diff --git a/kilo.c b/kilo.c
index ee3b521..fdfc5d4 100644
--- a/kilo.c
+++ b/kilo.c
@@ -40,11 +40,13 @@ enum editorKey {
 
 enum editorHighlight {
 	HL_NORMAL = 0,
+	HL_STRING,
 	HL_NUMBER,
 	HL_MATCH
 };
 
 #define HL_HIGHLIGHT_NUMBERS (1<<0)
+#define HL_HIGHLIGHT_STRINGS (1<<1)
 
 /*** data ***/
 
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ struct editorSyntax HLDB[] = {
 	{
 		"c",
 		C_HL_extensions,
-		HL_HIGHLIGHT_NUMBERS
+		HL_HIGHLIGHT_NUMBERS | HL_HIGHLIGHT_STRINGS
 	},
 };
 
@@ -297,6 +299,7 @@ void editorUpdateSyntax(erow *row)
 	}
 
 	int prev_sep = 1;
+	int in_string = 0;
 
 	int i = 0;
 	while (i < row->rsize)
@@ -304,6 +307,38 @@ void editorUpdateSyntax(erow *row)
 		char c = row->render[i];
 		unsigned char prev_hl = (i > 0) ? row->hl[i - 1] : HL_NORMAL;
 
+		if (E.syntax->flags & HL_HIGHLIGHT_STRINGS)
+		{
+			if (in_string)
+			{
+				row->hl[i] = HL_STRING;
+				if (c == '\\' && i+1 < row->rsize)
+				{
+					row->hl[i + 1] = HL_STRING;
+					i += 2;
+					continue;
+				}
+
+				if (c == in_string)
+				{
+					in_string = 0;
+				}
+				i++;
+				prev_sep = 1;
+				continue;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (c == '"' || c == '\'')
+				{
+					in_string = c;
+					row->hl[i] = HL_STRING;
+					i++;
+					continue;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		if (E.syntax->flags & HL_HIGHLIGHT_NUMBERS)
 		{
 			if ((isdigit(c) && (prev_sep || prev_hl == HL_NUMBER)) ||
@@ -325,6 +360,9 @@ int editorSyntaxToColor(int hl)
 {
 	switch (hl)
 	{
+		case HL_STRING:
+			return 35;
+
 		case HL_NUMBER:
 			return 31;