There are 8 (asatọ) different vowels in the Igbo alphabet. The vowels with kpọm (“dots/points”) under them are pronounced differently than the vowels without them.
Go through these links to learn more about how these vowels are pronounced:
A – E – I, Ị – O, Ọ – U, Ụ
Vowel A, a
Igbo word example: azụ (“fish”)
Sounds like: ah (ä)
English sound example: mama; apple
Vowel E, e
Igbo word example: ebe (“where”)
Sounds like: ay (ā) [like a long A sound in English]
English sound example: plate
Vowel I, i
Igbo word example: igwe (“sky”)
Sounds like: e [ē] (Long e sound)
English sound example: bee
Vowel Ị, ị
Igbo word example: ịga (“to go”)
Sounds like: ih (short i sound)
English sound example: it
Vowel O, o
Igbo word example: onye (“person”)
Sounds like: oh [ō] (Long o sound)
English sound example: police
Vowel Ọ, ọ
Igbo word example: ọnwa (“moon”)
Sounds like: aw (short o sound)
English sound example: office
Vowel U, u
Igbo word example: ugbua (“now”)
Sounds like: oo
English sound example: boo
Vowel Ụ, ụ
Igbo word example:hapụ (“leave”)
Sounds like: oo (say it with throat, shorter sound than “u”)
English sound example: took