The letters “a,” “e,” “i,” “o,” and “u” are treated as vowels in Italian.
The only exception is when the letters “e” and “i” are used to indicate different pronunciation of a preceding “c” or “g,” as discussed in the Consonants Section.
Strong Vowels vs. Weak Vowels in Italian
The vowels “a,” “e,” and “o,” are considered strong vowels, whereas “i” and “u” are considered weak vowels.
The week vowels in Italian “i” and “u” form the sounds “y” and “w” when unstressed and preceded or followed by another vowel.
Below are some examples:
| ai | “ay” sound | “zaino” (backpack) pronounced “dzay-no” |
| ie | “ye” sound | “ieri” (yesterday) pronounced “ee-ye-ree” |
| io | “yo” sound | “fiore” (flower) pronounced “fyo-re” |
| ua | “wa” sound | “guardare” (to look) pronounced “gwar-da-re” |
| uo | “wo” sound | “uomo” (man) pronounced “wo-mo” |
| au | “aw” sound | “audio” (audio) pronounced “aw-dyo” |
| iu | “yoo” sound | “più” (more) pronounced “pyoo” |
5 Vowels Letters, but 7 Vowel Sounds
Italian is considered to have five vowel letters and seven vowel sounds. Each of the vowels “e” and “o” has an open and closed sound. The differences are summarized in the following table:
| o | open sound | like “o” in “cop” |
| closed sound | like “o” in “go” but without the final “w” sound | |
| e | open sound | like “e” in “bed” but a little more open |
| closed sound | like “e” in “they” but without the final “y” sound |
In general, the open sound is used when the syllable is stressed; otherwise, the closed sound is often used. Knowing when to use the open or closed sound can sometimes be tricky. The best way to master the difference is oral practice and referring to a good dictionary.
Every vowel is pronounced separately, and each with its alphabetical sound. Thus, there are no diphthongs in the English sense, except for the “i” and “u” when used as weak vowels. They then form the sounds “y” and “w,” respectively, as discussed earlier.
Next: Syllable Stress in Italian
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