SymbolHub

Inverted Question Mark (¿)

The inverted question mark ¿ is Unicode U+00BF, the upside-down question mark used at the beginning of interrogative sentences in Spanish. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard, or type it with Alt + 0191 on Windows or Option + Shift + / on a Mac.

Unicode
U+00BF
HTML
¿
Windows
Alt + 0191
Mac
Option + Shift + /

How to type the inverted question mark (¿)

The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type ¿ yourself, use the method for your device below. On Windows the alt code is Alt + 0191. On a Mac it is Option + Shift + /.

Windows

  1. Hold Alt and type 0191 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Num Lock must be on. This uses the Windows-1252 code page, so it works in almost every Windows app.
  2. Hold Alt and type 168 on the numeric keypad. This older code (from code page 437) works in Notepad, Word and most desktop apps.
  3. In Word or Outlook, type 00BF and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
  4. Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Inverted Question Mark, then Select and Copy. Character Map is built into every version of Windows.

Mac

  1. Press Option+Shift+/. On the standard US and US-International layouts.
  2. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for inverted question and double-click it.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type bf, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.
  2. Press your Compose key, then ? ?. Needs a Compose key set in your keyboard settings.

iPhone & iPad

  1. Tap 123, then touch and hold ? and slide to ¿.
  2. Copy ¿ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;inve. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. In Gboard, long-press ? on the ?123 page.
  2. Copy ¿ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.

Microsoft Word

  1. Type 00BF, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 00BF in “Character code” and click Insert.
  3. On a Mac, Option+Shift+/ works in Word too.

Google Docs

  1. Insert → Special characters, then search for “inverted question” or draw it in the box.

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(191) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

  1. Write ¿ or ¿ in your HTML.

What does ¿ mean?

The inverted question mark (¿), widely recognized as the upside-down question mark, is a distinctive punctuation mark that begins interrogative sentences and clauses in standard Spanish orthography. Unlike English, where questions are signaled solely at the end of the sentence or through auxiliary verbs, Spanish syntax requires opening the inquiry with an inverted mark (¿) and concluding it with a conventional question mark (?). This grammatical rule alerts the reader to adopt an inquiring vocal inflection from the very first syllable.

The Real Academia Española (Royal Spanish Academy) officially mandated the inverted question mark in 1754 in the second edition of its Ortografía. The Academy recognized that because Spanish word order allows statements and questions to share identical grammatical structure (e.g. Vas al mercado vs ¿Vas al mercado?), a reader without opening punctuation could not know whether to inflect the sentence as an assertion or an inquiry until reaching the final period. The same principle applies to exclamations through the inverted exclamation mark. In complex dialogue, Spanish writers pair these marks with guillemets or explore expressive combinations with the interrobang.

Crucially, the inverted question mark does not always sit at the start of a sentence; rather, it anchors the beginning of the interrogative clause itself. When an introductory dependent clause precedes the question (e.g. “Por favor, ¿me puedes decir la hora?”), the ¿ appears right where the inquiry begins. Today it is standard across the Spanish-speaking world and remains a fixture of international punctuation symbols.

Common uses

  • Beginning questions in Spanish writing: “¿Cómo estás hoy?” (How are you today?)
  • Framing embedded questions within compound sentences: “Si tienes tiempo, ¿podrías ayudarme?”
  • Paired with exclamation marks in astonished Spanish questions: “¡¿Qué estás haciendo?!”
  • Used in Galician, Asturian, and bilingual educational materials

Inverted Question Mark codes for HTML, CSS and programming

Every code below produces ¿. Use the HTML entity in web pages, the CSS escape in content, and the escape sequence in source code.

Unicode code pointU+00BF
HTML entity (named)¿
HTML decimal¿
HTML hex¿
CSS contentcontent: "\BF";
JavaScript"\u00BF"
Python"\u00BF"
Python (by name)"\N{INVERTED QUESTION MARK}"
Java / C#"\u00BF"
LaTeX?`
UTF-8 bytesC2 BF
UTF-1600BF
URL encoded%C2%BF
Windows Alt codeAlt + 0191
Alt code (CP437)Alt + 168
Mac shortcutOption + Shift + /

¿ vs look-alike characters

These characters look similar to ¿ but have a different meaning and code. Pasting the wrong one can break search, sorting and screen readers.

CharNameWhen to use it
Question Mark
U+003F		Standard question mark (U+003F). The closing counterpart placed at the end of questions.
Inverted Exclamation Mark
U+00A1		Inverted exclamation mark (U+00A1). Opens exclamatory sentences rather than inquiries.
Reversed Question Mark
U+2E2E		Reversed question mark (U+2E2E). An Arabic question mark and historical literary irony mark.
Inverted Interrobang
U+2E18		Inverted interrobang (U+2E18). Composite character proposed for Spanish surprised inquiries.

Symbols similar to ¿

Click to copy, or open a symbol for its codes. See the full punctuation symbols collection.

¿ character properties

Official Unicode name
INVERTED QUESTION MARK
Also known as
upside down question mark, spanish question mark, opening question mark
Code point
U+00BF
Unicode block
Latin-1 Supplement (U+0080–U+00FF)
General category
Other punctuation (Po)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
No, it is a text symbol

Frequently asked questions

Why does Spanish use upside down question marks?

The Spanish language uses inverted question marks so readers immediately know a sentence or clause is a question before reading it aloud, ensuring correct vocal inflection from the first word.

How do I type ¿ on Windows and Mac?

On Windows, hold Alt and type 0191 on the numeric keypad (or Alt + 168). On Mac, press Option + Shift + / (or Option + Shift + ?). In HTML, write the entity ¿ or numeric code ¿.

Where does ¿ go in a sentence with an introductory clause?

The inverted mark is placed at the start of the question itself, not necessarily at the beginning of the line: “Aunque es tarde, ¿quieres cenar?”

What is the alt code for the inverted question mark?

On Windows, hold Alt and type 0191 on the numeric keypad to get ¿. The shorter code Alt + 168 also works in most desktop apps. On a laptop without a keypad, copy it from this page or use 00BF then Alt + X in Word.

How do I type the inverted question mark on a Mac?

Press Option + Shift + /. It works in every app on the US keyboard layout. You can also open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for it.

What is the HTML code for the inverted question mark?

Use the named entity ¿ or the numeric reference ¿ (hex ¿). All three display ¿ in every browser.

What is the Unicode for the inverted question mark?

¿ is U+00BF, officially named INVERTED QUESTION MARK, in the Latin-1 Supplement block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).