Checkpoint: The Italian Alphabet

Twenty-one letters, five guests, one set of rules

You now know the whole alphabet. The five vowels are named by their own sound – a, e, i, o, u – and keep it in every position. The consonants have the names below; you need them every time someone asks you to spell a word. Then three rules carry you through most words: c and g are hard before a, o, u; h is never heard; a stressed last vowel is written with an accent.

Four letters, one shape turned around. b: the post, then the belly at the bottom right. d: the belly first, then the post on its right. p: the post going below the row, belly at the top right. q: belly first, then the post below the row.

Try the rules on a word you have not seen: Venezia. V: a real v. e: clear. n: n. e: clear again. z: here ts. i, a: clear. Five letters you know, two clear e’s, nothing silent. Or qualità (quality): qu = kw, and the accent says the stress falls on the last a.

Questa città è molto bella.This city is very beautiful.

Ho un fiore per Anna.I have a flower for Anna.