In Gurmukhi, there are only three vowel letters. However, by combining these letters with the vowel signs, called matras, we can make ten different vowel sounds. These ten vowels are illustrated below.
| Punjabi | Transliteration | Example |
| A a (short) |
a | at, another |
| Aw a (long) |
aa | all, father |
| ie i (short) |
i | in, India |
| eI i (long) |
ee | sweet, sheet |
| au u (short) |
u | pull, bull |
| aU u (long) |
oo | cool, tool |
| ey e (long) |
e | may, ray |
| AY ai (diphthong) |
ai | pair |
| a o (long) |
o | go, row |
| AO au (diphthong) |
au | Australia |