PRONOUNCING ITALIAN VOWELS

Italian vowels (i vocali) are short, always pronounced very clearly, and are never drawn out. The "glide" with which English vowels frequently end should be avoided. It should be noted that a, i, u, are always pronounced the same way; e and o, on the other hand, have an open and a closed sound that may vary from one part of Italy to the other.

Also, when vowels are grouped together in a word, they are always pronounced separately.

The approximate English equivalents are as follows:

a-A: This letter denotes a single sound, whose pronunciation is always similar to an English a in cat, fact, black; an "o" in how, cloud, house, mouse. Also, It sounds like the word “a” in the English word ah! Examples:

Casa » house.
Amore » love.
Fama » fame.
Pasta » pasta, dough, pastry.

e-E: This vowel has two pronunciations:

As an English “a” in hay, layer, may (this is popularly called a narrow "e" or closed "e")

Bere » to drink.
e » and.
Fede » faith.
Me » me.

As an English "e" in send, met, tent, hen (this one is popularly called a wide "e" or open "e").

Bene » well.
Vento » wind.
è » is.
Festa » party; holiday.

i-I: This vowel always sounds as an English y in yellow, troyan. A similar sound is that of English ee in fleet, seem, but the length of the Italian sound is shorter. Examples:

Invidiare » to envy.
Bimbo » child.
Libro » book.
Vino » wine.

o-O: This vowel has two pronunciations:

Always as an English "o", in some cases with a "narrow" or "closed" sound as in blow, soul, row. Examples:

Dono » gift.
Mondo » world.
Nome » name.
o » or.

Sometimes with a "wide" or "open" sound as in cloth, spot, dog. Examples:

Moda » fashion.
No » no.
Brodo » broth.
Olio » oil.

u-U: This vowel’s sound is similar to an English "u" in rule or "w" in win, rowing. But u is a vowel, while w is a consonant. Examples:

Fungo » mushroom.
Luna » moon.
Lungo » long.
Uno » one.

Diphthongs Triphthongs & Word Elision:

In italian a diphthong is formed by any vowel preceded or followed by an unstressed closed vowel ('i' or 'u'):ia, ie, io, ai, ei, oi, ua, ue, uo, au, eu, ou, iu, ui. They are always pronounced maintaining the sounds of the individual vowels, and the closed vowel plays the role of a semivowel or a glide.