The Letter S in Italian (When you say /s/ or /z/)
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- Опубліковано 24 лис 2020
- In today’s lesson, I’ll focus on the pronunciation of the letter S in Italian. I’m gonna show you a couple of rules and many examples. Stay till the end cause I also give you the chance to practice.
In Italian, we say the letter S ("esse") in two different ways: like an es /s/, or like a zed /z/. In the first case, it’s called “sorda” while in the second “sonora”
Now bear in mind that in spoken Italian we don’t pay much attention to this rule and the pronunciation can also vary depending on the Italian region as they all have a different accent. So don't worry too much if you don't get it accurate 100% as people can still understand you. With this being said let’s see how to say this letter more in detail.
You say /s/ when:
1. the "s" is before one of the following consonants: C, F, P, Q, and T
- like in the word “pesca” that means peach
2. the "s" is at the beginning of a word and the next letter is a vowel, for example in "sale " (sault)
3. the "s" is doubled, like in the adjective "basso" (short)
4. the "s" is in between a consonant and a vowel, for example in "borsa" (bag)
You say /z/ when:
1. the "s" is before one of the following consonants: B, D, G, L, M, N, V like in the word: "sbaglio" (mistake)
2. the word ends with these letters: "asi", "esi", "isi", and "osi". For example, "crisi" (crisis)
3. the word ends in “esimo” or “esima”, for instance: "ventesimo" (twentieth)
4. the "s" is in between two vowels. For example in "esame" (exam) - but there are many exceptions
Watch the video to learn more!
I have subscribed your channel. Your videos are very helpful. I am from Bangladesh.
I’ve been looking for an explanation of this for awhile with no luck - so grateful for this video!
so glad it was helpful!
Thank you! This was very helpful. I was wondering why, in Duolingo Italian, casa is pronounced with the s like z, yet mese (which also follows the pattern of an s between vowels) is pronounced with the s like s. I guess it's just one of those exceptions you have to memorize.
I get confused with words like ASINO. It appears to be pronounced AH-see-no, but when I see it, I want to pronounce it ah-SEE-no. I haven't been able to figure out yet when the first syllable of a three-syllable word is stressed, or when one is supposed to stress the second syllable.
Good tutorial, though, very clear and you get right to the point. Subscribed.
Hi! thanks so much for your comment - it's a very good point ... I'll see if I can find more information on how to stress three-syllable words and I'll come back to you 😊
grazie mille !
Another good lesson! Thanks so much!
Grazie mille 🤩
You doing a great job I'm learning alot grazie tante ❤
I'm so glad to hear it! Grazie mille ❤️
Hi dear
Sorda:
When it starts a word, followed by a vowel. (SALE, SOLE, SEDIA, SORELLE, SINISTRA, SUCCO)
Before the consonants: C, F, P, Q, T. (PESCA, STELLA, SFIDA, CASCO, SPALLA, SQUADRA, SPINGERE)
When doubled. (PASSO, SASSO, MESSA, CASSA, TASSA, OSSO)
Between a consonant and a vowel. (BORSA, FUCSIA, MENSA, FALSO, SALSA, ORSO).
Sonora
Before a consonant (B, D, G, L, M, N, V): (SBAGLIO, SDEGNO, SMALTO, SGUARDO, SNELLA, SLITTA, SVEGLIA)
Words ending in: -asi, -esi, -isi, -osi: CRISI. Note that these all end in “-si” (QUASI, ANALISI, TESI, NEVROSI)
Words ending in: -esima, -esimo. Note again the “si” pattern. (VENTESIMO, BATTESIMO, QUARESIMA, TREDICESIMO
Between two vowels: (ESAMA, TESORO, TISANA, ROSA, SPOSA, VISO, PAUSA). Note there are many exceptions to this rule where it is pronounced sorda. (COSA, NASO, PESO, CHIUSO, SPESA, ASINO)
Grazie
Thank you very much! You make the lessons very easy to understand!
Grazie! I'm so glad you like them :)
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grazie mille
grazie grazie ♥️ it helped me a lot
Figurati! Glad it helped 😊
3.52
Grazie mile 🙏
Grazie per aver guardato il video Bharath :)
Il video è molto utile. Grazie mille!
Ciao Kim, mi fa molto piacere e grazie mille per averlo guardato :)
Hello
What about "prosecco", "proseguire"? What rule applied in these words?
Italian "S" is pronounced /z/ when between voiced sounds (VOWELS) and before VOICED CONSTANTS(B D G L M N V)
I think these voiced sounds affects unvoiced sound /s/ and make it voiced /z/
I have no idea about some exceptions such as "naso" /naso/
So, Laura Pausini is "pauzini"?
Grazie Ambra, voglio mettere mille like
😄 grazie di cuore, Adam, sei un sacco gentile!
E “isola” sorda o sonora ? Grazie mille.
The pronunciation of the word "isola" is: ˈizola
so the letter Z is "sonora" (soft sound)
Is cosa = S? Why did some iitalien told me cosa = z?
Ciao Ambra
Ciao!
how to pronounce ( pezzo ) , it's like pesso
Hi Nimesh, thanks for your question! the letter "Z" in Italian can sound in two ways: /ts/ or /dz/. In the word "pezzo" you pronounce it: /ts/ (ˈpɛttso) - note that the sound /ts/ it's different from the one we've seen in this video: /ss/ (like in the word "passo"). I hope it answers your question. Anyway, I'm gonna make a video on the letter "z" so I can give you more examples :)
Ambra Connex-ita okay . Grazie tanto !
Buona sera mia maestra come va
Ciao Hussain, tutto bene e a te come va?
@@AmbraConnexita sto bene graze e tu come va