Combination of Letters — Syllables and Words

§16–17. SYLLABLES

Every syllable ends in a vowel. Consonant clusters do not close syllables.

okwetu: o-kwe-tu (3 syllables) umbundu: um-bun-du (3 syllables) onjila: on-ji-la (3 syllables)

The minimum syllable is a single vowel. The maximum is consonant + vowel.
Prenasalized consonants (mb, nd, ng, nj) count as single consonants and
open a syllable:

ombua: om-bu-a (3 syllables) ondaka: on-da-ka (3 syllables)

The tonic (stress) accent falls regularly on the PENULTIMATE syllable:

o-MO-na, om-BU-a, on-JI-la, u-LU-me

§18. WORDS
All words end in a vowel. This is an absolute rule in Umbundu.
No word ends in a consonant. Loan words from Portuguese are adapted:

gato (cat) → ongato pente (comb) → opendo sapato (shoe) → osapato