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{| class="wikitable pg_template_nav"


{{Italian-Page-Top}}
|[[Language/Italian/Grammar/Nouns-and-Articles|Next Lesson — Nouns and Articles ▶️]]
 
 
== Introduction ==
 
Benvenuti! Welcome to the Complete 0 to A1 Italian Course, where you will learn everything you need to know to speak Italian confidently. In this lesson, we will introduce the Italian alphabet and how to pronounce its sounds. We will also cover basic Italian phrases and vocabulary to get you started on your journey to fluency.
 
Learning Italian can be a fun and rewarding experience. It will not only allow you to communicate with millions of people around the world but also open the doors to Italian culture and tradition. Whether you plan to travel to Italy, connect with your heritage, learn for academic reasons, or just for pleasure, this course will take you step-by-step to your goal.
 
Let's dive into the beauty of the Italian language!
 
== Italian Alphabet ==
 
The Italian alphabet consists of 21 letters. It is very similar to the English alphabet, except that it has no letters like J, K, W, X, or Y, which however appear in some loanwords. The pronunciation of each letter is generally consistent and can be easily learned. Here is a table that shows the Italian alphabet, its pronunciation, and an example word:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| A a || ah || Amore (love)
|-
| B b || bee || Bambino (baby)
|-
| C c || cheh || Ciao (hello)
|-
| D d || dee || Domanda (question)
|-
| E e || eh || Estate (summer)
|-
| F f || effeh || Festa (party)
|-
| G g || djee || Gusto (taste)
|-
| H h || acca || Hotel (hotel)
|-
| I i || ee || Isola (island)
|-
| L l || elle || Lista (list)
|-
| M m || emme || Mare (sea)
|-
| N n || enne || Nota (note)
|-
| O o || oh || Ora (now)
|-
| P p || pee || Pizza (pizza)
|-
| Q q || koo || Quadro (picture)
|-
| R r || erre || Ragazzo (boy)
|-
| S s || esse || Sole (sun)
|-
| T t || tee || Treno (train)
|-
| U u || oo || Uva (grape)
|-
| V v || voo || Vino (wine)
|-
| Z z || zeta || Zucchero (sugar)
|}
|}
</span>


As you can see, each letter has one sound, except for C and G, which can be pronounced differently depending on the following vowel. We will cover this topic later in this course.


== Common Words and Phrases ==
{{Italian-Page-Top}}


Now that we know the Italian alphabet and its pronunciation, let's practice some basic words and phrases that will help you introduce yourself and start a simple conversation. Here are some examples:
<div class="pg_page_title">Italian Grammar - Italian Alphabet</div>


* Ciao! - Hello!/Bye!
__TOC__
* Buongiorno! - Good morning!/Good afternoon!
* Come ti chiami? - What's your name? (informal)
* Come si chiama? - What's your name? (formal)
* Mi chiamo... - My name is...
* Piacere di conoscerti. - Nice to meet you. (informal)
* Piacere di conoscerla. - Nice to meet you. (formal)
* Grazie. - Thank you.
* Prego. - You're welcome./Please.
* Scusa. - I'm sorry. (informal)
* Mi scusi. - I'm sorry. (formal)


Practice these words and phrases as much as you can to improve your pronunciation and fluency. In the next lesson, we will learn about Italian nouns and articles, which will allow us to create simple sentences and describe things.
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.  


Keep up the good work!


<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 ==


== History of the Italian alphabet ==
The Italian alphabet includes the following 26 letters:
 
The history of the Italian alphabet dates back to ancient times, when the Etruscan alphabet was used in the Italian peninsula. The Latin alphabet, which is the basis of the modern Italian alphabet, evolved from the Etruscan alphabet. The Latin alphabet was introduced to Italy around the 3rd century BC and it gradually replaced the Etruscan alphabet. The Roman Empire played an important role in spreading the Latin alphabet throughout the world, as it was used for official documents and legal texts written in Latin.
 
The Latin alphabet originally consisted of 21 letters, and it was used to write classical Latin. With the spread of the Roman Empire, the Latin alphabet was adapted to write various languages, including Italian. Over time, the Italian alphabet evolved to include 21 letters, with the addition of the letters J, K, W, X and Y, which are not native to the Italian language but are used in loanwords.
 
It is important to note that the Italian alphabet is very similar to the English alphabet, as both are based on the Latin alphabet. However, there are some differences in pronunciation and spelling, as some letters are pronounced differently in Italian than they are in English.
 
Below is a table that shows the Italian alphabet, along with its pronunciation and English translation:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
! Italian !! Name of the letter /IPA/
|-
!Pronunciation in words /IPA/!! Comparison with other languages
| A || ah || A
|-
| B || bi || B
|-
| C || chi || C
|-
| D || di || D
|-
|-
| E || eh || E
| 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".
|-
|-
| F || effe || F
| B || /bi/
|/b/|| like in English "Brave"
|-
|-
| G || gi || G
| 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
|-
|-
| H || acca || H
| D || /di/
|/d/|| like in English "Dog"
|-
|-
| I || ee || I
| E || /e/ or /ɛ/
|-
|/e/ or /ɛ/|| like in English "red" (/ɛ/) or in Castellano "buEno" (/e/).
| J || i lunga || J
|-
| K || kappa || K
|-
| L || elle || L
|-
| M || emme || M
|-
| N || enne || N
|-
| O || oh || O
|-
| P || pi || P
|-
| Q || cu || Q
|-
| R || erre || R
|-
| S || esse || S
|-
| T || ti || T
|-
| U || oo || U
|-
| V || vu || V
|-
| W || doppia vu || W
|-
| X || ics || X
|-
| Y || ipsilon || Y
|-
| Z || zeta || Z
|}
 
As you can see from the table, the Italian alphabet uses the same letters as the English alphabet, with the addition of a few letters that are not present in the English alphabet. It is important to note that some letters, such as C, G, and S, have different pronunciations in Italian than they do in English.
 
In conclusion, the Italian alphabet has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. Understanding the origin and evolution of the Italian alphabet is important for mastering the Italian language. By learning the Italian alphabet and its pronunciation, you will be on your way to speaking Italian like a native!
== Single letters and sounds ==
 
In Italian, each letter of the alphabet is associated with a specific sound. Learning the correct pronunciation of each letter is essential to develop a solid foundation for speaking Italian. In this section, we will go over each letter separately, explaining how to pronounce it and providing a few examples.
 
The Italian alphabet has 21 letters, namely: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and Z. The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are not part of the Italian alphabet and are only used in words of foreign origin.
 
Here is a breakdown of each letter's pronunciation:


=== A ===
The letter A has two possible pronunciations:
- /a/ as in the English word "father"
- /ɑ/ as in the English word "car"


Examples:
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
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| mare || /ˈma.rɛ/ || sea
| F || /'ɛf:e/
|/f/|| like in English "Fish"
|-
|-
| casa || /ˈka.za/ || house
| 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
 
=== B ===
The letter B is pronounced as /b/ as in the English word "boy".
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| bambino || /bamˈbi.no/ || child
| H || /ˈak:a/  
|-
|/-/ (silent)|| is always silent like in Castellano
| bicchiere || /bikˈkjɛ.re/ || glass
|}


=== C ===
The letter C has two possible pronunciations:
- /k/ as in the English word "kite"
- /tʃ/ as in the English word "church"


Examples:
In Italian it is used to maintain sounds /k/ and /g/ before soft vowels 'e' and 'i'. In fact:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| casa || /ˈka.za/ || house
|-
| chiesa || /ˈkjɛ.za/ || church
|}


=== D ===
- CE -> read /tʃe/ -- CHE -> read /ke/
The letter D is pronounced as /d/ as in the English word "dog".


Examples:
- CI -> read /tʃi/ -- CHI -> read /ki/
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| dito || /ˈdi.to/ || finger
|-
| domanda || /doˈman.da/ || question
|}


=== E ===
- GE -> read /dʒe/ -- GHE -> read /ge/
The letter E has two possible pronunciations:
- /e/ as in the English word "bet"
- /ɛ/ as in the English word "met"


Examples:
- GI -> read /dʒi/ -- GHI -> read /gi/
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| essere || /esˈsɛ.re/ || to be
|-
| bene || /ˈbɛ.ne/ || well
|}


=== F ===
The letter F is pronounced as /f/ as in the English word "fish".


Examples:
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:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| facile || /faˈtʃi.le/ || easy
|-
| fiume || /ˈfju.me/ || river
|}


=== G ===
- HO -> I have -- O -> or
The letter G has two possible pronunciations:
- /ɡ/ as in the English word "go"
- /dʒ/ as in the English word "job"


Examples:
- HAI -> you have -- AI -> "to the" (preposition plus definitive article)
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| gatto || /ˈɡat.to/ || cat
|-
| giorno || /ˈdʒor.no/ || day
|}


=== H ===
- HA -> he/she/it has -- A -> "to" (preposition)
The letter H is always silent in Italian.
 
Example:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| hotel || /oˈtɛl/ || hotel
|}


=== I ===
- HANNO -> they have -- ANNO -> year
The letter I has two possible pronunciations:
- /i/ as in the English word "ski"
- /j/ as in the English word "yes"


Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| pizza || /ˈpit.tsa/ || pizza
|-
|-
| ieri || /ˈjɛ.ri/ || yesterday
| I || /i/  
|}
|/i/, /j/, /-/ (silent)|| like in English "mEEt".


=== L ===
The letter L is pronounced as /l/ as in the English word "light".


Examples:
'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:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| libro || /ˈli.bro/ || book
|-
| lungo || /ˈluŋ.ɡo/ || long
|}


=== M ===
- CA -> read /ka/ -- CIA -> read //tʃa/ (it's pronounced /'tʃao/ and not /'tʃjao/)
The letter M is pronounced as /m/ as in the English word "moon".


Examples:
- CO -> read /ko/ -- CIO -> read //tʃo/
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| mamma || /ˈmam.ma/ || mom
|-
| minuto || /miˈnu.to/ || minute
|}


=== N ===
- CU -> read /ku/ -- CIU -> read //tʃu/
The letter N is pronounced as /n/ as in the English word "no".


Examples:
- GA -> read /ga/ -- GIA -> read /dʒa/
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| notte || /ˈnɔt.te/ || night
|-
| nuovo || /ˈnwo.vo/ || new
|}


=== O ===
- GO -> read /go/ -- GIO -> read /dʒo/
The letter O has two possible pronunciations:
- /o/ as in the English word "pot"
- /ɔ/ as in the English word "more"
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| dove || /ˈdo.ve/ || where
|-
| nonno || /ˈnɔn.no/ || grandfather
|}


=== P ===
- GU -> read gu/ -- GIU -> read /dʒu/
The letter P is pronounced as /p/ as in the English word "pot".


Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| piazza || /ˈpjat.tsa/ || square
|-
| pane || /ˈpa.ne/  || bread
|}


=== Q ===
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:
The letter Q is always followed by the letter U and pronounced as /kw/ as in the English word "queen".


Examples:
- CIE -> read as CE
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| quattro || /ˈkwat.tro/ || four
|-
| acqua || /ˈak.kwa/ || water
|}


=== R ===
- GIE -> read as GE
The letter R is pronounced as a trilled /r/ sound. This can be challenging for learners, but with practice, it can be mastered.


Examples:
- SCIE -> read as SCE (/ʃe/)
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| ristorante || /ris.toˈran.te/ || restaurant
|-
| rosa || /ˈro.za/ || rose
|}


=== S ===
The letter S is pronounced as /s/ as in the English word "sun".


Examples:
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"
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| se || /se/ || if
|J
|/dʒej/ or /i 'luŋga/
|/j/ or /dʒ/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|-
| sole || /ˈso.le/ || sun
|K
|}
|/'kap:a/
 
|/k/
=== T ===
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
The letter T is pronounced as /t/ as in the English word "top".
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| telefono || /te.leˈfo.no/ || telephone
| L || /'ɛl:e/
|/l/|| like in English "Lion"
|-
|-
| treno || /ˈtre.no/ || train
| M || /'ɛm:e/  
|}
|/m/|| like 'in English "Mouse"
 
=== U ===
The letter U has two possible pronunciations:
- /u/ as in the English word "blue"
- /w/ as in the English word "we"
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| uomo || /ˈwɔ.mo/ || man
| 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.
| futuro || /fuˈtu.ro/ || future
|}
 
=== V ===
The letter V is pronounced as /v/ as in the English word "van".
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| vita || /ˈvi.ta/ || life
| O || /ɔ/ or /o/  
|-
|/ɔ/ or /o/|| like in English "mOre" /o/ or in English /lOt/ /ɔ/
| vento || /ˈvɛn.to/ || wind
|}
 
=== Z ===
The letter Z is pronounced as /d͡z/ as in the English word "zip".
 
Examples:
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| zero || /ˈd͡ze.ro/ || zero
|-
| zaino || /ˈd͡za.i.no/ || backpack
|}
 
Once you feel comfortable with the pronunciation of each letter of the Italian alphabet, you can move on to learning double letters and digraphs, which we will cover in the next section.
== Double Letters and Digraphs ==
 
Italian contains double consonants and vowels as well as digraphs which affect the pronunciation and meaning of words. Double letters are indicated when a letter is written twice in a row. Digraphs are two letters that form one single sound.
 
=== Double Consonants ===
 
In Italian, double consonants are pronounced geminated, meaning that they are held for a slightly longer duration than single consonants.


Here are some examples:


{| class="wikitable"
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
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| bella || /'bɛlːa/ || beautiful (feminine singular)
|-
|-
| notte || /'nɔtːe/ || night
| P || /pi/
|/p/|| like in English "Pen"
|-
|-
| pizza || /'pit.tsa/ || pizza
| 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:


Note that some consonants cannot be doubled, such as "h", "j", "k", "w", "x", and "y", since they are not part of the Italian alphabet.
- QUALE -> read /'kwale -- VACUA -> read /'vakwa/


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


When double vowels appear in Italian words, they are pronounced in a distinct way, and the sound is held for slightly longer.
- QUINDI -> read /'kwindi/ -- TACCUINO -Z read /ta'k:wino/


Here are some examples:
- QUOTA  -> read /'kwɔta/ -- CUORE -> read /'kwɔre
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| città || /tʃi'tta/ || city
| 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/)
|-
|-
| pietra || /'pjɛ.tra/ || stone
| S || /'ɛs:e/  
|-
|/s/ or /z/|| like in English "Sun" /s/ or in English "boyS" /z/. Unlike Castellano, Italian 's' has two pronunciations.
| poesia || /po'e.sja/ || poetry
- /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")
|}


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


Digraphs are a combination of two letters that produce a single sound in Italian. Here are some examples:


{| 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
|-
| chiesa || /'kjɛ.za/ || church
|-
| gloria || /'glɔ.ri.a/ || glory
|-
| gnocchi || /'ɲɔk.ki/ || dumplings
|-
|-
| scherzo || /'skert.so/ || joke, prank
| 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
|-
|-
| zucchero || /'dzuk.kɛ.ro/ || sugar
| 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"
 
Note that some digraphs, such as "sc" and "gn", produce unique sounds that are not exactly like the sounds of the individual letters making up the digraph.
 
### Common Uses of Double Consonants and Digraphs in Italian ###
 
Learning common uses of double consonants and digraphs in Italian can help you to understand Italian words better and to pronounce them more accurately.
 
Here are some common uses of double consonants:
 
* Double consonants appear after a short vowel, except for "h".
* They can serve to distinguish the meaning of words. For example, "casa" means "house," while "cassa" means "box."
* Some verbs have double consonants in their past participles, such as "stretto" for "strin(g)ere" (to tighten, clasp).
 
Here are some common uses of digraphs:
 
* "Ch" is used to represent the /k/ sound before "i" and "e".
* "Gh" is used to represent the /g/ sound before "i" and "e".
* "Gn" is used to represent the /ɲ/ sound.
* "Sc" is used to represent the /ʃ/ sound before "i" and "e".
* "Schi" is used to represent the /sk/ sound before "i" and "e".
 
Understanding the correct pronunciation and use of double letters and digraphs is important for learners of Italian, as it can greatly enhance their ability to communicate accurately and effectively in the language.
== Special Characters and Accents ==
 
In Italian, special characters and accents are used to distinguish words from one another and to indicate the correct pronunciation. It is essential to learn and master them to fully understand and be understood in the Italian language.
 
=== Accented vowels ===
 
- Italian has five vowels: A, E, I, O, U.
- In addition to these, five accented vowels are used: À, È, Ì, Ò, Ù.
- The accent indicates that the vowel must be pronounced with more emphasis.
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| à || /a/ with emphasis || at
| V || /vi/ or /vu/
|/v/|| like in English "Very"
|-
|-
| è || /ɛ/ with emphasis || let
|W
|/vu 'dop:ja/
|/w/ or /v/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|-
| ì || /i/ with emphasis || ski
|X
|/iks/
|/ks/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|-
| ò || /ɔ/ with emphasis || hot
|Y
|/'ipsilon/
|/j/ or /i/
|only in foreign words, mostly pronounced as in the native language
|-
|-
| ù || /u/ with emphasis || plus
| 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.
|}
|}


=== The grave accent (accento grave) ===


- The grave accent is used on the vowel E to indicate that it is pronounced open.
'''CLUSTERS OF LETTERS INSIDE THE SAME SYLLABLE'''
- This accent is only used if the E is at the end of the word or if it is followed by a consonant.
- For example, the word "café" is written with a grave accent in Italian: "caffè".


{| class="wikitable"
Some sounds do not have a specific letter, but a cluster of letters
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| caffè || /ka.fɛ/ || coffee
|}


=== The acute accent (accento acuto) ===
'''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.)


- The acute accent is used on the vowels E and O to indicate that they are pronounced closed.
'''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
- This accent is only used in a few words.
- For example, the word for "yes" is "sì" and the word for "I see" is "vò".


{| class="wikitable"
'''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.)
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| sì || /si/ || yes
|-
| vò || /vɔ/ || I see
|}


=== The circumflex accent (accenno circonflesso) ===
== Accents and Diacritics ==


- The circumflex accent is used on the vowel A to indicate that it is pronounced closed.
'''ACCENTS'''
- This accent is used only in a few words.
- For example, the word for "ladder" is "scala" written with a circumflex accent: "scalà".


{| class="wikitable"
Every language uses accents for different purposes and in different ways.  
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| scalà || /ska.la/ || ladder
|}


=== The diaeresis (dieresi) ===
Nowadays the Italian language uses two accents which are placed only above vowels.


- The diaeresis is used on the vowels E and I to indicate that they must be pronounced separately and not as a single sound.
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.  
- This accent is only used in a few words.
- For example, the word for "poem" is "poema", but the plural is written "poemi" with a diaeresis on the I.


{| class="wikitable"
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.  
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| poema || /po.ɛ.ma/ || poem
|-
| poemi || /po.ɛ.mi/ || poems
|}


=== The cedilla (cediglia) ===
They are used:


- The cedilla is used on the letter C to indicate that it must be pronounced as a soft /ʧ/ sound instead of a hard /k/ sound.
- to distinguish homophone words that have a different grammar role (like in Castellano or French); '''mandatory for correct spelling'''
- This accent is only used in a few words of foreign origin.
- For example, the word for "hospital" is "ospedale" but in French, it is "hôpital" and therefore adopted in Italian with a cedilla: "ospedàle".


{| class="wikitable"
* LA -> feminine singular article -- LÀ -> adverb "there"
! Italian !! Pronunciation !! English
* SI -> pronoun for "itself, himself, herself" -- SÌ -> "yes"
|-
* NE -> pronoun that means "of this, that, these, those" -- NÉ -> "nor, neither"
| ospedàle || /o.spe.ˈda.le/ || hospital
* DA -> preposition "from" -- DÀ -> he/she/it gives (verb)
|}
*E -> "and" -- È -> it, she, he is (verb)


To summarize, accents and special characters are essential in the Italian language to distinguish words from each other and indicate their correct pronunciation. Mastering them is crucial for any Italian language learner. In the next lesson, we will explore the most common words and phrases used in everyday conversations.
- to mark the stress of a plurisyllabic word when it falls on the very last letter; '''mandatory for correct spelling'''
== Common words and phrases ==


In this section, we will learn some of the most common words and phrases in the Italian language. These words and phrases are essential for understanding and communicating in everyday situations. We will focus on learning the pronunciation and spelling using the Italian alphabet.
* VERITÀ -> stress on 'a'
* PERÒ -> stress on 'o'
* VIRTÙ -> stress on 'u'
* COMPÌ -> stress on 'i'


=== Greetings and Basic Expressions ===
- 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'''


Italian | Pronunciation | English
* 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
Ciao | ʧaːo | Hello/Goodbye
* GIÙ -> pronounced /dʒu/ and not /'dʒiu/
Buongiorno | bwohn-johr-noh | Good morning
Buonasera | bwoh-nah-seh-rah | Good evening
Buonanotte | bwoh-nah-noh-teh | Good night
Grazie | grah-tsee-eh | Thank you
Prego | preh-goh | You're welcome
Mi chiamo... | mee kee-ah-moh... | My name is...
Come stai? | koh-meh stai | How are you? (informal)
Come sta? | koh-meh stah | How are you? (formal)
Bene, grazie. E tu? | beh-neh grah-tsee-eh. eh too | Fine, thanks. And you?
Non capisco | nohn kah-pee-skoh | I don't understand
Parli inglese? | pahr-lee een-gleh-zeh? | Do you speak English?
Mi dispiace | mee dee-spee-ah-cheh | I'm sorry


As you can see, the Italian language has a lot of words and expressions for greetings and basic conversations. It is important to understand these words and phrases when traveling to Italy or communicating with Italian speakers.
- to distinguish homograph words that only differs for the stress; '''NON''' '''mandatory for correct spelling'''


=== Numbers and Colors ===
* ÀNCORA -> "anchor" -- ANCÓRA -> "one more time" or "again"
* PRÌNCIPI -> "princes" -- PRINCÌPI -> "principles"


Italian | Pronunciation | English
--- | --- | ---
Uno | oo-noh | One
Due | doo-eh | Two
Tre | treh | Three
Quattro | kwah-troh | Four
Cinque | cheen-kweh | Five
Sei | seh-ee | Six
Sette | seh-teh | Seven
Otto | oht-toh | Eight
Nove | noh-veh | Nine
Dieci | dee-eh-chee | Ten
Bianco | bee-ahn-koh | White
Nero | neh-roh | Black
Rosso | roh-soh | Red
Verde | vehr-deh | Green
Blu | bloo | Blue
Giallo | jahl-loh | Yellow


Learning numbers and colors is essential for everyday situations such as shopping or describing things. Make sure to practice the pronunciation of these words to become comfortable using them.


=== Food and Drinks ===
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).


Italian | Pronunciation | English
--- | --- | ---
Pizza | peet-tsah | Pizza
Pasta | pah-stah | Pasta
Gelato | jeh-lah-toh | Ice cream
Caffè | kahf-feh | Coffee
Cappuccino | kahp-poo-chee-noh | Cappuccino
Vino | vee-noh | Wine
Acqua | ah-kwah | Water
Birra | beer-rah | Beer
Panino | pah-nee-noh | Sandwich
Insalata | een-sah-lah-tah | Salad


Italian cuisine is one of the most famous in the world, and learning the names of some of the most popular dishes and beverages is essential for ordering in a restaurant or café.
'''APOSTROPHE'''


=== Directions ===
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.


Italian | Pronunciation | English
L'AQUILA -> "L' " stands for "LA" in front of words beginning with a vowel
--- | --- | ---
Dove è...? | doh-veh eh...? | Where is...?
A sinistra | ah see-nees-tra | To the left
A destra | ah dehs-trah | To the right
Dritto | dree-toh | Straight ahead
Avanti | ah-vahn-tee | Forward
Indietro | een-dee-eh-troh | Backward
Sopra | soh-prah | Above
Sotto | soht-toh | Below


Asking for directions is important when traveling or visiting a new place. Learning these simple words and phrases will help you navigate unfamiliar territory with confidence.
UN'OCA -> UN' stands for "UNA" in front of words beginning with a vowel


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


Italian | Pronunciation | English
TUTT'ALTRO -> TUTT' stands for "TUTTO"
--- | --- | ---
Ora | oh-rah | Hour
Minuto | mee-noo-toh | Minute
Secondo | seh-kohN-doh | Second
Oggi | oh-jee | Today
Domani | doh-mah-nee | Tomorrow
Ieri | ee-eh-ree | Yesterday
Primo | pree-moh | First
Mezzo | meht-soh | Half
Sera | seh-rah | Evening
Mattina | maht-tee-nah | Morning


Understanding time and dates is important for scheduling appointments or planning events. Make sure to practice the pronunciation and remember to use the 24-hour clock system when speaking in 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 learned some of the most common words and phrases in the Italian language. By practicing the pronunciation and spelling using the Italian alphabet, you can become comfortable using these essential words and expressions in everyday situations. Make sure to continue practicing and building your vocabulary to become a proficient Italian speaker.
<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 the Introduction to Italian Language course, specifically the lesson on Italian Alphabet!


In this lesson, you have learned about the history of the Italian alphabet, the single letters and sounds, double letters and digraphs, special characters and accents, and some common words and phrases. You have also practiced pronunciation and spelling by doing exercises and listening to audio examples.
<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:
Knowing the Italian alphabet is a fundamental part of learning Italian. With this knowledge, you will be able to read Italian words and texts, write Italian words and texts, and also improve your listening and speaking skills.  
|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.
}}


Here are some tips to keep improving your Italian Alphabet skills:


* Practice regularly: Try to read and write in Italian on a daily basis, even if it's just for a few minutes. This will help you remember the letters, their sounds, and their combinations.


* Listen to Italian music and podcasts: Listening to Italian songs or podcasts will help you get used to the sounds and intonation of the language. You can also practice repeating some words and phrases you hear.
==Videos==


* Use Italian dictionaries and grammar books: Keep a good Italian dictionary and grammar book at hand. They will help you check the spelling, pronunciation, and usage of Italian words and structures.
===Learn the Italian Alphabet: letters and sounds (Italian Pronunciation ...===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF1nqgmXwew</youtube>


* Study the other lessons of the course: The Italian Alphabet is just the first step in your Italian learning journey! Keep studying the other lessons of the Complete 0 to A1 Italian Course to expand your vocabulary, grammar, and communicative skills.
===L'ALFABETO ITALIANO - Italian Alphabet & Phonetics - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1P50kb9G74</youtube>


Remember, learning Italian (or any language) takes time, effort, and practice. But with dedication and motivation, you can reach your language goals and enjoy the beauty of Italian culture and communication.
===Spelling the ITALIAN ALPHABET with CITY NAMES - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEUgx9-Qx4Q</youtube>


Good luck and buono studio!
===Learn Italian Alphabets Pronunciation With Examples - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMTEqtgBzZc</youtube>


== Sources ==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_language Garifuna Language]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_people Garifuna People]
{{#seo:
|title=Learn Greetings in Garifuna
|keywords=garifuna language, garifuna people, greetings, hello, good morning, good evening, how are you, thank you
|description=In this lesson, you will learn the most commonly used Garifuna greetings, including hello, good morning, and thank you.
}}


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{{Italian-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}
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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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