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!
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