What is an inverted question mark?

¿

An inverted question mark is an upside-down question mark. It is used only in the Spanish and Catalan languages (see Spanish question mark). It shows that a question has begun. That question is then always closed by a normal question mark.

As Spanish is more widely spoken than Catalan, we will look at the following examples in Spanish.

• ¿Dónde está el aeropuerto? (Where is the airport?)
• ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)
• ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)

How do you make an inverted question mark?

If using a PC, hold down shift + ctrl + alt + question mark on your keyboard to get the inverted question mark. If you are using Microsoft Word, go to > Insert drop-down menu > Symbol and you’ll find the inverted question mark there.

If you are using a Mac, then hold down shift + alt (or option) + question mark.