Difference between cuánto and cuanto in Spanish (with and without accent)

There are words in Spanish which change their meaning simply by adding a written accent. Let's look at cuanto vs cuánto.

Spanish cuánto/-a/-os/-as with an accent

Cuánto is an interrogative adjective used in direct and indirect questions and exclamatory sentences, meaning "how much/how many", for example:

As an adjective, there is always agreement with the noun it is accompanying. 

Note that cuánto can also be used as a pronoun:

Spanish cuanto/-a/-os/-as without an accent

If we use cuanto/-a/-os/-as without an accent, as a relative adjective or pronoun, the meaning is no longer how much/how many, although it is still expressing quantity: "as much/as many.../all...". For example:

It is important to note that the use of cuanto/-a/-os/-as is more formal than the more common use of "todo/-a/-os/-as". For example, we could express the same idea like this:

Todo cuanto/toda cuanta/todos cuantos/todas cuantas

We often use it with todo/-a/-os/-as, also meaning "all/everything". For example:

Bear in mind that when using it this way, you cannot place any noun after todo or between todo and cuanto. These are incorrect:

See also:

• Using todo, toda, todos and todas to say all, every and the whole (indefinite adjectives)
• Using todo to say everything or all (of it) (indefinite pronoun) 

For other uses of "as much/as many" in comparative sentences see: 

• Using tanto como with verbs and nouns to say as much/many ... as (comparatives)

For different uses of cuanto and cuánto see:

• Cuanto/mientras más/cuanto menos... for The more/The less... in Spanish 
• En cuanto/apenas/tan pronto como for as soon as in Spanish (subordinate time clauses) 
• Using unos cuantos/unas cuantas + noun for "a few" (quantitative adjectives) 
• Using Cuánto + verb in exclamations about quantities in Spanish
• Using Cuánto + noun in exclamations about quantities in Spanish 
• Using cuánto + noun to ask how much/how many in Spanish (interrogative adjective)