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Inverted Exclamation Mark Symbol (¡)
The inverted exclamation mark (¡) opens an exclamation in Spanish — ¡Feliz cumpleaños! — Happy birthday!
Inverted Exclamation Mark codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+00A1 |
| Unicode name | Inverted Exclamation Mark |
| HTML named entity | ¡ |
| HTML decimal | ¡ |
| HTML hex | ¡ |
| CSS content code | \A1 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u00A1 |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Inverted Exclamation Mark variants (3)
3 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
¡ is the opening partner of the Spanish exclamation, twin of ¿ for questions. Together they frame the feeling of a sentence from its first letter: ¡No lo creo!
(I don't believe it!). Like ¿, it has been required in careful Spanish since the 1700s, and like ¿ it is missing from English keyboards — copy it here, or use Alt+0161 on Windows.
Examples in use
- ¡Feliz Navidad!
- ¡Vamos! — Let's go!
- ¡Qué sorpresa!
How to type the inverted exclamation mark
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for ¡. In Microsoft Word, type 00A1 and press Alt+X to convert it. Everywhere else, click the Copy button at the top of this page and paste it (Ctrl+V) — that always works.
Mac
There is no Option-key shortcut for ¡ on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "Inverted Exclamation Mark", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.
iPhone & Android
Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for ¡. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)
Linux
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00a1 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type ¡ on a keyboard?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0161 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option+1. On phones, long-press the ! key. Or copy ¡ from this page.
Can ¡ and ¿ appear in the same sentence?
Yes — a sentence that is both a question and an exclamation can open with both marks, like ¿¡Qué dijiste!? though one of each is the common form.
Why does ¡ sometimes show as a box or question mark?
The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+00A1 (Inverted Exclamation Mark). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Inverted Exclamation Mark free to use?
Yes. ¡ is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13