Modern Hindi Grammar - Indian Institute of Language Studies (IILS)

2. PHONOLOGY

2.3.2. Length

Length is phonemic in Hindi. There are three pairs of short and long
vowels: /i/ and /i:/; /a/ and /a:/; /u/ and /u:/. The following minimal
pairs illustrate the contrast in the length of these vowels.

imala mil mix maIla mi:l mile
dsa das ten dasa da:s servant
]na un they (obl) }na u:n wool

2.3.3. Stress

Stress is not a distinctive feature of Hindi; it is not in phonemic
contrast. Hindi is a syllable-timed language, sometimes individual
words are stressed for emphasis only. Usually, the syllable
preceding the consonant cluster gets stress.

bauiw buddhi intelligence
sa%ya saty truth

The initial cluster of the word also gets stress.

p`oma prem love
spYTta spaštta: clarity

In di-syllabic words where both syllables have long or short vowels,
the first syllable is stressed.

A@sar aksar always
AMdr andar inside
Aakar a:ka:r figure
Aasamaana a:sma:n sky

In di-syllable words wherein the first syllable contains low front or
back vowels, the first syllable is stressed.

f,aOjaI føji: soldier

kOdI k ́di: prisoner