Basic Italian Pronunciation and Phrases

Italian Pronunciation

Ca = "Kah"  (Caffè = "Kah–FEH")
Ce = "Chay"  (Cena = "CHAY-nah")
Che = "Kay"  (Lumache = "Lue-MAH-kay")
Chi = "Key"  (Radicchio = "Ruh-DEE–key-oh")
Ci = "Chee"  (Cappuccino = "Kah–pooh-CHEE-noh")
Co = "Koh"  (Ricotta = "Re-KOH-tah")
Cu = "Kuh"  (Cucina = "Kuh–CHEE-nah")
H = Silent  (Hotel = "Oh-TELL")

Sce = "Sheh"  (Lisce [Smooth] = "Lee-SHEH")
Sci = "Sh"  (Prosciutto = "Pro-SHOOT-oh")

Z = "Tsz"  (Pizza = "Pee-tszuh")

Double Consonants = A Short Pause
(Foccacia = "Foh–KAH-chah"  |  Pollo [Chicken] = "POH–low")

Stress the Penultimate Syllable Unless the Last Letter Has An Accent
(Bolognese = "Boah-loan-YAY-zeh"  |  Caffè = "Kah-FEH")

Ga = "Gah"  (Gamberi — "GAHM-beh-ree")
Ge = "Jeh"  (Genovese = "Jeh-noh-VEH-zay")
Ghe = "Geh"  (Spaghetti = "Spa-GEH–tee")
Ghi = "Ghee"  (Cinghiale = "Chin-GHEE-ah-leh")
Gi = "J"  (Formaggio = "For-MAH-joe")
Go = "Goh"  (Sugo = "SUE-goh")
Gu = "Goo"  (Ragù = "Rah-GOO")

Gli = "Y" (Tagliatelle = "Tah-yah-TELL-eh")
Gn = "Ny" (Gnocchi = "NYOH-key")

Note on Final Vowels: In standard Italian, every letter is pronounced, including the last vowel and each letter in double consonants, apart from the letter “h,” which is silent.

Italian Pronunciation

Gli = "Y"  (Tagliatelle = "Tah-yah-TELL-eh")
Gn = "Ny"  (Gnocchi = "NYOH-key")

H = Silent  (Hotel = "Oh-TELL")

Sce = "Sheh"  (Lisce [Smooth] = "Lee-SHEH")
Sci = "Sh"  (Prosciutto = "Pro-SHOOT-oh")

Z = "Tsz"  (Pizza = "Pee-tszuh")

Double Consonants = A Short Pause
(Foccacia = "Foh–KAH-chah"  |  Pollo [Chicken] = "POH–low")

Stress the Penultimate Syllable Unless the Last Letter Has An Accent
(Bolognese = "Boah-loan-YAY-zeh"  |  Caffè = "Kah-FEH")

Note on Final Vowels: In standard Italian, every letter is pronounced, including the last vowel and each letter in double consonants, apart from the letter “h,” which is silent.

Commonly Mispronounced Words
Amatriciana ("Ah-mah-tree-CHAH-nah")
Bolognese ("Boah-loan-YAY-zeh")
Bresaola ("Breh-ZOW-lah")
Bruschetta ("Brew-SKEHT-tah")
Burrata ("Boo-RAH-tah")
Calzone ("Kal-ZOH-neh")
Capri / Caprese ("KAH-pre" / "Kah-PREH-zeh")
Cavatelli ("KAH-vah-TEL-lee")
Foccacia ("Foh-KAH-chah")
Gnocchi ("NYOH-key")
Grazie ("GRAH-tsee-eh")
Gricia ("GrEE-cha")
Maniche ("Mah-knee-KAY")
Mascarpone ("Mahs-car-POH-neh")
Mozzarella ("Mohz-zah-REHL-lah")
Nigroni ("Knee-GROH-knee")
Nocciola ("No-CHOH-lah")
Orecchiette ("Oh-reh-KEH-teh")
Paccheri ("Pah-CAR-ee")
Pappardelle ("Pop-are-DELL-eh")
Pici ("PEE-chee")
Pistacchio ("Pee-STOCK-keoh")
Puglia ("POOL-yah")
Ricotta ("Re-KOH-tah")
Schiacciata ("Skey-ah-CHAH-tah")
Sicilia ("See-CHI-lee-uh")
Stracciatella ("Strah-CHAH-tell-uh")
Tagliatelle ("Tah-yah-TELL-eh")
Tagliolini ("Tah-yoh-LEE-knee")
Tajarin ("Tie-yar-EEN")

Commonly Mispronounced Words:
Amatriciana ("Ah-mah-tree-CHAH-nah")
Bolognese ("Boah-loan-YAY-zeh")
Bresaola ("Breh-ZOW-lah")
Bruschetta ("Brew-SKEHT-tah")
Burrata ("Boo-RAH-tah")
Calzone ("Kal-ZOH-neh")
Capri / Caprese ("KAH-pre" / "Kah-PREH-zeh")
Cavatelli ("KAH-vah-TEL-lee")
Foccacia ("Foh-KAH-chah")
Gnocchi ("NYOH-key")
Grazie ("GRAH-tsee-eh")
Gricia ("GrEE-cha")
Maniche ("Mah-knee-KAY")
Mascarpone ("Mahs-car-POH-neh")
Mozzarella ("Mohz-zah-REHL-lah")
Nigroni ("Knee-GROH-knee")
Nocciola ("No-CHOH-lah")
Orecchiette ("Oh-reh-KEH-teh")
Paccheri ("Pah-CAR-ee")
Pappardelle ("Pop-are-DELL-eh")
Pici ("PEE-chee")

Pistacchio ("Pee-STOCK-keoh")
Puglia ("POOL-yah")
Ricotta ("Re-KOH-tah")
Schiacciata ("Skey-ah-CHAH-tah")
Sicilia ("See-CHI-lee-uh")
Stracciatella ("Strah-CHAH-tell-uh")
Tagliatelle ("Tah-yah-TELL-eh")
Tagliolini ("Tah-yoh-LEE-knee")
Tajarin ("Tie-yar-EEN")

Useful Phrases

Hi, reservation for [name]
Salve, prenotazione per [name] ("SAL-veh, preh-noh-tah-zee-OH-neh per [name]")

Hello, table for [one / two / three / four] please
Salve, tavolo per [uno / due / tre / quattro] per favore ("SAL-veh, tah-VOH-loh per [EW-no / DUE-eh / TREH / KWAT-troh] per fa-VOH-ray")

Table outside / outdoors / inside
Tavolo fuori / all’aperto / dentro ("Tah-VOH-loh foo-OR-ree / al-ah-PEHR-toh / DEN-tro")

Do you speak English?
Parla inglese? ("PAHR-lah leen-GLAY-say")

I don't understand
Non capisco ("Nohn cah-PEES-coh")

What do you recommend?
Che cosa mi consiglia? ("Keh KOH-zah mee kon-SEE-lyah")

I’ll have… | I would like… | We would like…
Prendo… ("PREHN-doh") | Vorrei… ("Vor-RAY") | Vorremmo… ("Vor-REM-moh")

Is it possible?
È possibile? ("Eh pohs-SEE-bee-leh")

Where is the bathroom?
Dov'è il bagno ("DOH-veh eel BAHN-yoh")

Delicious
Delizioso ("Deh-lee-TSEE-oh-soh")

Very Good | Very Well
Molto Buono ("MOL-toh BWOH-noh") / Buonissimo ("Bwoh-NISS-ee-moh") | Molto Bene ("MOL-toh BEH-neh")

Beautiful | Perfect
Bellissimo ("Behl-LEES-ee-moh") | Perfetto ("Per-FET-toh")

Yes | No
Sì ("SEE") | No ("Noh")

Useful Phrases

Hi, reservation for [name]
Salve, prenotazione per [name]
("SAL-veh, preh-noh-tah-zee-OH-neh per [name]")

Hello, table for [one / two / three / four] please
Salve, tavolo per [uno / due / tre / quattro] per favore
("SAL-veh, tah-VOH-loh per [EW-no / DUE-eh / TREH / KWAT-troh] per fa-VOH-ray")

Table outside / outdoors / inside
Tavolo fuori / all’aperto / dentro
("Tah-VOH-loh foo-OR-ree / al-ah-PEHR-toh / DEN-tro")

Do you speak English?
Parla inglese? ("PAHR-lah leen-GLAY-say")

I don't understand
Non capisco ("Nohn cah-PEES-coh")

What do you recommend?
Che cosa mi consiglia? ("Keh KOH-zah mee kon-SEE-lyah")

I’ll have… | I would like… | We would like…
Prendo… ("PREHN-doh") | Vorrei… ("Vor-RAY") | Vorremmo… ("Vor-REM-moh")

Is it possible?
È possibile? ("Eh pohs-SEE-bee-leh")

Where is the bathroom?
Dov'è il bagno ("DOH-veh eel BAHN-yoh")

Delicious
Delizioso ("Deh-lee-TSEE-oh-soh")

Very Good | Very Well
Molto Buono ("MOL-toh BWOH-noh") / Buonissimo ("Bwoh-NISS-ee-moh") |
Molto Bene ("MOL-toh BEH-neh")

Beautiful | Perfect
Bellissimo ("Behl-LEES-ee-moh") | Perfetto ("Per-FET-toh")

Finished
Finito ("Fee-NEE-toh")

Check Please | Credit Card
Il conto per favore ("Eel CON-toh per fa-VOH-ray") |
Carta di credito ("CAR-tah dee CREH-dee-toh")

Excuse Me (Attention/Apology) / Excuse Me (Physical)
Scusi ("SKOO-zee") / Permesso ("Per-MESS-oh")

Thank You | Thank You Very Much | Thank You for Everything / All
Grazie ("GRAH-tsee-eh") | Grazie mille ("GRAH-tsee-eh MEEL-leh") |
Grazie per tutto / tutti ("GRAH-tsee-eh per TOOT-toh / TOOT-tee")

Thank You Goodbye
Grazie arrivederci ("GRAH-tsee-eh ahr-ree-veh-DER-chee")

You're Welcome / Go Ahead / How can I help you?
Prego ("PRAY-go")

So / Then / Well
Allora ("Ah-LOH-rah")

Everything alright? | Everything okay?
Tutto a posto? ("TOOT-toh POHS-toh") | Va bene tutto? ("Vah BEH-neh TOOT-toh")

All good | Alright/Okay
Tutto bene ("TOOT-toh BEH-neh") | Va bene ("Vah BEH-neh")

Good Morning/Day | Good Evening | Have a nice day
Buon giorno ("Bwon-JOR-no") | Buona sera ("BWO-nah SEH-rah") |
Buona giornata ("BWO-nah johr-NAH-tah")

Hi (Formal) | Hi / Bye (Informal)
Salve ("SAL-veh") | Ciao ("CHOW")