The vocals change sound depending on the letters beside them. There is a big difference between the pronounciation of "FÅR" and "BÅL" "ØRN" and "ØL" "ÆRLIG and "ÆBLE" Check this page out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJQk-kC-4E

As a disclaimer, I’ve been studying Danish for a few years now, but I’m not a native speaker. Æ is said how you would say the letter A in the English alphabet, or as A in “ache.” Ø is like the “i” in “bird,” only a bit further back in the throat. I noticed you know some French; it might help you to know this is the Danish phonetic equivalent to the French Œ. Å is similar to the way you would say the letter O in the English alphabet, or as in O in “old,” but without rounding off. Notice how when you say “O,” your lips close slightly as you say it, almost as if there’s a W at the end? Don’t do that. KK is more like an English G. Ex: Lækker, “LAY-guh.” If any Danes out there are reading this, please jump in!