HyphenateIt

Hyphenation ofdépoussiéreraient

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

dé-pou-ssi-è-raient

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

/de.pu.sje.ʁe.tʁɛ/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

00001

The primary stress falls on the final syllable '-raient', which is typical for French verbs.

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

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

/de/

Open syllable, unstressed.

pou/pu/

Open syllable, unstressed.

ssi/sje/

Closed syllable, unstressed. Contains a nasal vowel.

è/ʁe/

Open syllable, unstressed.

raient/tʁɛ/

Closed syllable, stressed. Contains a nasal vowel.

Morphemic Breakdown

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

dé-(prefix)
+
poussiè-(root)
+
-raient(suffix)

Prefix: dé-

Latin origin, meaning 'removal, reversal'. Indicates reversal or completion of the action.

Root: poussiè-

From 'poussière' (dust), Latin 'pulvis'. Core meaning of the verb.

Suffix: -raient

Conditional ending, derived from the imperfect subjunctive of 'avoir' + past participle. Indicates conditional mood, third-person plural.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To dust (hypothetically or conditionally).

Translation: They would dust.

Examples:

"Ils dépoussiéreraient les étagères si ils avaient le temps."

Antonyms: salirait
Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

dépoussièredépous-siè-re

Shares the same root and prefix, differing only in the suffix.

dépoussiérésdépous-sié-rés

Similar structure, with the addition of the past participle ending.

dépoussiérerdépous-sié-rer

The infinitive form, with a similar syllable structure.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Vowel-Based Division

Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.

Consonant Cluster Preservation

Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are easily separable in pronunciation.

Final Syllable Stress

French typically stresses the final syllable.

Special Considerations

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

The 'é' in 'poussiè-' represents a closed mid-front vowel /e/.

The 'r' is a uvular fricative /ʁ/, a characteristic of standard French pronunciation.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'dépoussiéreraient' is a verb in the conditional present tense, third-person plural, meaning 'they would dust'. It is divided into five syllables: dé-pou-ssi-è-raient, with stress on the final syllable. The syllabification follows vowel-based division and consonant cluster preservation rules common in French.

Detailed Analysis:

Linguistic Analysis of "dépoussiéreraient" (French)

1. Examination & Pronunciation:

The word "dépoussiéreraient" is a conjugated form of the verb "dépoussiérer" (to dust). It's the conditional present tense, third-person plural. Pronunciation involves a series of vowel sounds, nasal vowels, and consonant clusters typical of French.

2. Syllable Division:

Following French syllabification rules, which prioritize vowel sounds and avoid breaking consonant clusters unless they are pronounceable as separate syllables, the division is as follows (using only original letters):

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: dé- (Latin origin, meaning "removal, reversal"). Morphological function: prefix indicating reversal or completion of the action.
  • Root: poussiè- (from poussière - dust, Latin pulvis). Morphological function: core meaning of the verb.
  • Suffix: -eraient (conditional ending, derived from the imperfect subjunctive of avoir + past participle). Morphological function: indicates conditional mood, third-person plural.

4. Stress Identification:

French generally has stress on the final syllable of a phrase or breath group. In this case, the final syllable "-raient" receives the primary stress.

5. Phonetic Transcription:

/de.pu.sje.ʁe.tʁɛ/

6. Edge Case Review:

The consonant cluster "str" is not broken, as it's a permissible cluster in French. The nasal vowel "an" in "poussiè-" is a common feature of French phonology.

7. Grammatical Role:

The word is exclusively a verb. Syllabification remains consistent regardless of its grammatical function within a sentence.

8. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To dust (hypothetically or conditionally).
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (conditional present, third-person plural)
  • Translation: They would dust.
  • Synonyms: nettoieraient (they would clean), balayeraient (they would sweep)
  • Antonyms: salirait (they would dirty)
  • Examples:
    • "Ils dépoussiéreraient les étagères si ils avaient le temps." (They would dust the shelves if they had time.)

9. Phonological Comparison:

  • "dépoussière" (dépous-siè-re) - Syllable division is similar, reflecting the root and suffix. Stress remains on the final syllable.
  • "dépoussiérés" (dépous-sié-rés) - Similar structure, with the addition of the past participle ending. Stress remains on the final syllable.
  • "dépoussiérer" (dépous-sié-rer) - The infinitive form. Syllable division is similar, but the final "-er" creates a slightly different phonetic contour. Stress remains on the final syllable.

10. Division Rules:

  • Rule 1: Vowel-Based Division: Syllables are generally formed around vowel sounds.
  • Rule 2: Consonant Cluster Preservation: Consonant clusters are maintained unless they are easily separable in pronunciation.
  • Rule 3: Final Syllable Stress: French typically stresses the final syllable.

11. Special Considerations:

The "é" in "poussiè-" represents a closed mid-front vowel /e/, which is common in French. The "r" is a uvular fricative /ʁ/, a characteristic of standard French pronunciation.

12. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations:

Regional variations in French pronunciation might affect the realization of the "r" sound (e.g., alveolar trill in some southern dialects), but this wouldn't significantly alter the syllable division.

13. Syllable Analysis Breakdown:

  • dé-: /de/ - Open syllable, unstressed.
  • pou-: /pu/ - Open syllable, unstressed.
  • ssi-: /sje/ - Closed syllable, unstressed. Contains a nasal vowel.
  • è-: /ʁe/ - Open syllable, unstressed.
  • raient: /tʁɛ/ - Closed syllable, stressed. Contains a nasal vowel.
Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/7/2025

The hottest word splits in French

See what terms are trending and getting hyphenated by users right now.

What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the use of hyphens to join words or parts of words. It plays a crucial role in writing, ensuring clarity and readability.

In compound terms like 'check-in', the hyphen clarifies relationships between words. It also assists in breaking words at line ends, preserving flow and understanding, such as in 'tele-communication'. Hyphenation rules vary; some words lose their hyphens with common usage (e.g., 'email' from 'e-mail'). It's an evolving aspect of language, with guidelines differing across style manuals. Understanding hyphenation improves writing quality, making it an indispensable tool in effective communication.