Spanish Keyboard

How to type ¡ (upside-down exclamation mark)

Spanish opens exclamations with ¡ and closes them with !: ¡Qué bien! Here are all the shortcuts and the rules for where it goes.

Updated:

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Every way, at a glance

Device¡
Windows (Alt)Alt 0161 · Alt 173
Windows (US-International)Right Alt 1
Mac⌥ 1
Chromebook / LinuxCtrl ⇧ U a1 ⏎
iPhone / Android123 › hold !
Word (Windows)Ctrl Alt ⇧ !
Google DocsInsert › Special characters
HTML¡
UnicodeU+00A1

Alt codes need the number pad with Num Lock on. On a laptop without one, use the US-International keyboard. Step by step for each system: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone and Android.

Common words with ¡

¡Hola! (Hi!), ¡Gracias! (Thanks!), ¡Felicidades! (Congratulations!), ¡Qué bien! (Great!), ¡Cuidado! (Careful!), ¡Vamos! (Let's go!), ¡Feliz cumpleaños! (Happy birthday!)

Where it goes

For the opening question mark, see how to type ¿. The online keyboard adds ¡ for you when you end the sentence with !.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Alt code for ¡?

Alt + 0161, or the old Alt + 173, on the number pad.

Do I have to use ¡ in Spanish?

In correct Spanish, yes: the RAE requires both the opening and the closing mark.

Sources