Breakdown of De klemtoon ligt op de eerste lettergreep.
op
on
eerste
first (1st)
liggen
to lie
de klemtoon
the stress / the accent (on a syllable)
Questions & Answers about De klemtoon ligt op de eerste lettergreep.
Why does the sentence use ligt instead of is or valt?
In Dutch, it is highly idiomatic to say that stress or emphasis ligt on a certain part of a word. You can also use valt (de klemtoon valt op...), which directly mirrors the English phrase, but liggen is the standard choice for indicating where the emphasis is permanently placed.
How is the word lettergreep formed?
It is a compound of letter and greep (grip, grasp, or hold). You can think of a syllable as a group of letters held together in a single sound. Recognizing these noun combinations is a great way to decode new B2 vocabulary without a dictionary.
Is there a difference between klemtoon and accent?
In the context of word stress, they mean the same thing and you could say het accent ligt op... instead. However, klemtoon is more specific to syllable or word stress, while accent is also widely used to describe a regional pronunciation, like speaking with a French accent.