Pronunciation: the letter s and the letter z
The letter s and the letter z are sometimes similar in their pronunciation, and both can be pronounced in two different ways. Listen to the difference:
- Sole VS Rosa
- Terzo VS Zaino
The letter s, which generally has a hissing sound that isn't as strong as a z, can be pronounced as follows:
- with a soft sound (close to an English “s”) in words like these:
Sole ; rosso ; corso
- with a sound in which you can hear more of the speaker's voice (closer to an English “z”) in words like these:
Rosa ; uso ; slitta
The letter z, which generally has a harsher, stronger sound than an s, more like “ts” or “dz”, can be pronounced as follows:
- With a relatively softer “ts” sound in words like these:
Calza ; pazzo ; alzare
- with a sound in which you can hear more of the speaker's voice (“dz”) in words like these:
Zero ; azoto ; zaino
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