Lesson 1, part 7: Italian consonants "sc", pronunciation and comparison with english

sc before a, o, or u is like sk in ask.

Italian / English
ascoltare  to listen
scuola  school
pesca  peach
tasca  pocket
toscano  Tuscan
scaloppine  cutlets
scarpa  shoe
scultura  sculpture
disco  disk; record
scopo  purpose

sc before e or i is like the English sound shin fish.

Italian / English
finisce  finishes
sci  ski
pesce  fish
conoscere  to know
scena  scene
scendere  to descend
uscita  exit
uscio  door

sch occurs only before e or i, and is pronounced like the English sk.

Italian / English
pesche  peaches
tasche  pockets
dischi  disks; records
scheletro  skeleton
fiaschi  flasks
lische  fishbones