You are a beginner who keeps meeting written Italian words and freezing before saying them out loud. In this workshop you practise the full loop: asking Come si pronuncia questa parola?, listening to the model, attempting the word yourself, and confirming with Si pronuncia così? or Ho pronunciato bene? Each scenario adds a realistic twist, such as a word you cannot hear clearly or a listener who answers a slightly different question than the one you asked.
Prepare the loop before you open your mouth
Treat this as a three-step routine you can run without translating in your head. Step one is the request: Come si pronuncia questa parola? Step two is your own attempt, said clearly and with a questioning rise at the end. Step three is the check: the word plus Così?, or the fuller Si pronuncia così? Decide in advance what you will do if the answer is no, because that moment is where beginners usually go silent. Have Puoi ripetere, per favore? ready for when you simply did not catch the model, and keep it separate in your mind from the pronunciation question: one asks how a word sounds, the other asks a speaker to say something again. Before practising, pick three real Italian words you have seen written but never said aloud, such as sciarpa, gnocchi, or famiglia, and write them down so the scenarios feel concrete rather than abstract.
When the answer is not the one you expected
The hard turn in this skill is not the first question; it is what happens after the reply. A listener may pronounce the word quickly, may answer Come si dice instead of Come si pronuncia, or may say your attempt was close but not right. Do not restart from zero. Repeat the word as you heard it, add Così?, and let the other person correct one sound at a time. If you genuinely did not hear the model, say Puoi ripetere, per favore? rather than guessing. If you are told your attempt was wrong, the useful move is to say the word again slightly differently and ask Si pronuncia così? This keeps the exchange moving and gives you a second, more accurate model to copy. The goal is a confirmed pronunciation, not a perfect accent on the first try.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Come si pronuncia questa parola?
How do you pronounce this word?
KOH-meh see pro-NOON-chah KWEH-stah pah-ROH-lah
Come si dice questa parola?
How do you say this word?
KOH-meh see DEE-cheh KWEH-stah pah-ROH-lah
Si pronuncia così?
Is it pronounced like this?
see pro-NOON-chah koh-ZEE
Ho pronunciato bene?
Did I pronounce it well?
oh pro-noon-CHAH-toh BEH-neh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Come si pronuncia questa parola?
How do you pronounce this word?Si pronuncia 'sciarpa'.
It's pronounced 'sciarpa'.Sciarpa? Così?
Sciarpa? Like this?Sì, esatto!
Yes, exactly!Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
First attempt at the market stall
You are at a small market and see a handwritten sign with the word sciarpa on a scarf. You want to buy it but have never said the word aloud and are not sure about the opening sound.
Your task: Ask the seller how to pronounce the word on the sign, listen to the model, then say the word back as your own attempt, ending with a questioning tone, and confirm with Si pronuncia così?
The word you cannot hear
A colleague says a word you do not recognise while describing a family photo, and when you ask how to pronounce it, they say it quickly and you still cannot separate the sounds.
Your task: Ask how to pronounce the word, then when the model is too fast, ask the person to repeat it, listen again, attempt the word yourself, and ask whether you pronounced it well.
Confirming a word you half know
You are reading a menu and see the word gnocchi. You have heard it before and think you know it, but you are not confident, and the waiter is standing nearby with time to help.
Your task: State the word as your own attempt first with a questioning tone, ask whether that is how it is pronounced, and if the waiter corrects you, say it again and ask directly whether you pronounced it well.
Common questions
Should I say the word myself before or after asking how to pronounce it?
Ask first with Come si pronuncia questa parola?, listen to the model, then attempt the word and check with Si pronuncia così? Attempting before you have heard the model gives you nothing to compare against, and the other person cannot tell what you are actually asking about.
What do I do if the person answers with Come si dice instead of giving a pronunciation?
Come si dice means How do you say? and is used when you do not know the word at all, so the reply may be a different word rather than a sound model. Repeat your request with Come si pronuncia questa parola? and, if needed, say the word yourself with Così? so the other person understands you want the sound, not the meaning.
Sources and further reading
- italian: asking how to pronounce a wordChecked September 2026
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