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when to accent "donde"?
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From Level 5, lesson 22:
I had another mouse, but now (I) don’t know where it is
yo tenía otro mouse pero ahora no sé dónde estáWhy is donde accented? This isn't a question.
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Hi @irahandler
Great observation! The reason dónde is accented in this sentence is because it introduces an indirect question. Even though the sentence is not phrased as a direct question, it still expresses uncertainty about a location (where it is).Here’s the breakdown:
Direct Question:
Example: ¿Dónde está el mouse?
Translation: "Where is the mouse?"Dónde has an accent because it’s a question word indicating location.
Indirect Question:
Example: No sé dónde está el mouse.
Translation: "I don’t know where the mouse is."Dónde retains the accent because it introduces an implied question embedded in the sentence.
In contrast, donde (without an accent) is used in declarative statements that indicate a place, not a question:Example: El lugar donde lo dejé está vacío.
Translation: "The place where I left it is empty."
In your example, dónde is accented because the phrase dónde está functions as an indirect question embedded within the larger statement. -
That's helpful and clear. thanks.
