Which Syllable Is Stressed
Count back from the end of the word.
How It Works
A syllable is long if it has a long vowel, a two-vowel sound such as ae, or a short vowel followed by two consonants (x counts as two). A stop followed by l or r, as in patris, usually does not make the syllable long.
| Word | Stress | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Roma | RO-ma | two syllables, so the first |
| amicus | a-MI-cus | the long ī is second to last |
| dominus | DO-mi-nus | the second to last is short, so the stress moves back |
| amare | a-MA-re | the long ā is second to last |
| puella | pu-EL-la | the e is short, but two consonants (ll) follow, so the syllable is long |
The rule is the same in classical and Church Latin. Church Latin does not hold long vowels longer, but it puts the stress in the same place.
Examples (5)
- Roma
Rome
Two syllables: RO-ma.
- amicus
friend
The second-to-last syllable has a long i: a-MI-cus.
- dominus
lord
The second-to-last syllable is short: DO-mi-nus.
- amare
to love
The second-to-last syllable has a long a: a-MA-re.
- puella
girl
The short e is followed by two consonants, ll, so the syllable is long: pu-EL-la.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Stress depends on whether the second-to-last syllable is long, so vowel length and the two-vowel sounds come first.
- Long and Short Vowels
Know long and short vowels, because a long vowel makes a syllable long, and the stress falls on a long second-to-last syllable: a-MI-cus.
Foundations - Two Vowels, One Sound: ae, oe, auTwo Vowels, One Sound
Know the diphthongs, because a two-vowel sound such as ae also makes a syllable long, which decides where the stress falls.
Level 1
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Which Syllable Is Stressed in Bubblegum
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