On the surface level, Tabaru only allows syllables of the type (C)V. Words with an underlying final consonant add an echo vowel: ngówaka (/ngowak/) ′child′, ókere (/oker/) ′drink′, sárimi (/sarim/) ′paddle′, ódomo (/odom/) ′eat′, pálusu (/palus/) ′answer′. The echo vowel is dropped when a suffix is added: woísene (/woisen/) ′hear′, but woisenoka (/woisen/ + /oka/) ′heard′. Stress regularly falls on the penultimate syllable, but shifts to the antepenultimate when the word takes an echo vowel.[3]: 163
^Fortgens, J. (1928). "Grammatikale Aanteekeningen van het Tabaroesch; Tabaroesche Volksverhalen en Raadsels" [Grammatical Notes of Tabaru; Tabaru Folktales and Riddles]. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië (in Dutch). 84 (2/3): 300–544. JSTOR20770253. doi:10.1163/22134379-90001497doi:10.1163/22134379-90001498