Vowels (classification and examples)

Vowels are the phonemes (speech sounds) that come out of the mouth without obstacles: a, é, ê, i, ó, ô, u.

In written form, vowels are represented by the letters a, e, i, o, u.

The other phonemes are semivowels and consonants, but vowels are the most important phonemes, because without them we cannot form syllables. There are no syllables without vowels.

For example,

• the word coffee has two syllables and both have a vowel: cThe-fé
• the word player has three syllables and in each of them there is a vowel: jO-gThe-dOr
• the word hope has five syllables and in each of them there is a vowel: It iss-pIt is-rThen-çThe.

classification of vowels

Vowels are classified, according to the Brazilian Grammatical Nomenclature, by four criteria:

1. joint zone
2. intensity
3. timbre
4. role of the oral and nasal cavities

So the vowels can be:

• average, before or after, depending on the place in the mouth where the sound is produced (articulation area)
• tonic or unstressed, according to the intensity with which the sound is emitted (intensity)
• open or closed, according to the opening of the mouth when the sound is emitted (timbre)
• oral or nasal, according to the place where the sound is emitted, mouth and nose (role of the oral and nasal cavities)

These are the vowels, according to the above classification:

• averages: /a/
• previous: /é/,/ê/,/i/
• later: /ó/,/ô/,/u/
• tonics: /a/,/é/,/ê/,/i/,/ó/,/ô/,/u/
• unstressed: /a/,/ê/,/i/,/ô/,/u/
• open: /a/,/é/,/ó/
• closed: /ê/,/ô/,/i/,/u/
• oral: /a/,/é/,/ê/,/i/,/ó/,/ô/,/u/
• nasals: /ã/,/ẽ/,/ĩ/,/õ/,/ũ/

Examples of words with oral stressed vowels

/a/ fact, home, peace

/é/ through, foot, straight

/ê/ believe, month, portuguese

/i/ saw, book, cover

/ó/ hook, we, great

/ô/ grandfather, flower, garden

/u/ light, south, you

Examples of words with nasal stressed vowels

/ã/ field, fan, wool

/ẽ/ slit, slow, time

/ĩ/ clean yes ink

/õ/ meatball good wave

/ũ/ tuna, tomb, deep

Examples of words with oral unstressed vowels

/a/ but rose baker

/ê/ character, round, pray

/i/ citizen, jury, vital

/ô/ colleague, fluorine, rotate

/u/ guilty, spatula, lucidity

Examples of words with unstressed nasal vowels

/ã/ support, ancient, singer

/ẽ/ appendicitis, sit, thunderstorm

/ĩ/ invasion, painter, symptom

/õ/ combat, invitation, will

/ũ/ fulfill, foundation, anoint

Read too:

• vowel encounters
• Phoneme and Letter
• Vowel, semivowel and consonant

Bibliographic references

BECHARA, Evanildo. Modern Portuguese Grammar. 37. ed. Rio de Janeiro: New Frontier, 2009.

CEGALLA, Domingos Paschoal. Brand new grammar of the Portuguese language. 48. ed. São Paulo: Companhia Editora Nacional, 2010.

LIMA, Rock. Normative Grammar of the Portuguese Language. 49. ed. Rio de Janeiro: José Olympio, 2011.

How to quote?

FERNANDES, Marcia. Vowels (classification and examples).All Matter, [n.d.]. Available in: https://www.todamateria.com.br/vogais/. Access at:

See too

• Vowel, Semivowel and Consonant
• syllables
• Graphic accent exercises
• Graphic accentuation
• What are the consonants and their classifications
• New Orthographic Agreement of the Portuguese Language
• Questions and answers about vocal encounters
• monosyllables