G + I/E vs G + H + I/E: gi/ge and ghi/ghe for Accurate Reading

Two sounds for g before i and e

In Italian, the letter g changes sound depending on what follows it. Before i and e, g is usually soft (like the “j” sound in English “jam”). To keep g hard (like the “g” in English “go”) before i and e, Italian inserts an h: ghi, ghe.

Soft G: gi and ge

When you see gi or ge, read a soft G.

• gelato (soft ge)
• giro (soft gi)
• Gina (soft Gi)

Tip: Keep the sound light and forward in the mouth. Don’t add an extra vowel after the consonant: say ge-la-to, not “jeh-uh-la-to”.

Hard G: ghi and ghe

When you see ghi or ghe, the h is silent and its job is only to keep the G hard.

• spaghetti (hard ghe)
• ghetto (hard ghe)
• laghi (hard ghi)
• ghiro (hard ghi)
• gheriglio (hard ghe; less common, but useful to see the pattern)

Important: The h does not create a separate sound. Read ghe as one unit (hard G + e), and ghi as one unit (hard G + i).

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Step-by-step: how to choose the right sound while reading

1. Spot the vowel after G. Is it i or e? If yes, continue.
2. Check for h.
   • No h → gi/ge → soft.
   • h present → ghi/ghe → hard.
3. Blend smoothly. Don’t pause between letters: ghe and ghi are single reading chunks.

Contrast pairs (train your eyes and ears)

Read each pair slowly, then a bit faster, keeping the contrast clear.

• Soft vs hard: gelato / ghetto
• Soft vs hard: giro / ghiro
• Name vs word: Gina / ghisa (note: ghisa “cast iron” is less common in daily conversation, but it’s a clean example of ghi)

Sentence practice (say it aloud)

Focus on the target chunk in each sentence.

• Prendo un gelato. (soft ge)
• Facciamo un giro in centro. (soft gi)
• Mi piacciono gli spaghetti. (hard ghe)
• Ci sono molti laghi in Italia. (hard ghi)
• Il ghetto è lontano da qui. (hard ghe)

Mini listening practice: soft or hard G?

How to do it: play or record yourself reading the words below in random order. After each word, decide: soft (gi/ge) or hard (ghi/ghe).

Extra challenge: have a partner read them to you, or use a text-to-speech voice in Italian. Don’t look at the spelling; rely only on what you hear.