Italian Pronunciation Guide

Italian Pronunciation Guide

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A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g,
H h, I i, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p,
Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v,
Z z

Italian is a Romance language and is spoken by over 60 million people.
Letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English.
--Dick Oakes

A, a - a as in father

E, e - e as in let; e as in grey

I, i - i as in machine

O, o - o as in gone; o as in hope

U, u - oo as in foot; w as in walk

C, c - ch as in child before e or i; c as in cat

G, g - g as in gymnastic before e or i; g as in go

H, h - h is always silent

R, r - slightly rolled

S, s - s as in nose between vowels; s as in sit

Z, z - ts as in spits; ds as in pads

OTHER SOUNDS:

Ch, ch - c as in cat

Gh, gh - g as in go

Gl, gl - lli as in million

Gn, gn - ni as in onion

Sc, sc - sh as in shell before e or i; sk as in skip

Zz, zz - ts as in spits; ds as in pads

VOWEL GROUPINGS:

a, e, o - strong vowels

i, u - weak vowels

strong + strong = pronounce as two separate syllables

strong + weak = pronounce the weak one more quickly and with less stress than the strong one, unless the weak vowel is stressed, in which case pronounce it as a separate syllable

weak + weak = generally the second is stressed more strongly

Copyright © 2007 by Dick Oakes

Previous Page Folk Dancing/Teaching Home Page

A, a	- a as in father
E, e	- e as in let; e as in grey
I, i	- i as in machine
O, o	- o as in gone; o as in hope
U, u	- oo as in foot; w as in walk

C, c	- ch as in child before e or i; c as in cat
G, g	- g as in gymnastic before e or i; g as in go
H, h	- h is always silent
R, r	- slightly rolled
S, s	- s as in nose between vowels; s as in sit
Z, z	- ts as in spits; ds as in pads

OTHER SOUNDS:

Ch, ch	- c as in cat
Gh, gh	- g as in go
Gl, gl	- lli as in million
Gn, gn	- ni as in onion
Sc, sc	- sh as in shell before e or i; sk as in skip
Zz, zz	- ts as in spits; ds as in pads

VOWEL GROUPINGS:

a, e, o	- strong vowels
i, u	- weak vowels