The sound table
Look at the letter after c, g or sc to know the sound.
| c, g + a, o, u · hard | cornetto, gatto |
| c, g + e, i · soft | cinema, gelato |
| ch, gh + e, i · hard | chiesa, spaghetti |
| ci, gi + a, o, u · silent i | ciao, giorno |
| gn · like ny | gnocchi, cognome |
| gli · like lli | famiglia, figlio |
| sc + e, i · like sh / sch · like sk | pesce / pesche |
| double consonants · held longer | nonno, cappuccino |
H is always silent: ho, hotel.
K, j, w, x and y mostly turn up in foreign words like kiwi and weekend.
An accent on the last vowel marks the stress: città, perché, caffè.