Intermediate … min read · Updated 2026-06-20
Sound of Vowels (Short & Long)
Each of the five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) has a short sound and a long sound. Knowing which one a word uses is the key to reading and saying it correctly.
| Vowel | Short sound | Long sound |
|---|---|---|
| a | cat, man | cake, rain |
| e | bed, ten | he, tree |
| i | sit, big | bike, time |
| o | hot, dog | go, boat |
| u | cup, bus | blue, music |
A useful rule: when a word ends in a silent e, the vowel before it usually becomes long — hat → hate, cut → cute, bit → bite.
Short: cat, pen, ship, top, sun
Long: cake, he, kite, rope, cube
A long vowel "says its own name" (the i in bike sounds like the letter I). Short vowels are quick and closed.
Common mistake: Reading every vowel as short. The silent e at the end changes the sound: tap (short) vs tape (long).
✏️ Test Yourself
1. **bike**
2. **pen**
3. **go**
4. **cup**
📒 Words to learn
Orphan (n)
Balochi
چورہ
Urdu
یتیم
“Qadir is an orphan child.”
Kick (v)
Balochi
لگت جنگ
Urdu
لات مارنا
“I am kicking you.”
Palm (n)
Balochi
دست ءِ دل
Urdu
ہتھیلی
“I am scratching my palm.”
Reach (v)
Balochi
رسگ
Urdu
پہنچنا
“They reach school on time.”
Rascal (adj,n)
Balochi
بد معاش/لُچ
Urdu
بدمعاش
“You are a rascal.”
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