English:
* Stress on the first syllable: This is common for two-syllable words, especially those ending in -ic, -al, -ity, -ary, and -ive (e.g., 'happy, 'animal, 'quality, 'dictionary, 'active).
* Stress on the second syllable: This is common for two-syllable words ending in -tion, -sion, -ture, -ment, and -ship (e.g., infor'mation, divi'sion, pic'ture, govern'ment, friend'ship).
* Stress on the third syllable: This is common for three-syllable words with a suffix like -ology, -ography, -ical, and -ical (e.g., biol'ogy, photog'raphy, histor'ical, geograph'ical).
* Stress on the second-to-last syllable: This is common for words with a suffix like -ing, -er, -est, -ful, -less, -ly, and -ness (e.g., learn'ing, sing'er, strong'est, care'ful, care'less, quick'ly, happi'ness).
* Stress shifts in compound words: The stress usually falls on the first part of the compound word (e.g., 'blackbird, 'blueberry), but there are exceptions depending on the meaning (e.g., 'greenhouse, 'blue print).
* Stress changes with prefixes and suffixes: Some prefixes and suffixes can change the stress pattern of a word (e.g., 'understand vs. 'misunderstand).
Other languages:
* French: Stress usually falls on the last syllable of a word, except for words ending in a vowel sound (e.g., 'table, 'fleur, 'oiseau).
* Spanish: Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable, unless the word ends in a vowel, -n, or -s, in which case it falls on the last syllable (e.g., 'mesa, 'libro, 'carmen).
* German: Stress is generally unpredictable and is based on the root of the word.
* Russian: Stress is very unpredictable and is based on the particular word.
Additional factors that influence word stress:
* Grammatical function: Stress can indicate the grammatical function of a word, such as a noun, verb, or adjective.
* Context: Stress can also be influenced by the surrounding words and the meaning of the sentence.
It is important to note that these are just general principles, and there are always exceptions. The best way to learn the stress patterns of a language is to listen to native speakers and to consult a dictionary or grammar guide.