Italian alphabet

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The Italian alphabet is a variant of the Latin alphabet used by the Italian language (letters marked with an * are considered foreign letters, which are letters used only in foreign words and foreign names):

A a J* i lunga R erre
B bi K* cappa S esse
C ci L elle T ti
D di M emme U u
E e N enne V vi or vu
F effe W* vi doppia or vu doppia
G gi O o X* ics
H acca P pi Y* ipsilon or i greca
I i Q cu Z zeta

Substitutes for foreign letters

The letter J, when pronounced like English consonantal Y as in most languages, is substituted by I; when the original word is English, it can be replaced with G when followed by the vowels I or E, or GI when followed by the vowels A, O, or U;
The letter K is substituted by C when it precedes the vowels A, O, U, or a CH when it precedes the vowels I or E;
The letter W is replaced by U as a consonant;
The letter X represents a sound, /ks/, rarely encountered in Italian, and corresponds often to a /s/;
The letter Y corresponds normally to an I.

Use of J, K, W, X and Y in Italian

Recent trends have it that foreign letters are seen as "exotic" and positive. Young people use often "K" instead of "CH" to save a character in SMS messages, and generally to "break the rules". "J" is, due to English influence, often pronounced /dʒ/, also in imported names such an Jessica (/dʒe'ssika/). In Italian orthography, it would be written Gessica. Nicknames often involve a final Y, as Miky for Michela. All these uses are normally not standard.

However, a small number of words coming from foreign languages, or derived from Greek or Latin, do make use of non-standard characters, and are considered correct: xilofono, xenofobia, yen.

A	a	J*	i lunga	R	erre
B	bi	K*	cappa	S	esse
C	ci	L	elle	T	ti
D	di	M	emme	U	u
E	e	N	enne	V	vi or vu
F	effe			W*	vi doppia or vu doppia
G	gi	O	o	X*	ics
H	acca	P	pi	Y*	ipsilon or i greca
I	i	Q	cu	Z	zeta

Italian alphabet

Substitutes for foreign letters

Use of J, K, W, X and Y in Italian

See also