The Italian alphabet

The Italian alphabet in practice: what really matters

In theory, you have already seen the Italian alphabet table.

In practice, you need only a few clear ideas to use it when spelling your name or new words.

• 21 basic letters: A–Z without J, K, W, X, Y
• 5 “foreign” letters: J, K, W, X, Y (mainly in names and foreign words)
• Very regular spelling: usually, one spelling = one sound

Below you find the points that normally cause questions for English-speaking learners.

1. The 5 “foreign” letters (J, K, W, X, Y)

These letters do not belong to the traditional Italian alphabet, but you will still hear them when people spell names.

• Where you see them: first names, surnames, foreign brands, technical words.
• What Italians often do: they explain the letter with a model word from the alphabet list.

Letter	Example word	Possible spelling phrase
J	Jazz	“J di Jazz”
K	Kayak	“K di Kayak”
W	Windsurf	“W di Windsurf”
X	Xilofono	“X di Xilofono”
Y	Yacht	“Y di Yacht”

Tip for self‑check

• Can you say your full name and spell any J, K, W, X, Y using the pattern “X di [word]”?
• If not, choose a simple model word for each “foreign” letter and memorise it.

2. The silent H

The Italian H is always silent.

• Never has its own sound.
• Only changes the sound of C and G (you will learn this later with CH / GH).

Written	Pronounced	Comment
hotel	otel	H is not heard
ho	o	“I have” – H is silent

Common mistake

• hotel with an English h-sound
• Correct: say otel, start directly with the vowel.

Quick self‑check

• Say aloud: hotel, ho, hanno, hobby.
• If you feel or hear air at the beginning (an English /h/), repeat and remove it.

3. Spelling your name in Italian

In real life, the alphabet is mainly used to spell names and emails on the phone or at a desk.

There are two typical patterns:

1. Letter by letter
   “L-U-C-I-A”
2. Letter + example word
   “L come Luna, U come Uva, C come Casa, I come Isola, A come Albero”

Useful mini‑phrases

• Come si scrive il tuo nome? – How do you spell your name?
• Il mio nome si scrive… – My first name is spelled…
• Il mio cognome si scrive… – My surname is spelled…
• … con la C di Casa – with C as in “Casa”

Self‑practice

1. Write down your first name and surname.
2. Next to each letter, choose a simple Italian word (e.g. from the table in your book).
3. Say: “[letter] come [word]” for each letter, slowly.

4. Sounds that often confuse English speakers

The book already introduces some typical Italian spelling–sound groups.

Here is what you really need at A1 level.

• C + E / I → like English ch
  cena (dinner), cibo (food).
• GL + I → like Spanish ll in paella
  famiglia (family), figlio (son).
• Doubled consonants → longer sound
  fratello vs. fratelo (the second one sounds wrong).

Why this matters when spelling

• For GLI, people may repeat: “G-L-I”, letter by letter.
• For double consonants, they often say: “due S” (two S), “due L”, etc.

Example:

• “Rossi, R di Rana, due S di Sole.”

Self‑check

• Can you explain your surname like this: “… con la R di Rana e due S di Sole” (adapted to your letters)?
• If your name contains GLI or double letters, plan in advance how to say it clearly.

5. Step‑by‑step: be ready to spell in a real conversation

Use this mini checklist to see if you are ready to use the alphabet in class or in Italy.

1. Listen
   Play the alphabet audio in your book and repeat, focusing on letters that feel different from English (for example: G, R, H).
2. Spell your name slowly
   Say each letter with a short pause: “M-A-R-C-O”.
3. Add example words
   Use the pattern: “M come Mela, A come Albero…”.
4. Include special letters
   If you have J, K, W, X or Y, practise phrases like “J di Jazz”.
5. Simulate a phone call
   Imagine you call a hotel in Italy. Say: “Mi chiamo …, il mio cognome si scrive …” and spell it.

If you can do these steps without stopping, you are ready to focus on real conversations in class.