Italian vowels (i vocali) are short, clear–cut, 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.
The approximate English equivalents are as follows:
a is like a in the English word ah!

[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] casa house
antipasto appetizer
ama loves
banana banana
sala hall
Papa Pope
fama fame
pasta pasta; dough; pastry


e is sometimes like e in the English word they (without the final i glide).

[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] e and
beve drinks
me me
fede faith
vede sees
mele apples
sete thirst
pepe pepper



e is sometimes like e in the word met. This is the open e.

[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] è
is

lento
slow

bene
well

festa
party; holiday

sedia
chair

presto
soon

vento
wind

tè
tea



i is like i in machine.

[tr]
Italian

English[/tr] libri
books

bimbi
children

vini
wines

violini
violins

tini
vats

pini
pines



o is sometimes like o in the English word oh!.
[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] o
or

dono
gift

nome
name

solo
alone

posto
place

tondo
round

volo
flight

mondo
world


o is sometimes like o in or. This is the open o.
[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] moda fashion
toga toga
no no
oro gold
posta mail
brodo broth
cosa thing
trono throne
rosa rose
olio oil

u is like u in rule.
[tr]ItalianEnglish[/tr] luna moon
fungo mushroom
uno one
lungo long
fuga fugue
mulo mule
uso use
tubo tube