My AccéntMy Accént
← Italian Pronunciation Guide
t̪ d̪

Italian Dental t and d

Tongue touches TEETH — same as Spanish

ConsonantIPA: /t̪ d̪/

Practice Words

tuttodiretempodovedatoteneredormiretantodentrodomani

Accent-Specific Pronunciation Guide

How you approach this sound depends on your English accent. Find yours below for personalised coaching.

American English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian t and d are dental — the tongue tip touches the back of the upper TEETH, not the alveolar ridge behind them (which is where American English places t/d). The difference is subtle but crucial for sounding Italian. Italian dental t/d are also never aspirated — no puff of air after t. Compare: English 'top' (ridge, aspirated) vs. Italian 'top' (teeth, clean). Place your tongue tip directly against your upper front teeth.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d (alveolar))

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back (alveolar instead of dental)
  • •Aspirating t (puff of air)
  • •Not noticing the difference (it's subtle)

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch upper teeth with tongue tip → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' (ridge) → Italian 'tutto' (teeth)
  3. No puff of air: hold paper in front — it shouldn't move
  4. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente, tempo

British English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian t/d are dental — tongue tip against upper teeth, not alveolar ridge. RP t is alveolar with aspiration. Italian: no aspiration, forward position. Touch the teeth directly.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d)

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Australian / NZ English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian t/d are dental and unaspirated. Move tongue from the ridge to the back of the teeth. No puff of air after t. Subtle but important for Italian accent.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d)

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Irish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 1/5

Some Irish dialects use dental t/d, giving a direct advantage. Italian t/d touch the back of the upper teeth, unaspirated.

Bridge from: top, dog (t̪ d̪ (some dialects))

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Scottish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian t/d are dental and unaspirated. Move tongue tip from the ridge to the teeth. No aspiration.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d)

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Indian English

Direct TransferDifficulty: 1/5

Hindi dental त/द are very close to Italian dental t/d — near-direct transfer. Keep tongue against teeth, unaspirated.

Bridge from: Hindi त, द (t̪ d̪ (Hindi त द))

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

South African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian t/d are dental — tongue against upper teeth, not ridge. No aspiration after t. Subtle forward shift.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d)

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Nigerian / W. African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Some West African languages use dental stops, which may transfer. Italian t/d: tongue tip against back of upper teeth, unaspirated.

Bridge from: top, dog (t d)

Common mistakes:

  • •Tongue too far back
  • •Aspirating t

Drill sequence:

  1. Touch teeth → 'ta'
  2. English 'top' → Italian 'tutto'
  3. Practice: tanto, dentro, dente

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you pronounce the Italian Dental t and d?▾
The Italian Dental t and d is written as t̪ d̪ in IPA. Tongue touches TEETH — same as Spanish. The technique varies by your English accent — scroll down for personalised coaching for American, British, Australian, Irish, Scottish, Indian, South African, and Nigerian speakers.
Is the Italian Dental t and d hard for English speakers?▾
It depends on your accent. For some English accents, this is a direct transfer (you already make this sound). For others, it's genuinely new. Check the accent-specific section below to see your difficulty rating.
What words use the Italian Dental t and d sound?▾
Common practice words include: tutto, dire, tempo, dove, dato, tenere. These are good starting points for drilling this sound.

More Italian Sounds

rTrilled r

Alveolar trill — Roma, carro, terra, correre, guerra

ɾSingle tapped r

Alveolar tap — caro, sera, primo, ora, parlare

ʎItalian gl /ʎ/

Palatal lateral — famiglia, figlio, moglie, aglio, sbaglio

ɲItalian gn /ɲ/

Palatal nasal — gnocchi, lasagna, bagno, Bologna, ogni

(lengthened consonants)Double consonant gemination

Double consonants are HELD LONGER — pala/palla, caro/carro, fato/fatto, nono/nonno

ɛ / eOpen vs closed e

Open è in 'bello', closed é in 'sere' — meaning-distinguishing in some contexts

View all Italian sounds →

Ready to Use Your Accent as a Shortcut?

My Accént detects your English accent and maps your existing sounds to Italian. Start learning in seconds — no subscription required.

Start Learning FreeTake the Accent Quiz