You think you’re saying these words right… but are you? You might already know lots of words, but sometimes your Italian pronunciation can sound just a little off.
Don’t worry, that’s totally normal. Your tongue naturally tries to make foreign sounds feel more “comfortable” for you, which can lead to small pronunciation mistakes. The only problem is that native speakers might not always understand you right away.
But no stress, we can fix that! In this guide, we’ll look at 15 words that learners often mispronounce, we’ll adjust a few tricky sounds and get you speaking like a true Italian. You might already be pronouncing some of them perfectly, or you might discover a few surprises. Are YOU mispronouncing these common Italian words? Let’s find out! Iniziamo! (Let’s get started!)
TL;DR: 15 Italian Words Beginners Say Wrong (Quick Summary & Fixes)
Italian pronunciation matters more than you think: even tiny sound changes can completely change the meaning (penne vs pene 👀) or make it harder for natives to understand you.
In this guide, you’ll fix 15 common Italian words that beginners mispronounce all the time — so you can sound clearer, more natural, and more Italian.
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll correct:
- Buongiorno → say BWON-jor-no, not BON-jor-noo
- Grazie → say GRAHT-tsyeh, not grat-see
- Prosciutto → say pro-SHOO-toh, not pro-SKOO-toe
- Espresso → say es-PRESS-oh, not ex-PRESS-oh
- Macchiato → say mahk-KYAH-toh, not mah-chee-AH-toh
- Gnocchi → say NYO-kee, not noh-chee or guh-noh-chee
- Panino / Panini → pa-NEE-no (one), pa-NEE-nee (more than one)
- Salame / Salami → sah-LAH-meh (one), sah-LAH-mee (plural)
- Penne → say pehn-neh (double N!), not peh-neh (or pene 😅)
- Gelato → say jeh-LAH-toh, not jee-LAH-toe
- Mozzarella → say mot-tsa-REL-la, not muhtz-uh-rel
- Bruschetta → say broo-SKET-tah, not broo-SHET-tah
- Aglio → say AH-lyo, not AG-lee-oh
- Parmigiano → say par-mee-JAH-noh, not par-me-ZAN
- Ghiaccio → say GYAH-choh, not gee-AH-choh
The full lesson breaks down each word step by step with simple sound tricks, examples, and clear comparisons — so you can train your ear, train your tongue, and stop second-guessing your Italian pronunciation.
Watch this lesson on my YouTube Channel
The importance of correct Italian pronunciation
It might sound like an exaggeration, but pronunciation can actually be more important than grammar or vocabulary. Think about it: when we learn a new language, it all starts with sound — the rhythm, the melody, the way words flow together. So, getting your pronunciation right is the key to being understood. You could know all the grammar rules, the structures, even the difficult words, but if people can’t catch what you’re saying, communication stops.
Not to mention that sometimes, a small pronunciation mistake can totally change your meaning! For example, you might think you’re saying that you miss your cane (dog), but if you pronounce it wrong, it could sound like you’re missing your canne (joints)!
Mastering Italian pronunciation also improves your listening skills. When you train your ear to the sounds of Italian, you’ll start catching words and expressions in fast conversations that you used to miss completely.In short: pronunciation matters… a lot!
1. Buongiorno – Good morning
❌ Wrong pronunciation: BON-jorh-nooo
✅ Correct pronunciation: BWON-jorh-noh
The first part, bwon, is where most people make a mistake. In English, we’d be tempted to say bon, but in Italian, the u and o are both pronounced, creating a blended bwon sound, like you’re starting to say boo and quickly moving to on. The next part, giorno, starts with gio, which sounds similar to the jor in George, but softer and without the hard English “j.” Finally, the o at the end should be short and neat, like the o in go, not drawn out or turned into “oo.”
Example: Buongiorno signore, come state?—Good morning ladies, how are you?
2. Grazie –Thank you
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : graht-see
✅ Correct pronunciation: GRAHT-tsyeh
Many English speakers drop or blur the final -e, but in Italian, every vowel is pronounced clearly and separately. So make sure you say both the i and the e: tsi-eh → tsyeh. Also, the z in grazie sounds like ts (as in cats), not dz (as in beds). In general, there’s no fixed rule for when the Italian z is pronounced ts or dz, and the best way to master it is by listening carefully to native speakers and practicing out loud.
Example: Grazie, siete molto gentili!—Thank you, you’re very kind!
3. Prosciutto
❌ Wrong pronunciation: pro-shoo-toe / pro-SKOO-toe
✅ Correct pronunciation: pro-SHOO-toh
There are two main things to watch out for in this word. First, the final o is short and crisp, not long like “toe.” English speakers tend to stretch it out by habit, but in Italian, it ends neatly with a clean “oh” sound. Second, the middle part (sci) makes a sh sound, just like in she or shoe. So instead of saying “SKOO,” you want to say “SHOO.”
Example: Vorrei un panino al prosciutto, per favore.—I would like a ham sandwich, please.
4. Espresso – Espresso coffee
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : ex-PRESS-oh
✅ Correct pronunciation: es-PRESS-oh
This is a very common mistake! Many English speakers say ex-PRESS-oh because espresso looks like the English word express. But in Italian, there is no “x” sound. The es at the beginning should sound just like the start of escape: a clean es, not ex. The p follows directly, so the start should be smooth and quick: es-PRESS-oh.
Example: Bevo sempre un espresso dopo cena.—I always have an espresso after dinner.
Fun fact: In Italy, people rarely say espresso when ordering coffee. They simply say un caffè, per favore, because caffè already means an espresso!
5. Macchiato –Coffee with a spot of milk
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : mah-chee-AH-toh
✅ Correct pronunciation: mahk-KYAH-toh
In Italy, when you want a coffee with just a little milk, you order a caffè macchiato (or simply a macchiato), which is the perfect alternative to a cappuccino after 11 am! But the tricky part here is the ch. In English, we’re used to saying ch as in cheese, but in Italian, ch always sounds like a hard k, as in key or car. So instead of mah-chee, it should be mahk-kyah. Then there’s the vowel cluster ia: in Italian, these two vowels blend together into a smooth yah sound, not ee-ah as English speakers might expect.
Example: Prendo un macchiato caldo e un cornetto, grazie.—I’ll have a hot macchiato and a croissant, thank you.
6. Gnocchi –Italian dumplings made from potato and flour
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : NOH- chee / Guh-NO- chee
✅ Correct pronunciation: NYO-kee
The main challenge is the gn at the start. In English, we’d usually pronounce the g and n separately, like in pregnant, but in Italian, gn creates a single soft, nasal sound — a bit like the ny in canyon. To make it, press your tongue gently against the roof of your mouth (just behind your teeth) and let the sound come out through your nose: nyo. I’m sure you’ve actually heard this sound before… it’s the same one in lasagna!
Then comes ch, which, as we’ve seen before, is not like the “ch” in cheese. In Italian, ch is always pronounced like a hard k, as in key.
Example: Ieri abbiamo mangiato gli gnocchi al pesto.—Yesterday we ate gnocchi with pesto.
7. Panini –Sandwich
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : puh-NEE-nee when referring to one sandwich
✅ Correct pronunciation: pa-NEE-no for one sandwich, pa-NEE-nee for more than one
This word often causes confusion because English borrowed it from Italian but changed how it’s used. In English, a panini usually means one toasted sandwich. But in Italian, panini is plural, meaning sandwiches. The singular form is panino. So if you order un panini in Italy, you’re technically asking for “one sandwiches,” which is grammatically incorrect. You should say un panino for one sandwich, or dei panini for some sandwiches. For pronunciation, make sure the a in pa is an open, clear ah sound, like the a in pasta or father. English speakers often make it too soft, like “puh,” but that’s incorrect.
Example: Preparo un panino, lo vuoi anche tu?—I’m making a sandwich, do you want one too?
8. Salami – A type of cured sausage
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : suh-LAH-mee
✅ Correct pronunciation: sah-LAH-me
This is another word that English borrowed from Italian and changed a little. In English, we say salami (with the “ee” sound at the end) to mean one cured sausage. But in Italian, salami is actually plural, meaning “sausages.” If you’re talking about just one, the correct word is salame (singular).
Regarding the pronunciation, the a in the first syllable is a clear, open ah sound: sah, not suh. And the final e is never silent: it’s a crisp meh.
By the way, if you want to say you’d like more than one slice of salame, you can’t just say salami; you’ll need to say fette di salame (slices of salame), like:
Vuoi altre fette di salame nel panino?—Would you like some more slices of salami in your sandwich?
You may also hear the word salumi, which sounds a lot like salame or salami, but it refers to cold cuts in general (mortadella, salame, prosciutto crudo, etc.). For example, at a restaurant, the waiter might say:
Come antipasto, abbiamo un tagliere di salumi e formaggi.— As a starter, we have a board of cured meats and cheeses.
9. Penne – Pens / type of pasta
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : peh-neh
✅ Correct pronunciation: pehn-neh
This is one of the most dangerous pronunciation mistakes in Italian! Double consonants are super important in Italian, because they can completely change a word’s meaning. With two n’s (penne), it means “pens” or the pasta shape. But with just one n (pene), it means… penis! So if you accidentally say pene instead of penne, and you tell the waiter Vorrei un piatto di pene all’arrabbiata, you’re actually saying “I’d like a plate of penis with spicy sauce.” To get it right, hold that n sound just a little longer, like you’re emphasizing it: pehn-neh.
Example: Puoi prestarmi una delle tue penne?—Can you lend me one of your pens?
10. Gelato –Ice cream
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : jee-LAH-toe
✅ Correct pronunciation: jeh-LAH-toh
The word gelato looks super familiar, since we eat tons and yet some often sneak in the wrong sounds. The first part, ge, is where most English speakers make mistakes.In English, we tend to pronounce the letter e as ee, because that’s how it sounds when we say the alphabet. So it feels natural to say it like a long jee sound. But in Italian, the e is a straight eh sound, like in get or met. Then, the o at the end is short and clean, like the o in go or so, not drawn out into “toe.”
Example: Adoro il gelato al cioccolato!—I love chocolate ice-cream!
11. Mozzarella –Mozzarella cheese
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : muhtz-uh-rel
✅ Correct pronunciation: mot-tsa-REL-la
The biggest mistake English speakers make with this word is dropping the final a, whereas in Italian, every vowel counts, so make sure you pronounce that last “a” clearly: rel-la, not rel! Next, pay attention to the double zz. It’s not a soft z like in zebra, it’s a strong ts sound, like the ts in cats: mot-tsa. Finally, the vowels: the o in mo- is short and tight, not like the long English o in mow, but a quick, rounded sound. And both a’s (-tsa- and -la) are open and clear, like the a in car.
Example: In estate, mangio spesso mozzarella e pomodori.—In summer, I often eat mozzarella and tomatoes.
12. Bruschetta –Toasted bread with toppings
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : broo-SHET-tah
✅ Correct pronunciation: broo-SKET-tah
This one is a restaurant classic: delicious to eat, but often mispronounced! As we’ve already seen, in Italian, the ch combination always makes a hard k sound, never a sh like in English. So it’s SKET, not SHET.Then, pay attention to the double t: hold your tongue up against your teeth for a bit before releasing the t. It should sound crisp and clear, not rushed. Tongue twisters are great practice for training your mouth to make these quick, clean double consonants!
Example: Stasera faccio le bruschette con il pomodoro.—Tonight I’m making bruschetta with tomatoes.
13. Aglio – Garlic
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : AG-lee-oh
✅ Correct pronunciation: AH-lyo
The most challenging part of this word is the gl sound. In English, we typically say it like a hard g and l (as in glimpse), but in Italian, gl before the vowel i makes a soft, blended sound, something like the lli in million.
To practice this sound, try saying million slowly, then stop at the lli part (mill-yo) and notice how your tongue touches the top of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. That’s the same motion you need for AHL-yo. The sound should flow smoothly, not with a hard break. Finally, keep the o short and clean, like the o in go.
Example: La mia bambina è allergica all’aglio.—My little girl is allergic to garlic.
14. Parmigiano – Parmesan Cheese
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : par-me-ZAN
✅ Correct pronunciation: par-mee-JAH-noh
The problem with this word is that English speakers often copy the English pronunciation (Parmesan), which causes two main mistakes. First, the syllable mi: that i in Italian is pronounced like ee in see, never like the short e in met. Then, in the syllable gia, the gi makes a soft j sound, like the j in jam, not a z. So it’s jah, not zan. Finally, make sure to end with a clear, short noh sound. Don’t drop it or turn it into nuh.
Example: Posso avere del Parmigiano per la pasta? — Can I have some Parmesan for the pasta? (A useful phrase to remember when ordering food in Italy!)
15. Ghiaccio –Ice
❌ Wrong pronunciation: : gee-AH-choh
✅ Correct pronunciation: GYAH-choh
The tricky part with the word ghiaccio is the beginning: ghia. In English, we tend to say gee-ah, with a soft g like in giant. But in Italian, the h after g tells you to keep the g hard, like in gate. So instead of gee-ah, you blend the sounds together into gya.
Example: Mi piace la Coca Cola con ghiaccio e limone. — I like my Coke with ice and lemon.
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