The enye letter is a peculiar one to many eyes. While it appears most frequently in Spanish, it can also come up in other languages from time to time, especially with names. So, how do you type it on your laptop to ensure you’re spelling things properly?
To type ‘ñ’ on a Mac keyboard, an iPhone, or an Android phone, simply press and hold the ‘n’ key and then select ‘ñ.’ On a Windows computer, you can go to the Character map and copy the character from there or, if you have a numeric keypad, press ‘Num lock’ and hold ‘Alt’ while entering ‘164.’
As you can see, the process of inputing an enye symbol isn’t too complicated once you get the hang of it. Let’s take a closer look at the history of the enye key and the various methods you can use to type it.
What Is the Enye Letter?
The enye (Ñ/ñ) is a letter that’s featured in the Spanish alphabet. This letter looks like an English ‘n’ but with a little squiggle above it.
In the Spanish language, the enye is pronounced just like it’s spelled in the transliteration — “en-ye” — and it usually appears in the middle of words. Because the pronunciation of the n completely changes when the squiggle symbol is above it, it’s important to include it when writing in Spanish or writing the name of a business that features an enye.
Even if you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll probably see the letter coming up every now and then. Plus, the enye has become a major part of other cultures, such as the Filipino culture, due to the influence of Spanish conquistadors.
What Are the Origins of the Enye Letter?
Throughout history, the Spanish language had many words that included two n’s next to each other. When the two n’s appeared next to each other, they were pronounced as enye.
Many of these two-n words came from Latin, which is one of the languages from which Spanish is derived. At some point in history, people basically got tired of writing the double n and decided to shorten it.
Latin historically used a comma over a letter to indicate when a consonant was omitted from a word. Spaniards took this same comma and began using it above the single n when a second n was omitted, which marked the beginning of the ñ.
While the exact comma that appears over the ñ now is likely different from the ancient Latin one, this is done to differentiate this marking from other accents that appear in the Spanish language. Spanish has other accents as well, and they can appear over different letters.
The enye might be most important to the Spanish language, but because of European colonialism, it has made its way into several languages around the world. Most notably, it’s found in Filipino (Tagalog and Visayan), but it can also be found in Aymara, Quechua, Mapudungun, Guarani, Basque, Chamorro, Leonese, Yavapai, and Iñupiaq. It’s also used in some Senegalese languages.
Additionally, the enye sometimes appears in older versions of Portuguese. However, in the modern day, the sound of the enye is often replaced with ny in Portuguese.
Regardless of your reason for using the enye, omitting it from a word where it’s technically required will change the meaning of the word. This is why you should always use an enye when typing names or locations.
How Do You Type Enye on a Laptop Keyboard?
When computers first became mainstream, devices sold in Spanish-speaking countries featured the enye character directly on the keyboard. But as technology has become more driven by the English-speaking world, many people find themselves without the enye key when they need to use it.
Luckily, there’s a way to use the enye no matter what device you are using. We’ve included instructions for locating the enye on various common devices below.
On Windows
There are two different ways to type an enye on a Windows computer, and the option you can use will depend on whether you have a numeric keypad or not.
For those with a numeric keypad, simply press the Num lock key and then hold the Alt button while entering the number 164. If you need an uppercase enye, type 165 while holding the Alt key.
On a computer without a numeric keyboard, it’s a bit more difficult, and you’ll need to head to the taskbar. Click the Windows icon.
Search for the Character Map option, and look for the ñ/Ñ. You’ll have to copy and paste this into your file.
On MacOS
Using the enye is surprisingly easy on a Mac computer. All you have to do is press and hold the n key, and a little list of options will show up. Select the ñ, and it will be inserted into your text.
If this doesn’t work for some reason, you can also press and hold the option key, then press the n key. You will see a ~ appear with a line underneath it.
Release the option key, then press the n again, and an n will be added underneath the squiggle. This allows you to do an uppercase or lowercase enye.
How to Type the Enye Letter on Mobile Devices
Of course, you may not always be by a computer when you need to use the enye in a message. In those cases, there are ways to type an enye on both Apple and Android phones.
iPhone and iPad
Just as MacBook computers make it easy to use the enye, so does your iPhone or iPad! Simply press and hold the n key to bring up a menu with all the options.
You’ll see 3 different n’s to choose from. Slide your finger over to the ñ, and it will be inserted into your text.
Android
Android phones also makes it quite easy to use the enye key. Start by pressing and holding the n key.
You’ll see a menu pop up, and you can slide your finger over the ñ to insert it into your text. If, for some reason, this doesn’t work, double-check your keyboard settings.
Head over to settings and enable the Spanish or Filipino keyboard to ensure you’ll be able to use the enye when you need it!
Final Thoughts
All in all, locating the enye key isn’t too difficult, no matter what kind of keyboard you’re working with. But if you have to use the enye frequently, Apple products certainly make it easier to do so.
Just remember that an enye can make a huge difference in the meaning of the word, so take the time to figure out how to use one now. That way, you’ll be ready next time you need it!