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