aún

/ah-OON/

A person waiting for a bus in the rain, illustrating the idea of 'still' waiting for something that hasn't happened yet.

This person is *aún* (still) waiting. The action of waiting started in the past and is continuing now.

aún (Adverb)

still?continuing an action or state

Also:yet?in negative sentences, e.g., 'not yet'

📝 In Action

Aún estoy esperando el autobús.

I'm still waiting for the bus.

¿Aún no has terminado la tarea?

You haven't finished the homework yet?

Ella aún vive en la misma casa.

She still lives in the same house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

todavía (still, yet)

Antonyms

ya (already)
ya no (not anymore, no longer)

Common Collocations

aún no – not yet

💡 Grammar Points

The Magic Accent Mark: Aún vs. Aun

The accent on 'aún' is your key! With the accent, it means 'still' or 'yet'. Without it ('aun'), it means 'even'. Think of the accent as giving the word extra time, like something is still happening.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Still Happening vs. Already Happened

Mistake: "To say 'I'm not hungry anymore,' someone might say 'No tengo hambre aún.'"

Correction: The right way is 'Ya no tengo hambre.' Use 'aún' for things that are continuing ('Aún tengo hambre' - I'm still hungry), and 'ya no' for things that have stopped.

⭐ Usage Tips

Flexible Placement

You can often put 'aún' at the beginning of the sentence or before the main verb, and it usually means the same thing. 'Aún no lo sé' and 'No lo sé aún' both mean 'I don't know yet'.

A tall person standing next to an even taller person, illustrating the idea of 'even' more.

The second person is *aún más alto* (even taller). Here, 'aún' is used to make the comparison stronger.

aún (Adverb)

even?for emphasis, usually with comparisons

📝 In Action

El segundo libro es aún mejor que el primero.

The second book is even better than the first one.

Llegó tarde y, para hacerlo aún peor, olvidó el regalo.

He arrived late and, to make it even worse, he forgot the gift.

Si estudias más, tus notas serán aún más altas.

If you study more, your grades will be even higher.

Word Connections

Synonyms

incluso (even)
aun (even (without accent))

Common Collocations

aún más – even more
aún menos – even less
aún mejor – even better
aún peor – even worse

💡 Grammar Points

Your Clue: Comparison Words

A great trick: if you see 'aún' right before words like 'más' (more), 'menos' (less), 'mejor' (better), or 'peor' (worse), it almost always means 'even'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'Aún' and 'Incluso'

Mistake: "To say 'Everyone came, even the boss,' someone might say 'Todos vinieron, aún el jefe.'"

Correction: Use 'incluso' here: 'Todos vinieron, incluso el jefe.' Use 'aún' to strengthen a comparison ('aún más grande' - even bigger), and 'incluso' to add a surprising item to a list.

⭐ Usage Tips

Adding Emphasis

Think of this 'aún' as a highlighter. It adds extra punch to the comparison you're making. It's not just 'more difficult,' it's 'even more difficult'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: aún

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly means 'He hasn't arrived yet'?

📚 More Resources

Words that Rhyme with aún

atún

común

según

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'aún' and 'todavía'?

For the meaning of 'still' or 'yet', they are almost always interchangeable! You can say 'Aún estoy aquí' or 'Todavía estoy aquí' and they mean the same thing ('I'm still here'). 'Todavía' is slightly more common in everyday conversation, but both are perfectly correct.

Is the accent mark on 'aún' really that important?

Yes, it's crucial! It changes the meaning. With the accent, 'aún' means 'still' or is used for emphasis ('even'). Without the accent, 'aun' only means 'even' and is often used in phrases like 'aun así' (even so). Listening for the stressed syllable can help you tell them apart when speaking.