Lesson 1

General Accent Rules

Use the clues at right to properly accent each Greek Verb below. Point your mouse to see if you are right.

• First, notice that there are four vowels, ε, υ, ο, and η.
• Next, remember that υο is not a diphthong. Therefore these two vowels are separate vowel sounds in different syllables.
• 4 vowel sounds = 4 syllables.
• We know that only the last 3 syllables are candidates for accenting.
• But the antepenult (the syllable with the υ in this word) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• No, η is long, and therefore the ultima is long, and therefore the antepenult cannot be accented.
• That leaves only the ο in the penult and the η in the ultima as candidates for an accent mark.
• But this is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion? Point to the vowel that should receive the accent and see if you are correct!
• Click on the accented syllable to hear the word pronounced.

• Again, there are four vowels,  ε, υ, ο, and ε.
• Again, υο is not a diphthong. These two vowels are separate vowel sounds in different syllables.
• 4 vowel sounds = 4 syllables.
• Only the last 3 syllables are candidates for accenting.
• But the antepenult (the syllable with the υ in this word) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• Yes, ε is short, and therefore the ultima is short, and therefore the antepenult can be accented.
• This is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion? Point to the vowel that should receive the accent and see if you are correct!
• Click on the accented syllable to hear the word pronounced.

• There are four vowels, ε, υ, α, and η.
• There are no diphthongs.
• 4 vowel sounds = 4 syllables.
• Only the last 3 syllables are candidates for accenting.
• The antepenult (the syllable with the υ) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• No, η is long, and therefore the ultima is long, and therefore the antepenult cannot be accented.
• That leaves only the α in the penult and the η in the ultima as candidates for an accent mark.
• But this is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion? Point to the vowel that should receive the accent and see if you are correct!
• Click on the accented syllable to hear the word pronounced.

• 4 vowels, ε, ο, υ, and ι.
• But ου is a diphthong, and counts as one vowel sound.
• 3 vowel sounds = 3 syllables.
• The antepenult (the syllable with the ε) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• Yes, ι is short in this word (take my word for it), and therefore the ultima is short, and therefore the antepenult can be accented.
• This is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion? Point to the vowel that should receive the accent and see if you are correct!
• Click on the accented syllable to hear the word pronounced.

• 3 vowels, ε, υ, and ω.
• No diphthongs.
• 3 vowel sounds = 3 syllables.
• The antepenult (the syllable with the ε) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• No, ω is long, and therefore the ultima is long. The antepenult cannot be accented.
• That leaves only the υ in the penult and the ω in the ultima as candidates for an accent mark.
• But this is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion?

• 2 vowels, υ and ε.
•  υε is not a diphthong. Therefore there are 2 vowel sounds.
• 2 vowel sounds = 2 syllables.
• This is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit, in this case, to the penult.
• But remember that an accented penult will have a circumflex if and only if the penult is long and the ultima is short.
• Is the penult long? Yes (take my word for it.) Is the ultima short? Yes.
• Conclusion? Point to the vowel that should receive the accent and observe what accent mark it has!

• 5 vowels, ι, α, ο, α, and ι.
• αι is a diphthong. Therefore these two vowels form one vowel sound.
• 4 vowel sounds = 4 syllables.
• Only the last 3 syllables are candidates for accenting.
• The antepenult (the syllable with the α) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• As a rule, diphthongs are long. But final οι and final αι are short. The ultima is short, and therefore the antepenult can be accented.
• This is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion?

• 4 vowels, ι, ω, ε, and ι.
• ει is a diphthong. Therefore these two vowels form one vowel sound.
• 3 vowel sounds = 3 syllables.
• The antepenult (the syllable with the ι) can only be accented if the ultima is short. Is it?
• No, as a rule, diphthongs are long. The ultima is long, and therefore the antepenult cannot be accented.
• That leaves only the ω in the penult and the ει in the ultima as candidates for an accent mark.
• This is a verb, and therefore the accent must go back to the left as far as the rules permit.
• Conclusion?