# Stress of אני



## sawyeric1

My tutor told me that the stress should always be on the last syllable for אני - "aNI" instead of "ANi". So I've been practicing saying it that way, but every time I hear a native speaker say אני quickly it definitely sounds like "ANi"- starkly different from how I have been practicing it as "aNI". This has been going on for at least a month or two. So I'm doubting that I just have to get used to the sound at this point. Can anyone verify that the stress changes to the first syllable when אני is spoken quickly?

Thanks


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## Drink

I think when the next word is stressed on the first syllable, the stress of אני might get pushed back to the first syllable. This is a common pattern in spoken Hebrew in general and applies to almost any minor bisyllabic word.

But I would say simply don't worry about it and don't think about it and keep pronouncing it as aNI. Everything else will come naturally to you as you develop your Israeli accent.


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## shalom00

It might be something that happens unconsciously.
In over 35 years in Israel, I have not noticed it.
It certainly is not considered "correct".


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## Tamar

The stress in אני never changes. 
"Ani" would be a name of a girl. 


Drink said:


> I think when the next word is stressed on the first syllable, the stress of אני might get pushed back to the first syllable.


I can't think of verbs that have the stress on their first syllable. 

Maybe it's the glottal stop that's very apparent and then it sounds like the syllable is stressed, but it isn't? What do you guys think?


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## Drink

Tamar said:


> I can't think of verbs that have the stress on their first syllable.



אני קמתי


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## Tamar

Thanks Drink! 
The stress in אני is still on the second syllable.


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## Drink

Tamar said:


> Thanks Drink!
> The stress in אני is still on the second syllable.



Maybe it would be different if you said it in the middle of a long sentence that you were speaking quickly. Also it might sound different to a native speaker than it does to a learner like the OP.


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## Tamar

Drink said:


> Maybe it would be different if you said it in the middle of a long sentence that you were speaking quickly. Also it might sound different to a native speaker than it does to a learner like the OP.


Agree, I wonder what happens in a sentence, too bad we don't have any recordings, could be interesting.


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## oopqoo

I was certain it's always on the second syllable until I said אני קמתי out loud where I did say ANi kamti.
I feel like the pattern for it is as Drink described although you could say both ANi kamti and aNI kamti - but it depends on your tone. If you want to stress that fact that you already got up (which would be more common) then it's ANi kamti, but if the emphasis is on the fact that it's you who got up and not anyone else (less common) then it's aNI kamti.


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