The vowels you can't skip in Italian
You're reading a page aloud to your granddaughter and notice that some words have two or three vowels in a row: none of them can be skipped.
The phrase
In questo paese si mangia bene anche nei posti piccoli.10 words10 sentences
The ten words
- paese/paˈeze/
countrynoun
A territory with its own borders, laws and people.
- poeta/poˈɛta/
poetnoun
Someone who writes verse.
- aereo/aˈɛreo/
planenoun
A machine with wings that flies and carries people or things.
- paura/paˈura/
fearnoun
What you feel when there's danger or something threatens you.
- aiuola/aˈjwɔla/
flower bednoun
A patch of ground where flowers grow, in a garden or a park.
- museo/muˈzɛo/
museumnoun
A place where paintings, statues or old objects are on display.
- oceano/oˈtʃɛano/
oceannoun
A vast expanse of salt water that separates continents.
- europeo/ewroˈpɛo/
Europeanadjective
Relating to Europe or to someone who lives there.
- coerente/koeˈrɛnte/
coherentadjective
Something that holds together logically, with no parts that contradict each other.
- creare/kreˈare/
createverb
To make something exist that didn't exist before.
The sentences
In questo paese si mangia bene anche nei posti piccoli.
In this country you eat well even in the small places.
Il poeta che leggiamo stasera è nato vicino al mare.
The poet we're reading tonight was born near the sea.
Il nostro aereo parte domani mattina presto, quindi andiamo a dormire.
Our plane leaves early tomorrow morning, so let's go to bed.
Non avere paura, il cane dei vicini non morde mai.
Don't be afraid, the neighbours' dog never bites.
Questa aiuola davanti alla scuola ha bisogno di acqua ogni giorno.
This flower bed in front of the school needs water every day.
Il museo resta aperto fino alle sette anche nel fine settimana.
The museum stays open until seven, even on weekends.
Non ho mai visto l'oceano, solo il mare.
I've never seen the ocean, only the sea.
Con il passaporto europeo non devi fare la fila lunga.
With a European passport you don't have to stand in the long line.
Il tuo discorso è coerente, ma manca qualche esempio concreto.
Your speech is coherent, but it's missing some concrete examples.
Vogliamo creare un piccolo orto dietro casa il mese prossimo.
We want to create a small vegetable garden behind the house next month.
Pronunciation
paese/paˈeze/
The s sounds like a soft z and the stress falls on the e: pa-e-se.
poeta/poˈɛta/
The o and e are heard separately; the stress falls on the e, which is open.
aereo/aˈɛreo/
Four syllables, a-e-re-o, with the stress on the first e, which is open.
paura/paˈura/
The a, e and u stay separate and the stress falls on the u.
aiuola/aˈjwɔla/
Four vowels in a row; the stress falls on the o, which is open.
museo/muˈzɛo/
The s sounds like a soft z; the stress is on the open e, and the final o is heard.
oceano/oˈtʃɛano/
The stress falls on the e, not the a: o-ce-a-no; the c before the e is soft.
europeo/ewroˈpɛo/
The stress falls on the e of the second-to-last syllable, which is open, and the final o is heard.
coerente/koeˈrɛnte/
The o and e at the start are heard separately; the stress is on the open e.
creare/kreˈare/
The e and a stay separate and the stress falls on the a.
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Past days are part of the Pass. Practice the first 3 of the 10 words free, or all of them with the Pass.
Get the Pass7 days free, then USD 5.99 a monthToday's words are freeQuestions
- How do you pronounce paese?
- The s sounds like a soft z and the stress falls on the e: pa-e-se.
- What does coerente mean?
- Coerente describes something that holds together logically, with no parts that contradict each other.
- Which word has the most vowels in a row?
- Aiuola has four vowels in a row, with the stress on the final o, which is open.