Upside Down Question Mark (¿): Copy and Type It

Need an upside down question mark? Copy the symbol below and paste it into your message, document or social media post. You can also learn how to type it on your device.

Inverted question mark · U+00BF Copy ¿

Want to flip a whole sentence instead? Try our upside down text generator

What Is the Upside Down Question Mark?

The upside down question mark (¿) is an inverted punctuation mark used in Spanish. It appears at the beginning of a direct question, while a regular question mark (?) closes it.

For example:

• ¿Cómo estás?—How are you?
• ¿Qué hora es?—What time is it?
• ¿Dónde vives?—Where do you live?

The symbol is also called the inverted question mark. Its Unicode code point is U+00BF.

How to Type the Upside Down Question Mark

You can type ¿ using a keyboard shortcut, a symbol menu or your device’s Spanish keyboard. The exact method can vary by operating system and keyboard layout.

On Windows

On some Windows setups, you can hold Alt and type 0191 on the numeric keypad. If this does not work, use the Character Map app to find and copy the inverted question mark.

On Mac

On common US keyboard layouts, press Option + Shift + / to enter ¿. Shortcuts can differ with other layouts.

On iPhone and iPad

Open the keyboard and press and hold the regular question mark (?) key. If ¿ appears, slide to it and release. You can also add a Spanish keyboard in your keyboard settings.

On Android

Press and hold the question mark (?) key and look for ¿. Availability depends on your keyboard app and layout. A Spanish keyboard is another option.

In Microsoft Word

Type 00BF and then press Alt + X. Word should convert the code into ¿.

On Chromebook and Linux

Keyboard shortcuts depend on your system settings and keyboard layout. If you cannot enter the symbol directly, copy ¿ from the top of this page and paste it where you need it.

Unicode, HTML and CSS Codes for ¿

Use these codes if you need the inverted question mark in a website, document or code editor.

Format	Code
Symbol	¿
Unicode	U+00BF
Windows Alt code	Alt + 0191 (on supported setups)
HTML decimal	¿
HTML hexadecimal	¿
HTML named entity	¿
CSS escape	\00BF

For example, you can insert the symbol in HTML with:

¿

In CSS, you can use:

content: "\00BF";

These codes produce the same inverted question mark.

How to Use the Inverted Question Mark in HTML

To add this character in HTML, you can use its entity code, decimal, or hex version. For example:

¿Cómo estás?

Output: ¿Cómo estás?

Using CSS to Add the Upside Down Question Mark

You can add the inverted question mark before or after an HTML element using CSS. Use the Unicode escape \00BF in the content property.

For example:

.anyClass::before {
  content: "\00BF";
}

This adds ¿ before the content of an element with the anyClass class. The element must exist in your HTML for the CSS to work.

How to Use the Upside Down Question Mark in Spanish

In Spanish, a direct question starts with ¿ and ends with ?. The opening mark helps readers recognise a question before they reach the end of the sentence.

Examples:

• ¿Cómo te llamas? — What is your name?
• ¿Puedes ayudarme? — Can you help me?
• ¿Cuándo empieza la película? — When does the film start?
• Si tienes tiempo, ¿puedes llamarme? — If you have time, can you call me?

The opening question mark can appear in the middle of a sentence when only part of the sentence is a question.

Example:

• Statement: Tú vienes mañana. (You are coming tomorrow.)
• Question: ¿Tú vienes mañana? (Are you coming tomorrow?)

Without the upside down question mark, it can be confusing whether the sentence is a statement or a question.

Is It Used in Other Languages?

The inverted question mark is mainly used in Spanish. It is a standard part of punctuation in all Spanish-speaking countries.

You can also learn how to copy and type the upside down exclamation point

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