O o

This vowel has two pronunciations:

1) semi-open, similar to the vowel in "hot dog" in British Eng.;

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

The most important case where this difference is at work is between the verb "ho" ( I have - the "h" is not sounded), semi-open, and the conjunction "o" ( or), semi-closed.

There are a few more cases where the opposition works, for example in the word "botte": it's "blows, bumps" with semi-open "o" and "barrel" with semi-closed "o".

Other words of this kind are "colto" ( picked up vs. learned), "volto" ( I turn vs. face) and a few more.

Final stressed "ò" is always semi-open, in words like "però, comò"... ( but/however, chest of drawers) and in many verb forms in the future tense "andrò, parlerò, sarò"... ( I'll go, I'll speak, I'll be) and in the past tense "andò, parlò, lodò"... ( he/she went, spoke, praised).

Unstressed "o" is always semi-closed. Which pronunciation of "o" 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 "-oio/a" have a semi-closed vowel. The same applies to m. words ending in "-ore" But if you say "signore, dottore" ( gentleman, doctor) with a semi-open "o" you behave like a lot of people in southern Italy. It is not correct, northerners do not like it, but you are not saying a different word.