Italian uses a straightforward accent system that’s easier to master than many other Romance languages. With just two types of accents appearing on vowels, Italian spelling is relatively simple once you understand the basics. Whether you’re learning Italian, traveling to Italy, or communicating with Italian speakers, this guide covers everything you need to know about typing Italian accents.
Learn how to type à, è, é, ì, ò, ó, and ù on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook with easy keyboard shortcuts and helpful tips.
Italian Accents Overview
Italian uses only two types of accent marks:
Grave accent (`): à, è, ì, ò, ù
Acute accent (´): é (and rarely ó)
That’s it! Unlike French with five accent types or Portuguese with tildes, Italian keeps its accent system simple and logical. Most Italian accents are grave accents, with the acute accent appearing primarily on é.
Why Italian Accents Matter
Italian accents serve specific and important functions in the language:
Indicating stress:
Accents mark which syllable receives emphasis when it’s not the default position. Italian words are normally stressed on the second-to-last syllable, but accents show exceptions.
Distinguishing words:
Accents differentiate words that would otherwise be identical:
- e (and) vs. è (is)
- la (the) vs. là (there)
- si (oneself) vs. sì (yes)
- ne (of it) vs. né (neither/nor)
- da (from) vs. dà (gives)
Marking final stress:
When stress falls on the final syllable, Italian requires an accent:
- città (city)
- caffè (coffee)
- università (university)
- perché (why/because)
- così (so/thus)
Clarifying pronunciation:
Accents ensure proper pronunciation, especially in words borrowed from other languages or in verb forms.
The Grave Accent: à, è, ì, ò, ù
The grave accent is the most common Italian accent, appearing on all five vowels.
à (a with grave accent)
Pronunciation: Open “ah” sound
Common words:
- città (city)
- università (university)
- libertà (freedom/liberty)
- là (there)
- già (already)
- papà (dad)
Usage: Typically appears on words stressed on the final syllable.
è (e with grave accent)
Pronunciation: Open “eh” sound
Common words:
- è (is – third person singular of “essere”)
- caffè (coffee)
- tè (tea)
- cioè (that is)
- ahimè (alas)
Important distinction: This is the most frequently used accented character in Italian, as è means “is.”
ì (i with grave accent)
Pronunciation: “ee” sound with stress
Common words:
- così (so/thus)
- lì (there)
- sì (yes)
- lunedì (Monday)
- martedì (Tuesday)
- mercoledì (Wednesday)
- giovedì (Thursday)
- venerdì (Friday)
Pattern: Days of the week (except Sunday and Saturday) end in ì.
ò (o with grave accent)
Pronunciation: Open “aw” sound
Common words:
- però (but/however)
- può (can – third person)
- ciò (that/this)
Less common: ò appears less frequently than other grave accents.
ù (u with grave accent)
Pronunciation: “oo” sound with stress
Common words:
- più (more)
- giù (down)
- su (up) vs. sù (rare emphatic form)
- virtù (virtue)
Relatively rare: ù is the least common Italian accent.
The Acute Accent: é (and rarely ó)
The acute accent appears almost exclusively on the letter “e” in modern Italian.
é (e with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Closed “ay” sound
Common words:
- perché (why/because)
- né (neither/nor)
- affinché (so that)
- benché (although)
- nonché (as well as)
- poiché (since/because)
- purché (provided that)
Pattern: Many conjunctions end in -ché with an acute accent.
ó (o with acute accent)
Extremely rare in modern Italian. Occasionally used in poetry or very formal writing to distinguish open vs. closed “o” sounds, but not standard in everyday Italian.
Practical note: You’ll almost never need to type ó in standard Italian writing.
Italian Accent Rules
Understanding when to use accents helps you type correctly:
Rule 1: Accents on final syllables
When a word’s stress falls on the last syllable, that vowel takes an accent:
- città (city)
- caffè (coffee)
- perché (why)
- virtù (virtue)
Rule 2: Monosyllabic words
Some one-syllable words use accents to distinguish them from similar words:
- è (is) vs. e (and)
- sì (yes) vs. si (oneself)
- là (there) vs. la (the)
- né (nor) vs. ne (of it)
Rule 3: Open vs. closed “e”
Italian distinguishes between:
- è (open “eh” – grave accent)
- é (closed “ay” – acute accent)
Native speakers learn this distinction naturally, but learners often use è by default, which is usually safe.
How to Type Italian Accents on Windows
Method 1: Alt Codes
Hold Alt and type the code on your numeric keypad:
Grave accents:
- à = Alt + 133
- è = Alt + 138
- ì = Alt + 141
- ò = Alt + 149
- ù = Alt + 151
- À = Alt + 0192
- È = Alt + 0200
- Ì = Alt + 0204
- Ò = Alt + 0210
- Ù = Alt + 0217
Acute accent:
- é = Alt + 130
- É = Alt + 144
Method 2: US International Keyboard
- Enable US International keyboard in Windows Settings
- Type backtick (`), then the vowel for grave accents:
- ` then a = à
- ` then e = è
- ` then i = ì
- Type apostrophe (‘), then e for acute:
- ‘ then e = é
Method 3: Italian Keyboard Layout
Add the Italian keyboard layout:
- Settings → Time & Language → Language
- Add Italian keyboard
- Switch keyboards with Windows + Spacebar
The Italian keyboard includes dedicated accent keys.
How to Type Italian Accents on Mac
Mac offers intuitive shortcuts using the Option key:
Grave accents (à, è, ì, ò, ù)
Option + ` (backtick), then press the vowel:
- Option + `, then a = à
- Option + `, then e = è
- Option + `, then i = ì
- Option + `, then o = ò
- Option + `, then u = ù
Acute accent (é)
Option + e, then press e:
- Option + e, then e = é
Uppercase
Use the same combinations but hold Shift when typing the vowel:
- Option + `, then Shift + E = È
- Option + e, then Shift + E = É
How to Type Italian Accents on iPhone and iPad
iOS makes Italian accents simple with press-and-hold:
Press and Hold Method
- Tap and hold the vowel
- Accent options appear in a popup
- Slide to the accent you need
Quick access:
- Hold a → choose à
- Hold e → choose è or é
- Hold i → choose ì
- Hold o → choose ò
- Hold u → choose ù
Italian Keyboard
Add the Italian keyboard for better autocorrect:
- Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards
- Add New Keyboard → Italian
- Toggle between keyboards with the globe icon 🌐
How to Type Italian Accents on Android
Android uses the same press-and-hold method:
Press and Hold
- Press and hold the letter
- Accent options appear
- Slide to select the accent
All Italian accents are available through this method.
Add Italian Keyboard
- Settings → System → Languages & input
- Virtual keyboard → Gboard
- Languages → Add keyboard → Italian
- Switch with the globe icon 🌐
How to Type Italian Accents on Chromebook
Method 1: US International Keyboard
- Settings → Languages and inputs → Input methods
- Add “US International Keyboard”
- Type backtick then vowel for grave accents:
- ` then a = à
- ` then e = è
- Type apostrophe then e for acute:
- ‘ then e = é
Method 2: Italian Keyboard
Add the Italian keyboard layout for dedicated accent keys.
Method 3: On-Screen Keyboard
Enable the on-screen keyboard to access special characters.
Quick Reference: Italian Accents by Platform
à (a grave):
- Windows: Alt + 133
- Mac: Option+`, then a
- iOS/Android: Hold a
- Chromebook: `a
è (e grave):
- Windows: Alt + 138
- Mac: Option+`, then e
- iOS/Android: Hold e
- Chromebook: `e
é (e acute):
- Windows: Alt + 130
- Mac: Option+e, then e
- iOS/Android: Hold e
- Chromebook: ‘e
ì (i grave):
- Windows: Alt + 141
- Mac: Option+`, then i
- iOS/Android: Hold i
- Chromebook: `i
ò (o grave):
- Windows: Alt + 149
- Mac: Option+`, then o
- iOS/Android: Hold o
- Chromebook: `o
ù (u grave):
- Windows: Alt + 151
- Mac: Option+`, then u
- iOS/Android: Hold u
- Chromebook: `u
Common Italian Words with Accents
Essential Vocabulary
Greetings:
- Ciao (hello/bye) – no accents
- Buongiorno (good morning) – no accents
- Arrivederci (goodbye) – no accents
Common verbs:
- è (is)
- può (can)
- dà (gives)
Everyday words:
- caffè (coffee)
- città (city)
- università (university)
- così (so/thus)
- più (more)
- già (already)
- però (but/however)
- perché (why/because)
Days of the week:
- lunedì (Monday)
- martedì (Tuesday)
- mercoledì (Wednesday)
- giovedì (Thursday)
- venerdì (Friday)
- sabato (Saturday) – no accent
- domenica (Sunday) – no accent
Question/conjunction words:
- perché (why/because)
- né (neither/nor)
- cioè (that is)
Common Expressions
- Così così (so-so)
- Più o meno (more or less)
- È vero (it’s true)
- Va bene (okay/fine)
When to Use è vs. é
This is one of the trickiest aspects of Italian accents:
Use è (grave – open sound):
- The word è (is)
- Most common usage
- When in doubt, use grave
Use é (acute – closed sound):
- Conjunctions ending in -ché: perché, affinché, benché
- The word né (nor)
Practical tip: If you’re not sure, è (grave) is usually safe. Native speakers will understand either way, as the meaning is clear from context.
Italian Accent Patterns
Words ending in -tà
Nouns ending in -tà are always accented:
- città (city)
- università (university)
- libertà (freedom)
- verità (truth)
- qualità (quality)
These are typically feminine nouns that don’t change in the plural.
Days of the week
Five days end in ì:
- lunedì, martedì, mercoledì, giovedì, venerdì
Third-person verb forms
Some common verbs have accented third-person forms:
- è (is – from essere)
- dà (gives – from dare)
- può (can – from potere)
Common Italian Accent Mistakes
Don’t confuse “e” and “è”:
- e = and (conjunction)
- è = is (verb)
This is the #1 most common mistake!
Don’t skip accents on days:
Wrong: lunedi
Right: lunedì
Remember -tà endings:
Wrong: citta
Right: città
Don’t forget monosyllabic distinctions:
- si (oneself) vs. sì (yes)
- la (the) vs. là (there)
Use the right accent on perché:
Wrong: perchè
Right: perché (acute, not grave)
Typing Italian Faster
Learn common patterns:
Recognize -tà endings, weekdays with ì, and è for “is.”
Enable Italian autocorrect:
Add the Italian keyboard to your device for automatic accent placement.
Memorize frequent words:
Focus on è, più, così, perché, città, già.
Use Italian spell check:
Most applications can check Italian spelling and flag missing accents.
Practice the shortcuts:
The shortcuts become automatic with repetition.
When Accents Are Optional
In informal Italian writing (texts, social media), native speakers sometimes skip accents, especially:
- On capital letters (though this is changing)
- In casual messaging
However, for proper Italian:
- Always use accents in formal writing
- Include them in academic or professional contexts
- Use them when learning to reinforce correct spelling
Italian Accents in Different Applications
Microsoft Word
- Set language to Italian: Review → Language → Italian
- Enable Italian autocorrect
- Word will often add accents automatically
Google Docs
- File → Language → Italian
- Tools → Preferences for substitutions
- Install Italian keyboard for your system
Email and Social Media
- Use your device’s Italian keyboard
- All platforms support Italian accents
- Accents count normally in character limits
Regional Italian Variations
Standard Italian (based on Tuscan dialect) uses the accent system described here. Regional variations exist:
Northern Italy:
- Same written accents
- Different pronunciation
Southern Italy:
- Same written accents
- Different pronunciation
Sicily and Sardinia:
- Local languages have different rules
- Standard Italian uses same accents
All Italians learn standard Italian in school, which uses the accent system covered in this guide.
Learning Italian with Proper Accents
Why it matters for learners:
Using correct accents from the start helps you:
- Learn proper stress patterns
- Distinguish similar words
- Develop good spelling habits
- Sound more natural
Practice tips:
- Always type accents while learning
- Pay attention to final syllable stress
- Learn common patterns (-tà, weekdays)
- Use Italian spell check to catch errors
Italian vs. Other Romance Languages
Simpler than French:
Italian uses only 2 accent types vs. French’s 5
Simpler than Portuguese:
No tildes or as many circumflexes
Similar to Spanish:
Both use primarily acute accents, but Italian uses grave more often
Overall:
Italian has one of the simplest accent systems among Romance languages, making it relatively easy to master.
For platform-specific instructions, see our complete guides for Windows and Mac, iPhone and iPad, Android, and Chromebooks. If you need help with other languages, check out our Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese accent guides.
Conclusion
Italian accents are straightforward once you understand the basic patterns. With just grave and acute accents appearing on vowels, Italian spelling is more regular than many other Romance languages.
Key takeaways:
- Italian uses primarily grave accents (à, è, ì, ò, ù)
- The acute accent appears mainly on é
- Accents mark stress and distinguish words
- Every device offers easy typing methods
- Common patterns make accents predictable
Whether you’re learning Italian, traveling to Italy, or simply want to write Italian words correctly, mastering these accents ensures clear, accurate communication.
Buona fortuna! (Good luck!)