
Pablo suspiró y dijo, «Supongo que puedo esperar».
Pablo sighed and said, “I suppose I can wait.”
Note that unlike in American English, Spanish quotation marks go before the punctuation. Every once in a while, you’ll see a Spanish book use English quotation marks, but it’s not very common.
Long dashes get used for dialogs and the spacing is different
When dialogue appears at the beginning of a paragraph in a novel, Spanish uses a long dash (em dash) to indicate the shift. Compare this to English, where you would use quotation marks. There are certain spacing rules that accompany this dash: there should always be a space after the line of dialogue and before the speaker.
—¿Te puedo ayudar en algo? —preguntó el empleado. = “Can I help you with something? asked the employee.”
If the dialogue continues, then we use another dash with no space after noting who has spoken.
—¿Le puedo ayudar en algo? —preguntó el empleado—. ¿O ha terminado con su compra? = “Can I help you with something?” asked the employee. “Or have you finished shopping?”
If the speaker quotes someone else in the dialogue, we use angular quotes. Compare this to English, where we would use a singular quote.
—Me he cansado de tu «no puedo más» —enfatizó el entrenador. = “I’ve grown tired of your ‘I can’t go on,’ ” the coach emphasized.
How to Use Each Spanish Punctuation Mark
Let’s take a look at how each Spanish employs each punctuation mark. Knowing these rules can help you read and write effectively in Spanish!
Coma (comma)
In Spanish, comas (commas) are used to indicate decimals, separate items in a list, and set off interjections. Here’s the full list of their uses below with examples to help you contextualize each rule.
- To indicate decimals:
Cuesta 20,50 por kilo. = It costs 20.50 per kilo.
- To introduce a subordinate clause:
Después de la fiesta, vamos a tu casa. = After the party, we’re going to your house.
- To separate items in a list:
Compramos peras, manzanas y naranjas. = We bought pears, apples and oranges.
- To separate two independent clauses for clarity:
Compramos peras, manzanas y naranjas, y luego hicimos el ponche.
We bought pears, apples and oranges, and then we made the punch.
- To introduce dialogue:
Y dijo, «Adiós, Adela». = And he said, “Good-bye, Adela.”
- To use as an appositive or relative clause, which describes or clarifies something or someone in further detail:
Carlos, el hermano de mi mejor amiga = Carlos, my best friend’s brother
- To set off interjections:
¡Uf, he salido mal en matemáticas! = Oh, I’ve done poorly in math!
- For dates:
lunes, 15 de septiembre = Monday, September 15
Comillas (quotation marks)
As explained in the section above, comillas are Spanish quotation marks. They’re quite unique, and you won’t see them used in American English. You will, however, see similar marks used in universal programming languages, like Java!
In Spanish, you’ll use comillas to indicate lines of dialogue or cite information. They are most notably used for quotes within quotes, especially when the initial quotation begins with a long dash.
Reading is an awesome way to improve your Spanish comprehension and expand your vocabulary. Curl up with a good book and see firsthand how comillas are used!
Corchetes (brackets)
Spanish chorchetes (brackets) are an easy transition, even for readers new to Spanish. They mirror their English applications, and they’re fairly straightforward.
- Used for parentheses within parentheses:
(lavanda [Lamiaceae]) = (lavender [Lamiaceae])
- Utilized to indicate that a quote has been slightly changed:
«Son otras [personas] ahora». = “These are different [people] now.”
Dos puntos (colon)
In Spanish, dos puntos (colons) are used to introduce phrases, lists, and quotes. Most notably, they’re used after greetings, particularly in formal letters. Take a look at the list below.
- To introduce a phrase with an emphasized pause:
Te diré lo que me importa: me importas tú.
I’ll tell you what’s important to me: you are.
- To write a subtitle of a book:
Mi vida: recuerdos de una vida bien vivida = My Life: Memories of a Life Well Lived
- To introduce a list:
Vamos a leer: Cervantes, Poniatowska, Cortázar y Beltrán.
We’re going to read: Cervantes, Poniatowska, Cortázar y Beltrán.
- To introduce a conclusion or a consequence:
Hoy hay una tormenta: no vamos al parque.
There’s a storm today: we’re not going to the park.
- To introduce a quote:
Chavela Vargas dijo: «Los mexicanos nacimos donde nos da la gana».
Chavela Vargas said, “We Mexicans are born wherever we feel like it.”
- To start a letter:
Querido Juan: = Dear John,
- For telling time:
Son las 10:30. = It’s 10:30.
Paréntesis (parentheses)
In Spanish, paréntesis (parentheses) are used to enclose additional information or offer alternative information. Check out the full list of uses below.
- Used to enclose additional information:
Vivo en Madrid (en el barrio de La Latina). = I live in Madrid (in La Latina neighborhood).
- Employed to offer alternative information:
Busco un chico(a) para andar en bici los fines de semana.
Seeking a guy (gal) for bike riding on the weekends.
- Often used to attribute a quote:
«Donde haya un árbol que plantar, plántalo tú». (Gabriela Mistral)
Wherever a tree needs planting, you plant it. –Gabriela Mistral
Punto (period)
In Spanish, puntos (periods) function exactly as they do in English. No surprises here!
- Used at the end of a sentence when other punctuation is not utilized.
- However, when you’re closing a quote with a question mark or exclamation mark, place a period at the end. For example:
Elena preguntó: «¿Has lavado tu ropa?».
Elena asked, “Have you washed your clothes?”
- For abbreviations:
Sra. Martínez = Mrs. Martínez.
Punto y coma (semicolon)
In Spanish, a punto y coma (semicolon) isn’t all that common. When it is used, you’ll notice it mirrors English usages, too.
- Separate lists that include other punctuation:
Queremos un departamento lindo con dos recámaras, pero no muy grandes; una lavadora; y mucha luz.
We want a nice apartment with two bedrooms, but not too large; a washing machine; and lots of light.
- Employed to separate two related full phrases in a sentence, giving more pause than a comma:
Cenamos; fuimos a dormir. = We ate dinner; we went to bed.
Puntos suspensivos (ellipses)
Puntos suspensivos (ellipses) are aptly named. Suspensivo means “suspensive,” or to cause suspense, which is exactly how they function! You’ll often see them used at the end of an unfinished sentence in literature…the kind that leaves you on the edge of your seat.
- Used when a sentence or phrase trails off:
No sé qué decir, pero… = I don’t know what to say, but…
- In a quote, used to indicate that part of it has been omitted:
«El infierno y el paraíso… los hombres no merecen tanto» (Jorge Luis Borges) = “Hell and heaven…men don’t deserve so much.”–Jorge Luis Borges
Raya (long [em] dash)
Many writers like to use the raya (em dash) for added emphasis—a visual cue to the reader that what’s said after the em dash is especially important. In Spanish, there is always a space before the first dash and after the second one.
No vamos a ir a la playa –insisto yo– porque Mayra está enferma.
We’re not going to the beach–I insist–because Mayra is sick.
In Spanish, em dashes are also used to introduce lines of dialogue. Note that an em dash (—) is different from a regular dash (-). Don’t be tempted to use them interchangeably!
Signos de exclamación (exclamation points)
Exclamation points indicate excitement, enthusiasm, urgency, and anger. In Spanish, they’re used in pairs, similar to question marks. To use them correctly, you’ll include one exclamation mark at the beginning of a sentence and one at the end.
¡Vamos ahora! = Let’s go now!.
Signos de interrogación (question marks)
Once you get used to the upside down question mark, their usage is straightforward. Use an inverted one at the beginning and a normal one at the end:
¿Qué haces, abuela? = What are you doing, Grandma?
List of Spanish punctuation marks
Looking for the upside down question mark, comillas, and more? Copy and paste punctuation marks from the list below!
| Spanish | Symbol | English |
|---|---|---|
| coma | , | comma |
| comillas | « » | quotation marks |
| corchetes | [ ] | brackets |
| dos puntos | : | colon |
| paréntesis | ( ) | parentheses |
| punto | . | period |
| punto y coma | ; | semicolon |
| puntos suspensivos | … | ellipses |
| raya | – | long (em) dash |
| signos de exclamación | ¡ ! | exclamation mark(s) |
| signos de interrogación | ¿ ? | question mark(s) |
Are accent marks considered punctuation marks?
You may find it interesting to note that Spanish distinguishes between accents and punctuation. Indeed, according to the Royal Academia Española, there are three categories of marks that go over or near letters/words: diacritic marks (accents), punctuation marks (coma, comilla, corchete, dos puntos, signos de interrogación y exclamación, paréntesis, punto, puntos suspensivos, punto y coma, and raya), and auxiliary marks (llave, guion, barra, asterisco, apóstrofe).
To learn more about accent marks, check out our guide on when to use them, how they affect pronunciation, and how to type them on any keyboard!
Master Spanish punctuation with Rosetta Stone
For some, Spanish punctuation is fascinating: Periods instead of commas! Inverted question marks! For others, it’s one small drop in the ocean that is learning and improving Spanish skills. Whichever group you find yourself in, it’s helpful to know how they work. Reading and writing, after all, can significantly improve your comprehension and help you conquer real-world conversations!
Now that you’ve mastered these rules, you’re well on your way to tackling bigger concepts. Rosetta Stone can help you take the next step—whether you’re new to Spanish or ready to swim in deeper water. Our immersive lessons keep learning fun and engaging, while TruAccent helps you improve your pronunciation with immediate in-app feedback. You won’t learn like this on any other platform.
Written by Rowena Galavitz
Rowena Galavitz is a Spanish translator, bilingual copy editor, and language and literature instructor with three master’s degrees who loves Spanish and all things Mexico.
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