Word Stress
Every Belarusian word has one stressed syllable, but normal texts do not mark it. Stress can fall on any syllable and can move when the word changes: рука́ (hand) but ру́кі (hands).
How It Works
Stress is free and mobile
Stress is not fixed to the first or last syllable. It can also move inside one word:
- рука́ (hand) — ру́кі (hands)
- нага́ (leg) — но́гі (legs)
- вада́ (water) — во́ды (waters)
How spelling reveals stress
- Because of akanye, о and э in native words are written only in the stressed syllable: во́ды, рэ́кі.
- ё is written only under stress in ordinary words: мёд, вёска, жывём. When the stress moves, ё changes: сёстры — сястра́. The dots on ё are obligatory. Rare exceptions are words with the roots ёд- and ёт- and compounds with радыё-.
- Because of yakanye, я in place of е often marks the syllable before the stress: вясна́.
Stress can change meaning
за́мак (castle) and замо́к (lock) are spelled differently because of akanye. Му́ка (torment) and мука́ (flour) are spelled the same and differ only in stress.
Dictionaries and learner materials mark stress with an accent (рука́). Normal books, signs and websites do not.
Examples (6)
- Памый рукі перад ежай.
Wash your hands before eating.
Word by Word: Wash hands before food.
ру́кі is stressed on the root, but the singular рука́ is stressed on the ending.
- Нашы вёскі вельмі прыгожыя.
Our villages are very beautiful.
Word by Word: Our villages very beautiful.
вёскі: ё always carries the stress in words like this.
- Гэта стары замак.
This is an old castle.
Word by Word: This old castle.
за́мак is stressed on the first syllable, so the second is written а.
- На дзвярах вісіць замок.
There is a lock on the door.
Word by Word: On door hangs lock.
замо́к is stressed on the last syllable, so it keeps о there.
- Мама купіла мёд.
Mom bought honey.
Word by Word: Mom bought honey.
- Мы жывём у Мінску.
We live in Minsk.
Word by Word: We live in Minsk.
жывём: ё on the ending shows the stress is there.
Common Mistakes
Writing ё in an unstressed syllable.
Надышла вёсна.Надышла вясна.In вясна́ the stress is on the ending. Ё appears only when it is stressed, as in the plural вёсны.
Using the spelling of the wrong stress pattern (it changes the meaning).
Мы ідзём паглядзець стары замок. (meant: an old castle)Мы ідзём паглядзець стары замак.A castle is за́мак, stressed on the first syllable. Замо́к, stressed on the end, is a lock.
Leaving out the dots on ё.
Мы жывем у Мінску.Мы жывём у Мінску.The official rules make the dots on ё obligatory. Without them, жывем is a misspelling.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- Akanye: Unstressed о and э Written as а
Akanye makes stress visible: о and э appear only under stress.
Level 1 - Yakanye: е and ё Written as я before the Stress
Yakanye depends on the syllable right before the stress.
Level 1 - Noun Plural
Stress often moves in the plural: рука́ — ру́кі.
Level 1 - The Belarusian Alphabet
The letter ё, which is always stressed in ordinary words, is part of the alphabet.
Level 1
Practice Word Stress in Bubblegum
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