Use of accent on "cuando"

Janet c.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Use of accent on "cuando"

Why is the accent on "cuando" in this answer? It doesn't appear to be a question. Is it considered an indirect sentence because the narrator is quoting the screen?

La pantalla no dice ________ aterriza el avión.The screen doesn't say when the plane is landing.

EDIT January 12: I see that there is a lesson in B1 about use of the accent. However, I'm still in A2, so maybe there could be a link to that lesson where I was in A2? It only said when to use the accent, not when not to. Thanks.

Asked 3 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola Janet

Yes, it's tricky sometimes to recognise an indirect interrogative. We give a tip in the lesson saying that if you can substitute "when" by "at what moment in time" and still sounds grammatically correct, then you need cuándo with an accent. If you try with this sentence, it works:

La pantalla no dice cuándo aterriza el avión.

The screen doesn't say when/at what moment in time the plane is landing.

Saludos

Inma

 

Janet c. asked:

Use of accent on "cuando"

Why is the accent on "cuando" in this answer? It doesn't appear to be a question. Is it considered an indirect sentence because the narrator is quoting the screen?

La pantalla no dice ________ aterriza el avión.The screen doesn't say when the plane is landing.

EDIT January 12: I see that there is a lesson in B1 about use of the accent. However, I'm still in A2, so maybe there could be a link to that lesson where I was in A2? It only said when to use the accent, not when not to. Thanks.

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