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Python treats ordinary single-quoted and double-quoted strings the same. Choose the delimiter that makes the text easiest to read: use double quotes around an apostrophe, single quotes around a double quote, or escape an inner quote that matches the delimiter.
Can Python strings use either single or double quotes?
Yes. An ordinary string literal can begin and end with either single quotes or double quotes, and Python parses both choices the same way. The opening delimiter must match the closing delimiter. As the Python 3.14.8 tutorial puts it, “They can be enclosed in single quotes ('...') or double quotes ("...") with the same result.” Python’s official tutorial covers this in its Text section.
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Pick the style that makes the contents clearest. If a project or team has a consistent style convention, follow it; the delimiter choice itself does not change the string’s meaning.
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If the quote inside the text differs from the string’s outer delimiter, write it directly. If it matches, escape it with a backslash or choose the other delimiter.
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| Text you want | Python literal | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Don’t do that! | "Don't do that!" |
The apostrophe is inside a double-quoted string. |
| Say “Hello”. | 'Say "Hello".' |
The double quotes are inside a single-quoted string. |
| doesn’t | 'doesn't' |
The apostrophe matches the outer delimiter, so the backslash escapes it. |
| Say “Hello”. | "Say "Hello"." |
Each matching inner double quote is escaped. |
A backslash in an ordinary string begins an escape sequence. For example, n represents a linefeed, t a tab, and \ one literal backslash. ' and " represent quote characters. See the official lexical analysis reference for string-literal rules.
When should you use triple quotes?
Triple single quotes ('''...''') and triple double quotes ("""...""") let a string span source-code lines. Newlines within the literal are retained as part of the string. Choose the triple delimiter that avoids awkward escaping of quote sequences in the text.
message = """First line
Second line"""
print(message)Three matching, unescaped quote marks end the literal. Quotes of either kind can appear inside a triple-quoted string unless they form that closing sequence. The string-literal reference describes the termination rules.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDo raw strings change quote rules?
A raw string uses an r prefix immediately before its opening quote, as in r"C:newfolder". It is useful when backslashes should remain literal, such as in many patterns or Windows-style paths. Raw strings still need a matching closing delimiter; the prefix does not let an unescaped matching quote pass through.
A raw string also cannot end in an odd number of backslashes, because the final backslash would escape the closing quote. For example, r"folder" is invalid. For the current details on raw strings and other prefixes, consult the Python language reference.
Why does Python show quotes when you inspect a string?
Evaluating a string variable in the interactive shell displays a representation of the value. That representation may include quote marks and visible escapes so the value can be distinguished and understood. Calling print() displays the string’s contents instead.
text = "Don'tnstop"
text
print(text)The interactive representation shows the value with escaped newline notation; print(text) renders the newline as a line break. These are two views of the same string, not evidence that Python changed it. The tutorial explains this distinction in its Text section.
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What about formatted strings and other prefixes?
String prefixes go directly before the opening quote, as in f"Hello, {name}" for a formatted string. Prefixes can affect how a literal is interpreted, but they do not remove the requirement for a valid opening and closing delimiter. Which prefixes can be combined and what they do are specified in the current language reference.
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