Words can be classified based on their strongest syllable, the stressed syllable. Thus, words that have their stress on the last syllable are called oxytones, paroxytones on the penultimate syllable, and proparoxytone on the antepenultimate syllable.
In a word, the strong syllable is the one pronounced with greater intensity called the stressed syllable, the others are called unstressed.
Examples of syllable separation and stressed syllable:
- es-cri-tor (oxytone)
- A-le-gri-a (paroxytone)
- sá-ba-do (proparoxytone)
| oxytone | paroxytone | proparoxytone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is it | Words that have the last syllable as stressed syllable. | Words that have the penultimate syllable as stressed syllable. | Words that have the antepenultimate syllable as stressed syllable. |
| Examples | ring, grandmother, grandfather, bamboo, common, bad, thrush, armadillo. | sugar, city, easy, projectile, prey, shoe, carpet. | abacus, chapter, debt, starch, lexicon, fast, syllable. |
| accent rules | The oxytone words ending in: -á, -ás, -é, -és, -ó, -ós, -ém, -és, -ói, óis, -éu, -éus, -éis are accentuated. | Paroxytone words ending in: -r, -l, -n, -x, -ps, -ã, -ãs, -ão, -ãos, -em, -um, -uns, -om, -ons are graphically accented, -us, -i, -is, -hey, -hey. | All proparoxytone words receive graphic accentuation. |
Oxytones
Oxytone words are those in which the last syllable is the strong syllable (stressed syllable).
Examples of oxytone words
- The-but
- ba-ú
- here-faith
- de-believetar
- es-pi-to the
- fu-nil
- gua-ra-at
- in-english
- ja-ca-re
- lu-gar
- bad-hairline
- na-ve-gar
- or-ga-ni-za-dog
- pas-tel
- wed-tel
- frog-peace
- sa-bi-á
- ta-man-du-á
- u-ru-bu
- via-jar
- xi-lo-gra-far
- zoom-bi
Accent rules for oxytone words
Oxytone words are accentuated when they end in -á, -ás, -é, -és, -ó, -ós, -ém, -és, -ói, óis, -éu, -éus, -éis.
Examples of accented oxytone words:
- Corn meal
- ananas
- kick
- deck
- Bullfinch
- after
- also
- hostages
- cowboy
- sunflowers
- defendant
- hats
- faithful
paroxytones
Paroxytone words have a strong penultimate syllable. That is, the stressed syllable is positioned on the penultimate syllable of the word.
Most words in the Portuguese language are paroxytones.
Examples of paroxytone words
- The-bra-ço
- good-here
- here-ba-at
- tell us-Hello-ro
- es-shovel-ço
- fe-li-ci-from the-in
- ga-ro-OK
- hi-It is-at
- i-water-at
- already-here
- there-bio
- bad-you-la
- at-mo-ro
- dust-short-za
- what-ro
- frog-i-nha
- if-gu-ro
- tes-you
- one-bi-go
- to see-go-nha
- X and-at the-nio
- zoom-bi-of
Accent rules for paroxytone words
Paroxytone words ending in: -r, -l, -n, -x, -ps, -ã, -ãs, -ão, -ãos, -um, -uns, -om, -ons, -us, -i, -is, -hey, -is.
Examples of accented paroxytone words:
- character
- easy
- pollen
- Phoenix
- biceps
- magnet
- orphans
- organ
- blessings
- forum
- albums
- protons
- bonus
- jury
- taxis
- hockey
- edible
proparoxytones
Proparoxytone words have the stressed syllable on the antepenultimate syllable of the word.
Examples of proparoxytone words
- á-to-no
- bea-ba-do
- sky-ti-co
- I say-zi-mo
- é-ti-ca
- faith-cattle
- gar-greediness
- there is-read it
- in-thymus
- there-pi-de
- mi-ni-mo
- no-ti-do
- ó-ti-ca
- feet-if-go
- when-ti-co
- frog-pi-do
- yeah-la-ba
- I'm-ni-ca
- u-ok-peak
- come over-greediness
- X and-at the-fo-bo
- zo-I say-steel
Accent rules for proparoxytone words
In Portuguese, all proparoxytone words are accented.
See also the differences between:
- hyponym and hypernym
- Speech, language and language
- bet and vocative
- text types
