You've probably already seen this strange punctuation mark: ¿ . This is the upside down question mark, used in Spanish to start a question. But how do you type it on your keyboard? In this article, we explain the different methods to upside down question mark
Why use an upside down question mark?
The upside down question mark is a typical symbol of the Spanish language . It allows you to indicate to the reader that a sentence is interrogative from the beginning, and not at the end as in French. So the tone and intonation of the sentence can be adapted accordingly. For example :
- ¿What? (How are you ?)
- Where is the bath? (Where is the restroom ?)
- Do you taste chocolate? (You like chocolate ?)
The backwards question mark is obligatory in Spanish , and it must be accompanied by a regular question mark at the end of the sentence. If you forget to put it, your sentence will be considered incorrect or incomplete.
How to make an upside down question mark on Windows ?
If you're using a Windows computer, there are several ways to make an upside-down question mark:
- The simplest is to use the ASCII code . Just hold down the ALT key and type 168 on the number pad . ¿Then release the ALT key and the ¿ symbol will appear.
- Another method is to use the Windows . To enable it, go to the Start , then Settings, then Time & language , then Keyboard . Click Add Keyboard and choose Spanish (Spain). A keyboard icon will then appear in the taskbar. Click on it and select Spanish keyboard. You can then type the question mark backwards by pressing the ? key. located next to the 0 .
- Finally, you can also use the following keyboard shortcut : hold down the SHIFT and ALT keys , then press the ? key. This method works with some French keyboards, but not all.
How to make an upside down question mark on Mac?
If you 're using a Mac computer , there are also several ways to make an upside-down question mark:
- The simplest is to use the following keyboard shortcut: hold down the ALT key , then press the ? key. . The ¿ symbol will then appear.
- Another method is to use the keyboard viewer. To enable it, go to the Apple menu , then System Preferences , then Keyboard . Check the box for Show keyboard and emoji viewers in menu bar. An icon representing a keyboard will then appear in the menu bar. Click on it and select the keyboard viewer. You will then be able to see the symbols available depending on the keys you hold down. To type the question mark backwards, hold down the ALT key and click the ? key. And if you're wondering how to do Ctrl + Alt + Del on Mac , know that there is an equivalent: simply press the Command + Option + Esc keys .
- Finally, you can also use the Spanish keyboard. To add it, go to the Apple menu , then System Preferences , then Keyboard. Click Input Methods and add Spanish keyboard . You can then switch between the French and Spanish keyboards by clicking on the flag icon in the menu bar. On the Spanish keyboard , the upside down question mark is in place of / .
How to make an upside down question mark on a smartphone or tablet?
If you're using a smartphone or tablet, there are also several ways to make an upside-down question mark:
- The easiest is to use the Spanish keyboard. To add it, go to your device's Settings, then Language & input, then Keyboard . Add the Spanish keyboard and switch between keyboards by tapping the globe icon. On the Spanish keyboard, the upside down question mark is found in the place of /.
- Another method is to use copy and paste. You can copy the ¿ symbol from a website like https://www.emojimore.com/en/point-dinterrogation-inverse/ and paste it wherever you want.
- Finally, you can also use a dedicated application. There are apps that allow you to type special symbols like the upside down question mark. For example, you can try Symbol Keyboard or Symbols Keyboard .
FAQs
What is the difference between ¿ and ? ?
¿ is the upside-down question mark, used in Spanish to start a question. ? is the normal question mark, used in French and most languages to end a question .
How to make an upside down exclamation point?
The backwards exclamation point (¡) is a symbol used in Spanish to begin an exclamatory sentence. To type it on your keyboard , you can use the same methods as for the upside down question mark, replacing 168 with 173 for the ASCII code, or by pressing the ! instead of the key? .
What is a point of irony?
The dot of irony (؟) is a symbol proposed by Alcanter of Brahm in the 19th century to indicate that a sentence is ironic or sarcastic. It looks like an inverted question mark, but it is not used in Spanish. There is no ASCII code or keyboard shortcut for typing it, but you can copy it from a website like https://www.compart.com/en/unicode/U+061F.
How to make a midpoint?
The midpoint (·) is a symbol used to separate elements of an enumeration or to indicate multiplication. To type it on your keyboard , you can use the ASCII code 250, or the keyboard shortcut SHIFT + ALT + ; on Mac.
How to make a semicolon?
The semicolon (;) is a symbol used to separate two independent clauses or to introduce a list. To type it on your keyboard, you can use the key to the right of M , or the keyboard shortcut SHIFT +; on Mac.
Conclusion
You now know how to make an upside down question mark on your keyboard , whether on Windows , Mac, smartphone or tablet . This symbol is essential if you want to write correctly in Spanish, but it can also be used to express surprise, irony or curiosity in other languages. Don't hesitate to use it to spice up your messages ! And if you want to learn other computer hacks, like doing subtraction in Excel, you can check out our dedicated articles on our website .
