As previously mentioned, an important distinction is made between long and short vowels. Long vowels are usually written with doubled letters, except in the case of e, which does not have a short counterpart. Short vowels are written with a single letter.

At the bottom of the page is a list of words illustrating the pronunciation of the different vowels.

Long vowels behave differently from short vowels in several important ways:

• Short vowels are sometimes deleted from pronunciation at the ends of words, e.g., namadabi, 'ANsg is sitting' (with a final short i), versus ninamadab, 'I am sitting' (with the final short i missing). Long vowels are never deleted in this way, e.g., boodawe, 'ANsg is making a fire,' versus imboodawe, 'I am making a fire' (not *imboodaw)
  

• When a word ending with a long vowel adds a suffix beginning with a short vowel, the short vowel is sometimes deleted, as in Anishinaabe, plus plural suffix /-ag/, which is pronounced (and spelled) Anishinaabeg. The reason for the deletion of the short vowel is that a succession of two vowels is not usually allowed in Anishinaabemowin pronunciation, so the weaker of the two vowels loses out.

Note: All examples on this and the following two pages are from the late Liz McBride, of Red Lake, Minnesota.

aa: aajigade 'coot, mud hen'; aanakwad 'cloud'; anishinaabe 'human, Ojibwe person'; asemaa 'tobacco'; memengwaa 'butterfly'; waabooz 'rabbit.'

ii: aniibiish 'leaf'; asiniig 'stones, rocks'; giizis 'sun, moon'; zhiishiib 'duck; mallard'; wiisagad 'pepper.'

oo: giigoonh 'fish'; doodooshaaboo 'milk'; gookooko'oo, 'owl'; indoogimaam 'my chief'; manidoonsag 'insects, bugs; spiders.'

e: wanagek 'bark (of tree)'; waasechigan 'window'; naabishebizon 'earring'; emikwaanens 'teaspoon'; gakazhe 'coal'; mawadishiwe 'go visiting'

i: opichi 'robin'; waasechigan 'window'; anishinaabe-bakwezhigan 'frybread'; bizhiki 'cow'; giizis 'sun, moon'; inini 'man'; mazina'igan 'book, paper.'

a: abinoojiinyag 'children'; animoshag 'dogs'; anangoog 'stars'; awiiya bi-ayaawag, 'someone (plural) is coming'; babagiwayaan 'shirt'; badaka'igan 'fork.'

o: adoopowin 'table'; animosh 'dog'; odayan 'her/his dog(s)'; okonaas 'dress'; omooday 'bottle.'