Open and Closed Vowels

Level 1

Galician has seven stressed vowels: a, i and u, plus a closed and an open version of both e and o. Mesa has a closed e; terra has an open e.

How It Works

Seven stressed vowels. Spanish has five vowels, but in a stressed Galician syllable, e and o each come in two versions:

  • Closed e: mesa (table), mete ti (you, put in!).
  • Open e: terra (land, ground), el mete (he puts in).
  • Closed o: boca (mouth), oso (bear), colle ti (you, take!).
  • Open o: porta (door), óso (bone), el colle (he takes).

It can change the meaning. The same letters can make two words: el colle (he takes, open o) and colle ti (you, take!, closed o) are written the same. The standard does not mark every pair, because the context usually makes the meaning clear.

When an accent shows it. Where two words could really be confused, spelling marks the one with the open vowel with a diacritic accent: óso (bone) and oso (bear), póla (branch) and pola (hen), bóla (ball) and bola (loaf of bread). See Diacritic Accent and More Diacritic Accents.

Only under stress. Outside the stressed syllable, the open and closed versions are not contrasted. Related forms of one word can have different stressed vowels, which you will meet later in Metaphony.

Examples (6)

  1. A terra está mollada.

    The ground is wet.

    Terra has an open e, like the e in bet.

  2. Pecha a porta, por favor.

    Close the door, please.

    Porta has an open o.

  3. Pon o prato na mesa.

    Put the plate on the table.

    Word by Word: Put the plate on-the table.

    Mesa has a closed e.

  4. Abre a boca.

    Open your mouth.

    Word by Word: Open the mouth.

    Boca has a closed o.

  5. Caeu unha póla da árbore.

    A branch fell from the tree.

    Word by Word: Fell a branch of-the tree.

    The accent on póla marks its open o and tells it apart from pola (hen).

  6. O can roe un óso.

    The dog is gnawing on a bone.

    Word by Word: The dog gnaws a bone.

    Óso (bone) has an open o, while oso (bear) has a closed one.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an accent to show an open vowel.

    Pecha a pórta, por favor.
    Pecha a porta, por favor.

    The open o of porta is not written. Only a short list of words, such as óso and póla, uses an accent to mark it.

  • Leaving out a required diacritic accent.

    Caeu unha pola da árbore.
    Caeu unha póla da árbore.

    The speaker means a branch. Without the accent, pola means hen, so the sentence says that a hen fell from the tree.

How It Connects

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Open and Closed VowelsLevel 1

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