Te vs Té
Té with an accent is the drink. Te without an accent is the pronoun 'you'.
te
You (as the object of a sentence, the informal 'you')
TEHté
Tea (the beverage)
TEHQuick Rule
Té with an accent is the drink. Te without an accent is the pronoun 'you'.
Think of the accent mark (tilde) as a little tea leaf on top of the 'e'.
- This is a spelling rule with no exceptions. The accent mark changes the entire meaning.
Comparison Table
| Context | te | té | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asking a question | ¿Te gusta la música? | ¿Te gusta el té? | The first asks if YOU like music. The second asks if you like TEA. |
| Making an offer | Te invito al cine. | Te invito a un té. | 'Te' is the person being invited ('you'). 'Té' is the thing being offered ('tea'). |
| Giving something | Te doy mi número. | Aquí tienes tu té. | 'Te' is the recipient ('to you'). 'Té' is the object being given ('tea'). |
When to Use "te / té"
te
You (as the object of a sentence, the informal 'you')
TEH
As a direct object (receives the action)
Te veo.
I see you.
As an indirect object (to/for you)
Te doy un regalo.
I'm giving you a gift.
With reflexive verbs (action done to yourself)
¿A qué hora te levantas?
What time do you get up?
té
Tea (the beverage)
TEH
Referring to the drink
¿Quieres un té?
Do you want a tea?
Specifying a type of tea
Prefiero el té verde.
I prefer green tea.
Referring to tea in general
En Inglaterra beben mucho té.
In England they drink a lot of tea.
Contrast Examples
With "te":
Te preparo un café.
I'll make you a coffee.
With "té":
Te preparo un té.
I'll make you a tea.
The Difference: This example shows both words used correctly in the same sentence structure. 'Te' means 'for you,' and 'té' is the specific drink being made. The accent is the only difference.
With "te":
No te entiendo.
I don't understand you.
With "té":
No me gusta el té.
I don't like tea.
The Difference: This shows how these words appear in completely different contexts. 'Te' is a person (a pronoun), while 'té' is a thing (a noun).
Common Mistakes
¿Quieres te?
¿Quieres té?
To offer the drink, you must use the noun 'té' with an accent. '¿Quieres te?' is incomplete and sounds like 'Do you want you?'
Té quiero mucho.
Te quiero mucho.
Use the pronoun 'te' (no accent) to say 'I love you' or 'I want you'. Writing 'Té quiero mucho' would mean 'I love tea a lot', which is an odd way to phrase it.
Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Te vs Té
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct for 'I'll call you later'?
Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
Key Words
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do 'te' and 'té' sound different?
No, they are pronounced exactly the same. The only difference is the written accent mark (the 'tilde'), which changes the meaning completely. This is why context is so important when listening!
Are there other Spanish words like this?
Yes, many! These are called 'tildes diacríticas' (diacritical accents). They differentiate words that are spelled and pronounced the same but have different grammatical functions. Other common examples are 'tu' (your) vs. 'tú' (you), and 'el' (the) vs. 'él' (he).