Bruschetta, gnocchi, and prosciutto among top Italian foods Australians are asking Google how to pronounce.
Love Italian food? If you’re Aussie, you likely do, but new research shows that you may also be pronouncing your order wrong, with bruschetta, gnocchi and prosciutto some of the top food items that don’t seem to roll off our tongues.
- Bruschetta tops the list and should be pronounced broos-KET-ta, not broo-SHET-ta.
- Gnocchi’s “gn” is like the “ny” in canyon, so say NYOH-kee.
- ‘Ch’ in Italian is a hard k sound, flipping common English expectations.
- ‘C’ and ‘sc’ rules: double c before i or e is a ch sound, as in fo-CAH-cha.
- Italian vowels are consistent: e is “eh” and i is “ee”, e.g. tag-lee-ah-TELL-eh.
The new study by Italian Street Kitchen has pinpointed the dishes Australians are asking Google how to say.
To help diners sound more like locals next time they order, Group Head Chef Giulio Marchese is breaking down the key pronunciation pitfalls and the simple rules to follow.
“At Italian Street Kitchen, I hear mispronunciations daily, from porchetta and carpaccio, to nduja, capricciosa, fregola, casarecce, radicchio and even margherita,” said Marchese.
“These are classic dishes, but many Australians aren’t aware of the Italian pronunciation rules, especially when it comes to vowels and consonants. Once you understand a few basics, it becomes much easier to get it right.”
The Top Mispronounced Italian Foods in Australia
Rank | Most Mispronounced |
| 1 | Bruschetta |
| 2 | Gnocchi |
| 3 | Prosciutto |
| 4 | Focaccia |
| 5 | Spaghetti |
| 6 | Orecchiette |
| 7 | Arancini |
| 8 | Pistachio |
| 9 | Pappardelle |
| 10 | Espresso |
| 11 | Tagliatelle |
| 12 | Cannoli |
| 13 | Cappuccino |
| 14 | Biscotti |
| 15 | Fagioli |
| 16 | Frittata |
| 17 | Salame |
To help Australians better pronounce their favourite dish when they next pop in for some Italian food, Giulio Marchese reveals how you can truly wow the waiter on your next order.
(Italian Street Kitchen Group Head Chef Giulio Marchese)
“There are a few rules in the Italian language that aren’t used in English, but once you know them, it becomes easier to nail the language. Common English-language habits trip up pronunciation, especially with the letters ‘ch’, ‘gn’, and Italian vowels”.
The ‘CH’ Rule
One of the biggest traps is reversing Italian pronunciation logic.
“In English, ‘ch’ makes a ‘sh’ sound, but in Italian, it’s pronounced like a hard ‘k’,” said Marchese.
“So bruschetta is actually broos-KET-ta, not broo-SHET-ta. Same with porchetta: it’s por-KET-ta, not por-CHET-ta.”
The ‘GN’ Rule
“Many people say gnocchi as G-nock-ee, but the ‘gn’ in Italian is pronounced like the ‘ny’ in canyon, so it’s NYOH-kee.”
The ‘C’ and ‘SC’ Confusion
Words like prosciutto and focaccia often get butchered too.
“With prosciutto, people often say pro-SHOO-to. But in Italian, the ‘sci’ is pronounced ‘sh’, and the ‘u’ sounds like ‘oo’, so it’s more like pro-SHOO-toh.”
“And it’s not fo-ca-sha, it’s fo-CAH-cha. The double ‘c’ before an ‘i’ or ‘e’ is always a ‘ch’ sound.”
The Vowels: E and I
Italian vowels are pronounced clearly and consistently.
“An ‘e’ is always an ‘eh’ sound, and an ‘i’ is always an ‘ee’ sound,” said Marchese.
“So tagliatelle is pronounced tag-lee-ah-TELL-eh, not tag-li-atell-ee.”
