Basic Italian Pronunciation and Phrases

Basic Italian Pronunciation and Phrases
by Alex Evins (v.07/24)

Basic Italian Pronunciation
by Alex Evins (v.07/24)

Italian Pronunciation

Chi = "Key"  |  Ci = "Chee"  |  Che = "Kay"  |  Ce = "Chay"
(Ex. Radicchio = "Rad-ic–key-oh"  |  Cappuccino = "Cap–pooh-chee-noh"  |  Lumache = "Lue-mah-kay"  |  Cena = "Chay-nah")


Ghi = "Ghee"  |  Gi = J  |  Ghe = "Geh"  |  Ge = "Jeh"
(Ex. Cinghiale = "Chin-ghee-ah-leh"  |  Formaggio = "For-mah-joe"  |  Spaghetti = "Spa-geh–tee"  |  Genovese = "Jeh-no-veh-zay)


Gli = Y  |  Gn = "Ny"  |  H = Silent
(Ex. Tagliatelle = "Tah-yah-tell-eh"  |  Gnocchi = "Nyohk-key"  |  Hotel = "Oh-tel")

Sci = "Sh"  |  Sce = "Sheh"  |  Z = "Tsz"
(Ex. Prosciutto = "Pro-shoot-oh"  |  Lisce [Smooth] = "lee-sheh"  |  Pizza = "Pee-tszuh")

Double Consonants = A Short Pause
(Ex. Foccacia = "Foh–cah-chah"  |  Pollo [Chicken] = "Poh–low")

Stress the Penultimate Syllable Unless the Last Letter Has An Accent
(Ex. Bolognese = "Boah-loan-YAY-seh"  |  Caffè = "Caf-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.

Italian Pronunciation

Chi = "Key"  |  Ci = "Chee"  |  Che = "Kay"  |  Ce = "Chay"
(Ex. Radicchio = "Rad-ic–key-oh"  |  Cappuccino = "Cap–pooh-chee-noh"  |
Lumache = "Lue-mah-kay"  |  Cena = "Chay-nah")


Ghi = "Ghee"  |  Gi = J  |  Ghe = "Geh"  |  Ge = "Jeh"
(Ex. Cinghiale = "Chin-ghee-ah-leh"  |  Formaggio = "For-mah-joe"  |
Spaghetti = "Spa-geh–tee"  |  Genovese = "Jeh-no-veh-zay)


Gli = Y  |  Gn = "Ny"  |  H = Silent
(Ex. Tagliatelle = "Tah-yah-tell-eh"  |  Gnocchi = "Nyohk-key"  |  Hotel = "Oh-tel")

Sci = "Sh"  |  Sce = "Sheh"  |  Z = "Tsz"
(Ex. Prosciutto = "Pro-shoot-oh"  |  Lisce [Smooth] = "lee-sheh"  |  Pizza = "Pee-tszuh")

Double Consonants = A Short Pause
(Ex. Foccacia = "Foh–cah-chah"  |  Pollo [Chicken] = "Poh–low")

Stress the Penultimate Syllable Unless the Last Letter Has An Accent
(Ex. Bolognese = "Boah-loan-YAY-seh"  |  Caffè = "Caf-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")
Foccacia ("Foh-CAH-chah")
Gnocchi ("NYOHK-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-COH-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")
Foccacia ("Foh-CAH-chah")
Gnocchi ("NYOHK-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-COH-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 BWOH-noh / BEH-neh")

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

Yes  |  No
("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 BWOH-noh / 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? ("TWO-toh POHS-toh")  |  Va bene tutto? ("Bah 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-gee-OR-no")  |  Buona sera ("BWO-nah SEH-rah")  |
Buona giornata
("BWO-nah johr-NAH-tah")

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

Yes  |  No
("SEE")  |  No ("Noh")

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? ("TWO-toh POHS-toh")  |  Va bene tutto? ("Bah 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-gee-OR-no")  |  Buona sera ("BWO-nah SEH-rah")  |  Buona giornata ("BWO-nah johr-NAH-tah")

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