How to Copy and Paste the Upside Down Question Mark (¿)

What Is the Upside Down Question Mark (¿)?

The upside down question mark (¿) is a reinforcing linguistic structure by offering a dual-punctuation system that frames both the start and end of a question which is used in Spanish and is always followed by a regular question mark at the end (e.g., ¿Cómo estás?).

This symbol plays a major role in written communication for clarity, tone, and structure—especially writing in a formal language.

Why Is It Used in Spanish?

Spanish grammar rules require inverted punctuation to signal the beginning of questions and exclamations. Unlike English, where tone can infer a question, Spanish uses punctuation for certainty.

This includes:

¿ (inverted question mark) for questions
¡ (inverted exclamation mark) for exclamations

Example:
¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
¡Feliz cumpleaños! (Happy birthday!)

Quick Copy of the Symbol

Need it fast? Just copy the symbol below and paste it where needed:

Tap or highlight to copy it, then use Ctrl + V (Windows) or Cmd + V (Mac) to paste.

How to Copy and Paste the Upside Down Question Mark on Windows Instantly

Using Alt Code

Make sure Num Lock is ON.
Hold the Alt key.
Type 168 on your numeric keypad.

How to Copy and Paste the ¿ Symbol on Mac

Keyboard Shortcut

Press Option (⌥) + Shift + ?
Result: ¿

How to Type or Copy the Symbol on iPhone

Long-press on ?

Tap the ?123 key to access symbols.
Long-press the ? symbol.
Slide and select ¿.

It functions seamlessly across diverse digital platforms, including messaging applications, web browsers, and note-taking interfaces, ensuring consistent symbol integration and user accessibility.

Using the Upside Down Question Mark on Android

You can use this Long-press Technique

Open your keyboard in any app.
Long-press the question mark (?) key.
A pop-up menu will appear — slide to select ¿.

Tip: This method works in Gboard, SwiftKey, and Samsung Keyboard.

HTML Code for the Upside Down Question Mark

Web developers or bloggers may prefer HTML entities. Use:

¡ → ¡
¿ → ¿

To display the upside down question mark:
¿ → ¿

How to add Inverted Question Mark in CSS?

Need to display the upside-down question mark (¿) in your web content using CSS? CSS provides multiple clean and efficient methods to achieve this.

Method 1: Using Unicode Escape in content Property

For pseudo-elements (::before, ::after), simply use the Unicode escape sequence:
CSS

. .element::before {
content: "\00BF"; /* Unicode for ¿ */
}

Method 2: Direct HTML Entity in CSS (For Dynamic Styling)

If you prefer HTML entities, CSS allows them in strings:

.element::after {
content: "¿"; /* HTML entity version */
}

Method 3: Combining with attr() for Dynamic Insertion

For dynamic text (e.g., data attributes), leverage attr():

<span data-question="¿"></span>

Unicode and ASCII Codes for Developers

For advanced use:

Unicode: U+00BF
Decimal Code: ¿
Hex Code: \00BF

These are useful in programming, database entry, or custom app interfaces.

Best Online Tools to Copy the ¿ Symbol

Most Efficient Online Resources to Access and Copy the ¿ Symbol are

CopyChar
Unicode Table
Cool Symbol

Just click on the symbol and it gets copied instantly.
Bonus: Keyboard Shortcuts for Power Users

Platform	Shortcut
Windows	Alt + 168
Mac	Option + Shift + ?
HTML	`¿`
Unicode	`U+00BF`

Common Mistakes in Using the Inverted Question Mark

During the inverted question mark (¿) is essential for Spanish and other languages, developers often encounter pitfalls when implementing it in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Here are the most frequent mistakes people make and how to avoid them:

1. Incorrect or Missing Character Encoding;

Assuming the browser will automatically render ¿ without proper charset declaration. To fix this, always include the correct meta tag in your HTML;

<meta charset="UTF-8">

* (Without UTF-8, special characters may display as garbled text.)

2. Copy-Pasting from Unreliable Sources;

Copying ¿ from a word processor (e.g., Microsoft Word) or website, which may introduce hidden formatting or incorrect encoding. To fix this, always:

Type manually (Alt + 0191 on Windows, Option + Shift + ? on Mac).
Use code (e.g., ¿ in HTML).

3. Font Compatibility Issues

Assuming all fonts support ¿. Some web fonts (especially decorative ones) may lack glyphs for special characters. To fix this;

Test with fallback fonts in your font-family stack:

body {  
  font-family: "Your-Font", "Arial", sans-serif;  
}

How to type an upside down question mark on Chromebook?

Here’s how to type the upside-down question mark (¿) on a Chromebook:

Quick Methods:

Keyboard Shortcut:
Press Ctrl + Shift + U, then type 00BF and hit Enter (Unicode input).
Alt Code (US International Keyboard):
Enable the US International keyboard in settings, then press Right Alt + ?.
Copy-Paste:
Copy this: ¿ (or use ¿ in HTML).

Setup for Easier Access:

Enable Spanish Keyboard:
Go to Settings > Languages and Input > Input Method, add “Spanish (Latin America)”, then toggle with Ctrl + Space.

How to copy and paste upside down question in seconds Samsung?

Here’s the fastest way to copy and paste the upside-down question mark (¿) on a Samsung device (phone/tablet):

Method 1: Direct Copy-Paste

Copy this symbol:
¿ (Tap and hold to select, then tap “Copy”)
Paste it anywhere:
(Tap and hold a text field, then tap “Paste”).

Method 2: Keyboard Shortcut (Samsung Keyboard)

Switch to Spanish Keyboard:
1. Go to Settings > General Management > Keyboard List and enable “Spanish (ES)”.
1. Tap the 🌐 globe icon to switch languages.
Type ¿:
1. Hold the ? Key, then slide to select ¿.

Method 3: Google/Gboard Keyboard

Hold the ? key and select ¿ from the pop-up.
OR type “inverted question mark” in Google Search, then copy it.

FAQS

What is the purpose of an upside-down question mark?

The upside-down question mark (¿) indicates the start of a question in Spanish, ensuring proper grammar and intonation. It works with “?” to clearly mark interrogative sentences, like ¿Qué pasa? (“What’s happening?”).

Are other punctuation marks inverted?

Yes! Besides the upside-down question mark (¿), Spanish also uses the upside-down exclamation mark (¡) to mark the start of exclamations (e.g., ¡Cuidado! = “Careful!”).

These inverted punctuation symbols are unique to Spanish and help clarify tone and sentence structure at a glance.

Can I use this symbol in English writing?

Sure, you can use the upside down question mark (¿) in English, especially if you’re going for a creative or dramatic effect—but just know it’s not something you’ll find in standard grammar rules.

Can I copy this symbol to use in social media posts?

Absolutely! Just copy ¿ and paste it into your captions, messages, or comments.

Are there browser extensions for copying symbols?

Yes! You can try tools like:

Symbol Helper
Unicode Pad
CopyPasteCharacter

How do I type it if I don’t have a numeric keypad?

Access the Character Map utility on Windows or the Emoji & Symbols viewer on Mac to insert the inverted question mark (¿) effortlessly; on mobile devices, simply long-press the question mark key to reveal and select the upside-down variant.