ȁ
nȅboне̏бо
sky
sȑceср̏це
heart
Pitch & stress
Four accents
à
vòdaво̀да
water
màskaraма̀скара
mascara
ȃ
pȋvoпи̑во
beer
grȃdгра̑д
city
á
glávaгла́ва
head
čokoládaчокола́да
chocolate
Placement rules
ordinary writing
accent marks omitted
vodaводаglavaглаваčokoladaчоколада
last syllable
normally unstressed
vòdaво̀даglávaгла́ваčokoládaчокола́да
falling
one syllable, or first syllable
pȋvoпи̑воnȅboне̏боgrȃdгра̑д
rising
not final; needs following syllable
vòdaво̀даglávaгла́ваčokoládaчокола́да
macron ā
long vowel after the accent
dèvōjkaдѐво̄јкаlȍnācāло̏на̄ца̄
Accent shifts
lȍnacло̏нац
grȃdгра̑д
NOM SG
lȍnacло̏нацgrȃdгра̑д
GEN SG
lóncaло́нцаgrȃdaгра̑да
NOM PL
lȏnciло̑нциgrȁdoviгра̏дови
GEN PL
lȍnācāло̏на̄ца̄grȃdōvāгра̑до̄ва̄
Learner priority
stress place
hear first; learn with word
vowel length
short vs long changes rhythm
pitch contour
dialect-sensitive; dictionary mark helps
Reading order
-
1
Find marked syllable.
-
2
Read length: short mark or long mark.
-
3
Keep post-accent macrons long.
-
4
Do not move stress to final syllable.