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{{Italian-Page-Top}}
|[[Language/Italian/Grammar/Nouns-and-Articles|Next Lesson — Nouns and Articles ▶️]]
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== Introduction ==
{{Italian-Page-Top}}


Welcome to the Italian Grammar lesson on the Introduction to Italian Language, specifically the Italian Alphabet. In this lesson, we'll be learning about the letters and sounds that make up the Italian alphabet and how to use them correctly in speaking and writing. This section serves as a brief introduction to the lesson as a whole, giving you an idea of what to expect and the areas that will be covered.
<div class="pg_page_title">Italian Grammar - Italian Alphabet</div>


As with any language, the Italian alphabet is the starting point for building your language skills. Understanding the different letters, their sounds, and how they can be combined to create words is essential to progressing in Italian language proficiency. In this lesson, you'll learn not only the 21 letters of the Italian alphabet but also the double letters and special characters. 
__TOC__


Mastering the Italian alphabet and pronunciation will help you build your Italian vocabulary and communicate more effectively. A good understanding of the Italian alphabet and its pronunciation is essential not only for speaking, but also for reading and writing in Italian. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read, pronounce and write words using the Italian alphabet.  
Italian's alphabet contains 21 letters (5 vowels and 16 consonants). The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are only used in foreign words, and in scientific or technical terms of foreign origin. Nowadays it is common to use the English alphabet instead of the Italian one.  


As we go through this lesson, you will come across examples and exercises to help you consolidate what you have learned. I encourage you to complete these exercises so that you can test your understanding and mastery of the material.


Thank you for choosing to take this Italian language course. I hope that this lesson on the Italian alphabet will be valuable and informative as you continue your journey towards Italian language proficiency.  
<span link>Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: [[Language/Italian/Grammar/Conditional-Subjunctive|Conditional Subjunctive]] & [[Language/Italian/Grammar/Definite-Articles|Definite Articles]].</span>
== Italian Alphabet ==


Now, let us get started with learning the basics of the Italian alphabet!
The Italian alphabet includes the following 26 letters:


{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Name of the letter /IPA/
!Pronunciation in words /IPA/!! Comparison with other languages
|-
| A || /a/
|/a/|| like in Castellano "pAdre"; the English 'a' has many pronunciations according to what letters come before or after it: the closest sound to the Italian one could be the /ʌ/ sound in "cUp".
|-
| B || /bi/
|/b/|| like in English "Brave"
|-
| C || /tʃi/
|/tʃ/ or /k/|| like in English "CHurCH" (/tʃ/) before 'e' or 'i'; like in English "Car" (/k/) before 'a', 'o', 'u' or any other consonant. See letter 'h' and 'i' for more details
|-
| D || /di/
|/d/|| like in English "Dog"
|-
| E || /e/ or /ɛ/
|/e/ or /ɛ/|| like in English "red" (/ɛ/) or in Castellano "buEno" (/e/).


== History of the Italian Alphabet ==


The Italian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, with a few variations specific to the Italian language. It consists of 21 letters (5 vowels and 16 consonants) and does not include the letters J, K, W, X and Y, which are only used in foreign words.
In Italian pronouncing /e/ or /ɛ/ is not as import as in French: choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication. In fact every Italian uses them according to regional inflections: even if this letter may be pronounced in two ways by most Italians, it is always considered as a single vowel
|-
| F || /'ɛf:e/
|/f/|| like in English "Fish"
|-
| G || /dʒi/
|/dʒ/ or /g/|| like in English "Gem" (/dʒ/) before 'e' or 'i'; like in English "Gum" (/g/) before 'a', 'o', 'u' or any other consonant. See letter 'h' and 'i' for more details
|-
| H || /ˈak:a/
|/-/ (silent)|| is always silent like in Castellano


The Italian alphabet has undergone several changes since the Roman Empire, with the addition and removal of some letters, and changes in their pronunciation. In the Middle Ages, the letters Y and Z were added to the alphabet, and the letters J and V were distinguished from I and U, respectively.


In the early Italian language, there were some letters that are no longer used today. These letters were known as the "long S" (ſ), which is similar to the letter "f" and was used at the beginning or in the middle of a word, and the "short S" (s), which is similar to the modern letter "s" and was used at the end of a word. These letters were later replaced by the modern letter "s".
In Italian it is used to maintain sounds /k/ and /g/ before soft vowels 'e' and 'i'. In fact:


During the Renaissance, the Italian language underwent significant changes, and the alphabet was standardized. In 1563, the Academy of Crusca published a dictionary that became the basis for standard Italian language. This dictionary established the use of the letters J, K, W, X and Y only in foreign words, and added the letters "J" and "V" to the alphabet.
- CE -> read /tʃe/ -- CHE -> read /ke/


In the 19th century, the Italian language underwent further reforms, and the letters "J" and "V" were replaced by "I" and "U", respectively, when used as consonants. As a result, the Italian alphabet contains 21 letters.
- CI -> read /tʃi/ -- CHI -> read /ki/


Below is a table showing each letter of the Italian alphabet, along with its pronunciation and English translation:
- GE -> read /dʒe/ -- GHE -> read /ge/


{| class="wikitable"
- GI -> read /dʒi/ -- GHI -> read /gi/
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-  
|A, a || [a] || A
|B, b || [bi] || B
|C, c || [t͡ʃi] || C
|D, d || [di] || D
|E, e || [e] || E
|F, f || [ɛf] || F
|G, g || [d͡ʒi] || G
|H, h || [ˈakka] || H
|I, i || [i] || I
|L, l || [ɛlle] || L
|M, m || [ɛmme] || M
|N, n || [ɛnne] || N
|O, o || [o] || O
|P, p || [pi] || P
|Q, q || [ku] || Q
|R, r || [ˈerre] || R
|S, s || [esse] || S
|T, t || [ti] || T
|U, u || [u] || U
|V, v || [vu] || V
|Z, z || [ʦɛta] || Z
|}


Learning the Italian alphabet and its pronunciation is essential for any student of the Italian language. The next section will cover the pronunciation of each letter and its variations, including single letters and sounds, double letters and digraphs, and special characters and accents.
== Single letters and sounds ==


The Italian alphabet consists of 21 letters, including five vowels and 16 consonants. Each letter of the Italian alphabet corresponds to a specific sound, although some letters can produce different sounds based on their position within a word or depending on the letters that surround them.
Letter 'h' is also used in front of some persons of the verb "to have" conjugated in present indicative to distinguish them from homophone words:


Below is a table that shows the pronunciation of each Italian letter along with its English translation:
- HO -> I have -- O -> or


{| class="wikitable"
- HAI -> you have -- AI -> "to the" (preposition plus definitive article)
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| A, a || /a/ || "ah" as in "father"
|-
| B, b || /bi/ || "bee"
|-
| C, c || /tʃi/ or /ki/ || "chee" as in "cheese" or "kee" as in "key"
|-
| D, d || /di/ || "dee"
|-
| E, e || /e/ or /ɛ/ || "eh" as in "pet" or "e" as in "met"
|-
| F, f || /ɛfˈɛ/ || "eff" as in "effort"
|-
| G, g || /dʒi/ or /gi/ || "gee" as in "gee whiz" or "ji" as in "Jill"
|-
| H, h || /akkaˈppa/ or silent || "ah-kah-pah" or silent
|-
| I, i || /i/ or /j/ || "ee" as in "meet" or "y" as in "yes"
|-
| L, l || /ɛlˈɛ/ || "ell" as in "elliptical"
|-
| M, m || /ɛmˈɛ/ || "emm" as in "M&M's"
|-
| N, n || /ɛnˈɛ/ || "enn" as in "ennui"
|-
| O, o || /o/ || "oh" as in "go"
|-
| P, p || /pi/ || "pee"
|-
| Q, q || /ku/ || "koo"
|-  
| R, r || /ˈɛrre/ || A single sound combining "eh" and "rr"
|-
| S, s || /ɛsˈɛ/ || "ess" as in "essence"
|-  
| T, t || /ti/ || "tee"
|-  
| U, u || /u/ or /w/ || "oo" as in "moon" or "w" as in "we"
|-  
| V, v || /vu/ || "voo" as in "view"
|-  
| Z, z || /ˈdzɛta/ or /ˈtsɛta/ || "zed" as in British English or "tseta" as in "tsar"
|}


It is important to note that some letters can produce different sounds depending on their context. For example, the letter "c" can produce either the "ch" sound as in "cheese" or the hard "k" sound as in "key" based on the letters that follow it. Similarly, the letter "g" can produce either the "j" sound as in "gee" or the hard "g" sound as in "go" depending on its context.
- HA -> he/she/it has -- A -> "to" (preposition)


It is also important to learn how to correctly pronounce Italian vowels, as they can have a significant impact on the meaning of a word. For example, the words "casa" (house) and "cose" (things) differ only in the pronunciation of their final vowel.
- HANNO -> they have -- ANNO -> year


Some examples of Italian words that feature specific letters and sounds are:
|-
 
| I || /i/
* "Amico" (friend)
|/i/, /j/, /-/ (silent)|| like in English "mEEt".
* "Bambino" (child)
* "Casa" (house)
* "Dubbio" (doubt)
* "Elefante" (elephant)
* "Finestra" (window)
* "Gatto" (cat)
* "Hotel" (hotel)
* "Inverno" (winter)
* "Lampada" (lamp)
* "Mamma" (mom)
* "Notte" (night)
* "Ombrello" (umbrella)
* "Penna" (pen)
* "Quattro" (four)
* "Ragazza"(girl)
* "Stivale" (boot)
* "Tigre" (tiger)
* "Uva" (grape)
* "Vino" (wine)
* "Zaino" (backpack)


Learning the correct pronunciation of each letter is an essential step towards mastering the Italian language. With the proper foundation, students can progress to more complex grammar concepts and conversations with greater ease.
== Double letters and digraphs ==


In Italian, double letters and digraphs are used to represent specific sounds that are not found in single letters. It is important to learn the pronunciation of these letters and combinations to correctly read and speak Italian.
'i' is also used to maintain sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ before hard vowels 'a', 'o', 'u' as long as they are considered inside the same syllable. In these cases 'i' is silent. In fact:


=== Double Consonants ===
- CA -> read /ka/ -- CIA -> read //tʃa/ (it's pronounced /'tʃao/ and not /'tʃjao/)


Double consonants are pronounced with a stronger emphasis than single consonants.
- CO -> read /ko/ -- CIO -> read //tʃo/


* "bb" is pronounced like a single "b", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "abbiamo" (we have).
- CU -> read /ku/ -- CIU -> read //tʃu/
* "cc" is pronounced like a single "c", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "faccio" (I do).
* "dd" is pronounced like a single "d", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "addio" (goodbye).
* "ff" is pronounced like a single "f", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "caffè" (coffee).
* "gg" is pronounced like a single "g", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "ragazzo" (boy).
* "mm" is pronounced like a single "m", but with a longer duration, as in "immenso" (immense).
* "nn" is pronounced like a single "n", but with a longer duration, as in "anno" (year).
* "pp" is pronounced like a single "p", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "appena" (just).
* "rr" is pronounced like a rolled "r", as in "carro" (car).
* "ss" is pronounced like a single "s", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "passeggiata" (walk).
* "tt" is pronounced like a single "t", but with a stronger emphasis, as in "atto" (act).


=== Double Vowels ===
- GA -> read /ga/ -- GIA -> read /dʒa/


In Italian, double vowels are also known as dittonghi (diphthongs). They represent a single sound that is a combination of two different vowels.
- GO -> read /go/ -- GIO -> read /dʒo/


* "aa" is pronounced like a longer "a" sound, as in "casa" (house).
- GU -> read gu/ -- GIU -> read /dʒu/
* "ee" is pronounced like a longer "e" sound, as in "bello" (beautiful).
* "ii" is pronounced like a longer "i" sound, as in "giorno" (day).
* "oo" is pronounced like a longer "o" sound, as in "cibo" (food).
* "uu" is pronounced like a longer "u" sound, as in "luogo" (place).


=== Digraphs ===


Digraphs are two letters that represent a single sound.  
In Italian some words require a silent 'i' in syllables CIE, GIE or SCIE, even if vowel 'e' is already soft by itself. In fact you may find:


* "ch" is pronounced like a hard "k" sound, as in "chiesa" (church).
- CIE -> read as CE
* "gh" can be pronounced like a hard "g" sound or a soft "j" sound. In some cases, it is silent, as in "ghetto" (ghetto).
* "gn" is pronounced like the consonant sound in "onion", as in "gnomo" (gnome).
* "gl" is pronounced like the consonant sound in "million", as in "gli" (the).
* "sc" before "e" or "i" is pronounced like the "sh" sound, as in "scena" (scene).
* "sc" before "a", "o", or "u" is pronounced like the "sk" sound, as in "scuola" (school).


For a complete list of Italian diphthongs, double consonants, and digraphs, see the table below:
- GIE -> read as GE


{| class="wikitable"
- SCIE -> read as SCE (/ʃe/)
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-  
| aa || /a:/ || house
|-
| bb || /b:/ || have
|-
| cc || /k:/ || cheese
|-
| ch || /k/ || church
|-
| dd || /d:/ || day
|-
| ee || /e:/ || bed
|-
| ff || /f:/ || fire
|-
| gh || /g/ or /dʒ/ or silent|| get, brew, ghost
|-
| gg || /g:/ || go
|-
| gl || /ʎ/ || million
|-
| gn || /ɲ/ || onion
|-
| ii || /i:/ || machine
|-
| mm || /m:/ || must
|-
| nn || /n:/ || night
|-
| oo || /o:/ || go
|-
| pp || /p:/ || pass
|-
| rr || /r/ || car
|-
| sc || /ʃ/ or /sk/ || share, escape
|-
| ss || /s:/ || sun
|-
| tt || /t:/ || too
|-  
| uu || /u:/ || blue
|}


By learning the proper pronunciation of double letters and digraphs, you will be able to read and speak Italian more accurately and with greater fluency.


When 'i' comes before another vowel and is inside tha same syllable (apart from the case mentioned above!) it is pronounced 'j' like in English "Yesterday"
|-
|J
|/dʒej/ or /i 'luŋga/
|/j/ or /dʒ/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|K
|/'kap:a/
|/k/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
| L || /'ɛl:e/
|/l/|| like in English "Lion"
|-
| M || /'ɛm:e/
|/m/|| like 'in English "Mouse"
|-
| N || /'ɛn:e/
|/n/, /ŋ/ or /ɱ/|| like in English "Nice"; it changes to /ŋ/ before sounds /k/ or /g/ and to /ɱ/ before sounds /f/ or /v/. These should natural allophones of sound /n/ for most languages.
|-
| O || /ɔ/ or /o/
|/ɔ/ or /o/|| like in English "mOre" /o/ or in English /lOt/ /ɔ/


== Special characters and accents ==


In Italian, there are a few special characters and accents that are used to modify the pronunciation and meaning of certain words. It is important to understand and recognize these characters in order to learn the correct spelling and sound of Italian words.
In Italian pronouncing /o/ or /ɔ/ is not as import as in other monosyllabic languages: choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication. In fact every Italian uses them according to regional inflections: even if this letter may be pronounced in two ways by most Italians, it is always considered as a single vowel
|-
| P || /pi/
|/p/|| like in English "Pen"
|-
| Q || /ku/
|/k/|| like in English "Quit" /k/. It is only used when followed by U+VOWEL (-QUA- /kwa/, -QUE /kwe/-, -QUI /kwi//-, -QUO- /kwo/) inside the same syllable.
Letter 'q' is quite tricky in Italian: in fact it has the same sound as letter 'c' when found in the same position inside a word. Notice how the syllables with letter 'q' or 'c' in the following words have the same pronunciation but different spelling:


=== Accents ===
- QUALE -> read /'kwale -- VACUA -> read /'vakwa/


The Italian language uses three accents:  
- QUESTO -> read /'kwesto/ -- INNOCUE -> read /i'n:ɔkwe/


1. Acute accent (accento acuto): é
- QUINDI -> read /'kwindi/ -- TACCUINO -Z read /ta'k:wino/
2. Grave accent (accento grave): è
3. Circumflex accent (accento circonflesso): ê


These accents are used to indicate the stressed syllable of a word, which can change the meaning of the word. Here is an example:
- QUOTA  -> read /'kwɔta/ -- CUORE -> read /'kwɔre
|-
| R || /'ɛr:e/
|/r/ or /ɾ/|| like in Castellano "Rosa". Italian 'r' is pronounced with a rolling sound made by rapidly flipping the end of the tongue up and down against the roof of the mouth); It may be softer like /ɾ/ between vowels or at the beginning of a word (like Americans usually pronounce 't' between vowels, for example in "iT is" /ɪɾɪz/)
|-
| S || /'ɛs:e/
|/s/ or /z/|| like in English "Sun" /s/ or in English "boyS" /z/. Unlike Castellano, Italian 's' has two pronunciations.
- /s/ before dull consonant sounds (/sk/, /sp/, /st/, /sf/ or at the beginning of a word when followed by a vowel (exactly like in English "Silence")


* ``Caffè`` (coffee) has the stress on the last syllable, indicated by the grave accent on the letter "è".
- /z/ before vibrant consontant sounds (/zg/,/zb/, /zd/, /zv/, /zl/, /zm/, /zn/) or between two vowels (/aza/, /uzo/, /ezu/ etc.)
* ``Caffé`` (café) has the stress on the first syllable, indicated by the acute accent on the letter "é".


Here are some other examples of accents in Italian:


{| class="wikitable"
These are just general rules: according to regional inflections you may hear different ways Italians pronunce this letter, but choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-  
| T || /ti/
| città || /tʃi'tta/ || city
|/t/|| like in Castellano "Tener"; the English 't' is usually followed by an expiration at the beginnig of a word when followed by a vowel (like in the word "time") which does not exist in Italian
|-  
|-
| perché || /per'ke/ || why/because
| U || /u/
|-  
|/u/ or /w/|| like in English "cOOl"; letter 'u' can be found as a half consonant or half vowel sound when followed by another vowel inside the same syllable, in which case it is pronounced /w/ like in English "What"
| più || /pju/ || more
|-
| V || /vi/ or /vu/
|/v/|| like in English "Very"
|-
|W
|/vu 'dop:ja/
|/w/ or /v/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|X
|/iks/
|/ks/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|Y
|/'ipsilon/
|/j/ or /i/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
| Z || /'dzɛta/  
|/dz/ or /ts/|| like in English "geTS" or like a fast pronounciation of the English "reD Zone";
The Italian 'z' is quite tricky: the correct pronunciation should be learnt by heart since there is no rule at all that could teach you when to say /ts/ and when to say /dz/. In fact every Italian, according to their regional inflection choose to use one sound or the other for each word: this does not compromise our communication anyway.
|}
|}


=== Special Characters ===


In addition to accents, Italian also has a few special characters that are used to modify or differentiate the pronunciation of certain letters.
'''CLUSTERS OF LETTERS INSIDE THE SAME SYLLABLE'''


1. C with a cedilla (ç): This character is used before the letters "a", "o", and "u" to indicate that they should be pronounced as a "k" sound instead of a "ch" sound. For example: "garçon" (waiter) is spelled "ragazzo" in Italian.
Some sounds do not have a specific letter, but a cluster of letters


2. G with a tilde (ġ): This character is used before the letters "e" and "i" to indicate a soft "g" sound, as in the word "gelato" (ice cream).
'''GN''': this cluster is always followed by a vowel and must be pronounced /ɲ/ (GNA /ɲa/, GNE /ɲe/, GNI /ɲi/, GNO /ɲo/, GNU /ɲu/). This cluster is prounced as /gn/ only in some technical or scientific terms. Notice that in rare cases syllable GNA must be spelled GNIA even if letter I is silent. (example: DISEGNIAMO, REGNIAMO etc.)


3. I with an accent (ì): This character is used to indicate the stressed syllable of some words, such as "cittadìno" (citizen).
'''GLI''': this cluster is always followed by vowel 'I' alone or 'I + other vowels' and must be pronounced /ʎ/ (GLIA (ʎa), GLIE (ʎe), GLI (ʎi) GLIO (ʎo), GLIU (ʎu). This cluster is pronounced as /gl/ almost only in technical or scientific terms


4. U with an accent (ù): This character is used to indicate the stressed syllable of some words, such as "virtù" (virtue).
'''SCI/SCE''': 'SC' plus soft vowels 'E' and 'I' is pronounced /ʃ/; to reproduce sound /ʃ/ before other vowels, letter 'I' must always be used (SCIA /ʃa/, SCE /ʃe/, SCI /ʃi/, SCIO /ʃo/ SCIU /ʃu/); notice that syllable SCE must sometimes be spelled SCIE even if its pronunciation does not change. (example: SCIENZA, SCIENZIATO, SCIENTIFICO etc.)


Here are some other examples of special characters in Italian:
== Accents and Diacritics ==


{| class="wikitable"
'''ACCENTS'''
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| pregiudizio || /preʤudi'tsjo/ || prejudice
|-
| ambiguo || /ambi'ɡwo/ || ambiguous 
|-
| maniera || /ma'njɛra/ || manner/style
|}


=== Practice ===
Every language uses accents for different purposes and in different ways.


To practice recognizing and pronouncing accents and special characters in Italian, try the following exercises:
Nowadays the Italian language uses two accents which are placed only above vowels.


1. Look up the pronunciation of the following words and identify the accented syllable:
One is the '''acute accent''' which may be found only on É and Ó and the other one is the '''grave accent''' which may be found on any vowel À È Ì Ò Ù.
* città
* perché
* più
* virtù


2. Look up the pronunciation of the following words and identify the special character:
As you can see, only E and O admit two types of accent: you should pick the grave accents on these vowels only when they are pronounced open /ɛ/ or /ɔ/, while you should use the acute accent when they are pronounced closed /e/ or /o/. For the other vowels only the grave accents is the correct one.
* pregiudizio 
* maniera
* garçon
* ambiguo


3. Pronounce the following words out loud:
They are used:  
* Cittadìno
* Pregiudizio
* Gelato
* Virtù


=== Conclusion ===
- to distinguish homophone words that have a different grammar role (like in Castellano or French); '''mandatory for correct spelling'''


Understanding the use of accents and special characters in Italian is important for proper spelling, pronunciation, and meaning of words. By practicing and familiarizing yourself with these characters, you can improve your overall Italian language skills.
* LA -> feminine singular article -- LÀ -> adverb "there"
== Common words and phrases ==
* SI -> pronoun for "itself, himself, herself" -- SÌ -> "yes"
* NE -> pronoun that means "of this, that, these, those" -- NÉ -> "nor, neither"
* DA -> preposition "from" -- DÀ -> he/she/it gives (verb)
*E -> "and" -- È -> it, she, he is (verb)


In this section, we will learn some common Italian words and phrases using the Italian alphabet. We will cover the pronunciation and spelling of these words, so you can start building your Italian vocabulary.
- to mark the stress of a plurisyllabic word when it falls on the very last letter; '''mandatory for correct spelling'''


=== Basic Italian letters and sounds ===
* VERITÀ -> stress on 'a'
* PERÒ -> stress on 'o'
* VIRTÙ -> stress on 'u'
* COMPÌ -> stress on 'i'


Before we start learning words and phrases, let's review some basic Italian letters and sounds. The Italian alphabet has 21 letters, including five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 16 consonants.
- marking the stress of a monosyllabic word when it contains I + VOWEL and the stress falls on this very last vowel: in these cases you know you must not pronounce the vowels as a hiatus; '''mandatory for correct spelling'''


Here is a table with the Italian letters and their corresponding sounds:
* GIÀ -> the stress shows that the word is monosyllabic and that is pronounced /dʒa/ and not /'dʒia/ with a hiatus
* PIÙ -> the stress shows that the word is monosyllaboc and that is pronounced /pju/ and not /'piu/ with a hiatus
* GIÙ -> pronounced /dʒu/ and not /'dʒiu/


{| class="wikitable"
- to distinguish homograph words that only differs for the stress; '''NON''' '''mandatory for correct spelling'''
! Italian letter !! Pronunciation
|-  
| A, a || a (as in "father")
|-
| B, b || b (as in "boy")
|-
| C, c || k (as in "cat"). When followed by "i" or "e," it is pronounced as "ch" (as in "cheddar")
|-
| D, d || d (as in "dog")
|-
| E, e || e (as in "the")
|-
| F, f || f (as in "friend")
|-
| G, g || g (as in "girl"). When followed by "i" or "e," it is pronounced as "j" (as in "jay")
|-
| H, h || silent
|-
| I, i || ee (as in "tree")
|-
| L, l || l (as in "lion")
|-
| M, m || m (as in "mother")
|-
| N, n || n (as in "never")
|-
| O, o || o (as in "no")
|-
| P, p || p (as in "pen")
|-
| Q, q || kw (as in "queen")
|-
| R, r || trilled as in Spanish (tap your tongue quickly against the roof of your mouth)
|-
| S, s || s (as in "sun")
|-
| T, t || t (as in "top")
|-
| U, u || oo (as in "boot")
|-
| V, v || v (as in "victory")
|-
| Z, z || ts (as in "pizza")
|}
 
These are the basic sounds that you need to know to pronounce Italian words correctly. Now let's move on to some common Italian words and phrases.
 
=== Numbers and basic expressions ===
 
Italian numbers are easy to learn and very useful in everyday life. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| uno || oo-no || one
|-
| due || doo-eh || two
|-
| tre || treh || three
|-
| quattro || kwah-tro || four
|-
| cinque || cheen-kweh || five
|-
| sei || say || six
|-
| sette || set-teh || seven
|-
| otto || oht-toh || eight
|-
| nove || noh-veh || nine
|-
| dieci || dee-eh-chee || ten
|}


Here are some basic expressions that you can use in conversations:
* ÀNCORA -> "anchor" -- ANCÓRA -> "one more time" or "again"
* PRÌNCIPI -> "princes" -- PRINCÌPI -> "principles"


* Buongiorno (bwohn-johr-noh) - Good morning
* Buonasera (bwoh-nah-seh-rah) - Good evening
* Ciao (chow) - Hi / Bye
* Grazie (grah-tsee-eh) - Thank you
* Prego (preh-goh) - You're welcome
* Mi chiamo... (mee kee-ah-moh) - My name is...
* Come ti chiami? (koh-meh tee kee-ah-mee) - What's your name?
* Per favore (pehr fah-voh-reh) - Please
* Scusa / Scusi (skoo-zah / skoo-see) - Sorry / Excuse me
* Sì (see) - Yes
* No (noh) - No


=== Greetings ===


Italians love to greet each other with warm wishes and expressions. Here are some common greetings that you can use in different situations:
In Italian the circumflex accent and the umlaut accent were used once but nowadays they are never used by Italians (with some very rare exceptions).


* Buongiorno - Good morning (used before noon)
* Buona giornata (bwon-nah jawr-nah-tah) - Have a good day
* Buon pomeriggio (bwon poh-meh-reej-joh) - Good afternoon (used between 12pm and 6pm)
* Buona serata (bwon-nah seh-rah-tah) - Good evening (used after 6pm)
* Buona notte (bwon-nah no-tteh) - Good night
* Arrivederci (ah-reev-eh-DEHR-chee) - Goodbye (formal)
* Ciao - Hi / Bye (informal)


=== Food and drinks ===
'''APOSTROPHE'''


Italian cuisine is famous all over the world, and knowing some basic vocabulary can come in handy when you're traveling or dining out. Here are some common Italian food and drink words:
The Italian language uses the apostrophe like French or English. It usually stands at the end of a word when some of the final letters are dropped for phonetic reasons.


{| class="wikitable"
L'AQUILA -> "L' " stands for "LA" in front of words beginning with a vowel
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| pizza || peet-tsah || pizza
|-
| pasta || pah-stah || pasta
|-
| spaghetti || spah-geh-tee || spaghetti
|-
| lasagne || lah-zahn-yeh || lasagna
|-
| risotto || ree-zoh-ttoh || risotto
|-
| gelato || jeh-lah-toh || ice cream
|-
| caffè || kah-feh || coffee
|-
| vino || vee-noh || wine
|-
| birra || beer-rah || beer
|}


=== Directions and transportation ===
UN'OCA -> UN' stands for "UNA" in front of words beginning with a vowel


If you're traveling in Italy, it's important to know some basic directions and transportation vocabulary. Here are some common words and phrases:
UN PO' -> PO' stands for "POCO": this is a very common Italian expression which can be translated as "a little, a bit"


* Dove si trova...? (doh-veh see troh-vah) - Where is...?
TUTT'ALTRO -> TUTT' stands for "TUTTO"
* Vicino (vee-chee-noh) - Near
* Lontano (lohn-tah-noh) - Far
* Destra (deh-strah) - Right
* Sinistra (see-nees-trah) - Left
* Davanti (dah-vahn-tee) - In front
* Dietro (dee-eh-troh) - Behind
* La stazione (lah stah-tsyoh-neh) - The train station
* Il treno (eel treh-noh) - The train
* L'autobus (lou-toh-booos) - The bus
* La fermata (lah fehr-mah-tah) - The bus stop
* Andata (ahn-dah-tah) - One way ticket
* Andata e ritorno (ahn-dah-tah eh ree-tohr-noh) - Round trip ticket


These are just some examples of the many words and phrases that you can learn in Italian. By practicing these basic words and expressions, you can start building your vocabulary and feel more confident when speaking Italian.
C'È -> C' stands for "CI": This expression means "there is"


== Conclusion ==
== Conclusion ==
Learning the Italian alphabet is an important and necessary first step in becoming proficient in Italian. The good news is that the Italian alphabet has a lot in common with English, which means that some letters are pronounced the same in both languages. While the accent marks and diacritics might seem challenging, once you understand their use and meaning, they will become second nature. In next lessons, we'll learn about nouns and articles, which will be the next step in communicating effectively in Italian. Have fun learning!


In this section, we have covered some common Italian words and phrases using the Italian alphabet. We have learned the pronunciation and spelling of these words, as well as some basic expressions, greetings, food and drink words, and transportation vocabulary. By practicing these words and phrases, you will start feeling more comfortable speaking Italian and building your language skills. From here, you can continue to learn more advanced vocabulary and grammar to expand your fluency in the beautiful Italian language.
<span class='maj'></span>
== Conclusion ==
==Sources==
* [https://www.thinkinitalian.com/the-italian-alphabet/ The Italian alphabet]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_language Italian language - Wikipedia]
* [https://www.learnita.net/italian-grammar-alphabet/ Italian Grammar lesson 1 - Alphabet]
*https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/accento-grafico_(Enciclopedia-dell'Italiano)/


Congratulations on completing this lesson on the Italian alphabet! By now, you should be familiar with all the letters and their pronunciations in the Italian language.


The Italian alphabet is made up of 21 letters, with some variations when compared with the English alphabet. Remember to pay special attention to the pronunciation of double consonants and certain letters, such as "c" and "g".
<span link>Having concluded this lesson, consider checking out these related pages: [[Language/Italian/Grammar/Accent-mark-to-distinguish-a-word|Accent mark to distinguish a word]] & [[Language/Italian/Grammar/Imperfect-Tense|Imperfect Tense]].</span>
{{#seo:
|title=Italian Grammar - Italian Alphabet
|keywords=Italian, Alphabet, Pronunciation, Diacritics, Accents, Italian Language
|description=Learning the Italian alphabet is a crucial element in becoming proficient in Italian. This lesson will teach you everything you need to know, including pronunciation, accents, and diacritics.
}}


To further develop your understanding of the Italian language, it is important to continue your study of grammar and vocabulary. Keep practicing your pronunciation and listen to Italian speakers to enhance your understanding of the language.


Remember, learning a new language takes time and patience. Be consistent in your efforts and try to integrate Italian into your daily life as much as possible. This will help you to improve rapidly and attain the A1 level of proficiency.


Take time to revise and practice the materials covered in this lesson, including the sounds of the Italian alphabet and the pronunciation of common Italian words.
==Videos==


Best of luck with your ongoing Italian language studies!
===Learn the Italian Alphabet: letters and sounds (Italian Pronunciation ...===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF1nqgmXwew</youtube>


Keep up your good work!
===L'ALFABETO ITALIANO - Italian Alphabet & Phonetics - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1P50kb9G74</youtube>


- Complete 0 to A1 Italian Course Team.
===Spelling the ITALIAN ALPHABET with CITY NAMES - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEUgx9-Qx4Q</youtube>


== Sources ==
===Learn Italian Alphabets Pronunciation With Examples - YouTube===
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_language Garifuna Language]
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMTEqtgBzZc</youtube>
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_people Garifuna People]


{{#seo:
|title=Learn to Say Hello and Greetings in Garifuna
|keywords=hello, how are you?, where are you from?, evening, afternoon, morning, night, thank you, welcome, Garifuna language, Garifuna people, culture.
|description=In this lesson, you will learn the most important Garifuna greetings you need to know. Discover the Garifuna culture and language as you learn how to say hello, good morning, and more in Garifuna.
}}


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|[[Language/Italian/Grammar/Nouns-and-Articles|Next Lesson — Nouns and Articles ▶️]]
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Revision as of 22:33, 19 May 2024

Next Lesson — Nouns and Articles ▶️


Italian-polyglot-club.jpg
Italian Grammar - Italian Alphabet

Italian's alphabet contains 21 letters (5 vowels and 16 consonants). The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are only used in foreign words, and in scientific or technical terms of foreign origin. Nowadays it is common to use the English alphabet instead of the Italian one.


Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Conditional Subjunctive & Definite Articles.

Italian Alphabet

The Italian alphabet includes the following 26 letters:

Italian Name of the letter /IPA/ Pronunciation in words /IPA/ Comparison with other languages
A /a/ /a/ like in Castellano "pAdre"; the English 'a' has many pronunciations according to what letters come before or after it: the closest sound to the Italian one could be the /ʌ/ sound in "cUp".
B /bi/ /b/ like in English "Brave"
C /tʃi/ /tʃ/ or /k/ like in English "CHurCH" (/tʃ/) before 'e' or 'i'; like in English "Car" (/k/) before 'a', 'o', 'u' or any other consonant. See letter 'h' and 'i' for more details
D /di/ /d/ like in English "Dog"
E /e/ or /ɛ/ /e/ or /ɛ/ like in English "red" (/ɛ/) or in Castellano "buEno" (/e/).


In Italian pronouncing /e/ or /ɛ/ is not as import as in French: choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication. In fact every Italian uses them according to regional inflections: even if this letter may be pronounced in two ways by most Italians, it is always considered as a single vowel

F /'ɛf:e/ /f/ like in English "Fish"
G /dʒi/ /dʒ/ or /g/ like in English "Gem" (/dʒ/) before 'e' or 'i'; like in English "Gum" (/g/) before 'a', 'o', 'u' or any other consonant. See letter 'h' and 'i' for more details
H /ˈak:a/ /-/ (silent) is always silent like in Castellano


In Italian it is used to maintain sounds /k/ and /g/ before soft vowels 'e' and 'i'. In fact:

- CE -> read /tʃe/ -- CHE -> read /ke/

- CI -> read /tʃi/ -- CHI -> read /ki/

- GE -> read /dʒe/ -- GHE -> read /ge/

- GI -> read /dʒi/ -- GHI -> read /gi/


Letter 'h' is also used in front of some persons of the verb "to have" conjugated in present indicative to distinguish them from homophone words:

- HO -> I have -- O -> or

- HAI -> you have -- AI -> "to the" (preposition plus definitive article)

- HA -> he/she/it has -- A -> "to" (preposition)

- HANNO -> they have -- ANNO -> year

I /i/ /i/, /j/, /-/ (silent) like in English "mEEt".


'i' is also used to maintain sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ before hard vowels 'a', 'o', 'u' as long as they are considered inside the same syllable. In these cases 'i' is silent. In fact:

- CA -> read /ka/ -- CIA -> read //tʃa/ (it's pronounced /'tʃao/ and not /'tʃjao/)

- CO -> read /ko/ -- CIO -> read //tʃo/

- CU -> read /ku/ -- CIU -> read //tʃu/

- GA -> read /ga/ -- GIA -> read /dʒa/

- GO -> read /go/ -- GIO -> read /dʒo/

- GU -> read gu/ -- GIU -> read /dʒu/


In Italian some words require a silent 'i' in syllables CIE, GIE or SCIE, even if vowel 'e' is already soft by itself. In fact you may find:

- CIE -> read as CE

- GIE -> read as GE

- SCIE -> read as SCE (/ʃe/)


When 'i' comes before another vowel and is inside tha same syllable (apart from the case mentioned above!) it is pronounced 'j' like in English "Yesterday"

J /dʒej/ or /i 'luŋga/ /j/ or /dʒ/ only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
K /'kap:a/ /k/ only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
L /'ɛl:e/ /l/ like in English "Lion"
M /'ɛm:e/ /m/ like 'in English "Mouse"
N /'ɛn:e/ /n/, /ŋ/ or /ɱ/ like in English "Nice"; it changes to /ŋ/ before sounds /k/ or /g/ and to /ɱ/ before sounds /f/ or /v/. These should natural allophones of sound /n/ for most languages.
O /ɔ/ or /o/ /ɔ/ or /o/ like in English "mOre" /o/ or in English /lOt/ /ɔ/


In Italian pronouncing /o/ or /ɔ/ is not as import as in other monosyllabic languages: choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication. In fact every Italian uses them according to regional inflections: even if this letter may be pronounced in two ways by most Italians, it is always considered as a single vowel

P /pi/ /p/ like in English "Pen"
Q /ku/ /k/ like in English "Quit" /k/. It is only used when followed by U+VOWEL (-QUA- /kwa/, -QUE /kwe/-, -QUI /kwi//-, -QUO- /kwo/) inside the same syllable.

Letter 'q' is quite tricky in Italian: in fact it has the same sound as letter 'c' when found in the same position inside a word. Notice how the syllables with letter 'q' or 'c' in the following words have the same pronunciation but different spelling:

- QUALE -> read /'kwale -- VACUA -> read /'vakwa/

- QUESTO -> read /'kwesto/ -- INNOCUE -> read /i'n:ɔkwe/

- QUINDI -> read /'kwindi/ -- TACCUINO -Z read /ta'k:wino/

- QUOTA -> read /'kwɔta/ -- CUORE -> read /'kwɔre

R /'ɛr:e/ /r/ or /ɾ/ like in Castellano "Rosa". Italian 'r' is pronounced with a rolling sound made by rapidly flipping the end of the tongue up and down against the roof of the mouth); It may be softer like /ɾ/ between vowels or at the beginning of a word (like Americans usually pronounce 't' between vowels, for example in "iT is" /ɪɾɪz/)
S /'ɛs:e/ /s/ or /z/ like in English "Sun" /s/ or in English "boyS" /z/. Unlike Castellano, Italian 's' has two pronunciations.

- /s/ before dull consonant sounds (/sk/, /sp/, /st/, /sf/ or at the beginning of a word when followed by a vowel (exactly like in English "Silence")

- /z/ before vibrant consontant sounds (/zg/,/zb/, /zd/, /zv/, /zl/, /zm/, /zn/) or between two vowels (/aza/, /uzo/, /ezu/ etc.)


These are just general rules: according to regional inflections you may hear different ways Italians pronunce this letter, but choosing one sound or the other does not compromise the communication

T /ti/ /t/ like in Castellano "Tener"; the English 't' is usually followed by an expiration at the beginnig of a word when followed by a vowel (like in the word "time") which does not exist in Italian
U /u/ /u/ or /w/ like in English "cOOl"; letter 'u' can be found as a half consonant or half vowel sound when followed by another vowel inside the same syllable, in which case it is pronounced /w/ like in English "What"
V /vi/ or /vu/ /v/ like in English "Very"
W /vu 'dop:ja/ /w/ or /v/ only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
X /iks/ /ks/ only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
Y /'ipsilon/ /j/ or /i/ only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
Z /'dzɛta/ /dz/ or /ts/ like in English "geTS" or like a fast pronounciation of the English "reD Zone";

The Italian 'z' is quite tricky: the correct pronunciation should be learnt by heart since there is no rule at all that could teach you when to say /ts/ and when to say /dz/. In fact every Italian, according to their regional inflection choose to use one sound or the other for each word: this does not compromise our communication anyway.


CLUSTERS OF LETTERS INSIDE THE SAME SYLLABLE

Some sounds do not have a specific letter, but a cluster of letters

GN: this cluster is always followed by a vowel and must be pronounced /ɲ/ (GNA /ɲa/, GNE /ɲe/, GNI /ɲi/, GNO /ɲo/, GNU /ɲu/). This cluster is prounced as /gn/ only in some technical or scientific terms. Notice that in rare cases syllable GNA must be spelled GNIA even if letter I is silent. (example: DISEGNIAMO, REGNIAMO etc.)

GLI: this cluster is always followed by vowel 'I' alone or 'I + other vowels' and must be pronounced /ʎ/ (GLIA (ʎa), GLIE (ʎe), GLI (ʎi) GLIO (ʎo), GLIU (ʎu). This cluster is pronounced as /gl/ almost only in technical or scientific terms

SCI/SCE: 'SC' plus soft vowels 'E' and 'I' is pronounced /ʃ/; to reproduce sound /ʃ/ before other vowels, letter 'I' must always be used (SCIA /ʃa/, SCE /ʃe/, SCI /ʃi/, SCIO /ʃo/ SCIU /ʃu/); notice that syllable SCE must sometimes be spelled SCIE even if its pronunciation does not change. (example: SCIENZA, SCIENZIATO, SCIENTIFICO etc.)

Accents and Diacritics

ACCENTS

Every language uses accents for different purposes and in different ways.

Nowadays the Italian language uses two accents which are placed only above vowels.

One is the acute accent which may be found only on É and Ó and the other one is the grave accent which may be found on any vowel À È Ì Ò Ù.

As you can see, only E and O admit two types of accent: you should pick the grave accents on these vowels only when they are pronounced open /ɛ/ or /ɔ/, while you should use the acute accent when they are pronounced closed /e/ or /o/. For the other vowels only the grave accents is the correct one.

They are used:

- to distinguish homophone words that have a different grammar role (like in Castellano or French); mandatory for correct spelling

  • LA -> feminine singular article -- LÀ -> adverb "there"
  • SI -> pronoun for "itself, himself, herself" -- SÌ -> "yes"
  • NE -> pronoun that means "of this, that, these, those" -- NÉ -> "nor, neither"
  • DA -> preposition "from" -- DÀ -> he/she/it gives (verb)
  • E -> "and" -- È -> it, she, he is (verb)

- to mark the stress of a plurisyllabic word when it falls on the very last letter; mandatory for correct spelling

  • VERITÀ -> stress on 'a'
  • PERÒ -> stress on 'o'
  • VIRTÙ -> stress on 'u'
  • COMPÌ -> stress on 'i'

- marking the stress of a monosyllabic word when it contains I + VOWEL and the stress falls on this very last vowel: in these cases you know you must not pronounce the vowels as a hiatus; mandatory for correct spelling

  • GIÀ -> the stress shows that the word is monosyllabic and that is pronounced /dʒa/ and not /'dʒia/ with a hiatus
  • PIÙ -> the stress shows that the word is monosyllaboc and that is pronounced /pju/ and not /'piu/ with a hiatus
  • GIÙ -> pronounced /dʒu/ and not /'dʒiu/

- to distinguish homograph words that only differs for the stress; NON mandatory for correct spelling

  • ÀNCORA -> "anchor" -- ANCÓRA -> "one more time" or "again"
  • PRÌNCIPI -> "princes" -- PRINCÌPI -> "principles"


In Italian the circumflex accent and the umlaut accent were used once but nowadays they are never used by Italians (with some very rare exceptions).


APOSTROPHE

The Italian language uses the apostrophe like French or English. It usually stands at the end of a word when some of the final letters are dropped for phonetic reasons.

L'AQUILA -> "L' " stands for "LA" in front of words beginning with a vowel

UN'OCA -> UN' stands for "UNA" in front of words beginning with a vowel

UN PO' -> PO' stands for "POCO": this is a very common Italian expression which can be translated as "a little, a bit"

TUTT'ALTRO -> TUTT' stands for "TUTTO"

C'È -> C' stands for "CI": This expression means "there is"

Conclusion

Learning the Italian alphabet is an important and necessary first step in becoming proficient in Italian. The good news is that the Italian alphabet has a lot in common with English, which means that some letters are pronounced the same in both languages. While the accent marks and diacritics might seem challenging, once you understand their use and meaning, they will become second nature. In next lessons, we'll learn about nouns and articles, which will be the next step in communicating effectively in Italian. Have fun learning!

Sources


Having concluded this lesson, consider checking out these related pages: Accent mark to distinguish a word & Imperfect Tense.


Videos

Learn the Italian Alphabet: letters and sounds (Italian Pronunciation ...

L'ALFABETO ITALIANO - Italian Alphabet & Phonetics - YouTube

Spelling the ITALIAN ALPHABET with CITY NAMES - YouTube

Learn Italian Alphabets Pronunciation With Examples - YouTube


Table of Contents - Italian Course - 0 to A1

Introduction to Italian Language


Daily Life Expressions


Italian Culture and Tradition


Past and Future Tenses


Social and Work Life


Italian Literature and Cinema


Subjunctive and Imperative Moods


Science and Technology


Italian Politics and Society


Compound Tenses


Arts and Design


Italian Language and Dialects


Next Lesson — Nouns and Articles ▶️

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