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On What Syllable is the Italian Word Accented?

Italian Language, list of words accented on third from last syllable

Most Italian words are stressed on the second to last syllable:
fuoco
Roma

An accent mark is written in words that are stressed on the last syllable:
città
difficoltà

There are many words stressed on the third from last syllable (antepenultimate), or even the fourth from last. The problem is that no accent is written on these words in standard Italian. We have written some of them here with an accent mark so that you can learn them.
àbito clothing, I inhabit
aèreo airplane
Àfrica Africa
àlbero tree
Amèrica
àncora anchor (note: ancòra = still)
àngolo angle, corner of street
ànimo I give life to
anònimo anonymous
antipàtico unpleasant
àrabo Arab
aùtobus
automòbile car
brìndisi toast (the kind you propose before a drink)
bùssola compass
càlcolo I calculate
càmera bedroom
càpitano they fall (note: capitàno captain)
capìtolo chapter
càrcere prison (M)
catàstrofe
cattòlico
còdice code, as in civil code (law)
còllera anger
còlloco I put something in a place
còmodo comfortable
consìdero I consider
crèdito
dècimo tenth
diffìcile difficult
dimenticàbile forgettable
dòdici 12
dràstico drastic
edìcola newsstand
època epoch, age
esèrcito army
èssere to be
èstero foreign
ètnico ethnic
èvito I avoid
fàbbrica factory
fàbbrico I manufacture
fàcile easy
fantàstico
favorèvole favorable
fiammìfero match
fotògrafo photographer
gènere type, kind, sort
geògrafo geographer
geològico
giòvane young
gràfico
ùmile humble
immàgine image
immàgino I imagine
indàgine investigation
ipòcrita hypocrite
làmpada lamp
lèttera
lìbero free (not restrained)
màcchina car
mèdico doctor
micròfono
mìlite soldier
mòbile furniture
modìfico I modify
moltìplico I multiply
moltìssimo very much
nèvica it is snowing
nòbile noble
òccupa he or she takes care of
òccupo I take care of
ocèano ocean
onomàstico name day
onorèvole honorable
òpera opera
òrdine order (noun)
òrdino I order
orìgine origin
òspite host, guest
òttimo best
pàgina page
partècipo I participate
perìodo
pèssimo worst
pìccolo small
piròscafo steamship
possìbile
pòvero poor
pràtico I practice
probàbile
psicòlogo psychologist
polìtico
pòpolo people
possìbile
prìncipe prince
pròprio adjective: own
pròssimo next
pùbblico I publish
quattòrdici 14
quìndici 15
rapidìssimo very rapid
ràpido
repùbblica
sàndalo sandal
scàtola a box
sciòpero strike (out of work)
scolàstico
sèdici 16
semàforo traffic signal
sèmplice simple
sènape mustard
sèttimo seventeenth
sìgaro cigar
sìllaba syllable
simbòlico
simpàtico having a nice personality
sìndaco mayor
spettàcolo spectacle
sùbito quick
tàvolo table
telèfono, telephone, I telephone
tìmido shy
trèdici 13
ùltimo last
uòmini men
undicèsimo eleventh
ùndici 11
vèndita sale
vèscovo bishop
vìgili del fuoco firefighters
vìrgola comma
vìsita a visit
vìsito I visit
vòngola clam
[Say It Right in Italian, pronunciation,]
Say It Right in Italian, 2nd Edition (Paid link)
This book teaches you how to pronounce Italian right.


The third person plural of many forms of the verb is generally accented on the third from last syllable.

avèvano they used to have
avrèbbero they would have
cammìnano they walk
capirèbbero they would understand
capìscano! understand! (you plural or they)
capìvano they used to understand
cèlebrano they celebrate
crèdano! believe! (you plural or they)
crederèbbero they would believe
crèdevano they were believing
crèdono they believe
dèvono they must, they owe
èrano they were
ingànnano they deceive
òperano they work
organìzzano they organize
pàgano they pay (note: pagàno pagan)
pèrdono they lose (note: perdòno the pardon)
pòssono they are able
rùbino they rob (note: rubìno ruby)
sarèbbero they would be
tròvano they find
trovàvono they were finding
troverèbbero they would find
tròvino! find! (you plural or they)
vògliono they want
vorèbbero they would want


Verb infinitives. Some verbs ending in ERE are accented on the third from last syllable. (Other verbs ending in ERE are accented on the second to last syllable). There is no way to know which way a specific verb goes.

attèndere to wait
bàttere to hit
chièdere to ask, request
chiùdere to close
cògliere to gather
conòscere to know
consìstere to consist
convìncere to convince
còrrere to run
crèdere to believe
cuòcere to cook
deprìmere to depress
difèndere
dirìgere to direct
discùtere to discuss
elèggere to elect
giùngere to arrive
intèndere to understand
lèggere to read
mèttere to put
muòvere to move
nàscere to be born
pèrdere to lose
permèttere to permit
piàngere to weep, cry
piòvere to rain
prèndere to take
promèttere to promise
règgere to rule, as a king
rèndere to give back, return
ricèvere to receive
rìdere to laugh
rispòndere reply
scègliere to choose
sciògliere to melt, loosen
scrìvere to write
succèdere to happen
tògliere to remove, take away
uccìdere to kill
vèndere to sell
vìncere to win
vìvere to live



Here are three online Italian dictionaries that give the position of the stress accents in Italian words. In Italian only.
Dizionario-italiano.it
Dizionari.hoepli.it
Dizionari.repubblica.it


[Collins Italian Concise Dictionary,]
Collins Italian Concise Dictionary (Paid link)
This dictionary shows the position of the stress accents in Italian words. English/Italian/English.


[Collins Italian Dictionary,]
Collins Italian Dictionary (Paid link)
Another dictionary that shows the position of the stress accents in Italian words. English/Italian/English.


When a pronoun is attached to the end of a word, the position of the accent doesn't change.
sarà difficile dimenticàrsene = it will be difficult to forget about it
piacere di conòscerla

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