Pronunciation Lesson

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
Pronunciation Lesson
Alphabet
LETTERS
A
EXAMPLES
Arancia
B
Banana
C: CE CI
Cento
C: CHE CHI
Chiaro
C: CA CO CU C+Cons
Carota
D
Dieci
E
Elefante
F
Fungo
G: GE GI
Gelato
G: GHE GHI
Ghiaccio
G: GA GO GU G+Cons
Gatto
H
Hotel
I
Italia
L
Latte
M
Mela
N
Noce
O
Otto
P
Pasta
Q
Quattro
S
Riso (The standard Italian R
sound is similar to the
Scottish R in English)
Spaghetti
T
Torta
U
Uva
V
Vino
Z
Zucca
R
ENGLISH SOUNDS
ENGLISH WORDS
1. Consonant Letters:
BCDFGHLMNPQRSTVZ
2. Vowels
AEIOU
Words to practice the pronunciation of the vowels:
ITALIAN
Aereo
Isole Eolie
Mar Ionio
Aosta
Europa
Io
Uovo
ENGLISH
Plane
Aeolian Islands
Ionian Sea
Aosta
Europe
I
Egg
ITALIAN
Uomo
Due
Più
Paura
Acqua
Zio
Cuore
ENGLISH
Men
Two
More
Fear
Water
Uncle
Heart
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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
Ae Ai Ao Au – Paese Mai Aosta Australia
Ea Ei Eo Eu – Creare Miei Eolie Europa
Ia Ie Io Iu – Mia Mie Mio Giudice
Oa Oe Oi Ou – Boa Poeta Poi
Ua Ue Ui Uo – Quando Questo Qui Uomo
Other cluster of letters which may be hard to pronounce:
1. SCa.
SCI – SCE: when SC- is followed by I or E, the C is mild. These groups of letters are pronounced as the English
SH- (for example in the word she).
As a consequence, all these groups of letters will be pronounced with a SH sound:
SCE scelta (choice)
SCI scimmia (monkey)
SCIA sciarpa (scarf)
SCIE scienza (science)
SCIO sciocco (a silly person)
SCIU asciutto (dry)
b.
SCHI – SCHE – SCA – SCO – SCU: when SC- is followed by H, or the vowels A, O, U, the C is strong (K sound).
These groups of letters are pronounced as the English SC-/SK- (for example the word Risk)
As a consequence, all these groups of letters will be pronounced with a SC/SK sound:
SCHE scheda (form, file)
SCHI rischi (risks)
SCA scarpa (shoe)
SCO casco (helmet)
SCU scuola (school)
SCHIA mischiare (to mix)
SCHIO maschio (male)
SCHIU schiuma (froth)
2. GLI and its combinations: GLIA – GLIE – GLIO – GLIU
This sound, which is very used in Italian, is not a common sound of English. However, you can find it in some words,
for example in the word Million.
Voglia (will, inclination) Maglione (sweater) Maglietta (T-shirt) Meglio (better) Coniglio (rabbit)
3. GN- and its combinations: GNA- GNE- GNI- GNOThis sound is used in English as well, for example in the word Onion
Gnocchi – Gnomo (gnome)
Some basic pronunciation rules:
1.
2.
3.
In Italian the only silent letter is the H. All the other letters MUST be pronounced.
Italian words usually end with a vowel, which must be pronounced, as it is the part of the word which usually
carries the grammatical/functional information.
Example: ragazzo (boy) - ragazza (girl) – ragazzi (boys or a group of boys and girls) – ragazze (girls)
Italian has some double consonant letters. These ones must be pronounced as if there were a short pause in
front of them.
Example: dita (fingers) – ditta (enterprise)
sono (I am/They are) – sonno (sleepiness)
Created by New Realm Media for La Bella Figura – Experience Italian Culture. September 2012 ©
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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
Stress:
Usually, words are stressed on the second last syllable.
Example: al.ber.go (hotel) – i.de.a (idea)
 When the stress falls on the last vowel that vowel will have a grave accent.
Example: città (city) caffè (coffee) perchè (why/because) così (that is) però (but) più (more/most)
 A minority of words are stressed on the first syllable or on syllables that are not the second last. A good way to
memorize them may be to mark the stressed syllable with an accent (even though in written Italian these stresses
are not marked).
Example: ti.mi.do (shy) bel.lis.si.mo (beautiful)
 Some words end with a combination of two vowels. Generally, the endings –ia, -ie, and -io are pronounced
together, in a single syllable (Ve.ne.zia, dop.pio - double). However, they may be some exceptions (scri.va.ni.a –
desk)
Exercises
1.
Alphabet
Circle the vowels and underline the consonants. Then write an Italian word for each sound.
ABCDEFGHILMNIOPQRSTUVZ
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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
2.
Exercise 6a, 6b and 6c
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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
3.
Exercise with GLI:
Write GLIA, GLIE, GLIO instead of the dots and form the correct Italian words. Then repeat the word.
1. Gli scolari svo………ti non ottengono mai risultati soddisfacenti.
Word:
Meaning:
2. Marco compra una tova……… nuova.
Word:
Meaning:
3. Quel negozio di ma……..ria ha ottimi prezzi.
Word:
Meaning:
4. L’alpinista per salire verso il ghiacciaio indossa un ma………ne di lana.
Word:
Meaning:
5. L’albero del ti……., a maggio, profuma tutto il giardino.
Word:
Meaning:
6. Il mio tova………lo è pieno di macchie.
Word:
Meaning:
7. C’è un coni……… grigio in giardino.
Word:
Meaning:
8. Sullo sco……… ci sono molte conchi…..….
Word:
Meaning:
9. Il mio esercizio è sba………to.
Word:
Meaning:
10. Il proverbio dice: Chi non semina non racco……….
Word:
Meaning:
4.
Exercise with SC- (SH/SK)
Write SCI-SCE, SCHI-SCHE, SCA, SCO, SCU instead of the dots and form the correct Italian nouns. Then repeat
the words.
1. ………....tola (Meaning: box)
2. ..............da (Meaning: file)
3. ………….do (Meaning: shield)
4. ca.......... (Meaning: helmet)
5. ……....ena (Meaning 1: back)
……….ena (Meaning 2 : scene)
6. ma……..o (Meaning: male)
7. ………..uma (Meaning. foam)
8. pro……utto (Meaning: ham)
9. a…….nsore (Meaning: lift)
10.
li……o (Meaning: smooth)
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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE
Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners
5.
exercice with GN-
Read loud the following words with GN-, and match them with their appropriate meaning:
1. Legno
a.Toilet/Bathroom
2. Sogno
b.Wood
3. Bagno
c.Dream
4. Segno
d.Gnome
5. Gnomo
e.Sign
6.
The stress
Read loud the following words and underline the stressed syllable
Caffè – scrivania – mela – banana – bellissimo – camera – venezia – dopo – bagno – prosciutto – scena – scatola –
coniglio – cicliegia - così – albergo – conchiglia – tovaglia – idea – tavolo – sonno – legno – latte – spaghetti - riso
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