Free Italian pronunciation checker
Free Italian Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short Italian sentences aloud or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
Chiara e Giorgio cercano un cinema vicino alla chiesa.
Listen for: Soft and hard c and g (cinema, chiesa)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your Italian pronunciation
Each sentence in this Italian pronunciation test is built around a sound learners find hard: soft and hard c and g, double consonants, the rolled R, gli and gn, and open and closed vowels. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native Italian speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own Italian text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
The hardest Italian sounds for learners
Double consonants
A double consonant is held longer than a single one, with a short pause before it is released. It changes meaning: pala (shovel) and palla (ball), caro (dear) and carro (cart), sete (thirst) and sette (seven). Hold the consonant about twice as long and keep the vowel before it short.
Soft and hard C and G
Before e and i, c and g are soft: cena sounds like 'chena', gelato starts like 'j' in 'jam'. Before a, o and u they are hard (casa, gatto), and an h keeps them hard before e and i (chiesa, spaghetti). In ciao and giorno the i only softens the sound and is not said on its own.
The Italian R
Italian R is made with the tip of the tongue against the ridge behind your top teeth. A single r between vowels is one quick tap (caro, sera), while rr and an r at the start of a word are rolled with several taps (carro, Roma). Never use the English R.
GLI and GN
Gli /ʎ/ is close to the lli in 'million' said as one sound, with the middle of the tongue pressed to the roof of the mouth (figlio, aglio, luglio). Gn /ɲ/ is like the ny in 'canyon' (bagno, montagna, gnocchi). Between vowels both are naturally long, so hold them a little.
Open and closed E and O
Standard Italian has an open e /ɛ/ (bello, sette) and a closed e /e/ (sera, verde), and an open o /ɔ/ (porta, forte) and a closed o /o/ (sole, rosso). Spelling rarely shows the difference, apart from final accents like è (is) and perché. Many Italians mix them depending on the region, so work on them once your other sounds are solid.
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this Italian pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native Italian speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which Italian accent is the test based on?
Scores are based on standard Italian. Regional accents are common in Italy and are perfectly understood, but some vowels may score a little lower if they differ from the standard.
How can I improve my Italian pronunciation?
Get the vowels clear and short, then practise double consonants, because they change meaning in many everyday words. Work on the words the test flags most often, especially those with r, gli or gn. Read aloud for a few minutes every day and record yourself.
Is the Italian pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
How do you pronounce double consonants in Italian?
Hold the consonant longer. For stops like tt or pp, close your mouth and pause briefly before you release it: fatto sounds like 'fat-to'. For sounds you can stretch, like ll, mm or ss, just make them last longer: palla, mamma, rosso. Practise with pairs such as pala and palla, or nono (ninth) and nonno (grandfather).
How do you pronounce 'gli' in Italian?
Press the middle of your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, with the tip behind your lower teeth, and say an l in that position. It is close to the lli in 'million' but made as one sound. Try aglio (garlic), figlio (son) and the word gli (the) on its own.