E e

This vowel has two pronunciations:

1) semi-open, more open than the vowel in "pen" but not so open as the vowel in "pan":

2) semi-closed, more closed than the vowel in "pen" but not so closed as the vowel in "pin".

The most important case where this difference is at work is between the verb "è" ( is), semi-open, and the conjunction "e" ( and), semi-closed.

There are a few more cases where the opposition works, for example in the word "pesca": it's "peach" with semi-open "e" and "fishing" with semi-closed "e" (but not everybody in Italy knows and follows this rule).

When "e" bears a stress mark, it's "è" if semi-open and "é" if semi-closed. "Caffè, tè, ... " vs. "sé, perché..." ( coffee, tea, - self, why/because).

Unstressed "e" is always semi-closed. Which pronunciation of "e" is correct in stressed syllables is to be learned word by word.

There are "tendency rules" that apply to most words in a group. For instance, most words ending in "-etto/a" have a semi-closed vowel. But if you say "bicicletta" ( bicycle) with a semi-open "e" you behave like a lot of people in northern Italy. It is not correct, southerners do not like it, but you are not saying a different word. And frequent words like "letto" ( a bed, or the past participle of "leggere", to read) do not follow the tendency - "letto" has a semi-open "e".