Romanian Vowels Pronunciation: A, Ă, Â/Î, E, I, O, U

TL;DR

• Romanian has 7 core vowel sounds: A, Ă, Â/Î, E, I, O, U.
• Each vowel has a stable pronunciation, unlike English.
• The hardest sounds for learners are ă (/ə/) and â/î (/ɨ/).
• Correct vowel pronunciation makes Romanian immediately more understandable.
• This guide focuses on how to pronounce, not spelling rules.

Romanian alphabet pronunciation hub

If you want the full system behind these sounds, see the Romanian alphabet pronunciation hub

Explore the practice hub →

Romanian vowel chart (quick overview)

Romanian vowels are pure and consistent. Once learned, you can pronounce most words correctly.

How to pronounce each Romanian vowel

A /a/

• Example: apă (water)
• Sound: open and clear, like a in father

Ă /ə/ ⭐ (most important)

• Example: măr (apple)
• Sound: relaxed central vowel, like a in sofa
• Common mistake: pronouncing it like a

Mouth tip:
Relax your jaw and lips. Do not smile. This sound should feel lazy.

 / Î /ɨ/ ⭐⭐ (no English equivalent)

• Examples: România, înger
• Sound: high central vowel, unique to Romanian
• Key rule: Â and Î sound exactly the same

Mouth tip:
Tongue high, lips relaxed. Don’t turn it into i or u.

E /e/

• Example: mere (apples)
• Sound: clean e, like e in pet (not “ee”)

I /i/

• Example: inel (ring)
• Sound: long “ee” like see

O /o/

• Example: om (man)
• Sound: rounded o, similar to British law

U /u/

• Example: unul (one)
• Sound: tight “oo” like boot

Minimal pairs (train your ear)

These pairs differ by one vowel sound only:

• mar vs măr (a vs ă)
• fir vs fâr (i vs â)
• mere vs mire (e vs i)
• cop vs cup (o vs u)

👉 If you can hear the difference, your pronunciation will improve fast.

Common mistakes learners make

1. Pronouncing ă as a
2. Turning â/î into i
3. Over-diphthongizing vowels (Romanian vowels are pure)
4. Ignoring vowel length consistency

Practice list (say out loud)

Try reading these slowly:

• apă – măr – inimă – om – unul
• România – înger – pădure – școală
• mere – inel – copil – drum

Repeat each word twice, focusing on vowel clarity.

What to practice next

If vowels feel clear, move on to:

• Romanian alphabet pronunciation → full sound system
• Romanian consonants pronunciation (R, Ș, Ț)
• Romanian stress rules (to sound natural)

Or go back to the foundation:
👉 Romanian alphabet chart

Final takeaway

Romanian vowels are simple but precise.
Once you master ă and â/î, Romanian pronunciation becomes predictable and confident.

Clear vowels = clear Romanian.

Practice slowly, listen carefully, and let the sounds settle.