This chart offers a detailed comparison of the phonemes used in Italian (Italy) – it-IT, displayed using both Italian IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) and X-SAMPA transcription systems. Each row includes the phoneme symbol, a sample word, and its full phonetic transcription in both formats.
Italian phonology is known for its clear distinction between single and geminated (long) consonants, which are phonemically contrastive and noted with doubled consonants (e.g., /p/ vs. /pː/). The language also includes a rich variety of affricates, nasals, and liquids, and employs consistent vowel qualities without vowel reduction. This chart is intended for learners, educators, linguists, and developers working on pronunciation, phonetic analysis, or Italian speech processing. A reference for stress symbols and syllable boundaries is included at the end.
Italian IPA (Italy) – it-IT
| X-SAMPA | IPA | Example Word | X-SAMPA Transcription | IPA Transcription |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| p | p | pane | "pane | ˈpane |
| p: | pː | appena | a"p:ena | aˈpːena |
| b | b | bocca | "bok:a | ˈbokːa |
| b: | bː | abbacchio | a"b:ak:jo | aˈbːakːjo |
| t | t | tedio | "tEdjo | ˈtɛdjo |
| t: | tː | attento | a"t:Ento | aˈtːɛnto |
| d | d | dato | "dato | ˈdato |
| d: | dː | addio | a"d:io | aˈdːio |
| k | k | colonna | ko"lon:a | koˈlonːa |
| k: | kː | accolto | a"k:Olto | aˈkːɔlto |
| g | ɡ | gatto | "gat:o | ˈgatːo |
| g: | ɡː | agguato | a"g:wato | aˈɡːwato |
| f | f | fulgido | "fuldZido | ˈfulʤido |
| f: | fː | affusolato | af:uzo"lato | afːuzoˈlato |
| v | v | vaso | "vazo | ˈvazo |
| v: | vː | avviare | av:i"are | avːiˈare |
| s | s | sete | "sete | ˈsete |
| s: | sː | assetato | as:e"tato | asːeˈtato |
| z | z | fuso | "fuzo | ˈfuzo |
| S | ʃ | sciopero | "SOpero | ˈʃɔpero |
| S: | ʃː | fascia | "faS:a | ˈfaʃːa |
| Z | ʒ | garage | ga"raZ | gaˈraʒ |
| ts | ts | tsunami | tsu"nami | tsuˈnami |
| ts: | tsː | stazione | sta"ts:jone | staˈtsːjone |
| dz | dz | zero | "dzEro | ˈdzɛro |
| dz: | dzː | azzerare | adz:e"rare | adzːeˈrare |
| tS | tʃ | cima | "tSima | ˈtʃima |
| tS: | tʃː | faccia | "fatS:a | ˈfatʃːa |
| dZ | dʒ | giro | "dZiro | ˈdʒiro |
| dZ: | dʒː | aggirare | adZ:i"rare | adʒːiˈrare |
| m | m | mano | "mano | ˈmano |
| m: | mː | ammanicato | am:ani"kato | amːaniˈkato |
| n | n | noia | "nOja | ˈnɔja |
| n: | nː | annoiare | an:o"jare | anːoˈjare |
| J | ɲ | gnomo | "JOmo | ˈɲɔmo |
| J: | ɲː | agnello | a"J:El:o | aˈɲːɛlːo |
| r | r | ruolo | "rwOlo | ˈrwɔlo |
| r: | rː | arruolare | ar:wo"lare | arːwoˈlare |
| l | l | ladro | "ladro | ˈladro |
| l: | lː | allarme | a"l:arme | aˈlːarme |
| L | ʎ | gli | "Li | ˈʎi |
| L: | ʎː | aglio | "aL:o | ˈaʎːo |
| h | h | Juan | hu"an | huˈan |
| T | θ | math (loan) | "maT | ˈmaθ |
| j | j | Juventus / vorrei | ju"vEntus / vo"r:Ej | juˈvɛntus / voˈrːɛj |
| w | w | ruolo / causa | "rwOlo / "kawza | ˈrwɔlo / ˈkawza |
| 3: | ɜː | Pasteur | pa"st3:r | paˈstɜːr |
| a | a | amore | a"more | aˈmore |
| e | e | esilio | e"ziljo | eˈziljo |
| o | o | osare | o"zare | oˈzare |
| E | ɛ | pelle | "pEl:e | ˈpɛlːe |
| i | i | ignaro | i"J:aro | iˈɲːaro |
| O | ɔ | polo | "pOlo | ˈpɔlo |
| u | u | muro | "muro | ˈmuro |
Stress Symbols
| Function | IPA | X-SAMPA |
|---|---|---|
| Primary stress | ˈ | " |
| Syllable boundary | . | . |