Learn Italian: A Guide To Learning The Basics of A New Language (2015)
Chapter 1. Pronunciation Guide
The Italian Alphabet
The Italian language is derived from Latin and so is the Italian alphabet which only has 21 letters and 5 additional letters which are commonly found in foreign words.
Twenty-one letters
Letter |
Name |
Letter Sound |
English |
a |
a |
AH |
father |
b |
bi |
BEE |
black |
c |
ci |
CHEE |
church |
d |
di |
DEE |
dodge |
e |
e |
AY |
set |
f |
effe |
EF-FAY |
fig |
g |
gi |
JEE |
general |
goal |
|||
h |
acca |
AHK-KA |
hole |
i |
i |
EE |
meet |
l |
elle |
EL-LAY |
long |
m |
emme |
EM-MAY |
mother |
n |
enne |
EN-NAY |
nurse |
o |
0 |
OH |
pot |
p |
pi |
PEE |
priest |
q |
cu |
COO |
steak |
r |
erre |
AIR-RAY |
|
s |
esse |
ES-SAY |
rose |
t |
ti |
TEE |
train |
u |
u |
OO |
food |
v |
vu (or vi) |
VOO (or) VEE |
vacation |
z |
zeta |
ZAY-TAH |
pads |
Five additional letters:
Letter |
Name |
Letter Sound |
English |
j |
i lunga |
EE LOON-GA |
jazz |
k |
cappa |
KAH-PAH |
crisis |
w |
doppia vu |
DOPE-PEE-AH VOO |
wealth |
x |
ics |
EEX |
exagerate |
y |
ipsilon |
EEP-SEE-LONE |
yell |