esdrújula

Esdrújula is a Spanish grammatical term referring to a word where the stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable. This means the third syllable from the end of the word receives the emphasis. Spanish stress rules dictate that words with stress on this syllable are always marked with a written accent (tilde). This distinguishes them from words stressed on the penultimate (llana) or final (aguda) syllables, which may or may not carry an accent depending on their ending. Examples of esdrújula words include "teléfono," "rápido," and "música." The presence of the accent is a key indicator for correct pronunciation and identification of this word type. All esdrújula words in Spanish require a written accent. This rule simplifies pronunciation for Spanish speakers and learners, as the accent mark explicitly guides where the word's emphasis should be placed. The concept of esdrújula words is fundamental to understanding Spanish phonology and orthography.