Italian Letter Combination
The letter combination SC has two different pronunciations.
1. When SC precedes a hard vowel (A, O, U) or consonant, the letters are pronounced [sk] as in "scan."
 |
Per esempio… |
| scala | staircase | |
| scontrino | receipt | |
| scrittore | desk | |
| scuola | school |
2. When SC precedes a soft vowel (E, I), the combination is pronounced like English’s sh as in "ship": IPA [ʃ].
|
Per esempio… |
| sciarpa | scarf | |
| scialle | shawl | |
| pesce | fish | |
| prosciutto | ham |
When the [sk] pronunciation is needed in front of E or I, add H: SCH.
Related lessons
- Letters: C | S
- Hard and soft vowels
- Italian alphabet
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