LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

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Pronunciation Lesson

Alphabet LETTERS EXAMPLES ENGLISH SOUNDS ENGLISH WORDS

A 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

R Riso (The standard Italian R sound is similar to the Scottish R in English)

S Spaghetti

T Torta

U Uva

V Vino

Z Zucca

1. Consonant Letters: B C D F G H L M N P Q R S T V Z

2. Vowels A E I O U

Words to practice the pronunciation of the vowels: ITALIAN ENGLISH ITALIAN ENGLISH

Aereo Plane Uomo Men

Isole Eolie Aeolian Islands Due Two

Mar Ionio Ionian Sea Più More

Aosta Aosta Paura Fear

Europa Europe Acqua Water

Io I Zio Uncle

Uovo Egg Cuore Heart

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

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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. SC-

a. 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- GNO- This sound is used in English as well, for example in the word Onion Gnocchi – Gnomo (gnome)

Some basic pronunciation rules: 1. In Italian the only silent letter is the H. All the other letters MUST be pronounced. 2. 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)

3. 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)

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

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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.

A B C D E F G H I L M N I O P Q R S T U V Z

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

Created by New Realm Media for La Bella Figura – Experience Italian Culture. September 2012 © 4

2. Exercise 6a, 6b and 6c

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

Created by New Realm Media for La Bella Figura – Experience Italian Culture. September 2012 © 5

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)

LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

Created by New Realm Media for La Bella Figura – Experience Italian Culture. September 2012 © 6

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