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Hyphenation ofcontramatasteis

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

con-tra-ma-tas-te-is

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/kontɾa.ma.tasˈteis/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

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The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable ('tas'), following the standard Spanish rule for words ending in a vowel.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

con/kon/

Open syllable, unstressed.

tra/tɾa/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ma/ma/

Open syllable, unstressed.

tas/tas/

Closed syllable, primary stressed.

te/te/

Open syllable, unstressed.

is/is/

Open syllable, unstressed.

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

contra-(prefix)
+
mat-(root)
+
-asteis(suffix)

Prefix: contra-

Latin origin, meaning 'against', 'opposite'. Prefixes modify the verb's meaning.

Root: mat-

From 'matar' (to kill), Latin 'matare'. Core meaning of the verb.

Suffix: -asteis

2nd person plural preterite imperfective ending (-a- thematic vowel, -ste- ending, -is gender marker).

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To counterkill; to kill in response to a killing; to retaliate by killing.

Translation: You (plural, informal) counterkilled.

Examples:

"Después de que mataran a su líder, contramatasteis a los responsables."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

matasteisma-tas-teis

Shares the same root and ending, demonstrating consistent syllabification.

amasteisa-mas-teis

Similar syllable structure and stress pattern, differing only in the initial consonant.

cantasteiscan-tas-teis

Similar syllable structure and stress pattern, differing in the initial consonant cluster.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllables

Syllables ending in a vowel are generally open.

Closed Syllables

Syllables ending in a consonant are closed.

Consonant Clusters

Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.

Penultimate Stress

Words ending in vowels, 'n', or 's' are stressed on the penultimate syllable.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The 'tr' and 'st' consonant clusters are common in Spanish and do not pose significant syllabification challenges.

No major morphological anomalies are present.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'contramatasteis' is a conjugated Spanish verb meaning 'you (plural, informal) counterkilled'. It's divided into six syllables: con-tra-ma-tas-te-is, with stress on the penultimate syllable ('tas'). Syllabification follows standard Spanish rules, and the word's structure is consistent with similar verb forms.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "contramatasteis" (Spanish)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "contramatasteis" is a conjugated verb form in Spanish. It's a relatively complex word, formed by a prefix, root, and several suffixes. Pronunciation follows standard Spanish rules, with clear vowel sounds and predictable consonant articulation.

2. Syllable Division:

Following Spanish syllabification rules, the word breaks down as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: contra- (Latin origin, meaning "against," "opposite"). Function: modifies the verb's meaning.
  • Root: mat- (from matar - Latin matare meaning "to kill"). Function: core meaning of the verb.
  • Suffixes:
    • -a- (thematic vowel, connecting root to suffixes)
    • -ste- (2nd person plural preterite imperfective ending)
    • -is- (gender marker, indicating a group including females)

4. Stress Identification:

The primary stress falls on the penultimate syllable (second to last). In this case, it's on "-tas-".

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/kontɾa.ma.tasˈteis/

6. Edge Case Review:

The combination of "st" can sometimes present a slight challenge, but in this case, it's a straightforward consonant cluster within a syllable. The "tr" cluster is also common and doesn't pose a problem.

7. Grammatical Role:

"Contramatasteis" is exclusively the 2nd person plural (vosotros/as) preterite imperfective form of the verb "contramatar" (to counterkill). Syllabification and stress remain consistent regardless of grammatical function, as it's a single, conjugated verb form.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To counterkill; to kill in response to a killing; to retaliate by killing.
  • Part of Speech: Verb (conjugated)
  • Translation: You (plural, informal) counterkilled.
  • Synonyms: vengasteis (you avenged), represaliasteis (you retaliated)
  • Antonyms: perdonasteis (you forgave)
  • Examples:
    • "Después de que mataran a su líder, contramatasteis a los responsables." (After they killed their leader, you counterkilled the perpetrators.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • matasteis (you killed): ma-tas-teis. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable. The addition of "contra-" simply adds a prefix and a syllable.
  • amasteis (you loved): a-mas-teis. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable. The root vowel differs, but the overall pattern is consistent.
  • cantasteis (you sang): can-tas-teis. Similar syllable structure, stress on the penultimate syllable. The initial consonant cluster differs, but the core structure remains the same.

10. Syllable Breakdown with Rules & Exceptions:

Syllable IPA Transcription Rule Applied Explanation Potential Exceptions
con /kon/ Rule: Open syllable Single consonant followed by a vowel. None
tra /tɾa/ Rule: Open syllable Single consonant followed by a vowel. None
ma /ma/ Rule: Open syllable Single consonant followed by a vowel. None
tas /tas/ Rule: Closed syllable Consonant cluster followed by a vowel. Stress falls here. None
te /te/ Rule: Open syllable Single consonant followed by a vowel. None
is /is/ Rule: Open syllable Single consonant followed by a vowel. None

Division Rules Applied:

  • Rule 1: Open Syllables: Syllables ending in a vowel are generally open.
  • Rule 2: Closed Syllables: Syllables ending in a consonant are closed.
  • Rule 3: Consonant Clusters: Consonant clusters are generally kept together within a syllable.
  • Rule 4: Penultimate Stress: Words ending in vowels, 'n', or 's' are stressed on the penultimate syllable.

Special Considerations:

The word is relatively straightforward in its syllabification. No major exceptions or anomalies are present. The "tr" and "st" clusters are common in Spanish and don't disrupt the standard rules.

Short Analysis:

"Contramatasteis" is a conjugated Spanish verb form meaning "you (plural, informal) counterkilled." It's divided into six syllables: con-tra-ma-tas-te-is, with stress on the penultimate syllable ("tas"). The word consists of the prefix "contra-", the root "mat-", and several suffixes indicating person, number, and tense. Syllabification follows standard Spanish rules of open and closed syllables, and consonant cluster preservation.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/13/2025

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