CAPITALIZATION

In this hand-out you will find:

• Use of capital letters
• Use of small letters

• In the case of combining capital letters with small letters, only the first letter of the diction will be capitalized.

• It will be written in capital letters:

•  
  1. The first word of a manuscript and the one that goes after a period.
   

  Usted no entiende el significado de lo que le dicen. Interrumpa a la persona que habla y pídale que le explique mejor.

  
   

  2. Proper names such as:
   
   

  Dios	Jehová	Jesús
  Platón	Apolo	España
  Pérez	Pedro	María
  Himalaya	La Zarzuela	Amadís de Gaula

  
   

  3. Divine attributes, titles and names of dignity, names and nicknames that have been designated to specific persons.
   
   
   

  Papa Juan Pablo II	Redentor
  Sumo Pontífice	Marqués de Villena
  Alfonso el Sabio	García el Trémulo
  Rey Juan Carlos	Duque de Osuna

  
   

  Notice that the titles mentioned above refer to proper names. When referring to a global idea, small letters should be used:
   
   
   

  El papa, el rey y el duque están sujetos a morir.

  
   

  4. Abbreviation of usted, señor, doctor. Only the first letter of these words will be capitalized. Otherwise, if using the entire word, use small letters.
   
   

  Ud. y él

  Respetado Sr. Díaz

  Dr. Mauricio

  
   

  5.  The substantives and adjectives that are part of a name of an institution.
   
   

  La Corte Suprema de Justicia	El Colegio Naval
  La Real Academia de la Lengua	El Museo de Bellas Artes

  
   

  6. Names of masterpieces or movies.
   

  Como Agua para Chocolate	Historia de los Vándalos
  Cien Años de Soledad	La Hojarasca
  Don Quijote de La Mancha	Ortografía Castellana

  
   

  7. Words in official papers that represent public power, dignity or important positions.
   
   

  Autoridad	Diputado	Ministro	Embajador	Gobierno	Senadora
  Estado	Monarquía	República	Príncipe	Rey	Trono
  Magistrado	Juez	General	Coronel	Director	Secretario
  Justicia	Alcalde	Reina	Consiliario	Mayor	Fiscal

  
   

  8. The cover of printed books, the title of their divisions and the monumental inscriptions are usually capitalized.
   
   

  De Oro Y Esmeraldas : Mitos, Leyendas Y Cuentos Populares De Latinoamerica

  Relato de un Náufrago

  
   

  9. Proper names, masterpieces, diction and clauses that  want to be emphasized can all be capitalized.
   
   

  LA ILIADA

  LA TRAVIATA

  
   

  10. When using capital letters, it is recommended  to maintain the accent mark where it is necessary. By doing so, wrong interpretations about accentuation will be omitted.  For more info about accentuation please refer to the "word structure" hand-out. Please click here.
   

  ¿SABÍAS QUE?

  11.  In poems, it is common to capitalized the first letter of the each verse. Go back to top
   

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• Small letters will be written when:
• 
   

   

  1. Referring to days of the week, months, seasons and musical notes, unless they are the first letter of the manuscript.

• 2. Denoting nationality, religious affiliation, names of languages.

Exercises Go back to top
 
 

Created by Silvana Mendez
Foreign Language Lab / University of Houston