Long vowels are nearly always long:

• onǫ́ˀa:ˀ ‘a head’

• sanǫˀá:ˀgeh ‘on your head’

• honǫˀá:dę:s ‘he’s thick-headed’

Long vowels are only shortened when another vowel follows:

• ęgatnǫ̲ˀaohái:ˀ ‘I will wash my head’

Short vowels are short most of the time:

• agatǫdę́ˀǫh I have heard it before

However, short vowels can be lengthened:

• aga:tǫ́:deˀ I hear it (right now)

When to lengthen* short vowels:

• If the second-last vowel is even-numbered and accented, lengthen* it

• If the second-last vowel is odd-numbered and accented, lengthen* it

  • in this case, also lengthen* the third-last vowel

Lengthen* means ‘lengthen, if possible’: short vowels cannot be lengthened if they are followed by H, ˀ, or another vowel