p is as in English, but without the aspiration that sometimes accompanies this sound in English.
; S, d! ]" A G Italian English# M2 T! V" a3 j* V+ t+ H M
pane bread
! w+ ]5 |0 a5 F X patata potato
1 t# w8 S* r j c pepe pepper
$ c4 f8 z5 `; N- C papà dad
$ L2 G2 X0 H$ k; Q X3 h! y popone melon- {+ r1 T3 L& T% y7 w# q
ponte bridge! h/ ?! y9 X+ M4 }) K8 `0 ]; Q
pipa pipe
+ X4 b! f% B7 y s T$ Q F' X punto period
1 ~- L4 x; i$ { pasto meal
2 n7 Y! z% K* \+ P" q pronuncia pronunciation0 ~3 l8 X" E% C1 H. _
Alpi Alps
9 @5 x7 |9 [4 z, X2 b psicologo psychologist2 Y- r( \/ U' k3 O2 [
qu is always pronounced like the English qu in quest.6 X& v. y; P- M8 M9 g; D5 j* t3 p
Italian English
. t* X1 K8 G1 G6 i2 w questo this
- y' h/ Y5 U0 }& d2 e quinto fifth/ _: u! F" |% r% s5 u
quale which
$ g; f! H" ?6 t% Q3 J# \ quarto fourth
/ R; ]. ^# c6 m1 W6 `: b- y quanto how much" |- T1 V7 q! h9 j4 w% y- }# c
quantità quantity
# F, t, Z+ C/ D+ n quadro picture: n/ n% P8 H4 @% p; v% K
qualità quality
0 z( S: q! @, f2 z( q7 L r is different from the English r; it is pronounced with one flip of the tongue against the gums of the upper teeth. This is the trilled r.
! v+ y2 I/ B; l5 `0 t3 } W1 S6 O$ W Italian English6 n, |9 ?' k0 K1 @& M
ora now/ |' l6 R( _0 L4 N- e# M# c$ O
tenore tenor
; k4 X9 v" i% S! |/ r albergo hotel9 ^. ^* V0 Y0 r5 t: s- I# D
baritono baritone* `8 R# _% ~& J; o0 c. I; M
arte art
% ^0 z9 ~8 l+ x orologio watch
$ {- l& o: e- t. n porta door5 M7 {1 a; s* |2 I; e. I. m
sardina sardine
) y3 K0 d: \0 ^/ C1 q8 G6 O- s s is sometimes like the English s in house.
; G+ ]/ @) z' g Italian English- }' G' l$ b7 j2 D) F( b4 u
soggiorno living room$ \" z. V6 v! B8 t" j
testa head
* b' m0 H0 h. w" z# V* t \; S stanza room
4 `5 }$ h% ^9 b _" H festa party; holiday
; n" p# }/ a, M* c posta mail
: V; m! v- u) a! @, _& s stufato stew3 Y3 Z/ z/ J/ X
pasta pasta; dough; pastry! \. |( u8 I0 ^2 F
pista track
# M, X! y3 b5 q% x# x/ h s is sometimes (but always before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, and v) like the English s in rose.
. }- }8 J6 b2 B8 U: [. o5 k( | Italian English5 d- j# M* R; X* q% _; ]: N
rosa rose7 u( v" ^$ V" s# s
tesoro treasure' q$ |& j1 j( n5 L9 A/ {
frase phrase* ]" }: h1 `7 Z+ d2 ]+ Q
svelto quick" x9 R6 o' u5 T5 x4 \( `
sbaglio mistake
0 a) V$ [* H2 N! ?! M, t) ? esercizio exercise
7 X' S: X: H; Y* {& g" t( | musica music
! ]; f: i1 u0 F sgridare to scold$ g s! K1 N, T+ r9 }
susina plum
7 m, i+ v( s) [4 F7 X: r sbadato careless' g6 ~* p6 Q& B7 r
sc before a, o, or u is like sk in ask.3 t( @2 b X% w4 {4 W$ p5 }; w3 l
Italian English
5 w: c8 B) K4 r% D2 F+ s+ `4 n& l ascoltare to listen
" d6 V1 e8 f' P9 B scuola school7 x% T8 s' T( B( G
pesca peach
' n O Q$ b* @3 U. \ tasca pocket
D2 |! R- T8 Z6 w& v% @ toscano Tuscan
( B1 V5 ]. [ q$ U scaloppine cutlets
8 o; C% n2 H T+ {' R( D$ o+ \ scarpa shoe
. v, }/ ~. [0 O4 v7 j8 y4 x/ w0 P Z scultura sculpture! O7 Z- d9 d+ b( S- _& C1 ~
disco disk; record
- `. B0 m. B* r$ L6 B) Q6 p7 u scopo purpose3 h/ ~3 ?9 @; O3 e
sc before e or i is like the English sound sh in fish.
3 S8 y' l* w% Y$ d% |" G Italian English/ k5 \5 f; r& I& s# H
finisce finishes Z& N( ?: v4 J2 A b- R! U6 I
sci ski
5 t. z1 L, h0 k: e& j# Z: j1 P: l k pesce fish
8 b5 Z0 l# f1 o/ }% u1 a0 U# E conoscere to know
) l! N; s% T8 M" ~ scena scene
2 d. k8 j6 \. M3 R$ A! L& T scendere to descend& n( Q# h9 Y. u& u& M
uscita exit+ W( y8 W- r) v
uscio door
9 J0 m1 d u- q- d* W sch occurs only before e or i, and is pronounced like the English sk./ j. q2 N' g' W0 h' q) c/ e
Italian English. S( j2 C! v7 u: _
pesche peaches8 M6 Q/ h" G' p- H) \
tasche pockets
+ ~4 p' w8 |' b1 q dischi disks; records
3 F+ _, w* K9 a; T+ D scheletro skeleton
9 u4 f0 S; q* C) d h fiaschi flasks4 ^& v- a% }: Q* X' L1 a; G. _
lische fishbones
6 K1 s/ ^5 k! n6 P t is approximately the same as in English, but no escaping of breath accompanies it in Italian.
: [ n( U6 r9 ]# J; [ Italian English
9 {% D$ h! x5 D) l% q- n: w contento glad: t1 d$ B2 |0 x" j" e
carta paper, t$ Z5 T/ @- A ^" B1 G
arte art
+ J* R8 i' Y. V2 {1 A. v matita pencil
6 [- H3 m' x4 E" S turista tourist1 w A4 x5 Q; A& c6 ~% v
antipasto appetizer
5 e& P8 k# |' l6 } telefono telephone3 r4 t6 S- m' q7 e9 c, y2 Y( c- h" ~
testa head% |7 u7 o% B. {5 p6 R, f4 y% e
z is sometimes voiceless, like ts is bets.
6 R& c: `2 @/ b/ |3 S/ X% J& _8 ^ Italian English6 @3 L, } {! m$ O+ O7 I0 o; f
pizza pizza
# H5 A3 f3 K( u- y0 n1 C negozio store7 ?6 N" n! X& O& |2 `: f6 G: G
marzo March" Q1 ~/ F- S5 h9 O
Venezia Venice
6 [- z. y2 e7 j9 \8 z) x2 [; X( L grazie thank you/ c5 q) P; D4 ~! ?7 T$ T
dizionario dictionary
& o/ Q6 r% T! w4 ^$ n. |$ o z is sometimes voiced, like ds in beds.
" j; t: {9 \7 a% g) C8 ^ Italian English
5 a" B3 Q" G0 P( w, T3 { zero zero' u# M v; k) U% ], ?
zebra zebra- F0 D5 P: V/ G- _* x
pranzo lunch9 O( R) Z" h, A ~% P
zelo zeal0 J: q! M9 b: R
romanzo novel
+ I6 [* _' X1 K7 I1 i0 E" a zanzara mosquito
5 N0 x6 n' j) R2 Z Note:( X8 L; L6 m0 C. o: t
When ci, gi, and sci are followed by a, o, or u, unless the accent falls on the i, the i is not pronounced. The letter i merely indicates that c, g, and sc are pronounced, respectively, like the English ch, g (as in gem), and sh.
8 k: N6 E* O9 j% B Italian English: B6 ?$ {/ v5 V& [" s2 T! p
arancia orange4 C& K o& D8 q0 q' G. ^, U! C Z
giornale newspaper
, {" M) C' ^# e. L& Z- q ciliegia cherry! U4 I0 j! s7 G; s1 A
ciao so long. @3 g6 f- q9 Y2 k# ]
salsiccia sausage
7 y/ i% f$ c( {/ J8 I H: h camicia shirt/ t" b& i, H& N: h9 ^) b# u
lasciare to leave
+ Z! d9 n8 m) x+ X# f6 ] scienza science |