∅ (silent / spelling marker)

Italian silent h

H is always silent — ho, hai, hanno; 'ch' and 'gh' use h to keep hard /k/ and /ɡ/

ConsonantIPA: /∅ (silent / spelling marker)/

Practice Words

hohaihannochechighiacciospaghettichiavechiesaperché

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 h is always silent — 'ho' (I have) is just /o/, 'hai' (you have) is just /ai/. You already do this in 'hour' and 'honest'. BUT h plays a crucial spelling role: in combinations 'ch' and 'gh', the h is a hardening marker that keeps c and g as /k/ and /ɡ/ before e/i. So 'che' = /ke/ (not /tʃe/), 'ghiaccio' = /ɡjattʃo/ (not /dʒ/). The h itself is never pronounced — it just changes how you read the preceding consonant.

Bridge from: hour, honest (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h as a breathy sound
•Reading 'ch' as English 'ch' (/tʃ/) instead of Italian /k/
•Reading 'gh' as English 'g' sound instead of recognising the hardening rule
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
honest → hanno (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/ (h keeps c hard)
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/ (h keeps g hard)
Practice: chi, che, anche, ghiaccio

British English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

RP carefully preserves h, creating a strong habit to break. Italian h is always silent: 'ho' = /o/, 'hanno' = /anno/. The key insight: 'ch' before e/i = /k/ (hard), 'gh' before e/i = /ɡ/ (hard). The h acts as a 'hardener', not a sound. This is the opposite of English, where 'ch' = /tʃ/.

Bridge from: hour, honest (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Australian / NZ English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian h is always silent. 'Ho' = /o/, 'hai' = /ai/. But 'ch' before e/i keeps c hard: 'che' = /ke/. And 'gh' before e/i keeps g hard: 'ghiaccio' = /ɡ/. H is a spelling device, never a sound.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Irish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian h is always silent — similar to how some Irish dialects naturally drop h. But watch for 'ch' and 'gh' before e/i — the h keeps c and g hard: 'che' = /ke/, 'ghiaccio' = /ɡ/.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Scottish English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian h is always silent. 'Ho' = /o/. The important spelling rule: 'ch' before e/i = /k/ (hard), 'gh' before e/i = /ɡ/ (hard). H acts as a hardening marker, not a sound.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Indian English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 3/5

Hindi has strong h and aspirated consonants, creating a habit to break. Italian h is ALWAYS silent — suppress any aspiration. 'Ho' = /o/, 'hanno' = /anno/. Critical: 'ch' = /k/ before e/i, 'gh' = /ɡ/ before e/i. The h is a spelling device only.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

South African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian h is always silent. 'Ho' = /o/, 'hai' = /ai/. Remember: 'ch' before e/i keeps c hard (/k/), 'gh' before e/i keeps g hard (/ɡ/). H is never pronounced — it's a spelling marker.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Nigerian / W. African English

Small AdjustmentDifficulty: 2/5

Italian h is always silent. Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa all have h sounds, so consciously suppress them. 'Ho' = /o/, 'hanno' = /anno/. Important spelling rule: 'ch' = /k/ and 'gh' = /ɡ/ before e/i — the h is a hardening marker.

Bridge from: hour (h → ∅)

Common mistakes:

•Pronouncing h
•Reading ch as English ch (/tʃ/)
•Not understanding h as a spelling device

Drill sequence:

hour → ho (both silent h)
che = /ke/ not /tʃe/
ghi = /ɡi/ not /dʒi/
Practice: chi, anche, ghiaccio

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you pronounce the Italian Italian silent h?▾

The Italian Italian silent h is written as ∅ (silent / spelling marker) in IPA. H is always silent — ho, hai, hanno; 'ch' and 'gh' use h to keep hard /k/ and /ɡ/. 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 Italian silent h 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 Italian silent h sound?▾

Common practice words include: ho, hai, hanno, che, chi, ghiaccio. These are good starting points for drilling this sound.