Have you ever wondered when to write aun with an accent mark in Spanish? This small tilde can completely change the meaning of the word. In this lesson, we'll explore the difference between aun and aún, when to use the accent mark, and how to avoid common mistakes that even native speakers make.
Before we dive in, let's test your knowledge. Which word would you use in the following sentences, aun or aún?
____ si te digo la verdad, no me crees
Even if I tell you the truth, you don't believe me
Estamos ____ en la fase de entrevistas.
We are still in the interview phase.
Keep reading to discover the answer!
The word aun without a graphic accent is an unstressed adverb that means "even," "including," "also," or "not even" (ni siquiera). Let's break down when to use it:
When aun is unstressed and equivalent to incluso (including/even), hasta (even/up to), también (also), or (ni) siquiera (not even), you write it without the tilde. Here are some examples:
Aun estudiando mucho, no pasó el examen
Even studying hard, he did not pass the exam
Yo hice aun más de lo que quería
I did even more than I wanted
he vivido demasiado
I have lived too much
aun con tanta historia
even with so much history
Captions 7-8, Kany Garcia - Estigma de amor
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This is where many Spanish speakers get confused! The connector aun así (without a tilde) is equivalent to pese a eso (despite that), a pesar de eso (in spite of that), con todo (even so), or sin embargo (however). It never carries an accent mark:
Revolvimos los planetas
We stirred the planets
Y aun así te vas
And even so you leave
Captions 16-17, Belanova - Y aun así te vas
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However, the sequence aún así (with a tilde) is different. When aún carries the tilde, it means todavía así (still like that), with aún functioning as a temporal adverb. Compare these examples:
Llovió todo el día, pero, aun así, decidimos salir (It rained all day, but even so, we decided to go out) → connector meaning "despite that"
Mi hermano vive aún así, sin preocupaciones (My brother still lives like that, without worries) → aún = todavía (still)
Similarly, the conjunction aun cuando is always written without a tilde:
Saldría aun cuando pegó y se resistió bastante.
He would get released even though he struck (them) and resisted quite a lot.
Caption 65, Yago 11 Prisión - Part 4
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Now let's look at when you need to add that accent mark. The adverb aún is a stressed word that requires a tilde when it means todavía (still or yet). Here are the three main cases:
When aún expresses that something continues to happen or hasn't happened yet, you need the accent mark:
Para los que aún no me conocen, mi nombre es Natalia.
For those who still don't know me, my name is Natalia.
Caption 3, Natalia de Ecuador - Consejos: haciendo amigos como adultos
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Así que aún queda la pequeña esperanza.
So, there's still a little hope.
Caption 44, Rosa - Fuente de Piedra
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Durante este período, México aún tenía el nombre de la Nueva España.
During this period, Mexico still had the name New Spain.
Caption 16, Paseando con Karen - Monterrey - Museo de Historia Mexicana
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When aún expresses contrast or surprise and can be replaced by todavía (still), it needs the tilde:
Le sirvieron la comida a él primero y aún se quejó
They served him the food first and he still complained
In this example, aún shows surprise or contrast (despite being served first, he still complained) and can be replaced with todavía: Le sirvieron la comida a él primero y todavía se quejó.
When aún is used for emphasis, typically with words like más (more), menos (less), mejor (better), or peor (worse), it carries a tilde. Although you might translate this as "even," the pronunciation is stressed (tonic), which is why the accent mark is required:
la situación se ha deteriorado aún más, desencadenando una grave crisis humanitaria.
the situation has deteriorated even more, triggering a serious humanitarian crisis.
Captions 38-39, Vocabulario de noticias Política internacional - Part 3
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To help you remember when to use each form, here's a quick summary:
• It means incluso (even, including), hasta (up to, even), también (also), or (ni) siquiera (not even)
• You use the connector aun así (even so, despite that)
• You use the conjunction aun cuando (even when/although)
• It means todavía (still, yet) in a temporal sense
• It expresses contrast or surprise and can be replaced by todavía
• It's used for emphasis with más, menos, mejor, or peor
Let's go back to our initial quiz and see the correct answers:
Aun si te digo la verdad, no me crees
Even if I tell you the truth, you don't believe me
Estamos aún en la fase de entrevistas.
We are still in the interview phase.
Caption 19, Negocios - La solicitud de empleo
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And that's it for today. We hope this lesson has cleared up any confusion about when to use aun versus aún in Spanish. Remember, that little tilde makes a big difference in meaning! Ready to share your thoughts? We'd love to hear from you with any questions or comments you might have!
Have you ever wanted to tell someone in Spanish that you just did something — as in, moments ago? There's a very elegant and commonly used construction for that: acabar de + infinitive. In this lesson, we'll break down how it works, look at some real examples, and cover a handy bonus tip about object pronouns.
Acabar de combines the verb acabar (to finish) with the preposition de to express the idea of having just completed an action in the very recent past. Think of it as the Spanish equivalent of "to have just done something." The formula is simple:
📌 acabar (conjugated) + de + verb in the infinitive
The key is that acabar must always be conjugated to match the subject, while the second verb stays in the infinitive form. Let's look at some examples:
Acabo de dormir una siesta.
I just took a nap.
Toño acaba de salir a la tienda.
Toño just left to the store.
No se vayan tan pronto. ¡Acaban de llegar!
Don't leave so soon. You guys just arrived!
Let's hear how native speakers use acabar de in real conversations:
Esta empresa acaba de inventar un teléfono con un montón de nuevas funciones
This company just invented a phone with a ton of new features
Caption 7, Negocios La solicitud de empleo - Part 1
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Acabo de salir de la entrevista de trabajo. ¡Me fue más bien!
I just got out of a work interview. It went really well for me!
Caption 69, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 11
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¿Cómo se llama el baile que acabas de ver?
What is the name of the dance that you just saw?
Caption 44, Tu Música La trivia del ritmo - Part 3
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Acabar de is just one of the many ways this versatile verb is used in Spanish. If you'd like to explore all its other meanings — from "to end up" to "to break up with someone" to "¡Se acabó!" — check out our full lesson: The Many Meanings of the Spanish Verb Acabar.
We hope this was helpful! Got questions or something you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you — write to us with your comments and questions. ¡Hasta la próxima!
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