Alphabet, sounds & numbers

The Italian alphabetThe 5 vowelsTricky consonantsNumbers 0–100

Key phrases

Italian	Pronunciation	English	Note
Come si scrive?	KOH-meh see SKREE-veh	How is it spelled?
Amico	ah-MEE-ko	Friend	Hard C before A/O/U
Ciao	CHOW	Hi / bye	Soft C before I
Università	oo-nee-vehr-see-TAH	University
Uno, due, tre	OO-no · DOO-eh · treh	1, 2, 3
Venti, trenta, cento	VEN-tee · TREN-tah · CHEN-toh	20, 30, 100
Cinquantasei	cheen-KWAN-tah-SAY	56	Compound: 50 + 6
Hotel	oh-TEL	Hotel	H is always silent
Ghiaccio	GYAH-choh	Ice	GH = hard G
Famiglia	fah-MEEL-yah	Family	GL = like 'gli' in million

Grammar tip

C and G change sound based on the next vowel

Before E or I → soft (C = 'ch', G = 'j'): ciao, giro. Before A, O, U → hard (C = 'k', G = 'g'): casa, gatto. Add H to keep hard before E/I: chi (key), ghiaccio (ice).

India note

Italian vowels sound like Hindi vowels

A = आ, E = ए, I = इ, O = ओ, U = उ — exactly the same pure sounds. Indian speakers usually nail them immediately. The rolled R sounds like Hindi र and the double letters (pp, tt, nn) are held slightly longer, like geminate consonants in Tamil and Kannada.

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