Italian Alphabet


The Italian alphabet consists of 21 letters. It is based on the Latin script, just like the English alphabet, but it does not include the letters J, K, W, X, or Y. In the Italian alphabet, there are 5 vowels and 16 consonants. Here is the Italian alphabet:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Z

The pronunciation of these letters in Italian is generally similar to their pronunciation in English, with some variations. Additionally, each letter in the Italian alphabet typically represents a single sound, making the language quite phonetic in its spelling and pronunciation.

Letter (Uppercase) Letter (Lowercase) Phonic (Pronunciation) Name of the letter NATO phonetic alphabet Letter Morse Code
A a /a/ ah Alfa .-
B b /bi/ bee Bravo -...
C c /tʃi/ chee Charlie -.-.
D d /di/ dee Delta -..
E e /e/ eh Echo .
F f /ɛffe/ ehf-feh Foxtrot ..-.
G g /gi/ jee Golf --.
H h /acca/ ahk-kah Hotel ....
I i /i/ ee India ..
L l /ɛlle/ ehl-leh Lima .-..
M m /ɛmme/ ehm-meh Mike --
N n /ɛnne/ ehn-neh November -.
O o /o/ o Oscar ---
P p /pi/ pee Papa .--.
Q q /ku/ koo Quebec --.-
R r /ɛrre/ ehr-reh Romeo .-.
S s /ɛsse/ ehs-seh Sierra ...
T t /ti/ tee Tango -
U u /u/ oo Uniform ..-
V v /vi/ vee Victor ...-
Z z /dzɛta/ tseh-tah Zulu --..

How many letters in Italian?

The Italian alphabet consists of 21 letters. These letters are A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Z. The Italian alphabet is based on the Latin script and does not include the letters J, K, W, X, or Y that are present in the English alphabet.

Italian Vowels Letters

In the Italian language, there are 5 vowel letters:
A,E,I,O,U

These 5 letters are the vowel components of the Italian alphabet and represent the basic vowel sounds in the language. In Italian, vowels are fundamental and play a significant role in pronunciation and word formation.

Italian Consonants Letters

In the Italian language, the consonant letters are as follows:
B,C,D,F,G,H,L,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,V,Z

These 16 letters represent the consonant sounds in Italian. They combine with the vowel letters to form words and sentences in the Italian language. Each consonant in Italian typically represents a distinct sound and plays a crucial role in pronunciation and spelling.

Pronunciation Guide


Consonants "C" and "G" before vowels

In Italian, the letters "C" and "G" can have different pronunciations based on the vowel that follows them.

"C" before "A," "O," and "U":When the letter "C" is followed by the vowels "A," "O," or "U," it is pronounced as a hard "k" sound, similar to the English "k."
Example: "Casa" (house) is pronounced as "kah-sah."
Example: "Colore" (color) is pronounced as "koh-loh-re."

"C" before "E" and "I": When "C" is followed by the vowels "E" or "I," it is typically pronounced as a soft sound similar to the English "ch."
Example: "Cena" (dinner) is pronounced as "cheh-nah."
Example: "Ciao" (hello/goodbye) is pronounced as "chow."

"G" before "A," "O," and "U" When the letter "G" is followed by the vowels "A," "O," or "U," it is pronounced as a hard "g" sound, similar to the English "g."
Example: "Gatto" (cat) is pronounced as "gaht-to."
Example: "Goloso" (greedy) is pronounced as "goh-loh-so."

"G" before "E" and "I": When "G" is followed by the vowels "E" or "I," it is pronounced as a soft sound similar to the "j" in "job."
Example: "Gelato" (ice cream) is pronounced as "jeh-lah-to."
Example: "Giocare" (to play) is pronounced as "joh-kah-re."

The Use of the Letter "H" in the Italian Language

In the Italian language, the letter "H" has specific characteristics:

Aspirated "H" (H Mutum):In standard Italian, the letter "H" is mostly silent and does not have a phonetic value in most words. It is known as "H mutum" or a silent "H." Therefore, words beginning with "H" are pronounced as if the "H" is not there.
Example: "Hotel" is pronounced as "otel" without pronouncing the "H."
Example: "Hobby" is pronounced as "obby" without the "H" sound.

Exceptions and Borrowed Words:There are some exceptions where the letter "H" is not silent. Some borrowed words from other languages, especially English, might retain the pronunciation of the "H."
Example: "Hardware" might retain the "H" sound due to its origin from English.

Diaeresis (Trema):The diaeresis (trema) is occasionally used in Italian, represented by the two dots (¨), to indicate a different pronunciation for the letter "H" in some words, often borrowed from other languages.
Example: "Cliché" is written with a diaeresis as "cliché" to indicate the pronunciation of the "e."

In general, native Italian words do not feature a pronounced "H." The letter "H" is not among the more frequently used letters in Italian and is mainly found in borrowed words or specific contexts, where it might retain its sound from the original language.

The Use of the Letter "R" in the Italian Language

In the Italian language, the letter "R" has a significant presence and plays an important role in pronunciation and word formation. Here are some key aspects of the use of the letter "R" in Italian:

Trilled "R":The standard pronunciation of "R" in Italian is a trilled or rolled sound produced by tapping the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth. This trilled "R" is a distinctive feature of Italian pronunciation.
Example: "Roma" (Rome) is pronounced with a trilled "R" as "ro-ma."

Double "R" (Geminate "R"):When there are two consecutive "R" letters within a word, it indicates a longer and stronger trill of the "R" sound.
Example: "Ferro" (iron) has a double "R," and the trilled "R" is emphasized as "fer-ro."

Different Pronunciations based on Region:T In some regions of Italy, particularly in the southern areas, the pronunciation of "R" might vary. Some speakers might produce a tap or a softer trill rather than a strong trill, leading to regional variations in the pronunciation of "R."

"R" at the Beginning and End of Words:The trilled "R" is also characteristic when "R" appears at the beginning or end of words, maintaining its strong sound.
Example: "Roma" (Rome) at the beginning and "amore" (love) at the end both showcase the strong trilled "R."

The pronunciation of "R" in Italian is distinctive and is one of the phonetic elements that contribute to the recognizable sound of the language. Mastering the trilled "R" sound is often a challenge for non-native speakers learning Italian.

The Use of the Letter "S" in the Italian Language

In the Italian language, the letter "S" has several pronounced roles in pronunciation and word formation:

Sibilant "S" Sound: In most cases, the letter "S" in Italian is pronounced as a sibilant "s" sound, similar to the English "s."
Example: "Stella" (star) is pronounced as "stel-la."

"S" Consonant Clusters:Italian employs the "S" consonant in various clusters with other consonants, creating specific sounds in combination. Example: "Sf" followed by a vowel creates a "sf" sound, as in "Sfera" (sphere) pronounced as "sfeh-ra."
Example: "Sc" followed by "e" or "i" produces a "sh" sound, as in "Scena" (scene) pronounced as "sheh-na."

Voiced "Z" Sound:In some cases, especially between vowels or in certain regional accents, the letter "S" can be pronounced as a voiced "z" sound, particularly in words derived from Latin or dialectal variations.
Example: "Casa" (house) can be pronounced as "cah-za" in certain dialects or casual speech.

"S" at the End of Words:The letter "S" at the end of words is generally pronounced, contributing to the final sound of the word.
Example: "Pesce" (fish) is pronounced as "pes-ce."

The letter "S" in Italian, with its distinct pronunciation and variations in certain contexts or dialects, contributes to the richness of the language's sound system and word formations.

The Use of the Letter "Q" in the Italian Language

In the Italian language, the letter "Q" is relatively uncommon and is almost always followed by the letter "U." Together, "QU" forms a digraph that represents a specific sound.The primary function of the letter "Q" in Italian is to represent the sound "kw" before the vowels "A," "O," and "U." When combined with "U," the "Q" is almost always followed by these vowels, and it is used to form specific sounds:

"QU" Pronunciation: In Italian, the combination "QU" is pronounced as a "kw" sound.
Example: "Quando" (when) is pronounced as "kwahn-do."

Use before "E" and "I": The combination "QUE" or "QUI" also follows this rule; however, in these cases, the "U" functions as a vowel carrier, and the pronunciation of "QU" changes slightly. Example: "Questo" (this) is pronounced as "kweh-sto."
Example: "Qui" (here) is pronounced as "kwee."

The use of "Q" in Italian is limited compared to other letters in the alphabet, and it is mainly found in words where the "QU" combination creates the specific "kw" sound at the beginning of certain words.