Spanish typing practice
Practise typing Spanish for free: Smart Lessons in common Spanish words, Galdós and Unamuno to type, and the keys for ñ and the accents on a Spanish, US or UK keyboard.
What you can practise
Smart Lessons in Spanish
Real Spanish words, built around your slowest key. You start on six keys, and Spanish's own letters join as the others come up to speed.
The Spanish alphabet
Every letter in order against the clock, with how to type each Spanish letter on your keyboard.
Typing games in Spanish
Pilot and Spaceship: steer through the gaps or shoot down enemy ships by typing Spanish words.
6 Spanish books
Classic Spanish books, out of copyright, typed a passage at a time.
Spanish letters
Spanish needs ñ, as in "España", "año" and "niño"; an acute accent that can sit on any vowel, as in "está", "también", "sí", "información" and "tú"; and, more rarely, ü, as in "pingüino" and "vergüenza". The accents change words: "papá" is not "papa", and "sí" (yes) is not "si" (if).
A Spanish keyboard is QWERTY with ñ on its own key to the right of L and a dead accent key to the right of ñ: ´ then a types á, and the same key with Shift gives ¨ for ü. On a US or UK keyboard, US-International makes ' a dead key for the accents and ~ (Shift `) one for ñ; on a Mac, Option E then the vowel, or Option N then n.
On a Spanish keyboard
Windows: Spanish · macOS: Spanish – ISO · Linux: Spanish
Add it in Windows under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, in macOS under System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources, in Linux under Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources.
| Letter | Windows | macOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| á | ´then A | ´then A | ´then A |
| é | ´then E | ´then E | ´then E |
| í | ´then I | ´then I | ´then I |
| ñ | Ñ | Ñ | Ñ |
| ó | ´then O | ´then O | ´then O |
| ú | ´then U | ´then U | ´then U |
| ü | Shift ´then U | Shift ´then U | Shift ´then U |
On a US or UK keyboard
Windows: United States-International · macOS: ABC – Extended · Linux: English (US, intl., with dead keys)
Add it the same way. On US-International ' and " become dead keys: type a space after one for the mark itself.
| Letter | Windows | macOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| á | 'then A | Option Ethen A | 'then A |
| é | 'then E | Option Ethen E | 'then E |
| í | 'then I | Option Ethen I | 'then I |
| ñ | Shift `then N | Option Nthen N | Shift `then N |
| ó | 'then O | Option Ethen O | 'then O |
| ú | 'then U | Option Ethen U | 'then U |
| ü | Shift 'then U | Option Uthen U | Shift 'then U |
Tips for typing Spanish
Ñ is a home key
On a Spanish keyboard ñ sits where a US keyboard has the semicolon, under the right little finger at rest. It needs no reach at all, so type "año", "niño" and "mañana" without looking down.
Accent first, then the vowel
The accent key to the right of ñ prints nothing until the vowel comes. Treat ´ and the vowel as one movement: right little finger, then the vowel's own finger, with no pause between them.
Opening ¿ and ¡
Spanish questions and exclamations start with ¿ and ¡. On a Spanish keyboard the key two to the right of 0 types ¡, and ¿ with Shift; on US-International they are AltGr 1 and AltGr /.
Apostrophes on US-International
With ' as a dead key, a quote or apostrophe waits for the next key. Type a space after it when you want the mark itself, or the vowel that follows gets an accent.