How Many Syllables In Portuguese?
3syllables
Portuguese has 3 syllables, por-tu-guese. It is a trisyllabic word.
portuguese
/ˌpɔː.tʃʊˈɡiːz/ UK /ˌpɔːr.tʃəˈɡiːz/ US
Stress
The main stress falls on the third syllable, guese.
Syllable Structure
CV/CV/CVC
Division By Sound
/pɔː.tʃʊ.ɡiːz/
Division By Letters
por-tu-guese
A spelling guide that follows the sound division.
Tree Diagram Of Portuguese
S syllable, O onset, R rime, P peak, C coda, Ø no coda.
Parts Of Each Syllable
| Syllable | Onset | Peak | Coda | Pattern | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 secondary stress | p | ɔː | – | CV | open |
| 2 | tʃ | ʊ | – | CV | open |
| 3 primary stress | ɡ | iː | z | CVC | closed |
Why Portuguese Divides Here
- Between syllables 1 and 2, /tʃ/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
- Between syllables 2 and 3, /ɡ/ goes to the right, following the Maximal Onsets Principle.
Questions Students Ask
How many syllables are in Portuguese?
Portuguese has 3 syllables, por-tu-guese. In British English it is transcribed /ˌpɔː.tʃʊˈɡiːz/.
Which syllable is stressed in Portuguese?
The third syllable, guese, carries the main stress.
What is the syllable structure of Portuguese?
Portuguese has the structure CV/CV/CVC, where C is a consonant sound and V is a vowel sound.
How do you divide Portuguese into syllables?
By sound, pɔː.tʃʊ.ɡiːz. By letters, as a spelling guide, por-tu-guese.