Difference between aún and aun in Spanish (with and without a written accent)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Silvia Piriz BA
Last updated: 2023-05-26
22 questions

Some Spanish words have different meanings when written with or without an accent. It is necessary to pay special attention to aún and aun and what they mean each time:

 

Aún with a written accent

Aún is an adverb. It is usually translated as still, yet, however.

Aún is used when:

  • it refers to time. For example:

Aún tengo muy buenos recuerdos de ese viaje.I still have very good memories of that trip.

Mi hermano no ha llegado aún de Barcelona.My brother hasn't arrived yet from Barcelona.

¿Aún estás aquí?Are you still here? (You = tú)

However, the synonym "todavía" is more common in this context.

Aún no he ido al médico. = Todavía no he ido al médico.
I haven't been to the doctor yet.

Aún me duele la cabeza. = Todavía me duele la cabeza.
My head still hurts.

  • it is the equivalent of "nonetheless/yet" (aún = sin embargo/no obstante)

Mateo le permitió quedarse con la casa y el coche pero ella aún se quejó.Mateo allowed her to keep the house and the car but she nonetheless complained.

Te llamo a todas horas y aún dices que no te hago caso.I call you all the time [and] yet you say I don't pay attention to you.

This usage of aún is a lot less common than sin embargo or no obstante.

Te llamo a todas horas y sin embargo/no obstante dices que no te hago caso.
  • it is an intensifier, used with más, menos, mejor, peor

Le ofrecieron más dinero aún que en el antiguo trabajo.They offered him even more money than in his old job.

Esa casa no es muy cara pero esta es aún más barata.That house is not very expensive but this one is even cheaper/cheaper still.

-¿Está mejor tu padre? -No, está aún peor.-Is your father better? -No, he is even worse/worse still.

Note that in this case, as an intensifier, we are not using the general translations stated above for aún. Instead, we are translating it here as "even ...." But in these cases, although it may sound a bit old-fashioned, you could also use "still"; for example:

Esa casa no es muy cara pero esta es aún más barata.That house is not very expensive but this one is even cheaper/cheaper still.

 

Aun without a written accent

Aun is also an adverb. It's usually translated as even or despite.

For example:

No iré contigo aun si me lo suplicas.I won't go with you even if you beg me.

Aun con ventaja, no ganaron el partido.Even with an advantage, they did not win the match.

Me parece muy caro aun con el descuento del 30 por ciento.I think it is very expensive, even with the 30 percent discount.

Aun si es verdad no lo aceptarán.Even if it is true, they will not accept it.

Aun is very often used with cuando / con / si:

aun cuando... = even when...

aun con... = even with...

aun si = even if...

Aun is slightly formal; it's a bit more colloquial to use the adverb "incluso" in these cases. For example:

Aun con ventaja, no ganaron el partido = Incluso con ventaja, no ganaron el partido

Even with an advantage, they didn't win the match.

 

Aun así vs aún así

Aun así and aún así are both correct, but they mean different things.

Aun así (aun without an accent) means even so, despite that.

For example:

La he tratado como una reina y aun así no quiere ser mi novia.I have treated her like a queen and even so/despite that, she doesn't want to be my girlfriend.

Me pagarán poco dinero, pero, aun así, aceptaré el trabajo.They won't pay me a lot of money, but, despite that, I will accept the job.

Aún así (aún with a written accent) is a combination of aún (still) and así (like that/that way)

For example:

Tenemos que irnos ya y tú estás aún así, sin vestir ni maquillar.We need to go now and you are still like that, undressed and with no make-up.

 

Remember:

  • aún = still / yet / nonetheless; even (as an intensifier)
  • aun = even / despite

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Examples and resources

Te llamo a todas horas y aún dices que no te hago caso.I call you all the time [and] yet you say I don't pay attention to you.
Aún tengo muy buenos recuerdos de ese viaje.I still have very good memories of that trip.
¿Aún estás aquí?Are you still here? (You = tú)
Aun si es verdad no lo aceptarán.Even if it is true, they will not accept it.
Mi hermano no ha llegado aún de Barcelona.My brother hasn't arrived yet from Barcelona.
No iré contigo aun si me lo suplicas.I won't go with you even if you beg me.
Aun con ventaja, no ganaron el partido.Even with an advantage, they did not win the match.
Le ofrecieron más dinero aún que en el antiguo trabajo.They offered him even more money than in his old job.
Esa casa no es muy cara pero esta es aún más barata.That house is not very expensive but this one is even cheaper/cheaper still.
Tenemos que irnos ya y tú estás aún así, sin vestir ni maquillar.We need to go now and you are still like that, undressed and with no make-up.
La he tratado como una reina y aun así no quiere ser mi novia.I have treated her like a queen and even so/despite that, she doesn't want to be my girlfriend.
-¿Está mejor tu padre? -No, está aún peor.-Is your father better? -No, he is even worse/worse still.
Me pagarán poco dinero, pero, aun así, aceptaré el trabajo.They won't pay me a lot of money, but, despite that, I will accept the job.
Me parece muy caro aun con el descuento del 30 por ciento.I think it is very expensive, even with the 30 percent discount.
Mateo le permitió quedarse con la casa y el coche pero ella aún se quejó.Mateo allowed her to keep the house and the car but she nonetheless complained.
Let me take a look at that...