Italian · Difficult words
How to pronounce spalla in Italian
spalla
Shoulder
Standard Italian · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
spalla is pronounced /ˈspal.la/ in Italian. In spalla: Follow the length shown in the IPA and the recording. A doubled consonant needs a longer closure or hold before the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
Find the sounds in spalla
Read spalla in these IPA segments: ˈspal · la. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.Consonant and vowel timing
In spalla: Follow the length shown in the IPA and the recording. A doubled consonant needs a longer closure or hold before the next vowel.
Watch out: Do not insert an extra vowel to make a long consonant easier. A colon /ː/ lengthens the sound immediately before it.
2.An open vowel
In spalla: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
3.A clear /s/
In spalla: Let air pass through a narrow groove near the front of the mouth. Keep the sound unvoiced.
Watch out: Do not add voicing and turn /s/ into /z/.
Hear it in context
Mi fa male la spalla destra.
My right shoulder hurts.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
spalla is presented using Standard Italian. Regional accents and connected speech can change details. The isolated word and the example let you compare the dictionary form with a short spoken context.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about spalla
How do you pronounce spalla?
spalla is pronounced /ˈspal.la/ in Italian. In spalla: Follow the length shown in the IPA and the recording. A doubled consonant needs a longer closure or hold before the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In spalla: Follow the length shown in the IPA and the recording. A doubled consonant needs a longer closure or hold before the next vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
