What a difference an accent makes! Did you know that the meanings of several Spanish words vary depending upon whether or not they have a written accent? Today, we'll learn ten such pairs of words, providing examples of each in context. Are you ready?!

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1. Aun vs. Aún 

Aun:

The adverb aun in Spanish, without an accent, is the equivalent of the English word "even":

Aun así, me hubiera gustado tener algo más de luz.

Even so, I'd have liked to have had a bit more light.

Caption 63, Viajando con Fermín La Cueva de Nerja - Part 2

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Aún:

The adverb aún, on the other hand, with an accent, means "yet" or "still" in Spanish:

Aún no tengo hijos, eh...

I don't have kids yet, um...

Caption 29, La Sub30 Familias - Part 9

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2. De vs. Dé​

De:

The preposition de in Spanish is an extremely common word that can mean "of" or "from":

Yo soy de Barcelona, nací aquí,

I'm from Barcelona, I was born here,

Caption 23, Carlos y Xavi Diferencia de pronunciación entre España y Colombia - Part 1

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Dé:

The word dé with an accent, however, is a conjugated form of the verb dar (to give) in Spanish. It could be either the present subjunctive form that corresponds to the subject pronouns él (he), ella (she), or usted (formal "you") or the formal imperative. Let's look at an example of each:

Present Subjunctive:

que me dé una explicación.

for him to give me an explanation.

Caption 60, Yago 13 La verdad - Part 5

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Formal Imperative:

Démela, no se va a dar cuenta.

Give it to me, she won't realize.

Caption 42, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 2

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3. Esta vs. Está

Esta:

Without an accent, esta is the singular feminine demonstrative adjective that means "this":

Esta pasión empezó cuando yo era muy pequeña

This passion started when I was really little,

Caption 5, Adriana La lectura

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Está

With an accent, está is the third person singular and formal second person singular conjugation of the verb estar (to be).

y el mar está muy agitado.

and the sea is very choppy.

Caption 40, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 8

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4. El vs. Él

El:

The word el in Spanish is the masculine singular definite article that means "the":

En el parque hay árboles,

At the park there are trees,

Caption 15, El Aula Azul Mi Barrio

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Él:

Él with an accent is a subject pronoun that means "he" or "it": 

Él tiene una responsabilidad con ustedes,

He has a responsibility to you guys,

Caption 41, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4

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5. Mas vs. Más

Mas:

The Spanish word mas without an accent is a conjunction that is used similarly to the word pero in Spanish and also means "but":

"Te dije que me hicieras caso, mas no escuchaste".

"I told you to pay attention to me, but you didn't listen."

Caption 21, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"

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Más:

Meanwhile, the word más with an accent is the Spanish equivalent of the word "more":

"Necesito comprar más carros".

"I need to buy more cars."

Caption 15, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"

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For more on the difference between these two words, take a look the video from which these two examples were taken: Aprendiendo con Priscilla- La palabra "más."

6. Mi vs. Mí

Mi:

The non-accented word mi in Spanish is a short form possessive adjective that means "my" when referring to singular nouns:

Mi casa es pequeña.

My house is small.

Caption 10, Ariana Mi Casa

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Mí:

The accented version of this word is a prepositional pronoun that can be used after any  preposition (except the preposition con) to mean "me":

Para mí, el mejor jugador de fútbol es Leo Messi.

For me, the best soccer player is Leo Messi.

Caption 52, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 3

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7. Se vs. Sé

Se:

The pronoun se in Spanish has many uses, including in impersonal and passive se constructions, in the no fault construction, to say "each other" in phrases like se abrazaron (they hugged each other), and as the reflexive pronoun that accompanies reflexive verbs with él, ella, usted, and ustedes. The following example includes se in both an impersonal and a reflexive construction.

y, como se dice en España: "Hay que saberse bañar

and, as they say in Spain: "You have to know how to bathe yourself

Caption 77, Soledad Amistades

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Sé:

The accented version of the word sé is the first person conjugation of the verb saber (to know) in the present indicative:

yo sé que Ríos está aquí, hermano.

I know that Rios is here, brother.

Caption 58, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 6

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8. Si vs. Sí​

Si:

Si without an accent in Spanish means "if":

Si vienes, entonces te invito a comer.

If you come, then I'll treat you to a meal.

Caption 22, Ana Carolina Condicionales

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And, as you surely already know, sí with an accent in Spanish means "yes":

Sí. -Sí, señor.

Yes. -Yes, sir.

Caption 94, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1

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Carolina sums up this difference well:

Entonces, "sí" es una palabra afirmativa cuando queremos algo, mientras que "si" es una palabra condicional.

So, "sí" is an affirmative word when we want something, while "si" is a conditional word.

Captions 38-40, Lecciones con Carolina Haber vs. A Ver / Si vs. Sí

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9. Te vs. Té

Te:

Te with no accent can be either a direct or indirect object pronoun or a reflexive pronoun that corresponds to the informal second person singular subject pronoun tú. Let's see it in use as a direct object pronoun:

Te voy a llevar a los mejores restaurantes.

I am going to take you to the best restaurants.

Caption 23, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades

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Té:

The accented version of té refers to the beverage "tea":

Si querés tomar té tomalo en tu escritorio... -Ah, está bien...

If you want to have tea, have it at your desk... -Oh, OK...

Caption 29, Muñeca Brava 3 Nueva Casa - Part 7

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10. Tu vs. Tú

Tu:

Tu (no accent!) is the informal second person singular possessive adjective that means "your":

¿Cómo se llama tu mamá?

What's your mom's name?

Caption 26, Ana Carolina Preguntas básicas con su hijo

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Tú:

As we mentioned previously, tú with an accent is a subject pronoun that informally means "you" in Spanish. 

¿Y tú? Que tampoco me has vuelto a llamar.

And you? You haven't called me again either.

Caption 18, Cleer y Lida Conversación telefónica - Part 1

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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has clarified the difference between words in Spanish that, while pronounced identically, have different meanings depending upon whether or not they have an accent. Don't hesitate to write us with any questions, suggestions, or comments.

Have you ever wondered how to say "fun" in Spanish — or why divertido doesn't always mean what you think? Whether you want to talk about having a great time, tell a friend to enjoy themselves, or simply expand your Spanish vocabulary, today's lesson covers all the key words and expressions you need. From classic verbs to fun regional slang, let's dive in!

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Is There a Word for "Fun" in Spanish?

One of the most common questions Spanish learners ask is: is there a single word for "fun" in Spanish? The short answer is no — and yes. Unlike English, Spanish uses different words depending on whether "fun" is a verb, noun, or adjective. Don't worry, though — we'll break it all down below!

Here's a quick overview of everything we'll cover today:

Spanish Verbs That Mean "To Have Fun"

Let's start with the verbs. There are several ways to express the idea of having fun or a good time in Spanish. 

​Pasarlo bien 

The expression pasarlo bien translates as "to have fun" or "to have a good time." Add muy and you get pasarlo muy bien — "to have a great time" or "a really good time."

You'll also often hear the reflexive version:

Nos lo pasamos muy bien. -Ah. 

We have a great time. -Oh.

Caption 31, Karla e Isabel Alquilar una habitación - Part 2

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pásenlo bien, hagan del mundo un mundo más bonito y

have a good time, make the world a nicer world, and

Caption 41, Víctor en Caracas Santa Claus

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Disfrutar

The verb disfrutar means "to enjoy." Let's see it in its present indicative and subjunctive forms:

Disfruto tanto dibujando en acuarela o bocetando,

I enjoy watercolor painting or sketching so much

Caption 8, Isabel Lavesa Dibujo en acuarela

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Pues, que disfruten su estancia,

Well, [I hope] that you enjoy your stay,

Caption 68, Yabla en Yucatán Vicente

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Note that disfrutar is often followed by the preposition de to indicate what is being enjoyed:

nos vamos a disfrutar de la fiesta.

we are going to enjoy the party.

Caption 19, Marta Vocabulario de Cumpleaños

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Gozar 

The verb gozar also means "to enjoy" or "to have a good time":

Lloran, se ríen, gozan;

They cry, they laugh, they enjoy;

Caption 34, Mariachi El amor de la música mexicana

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Like disfrutar, gozar is often followed by the preposition de: Gozamos mucho del tiempo que pasamos en la costa (We really enjoyed the time we spent on the coast). 

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How to Say "Fun" in Spanish: Nouns

Now let's look at two Spanish nouns that translate as "fun" or "enjoyment."

la diversión (the fun)

Pero a veces, la diversión no les dura ni diez minutos. 

But sometimes, the fun doesn't last even ten minutes for them.

Caption 34, Ana Carolina Bebés y medio ambiente

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el goce (the enjoyment, the pleasure)

El placer es una sensación de goce o satisfacción

Pleasure is a feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction

Caption 10, Aprendiendo con Silvia Pequeños grandes placeres - Part 1

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"Fun" vs. "Funny" in Spanish: Don't Get Confused!

Here's something that trips up a lot of Spanish learners: the adjective divertido/a means "fun" or "enjoyable" — but it does not necessarily mean "funny." In English, "that movie was fun" and "that movie was funny" are two different things. In Spanish, the distinction matters too:

divertido/a → fun, enjoyable, entertaining

gracioso/a or chistoso/a → funny (as in, it makes you laugh)

So if you want to say "he's so funny!" you'd say ¡Es tan gracioso/chistoso! — not ¡Es tan divertido!, which would mean he's "so fun to be around."

Hoy quiero hablaros sobre un evento muy interesante y divertido

Today, I want to talk to you about a very interesting and fun event

Caption 1, Viajando con Fermín 4 días caminando en Marbella

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Qué gracioso.

How funny.

Caption 51, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 2

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Bueno, va a sonar un poco chistoso lo que voy a decir, pero,

Well, what I'm going to say will sound a bit funny, but,

Caption 45, Tu Voz Estéreo Laura - Part 13

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Fun Spanish Adjectives

Finally, let's look at some adjectives that mean "fun" or "entertaining." Remember that adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.

Divertido/a(s) (fun/enjoyable/amusing)

¡Guau! Eso sí que era divertido

Wow! That really was fun,

Caption 36, Aprendiendo con Silvia Recuerdos de infancia - Part 2

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Entretenido/a(s) (fun/entertaining/enjoyable)

pero en los libros vas a encontrar palabras nuevas en historias muy divertidas y entretenidas.

but in books, you're going to find new words in very amusing and entertaining stories.

Captions 5-6, El Aula Azul Mis libros preferidos - Part 1

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Start Having Fun in Spanish Today!

Now you have a solid toolkit for talking about fun and enjoyment in Spanish — from versatile verbs like pasarlo bien and divertirse, to key nouns and adjectives, plus that handy divertido vs. gracioso distinction that will save you from some awkward moments! ¡Esperamos que hayan disfrutado de esta lección! (we hope you've enjoyed this lesson). Got questions or something you'd like us to cover next? We'd love to hear from you — drop us a line with your thoughts and questions. ¡Hasta la próxima!

How do you say "math" in Spanish? This is a question even native speakers ask themselves. The reason is that there are two terms that people use to say "mathematics" in Spanish. Let's find out which term you should use and explore some of the most basic math terms in Spanish. 

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How do you say "mathematics" in Spanish?

Matemática and its plural form matemáticas are the two valid terms you can use when talking about the noun that refers to "the science of numbers, forms, amounts, and their relationships." Let's see a couple of examples:

matemática

Vos te puedes equivocar en la matemática también.

You can make mistakes in math too.

Caption 19, Yago - 11 Prisión

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matemáticas

Esta mañana he resuelto el problema de matemáticas.

This morning I solved the math problem.

Caption 55, Lecciones con Carolina - Participios irregulares

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Yo tenía que responder exámenes de matemáticas.

I had to answer math tests.

Caption 34, Los Años Maravillosos - Capítulo 7

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There are a couple of things worth mentioning. First of all, keep in mind that the plural form matemáticas tends to be used more frequently than the singular form. Second of all, you don't need to use capital letters for any of these two terms. Now, let's review some useful vocabulary related to math in Spanish.

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Basic math terms in Spanish

Basic mathematical operations

Let's see how to say the most basic math operations in Spanish:

Addition (Adición or suma)

Substraction (Sustracción or resta)

Multiplication (Multiplicación)

Division (División)

And how about the verbs that you use to indicate those basic operations? Let's listen to our friend Ester from El Aula Azul:

Tienes números, tienes que sumar,

You have numbers, you have to add,

tienes que restar, multiplicar, dividir.

you have to subtract, to multiply, to divide.

Captions 4-5, El Aula Azul - Piensa rápido

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Now, let's see how to express these operations with some examples:

1 +1 = one plus one (uno más uno)

2 - 1 = two minus one (dos menos uno)

2 x 2 = two times two (dos por dos)

4 ÷ 2 = four divided by two (cuatro dividido dos)

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Math terms we use in everyday life

There are many math terms we use every day even when we are not talking about mathematics. Let's look at some of these terms:

Mi escultura es la solución a una ecuación.

My sculpture is the solution to an equation.

Caption 25, San Sebastián - Peine del viento

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Y ¿cuál es la temperatura promedio en tu pueblo?

And what's the average temperature in your town?

Caption 39, Cleer - Entrevista a Lila

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Producimos un doce coma seis por ciento más de residuos que la media Europea.

We produce twelve-point-six percent more waste than the average of Europe.

Caption 29, 3R - Campaña de reciclaje

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Ya ven uno y uno es igual a tres

Now you see one and one equals three

Caption 10, Jeremías - Uno y uno igual a tres

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Otra cosa im'... importante que tienes que calcular

Another im'... important thing that you have to calculate

además de todo ese movimiento.

in addition to all that movement.

Captions 64-65, El teatro. - Conversación con un doble de acción.

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Los números cardinales pueden ser simples o compuestos.

Cardinal numbers can be simple or compound.

Caption 11, Carlos explica - Los Números: Números Cardinales

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And that's it for today. If you want to learn more math in Spanish, we invite you to check out this useful English-Spanish glossary of terms and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions.

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