How to Insert Foreign Language Symbols in Microsoft Word

If you're creating a Microsoft Word document with words that require foreign language symbols such as accent marks (e.g., Yucatán), here's what you need to do.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with Microsoft Word installed

1. Position the cursor to the right of the letter where you want to insert the accent mark.

2. Delete the letter; you will add it back in later.

3. From the Microsoft Word top menu, select Insert > Symbol. The Symbol dialog box displays.

4. Click the Symbols tab at the top of the dialog box. While the Special Characters tab displays generalized characters such as copyright symbols, Em-Dashes, and trademarks, the Symbols tab allows users to insert more complex marks including foreign language symbols, scientific symbols, and whimsical wingdings.

5. In the Font: field, choose (normal text). Normally this should already be selected.

6. View the selections inside the Symbol dialog box. You will see a variety of letters and symbols. Click the appropriate letter/foreign language symbol combination (e.g., ñ).

7. Click Insert to add the letter/foreign language symbol to the word in your document.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also click twice on the foreign language symbol in the Symbols dialog box to insert it into your document.
• You can use keyboard shortcuts to insert the foreign language symbol into your document. The Symbols dialog box displays the shortcut command below the list of characters. For example on a Macintosh computer, the procedure for inserting a foreign language symbol via keyboard command is Option + keyboard letter, then letter (e.g., for ü, press Option + u, then type u).
• This procedure was developed using Microsoft Word 2008 for Macintosh. Results may vary depending on the user's operating system and version of MS Word.

[ct825876]

on 9/17/2009 Cool - I needed this a while ago when I was writing in French. Thanks! 5*