Acentuáis

Acentuáis is the second-person plural form of the present indicative of the Spanish verb acentuar. It corresponds to the meaning “you (all) accentuate” or “you (all) stress,” and is used in Spain and in dialects that preserve the vosostros form. The verb acentuar can refer to placing an orthographic accent mark on a syllable as well as to giving emphasis or prominence in pronunciation or rhetoric.

Morphology and usage

Acentuar is a regular -ar verb, so the present indicative vosotros form ends in -áis: acentuáis. Other conjugations in the present tense are: anuncio, tú acentúas; él acentúa; nosotros acentuamos; ellos acentúan. In regions that do not use the vosostros form, the corresponding second-person plural form is ustedes acentúan. The term acentuar is often used in orthography to refer to adding or indicating accent marks (tilde) on vowels, and in phonetics to describe syllable emphasis.

Etymology and nuances

The word derives from Latin accentuare, linked to accentus or tone. In linguistic and educational contexts, acentuar addresses both the graphical aspect of marking a syllable with a tilde and the auditory aspect of stressing a syllable in pronunciation. The exact meaning depends on the context: orthographic rules for tilde placement or figurative emphasis in speech or writing.

Representative usage

Acentuáis las palabras que lo requieren según las reglas de acentuación. En español latinoamericano que usa ustedes en lugar de vosotros, se diría acentúan.