The
sounds of the Z
1.
The sound of the Z or /DS/.
a) The single Z in Italian is pronounced as follows: start pronouncing a "D" and finish it with an"'S", /DS/.
ESEMPI: 
zero
Zio
(uncle) |
Mozione (motion) |
Vizio
(vice) |
Zucchero
(sugar) |
Nozione
(knowledge) |
Zampa (paw) |
Zaino
(knapsack) |
Nuzialita (marriage rate) |
Zafferano (saffron) |
Zero
(zero) |
Parziale (partial) |
Zanna (tusk) |
Azione
(action) |
Prezioso
(precious) |
Zeta (zee) |
Forza
(strenghth) |
Soluzione (solution) |
zoppo (limping) |
2.
The sound of the ZZ or /TS/.
a) When
theZ is doubled, its sound is more explosive. In Italian is pronnounced like /TS/.
ESEMPI:
pizza
|
Bellezza
(beauty)
|
Piazza (square)
|
|
Mezzo
(half)
|
Pizza
(pizza)
|
|
Mozzarella
(mozzarella)
|
Pizzico (pinch)
|
|
Mezzogiorno
(noon)
|
Prezzo (price)
|
|
Nozze
(wedding)
|
Rigidezza
(stiffness)
|
|
Pezzo
(piece)
|
Spezzare (to break)
|