Word Stress
In English, we don't say every part of a word with the same volume. One part is stronger, louder, and higher!
Rule 1: Nouns & Adjectives
Rule 2: Verbs & Prepositions
Rule 3: Word Chameleons
Don't sound like a robot!
Word Stress Mastery movie
Watch Teacher Sopheak demonstrate how native speakers use word stress naturally. Practice mimicking the rhythm!
Listening Check bolt
Mission my_location
Mission my_location
Mission my_location
Ask a Question person_raised_hand
Recent Questions
Hi Chantha! Actually, no! Khmer is generally a "syllable-timed" language, meaning we say most syllables with similar length and force. English is "stress-timed," which makes it bounce up and down! That's why this is a very important skill for Cambodian learners to practice. water_drop record_voice_over
What happens if I stress the wrong syllable?
Good question! If you stress the wrong syllable, native speakers might be confused for a second, or they might even think you are saying a completely different word (like the PRE-sent / pre-SENT example). Practice makes perfect! headphones
Teacher, do Khmer words have stress like this?