Hebrew Words Accented on Their Last Syllable

 is an example of a Hebrew word accented on its last syllable. It has two syllables (using the perspective of pronunciation - see below). The first is not accented, the second is accented. You read this word "te-hom", saying the "hom" syllable with more emphasis than the "te-" syllable.

The Trope Symbol Marks the Accented Syllable

 that the ETNACHTA is found under the second syllable -- the accented syllable. 

The Trope symbol always marks the accented syllable in a Hebrew word.

Most Trope melodies have more than one note.

- The first note of a Trope is called the 

The upbeat note is sung on all syllables 

 is the only syllable before the accented syllable. The upbeat note is chanted on the 

melody of the Trope is chanted on the accented syllable

 in the panel to the right. You will hear the ETNACHTA sung on this word.

Three-Syllable Words Accented on Their Last Syllable

We have just looked at a two-syllable word accented on its last syllable.

- The upbeat note is chanted on all syllables before the accented syllable.

- The melody is chanted on the accented syllable.

 of the trope is chanted on the accented syllable 

The same rule is extended to words with more syllables, such as the four-syllable 

Double-click on these words on the panel to the right to hear how they are to be chanted. Again, the upbeat note is repeated for all syllables before the accented syllable, and the rest of the Trope's melody is chanted on the syllable with the Trope.

What happens when a word has only one syllable? Just leave out the upbeat note. The whole melody (without the upbeat note) is sung on the one and only syllable. Here's an example 

A couple of comments about these words is in order.

In the Biblical texts shown by the TropeTrainer software (and in some printed texts), 

  is shown in two ways, as a large ("sounded") and a small ("silent") version. These are pronounced  

) is large / sounded it is pronounced as a short 

 (even though a strict grammarian might disagree with this concept).

 is simply to mark the end of a given syllable, so it has no sound. 

This concept of two ways to interpret the sh'va is important to know, since the number of syllables changes depending whether or not you pronounce the 

While we are on the topic of different versions of vowels, the 

 has two versions as well -- the large version (

Ashkenazim pronounce both versions as "oh".

 is really three words connected by a special line called a 

 acts like a hyphen, connecting small words to make one bigger word. 

 don't appear in the Torah (or other hand-written scrolls). They are seen in Chumashim and other printed versions of biblical texts. When you chanting words that are connected with a 

, you chanting them as though they are one word.

 is chanted as though it were a five-syllable word, with its accent on the 

Some may choose to practice by recording their own voice chanting the trope word, phrase, or verse then playing it back to hear themselves and check pronunciation.  To record your voice directly on the site, click on the “Record” feature located in the upper toolbar.  Once in the “Record” tool, click “Start Recording” and then sing the word, phrase, or verse.  When you have finished recording click “Stop Recording.”  To play back your voice, click the black triangle (▶) button within the recording oval.

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