Learning Italian can be made easier by developing an ability to recognize cognates — words that look like English words and have a meaning similar to those words. There are some patterns to recognize and follow in order to sharpen your ability to recognize and use cognates.

Nouns that end in –ia in Italian usually end in –y in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
psicologia	psee-koh-loh-JEE-yah	psychology
autonomia	ou-toh-noh-MEE-yah	autonomy

Nouns that end in –ica in Italian usually end in –ic(s) in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
fisica	FEE-zee-kah	physics
musica	MOO-zee-kah	music

Nouns that end in –tà in Italian usually end in –ty in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
università	oo-nee-vehr-see-TAH	university
autorità	ahw-toh-ree-TAH	authority

Nouns that end in –ista in Italian usually end in –ist in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
dentista	dehn-TEES-tah	dentist
artista	ahr-TEES-tah	artist

Nouns that end in –ario in Italian usually end in –ary in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
diario	dee-AH-ree-oh	diary
dizionario	deet-see-oh-NAH-ree-yoh	dictionary

Nouns that end in –ore in Italian usually end in –or in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
professore	proh-fess-SOHR-ray	professor
attore	aht-TOHR-ray	actor

Nouns that end in –ione in Italian usually end in –ion in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
stazione	stahts-see-YOH-nay	station
religione	reh-lee-JOH-nay	religion

Nouns that end in –za in Italian usually end in –ce in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
importanza	eem-pohr-TAHNZ-ah	importance
indipendenza	een-dee-pehn-DEHNZ-ah	independence

Adjectives ending in –ale in Italian usually end in –al in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
speciale	speh-CHAH-lay	special
locale	loh-KAH-lay	local

Adjectives ending in –oso usually end in –ous in English.

Spelling Equivalents

Italian word	English equivalent
religioso	reh-lee-JOH-soh	religious
amoroso	ah-mohr-OH-soh	amorous