English pronunciation · Words Starting with I
Italian Pronunciation
Italian is pronounced i-TA-lyuhn, IPA /ˌɪˈtæljən/.
i-TA-lyuhn
US /ˌɪˈtæljən/
Syllables: i · TA · lyuhn (3 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
adjective and noun: Italy's people, their language, and anything that comes from the country.
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Italian in a Sentence
- She has been learning Italian for two years.
- An Italian couple bought the farmhouse.
- Italian design dominated the show.
Common Mispronunciations of Italian
Not eye-TAL-yuhn
Begin with a short i, as in it, not a long eye. The eye-talian version is a regional American form that many people find grating.
Not i-ta-lee-AN
Squeeze the lian ending into one beat, lyuhn, and put the punch on TA. Three syllables in all.
Tip: Italy opens loud on I, but Italian moves the weight to the second syllable. Adding the ending shifts the beat.
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