FROM SPANISH TO PORTUGUESE
Portuguese has seven vowels that do not occur in Spanish. For examination purposes, we can divide these new vowels into two groups: oral vowels and nasal vowels.
We will look at the new oral vowels first. There are two of them. Since they are somewhat difficult to identify in standard spelling, we have chosen to write them for the moment like this: E, O. (The use of capitals is deliberate.)
This vowel is somewhat similar to the vowel in the English words bet and set. To produce it, one must have a somewhat larger opening between the tongue and the roof of the mouth than one needs to produce the e. Perhaps for this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the 'open' E, in contrast to the e, which in turn may be called 'closed'. Be careful, however, not to think of E as just a variation of the Portuguese e. It is another vowel altogether, as different from e as a is from o. Notice the difference the 'open' E makes in the following pairs of words.
| With 'closed' e | With 'open' E |
|---|---|
| êste (this) | Este (east) |
| sêlo (stamp) | sElo (I seal, stamp) |
| gêlo (ice) | gElo (I freeze) |
| cêrro (hill) | cErro (I close) |
| sêde (thirst) | sEde (headquarters) |
| sexta (sixth) | sEsta (nap, siesta) |
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