Homographs are words written alike but pronounced differently.
We divided them in two groups:
1) those with the accent on the same syllable (v. "Homographs with closed and open vowel");
2) and those stressed on different syllables (this list).
There are not many of these words in Italian and context usually helps understand their real meaning; however, the different pronunciation might create misunderstandings or involuntary comic effects.
Please note that pronunciation can vary from region to region and educated speakers of certain regions may not follow the standard pronunciation given below.
For regional differences in pronunciation, see "L'italiano e i dialetti", published by Centro Studi Italiani as part of the Italian Readings on Tape series.
To find the infinitive of verb forms and a larger number of homograph verb forms, see "La ricerca dell'infinito", published by Centro Studi Italiani. For word stress position in homograph forms of conjugated verbs (perdóno/perdonō), see "Le coniugazioni chiavi", published by Centro Studi Italiani.
One of the most common cases of resemblance is between the second person singular of the imperative and the past participle.
Example:
| Včstiti in fretta | Get dressed at once |
| (Si sono) vestėti in fretta | (They) got dressed in a hurry |
NOTA BENE: we indicate only one of several possible English equivalents for the following words.
| Italian | English Equivalent | Italian | English Equivalent | Italian | English Equivalent |
| ādito | entrance | adėto | started legal proceedings | _____ | _____ |
| abbāglio (l') | blunder | abbaglėo (l') | dazzle | _____ | _____ |
| abbāino | (that) they bark | abbaėno (l') | attic | _____ | _____ |
| abbāio | I bark | abbaėo (l') | barking | _____ | _____ |
| abbarbāglio | I dazzle | abbarbaglėo (l') | dazzle | _____ | _____ |
| abėlita | it qualifies | abilitā (l') | ability | _____ | _____ |
| ābitino (l') | (that) they live | abitėno | simple/nice dress | _____ | _____ |
| ābito (l') | suit, dress | abitō | s/he lived | _____ | _____ |
| abōmini | you hate | abomėni (gli) | abominations | _____ | _____ |
| accōmodati |
come
in, make yourself comfortable |
accomodāti | repaired | _____ | _____ |
| accōrdio (l') | small hand organ | accordėo (l') | tuning (obsolete) | _____ | _____ |
| adųlteri | adulterous | adultčri | adulteries | _____ | _____ |
| āgito | I shake | agėto | acted | agitō | s/he shook |
| aguzzėno | slave driver | agųzzino | that they sharpen | ||
| āltero | I alter | altčro | proud | alterō | s/he altered |
| āmbito (l') | circle, sphere | ambėto | sought after | _____ | _____ |
| āncora (l') | anchor | ancóra | still, yet | _____ | _____ |
| ārbitri | referee | arbėtri | liberty | _____ | _____ |
| ārista | chine of pork | arėsta | ear of corn | _____ | _____ |
| asfėssia | it asphyxiates | asfissėa | asphyxia | _____ | _____ |
| attācchino | (that) they attack/affix | attacchėno (l') | bill-poster | _____ | _____ |
| āuguri (gli) | augurs | augųri | wishes | __________ | |
| āvaro (l') | Avar | avāro | stingy | _____ | _____ |
| bācino | (that) they kiss | bacėno (il) | basin | _____ | _____ |
| bācio | kiss | bacėo | facing north | _____ | _____ |
| bāglio (l') | dazzle | baglėo (l') | dazzling | _____ | _____ |
| bālia (la) | wet nurse | balėa (la) | power | _____ | _____ |
| bālzano | they jump | balzāno | odd | _____ | _____ |
| bécchino (beccare) | that they peck | becchėno | undertaker | __________ | |
| benčfici | charitable | benefėci (i) | benefits | _____ | _____ |
| bōccino | (that) they reject | boccėno (il) | small bocce ball | _____ | _____ |
| brāmino | (that) they crave for | bramėno (il) | Brahmin | _____ | _____ |
| bųchino | (that) they make a hole | buchėno | small hole | ||
| bųttero (il) | cowboy | butterō | I will throw | _____ | _____ |
| calāmita | s/he attracts | calamėta (la) | magnet | calamitā (la) | calamity |
| cālzino | they wear | calzėno | sock | _____ | _____ |
| cāmbiale | change them | cambiāle (la) | bill, I.O.U. | _____ | _____ |
| cāmpano | they live | campāno | pertaining to (or native of) the region of Campania | _____ | _____ |
| cānone | Canon, (monthly/yearly )flat fee | canōne | big dog | ||
| cāntino | (that) they sing | cantėno (il) | high E string of violin or guitar | _____ | _____ |
| cāpitano | they happen | capitāno (il) | captain | capitanō | s/he lead |
| cāpito | I arrive | capėto | understood | capitō | s/he arrived |
| capėtolo (il) | chapter | capitolō | s/he capitulated | _____ | _____ |
| circųito (il) | circuit | circuėto | deceived | _____ | _____ |
| colōnia | colony | colonėa | farming contract | _____ | _____ |
| cómpito (il) | task | compėto | polite | compitō | s/he spelled out |
| condōmini (i) | co-owners | condomėni (i) | condominiums | _____ | _____ |
| crōgiolo (crogiolare) | I cook on a small fire | crogiōlo (dell'altoforno) | crucible | _____ | _____ |
| cucėnino | (that) they cook | cucinėno (il) | kitchenette | _____ | _____ |
| dčcade (la) | decade | decāde | it declines | _____ | _____ |
| desėderi | you desire | desidčri (i) | desires | _____ | _____ |
| dčstino | (that) they wake up | destėno (il) | destiny | destinō | s/he destined |
| diménticati | forget it | dimenticāti | forgotten | _____ | _____ |
| esāmino | I examine | esamėno (l') | short exam | esaminō | s/he examined |
| čtere (l') | ether | etčre (le) | hetaera | _____ | _____ |
| férmati | stop | fermāti | stopped | _____ | _____ |
| fōrmica (la) | Formica (brand name) | formėca (la) | ant | _____ | _____ |
| frųstino | (that) they whip | frustėno (il) | riding-whip | _____ | _____ |
| gorghéggio | trill | gorgheggėo | trilling | gorgheggiō | trilled |
| gorgóglio | gurgle | gorgoglėo | gurgling | gorgogliō | gurgled |
| grāvita | s/he gravitates | gravitā (la) | gravity | _____ | _____ |
| guāi (i) | troubles | guaė | it yelped | _____ | _____ |
| ėmpari | unequal | impāri | you learn | _____ | _____ |
| ėndice (l') | index | indėce | s/he proclaims | _____ | _____ |
| ėndico | I indicate | indėco | I proclaim | _____ | _____ |
| ėntimo | intimate | intėmo | I order | intimō | s/he ordered |
| intųito (l') | intuition | intuėto | perceived | _____ | _____ |
| inųmano (inumare) | they bury | inumāno (crudčle) | inhuman | _____ | _____ |
| ėsolano | they isolate | isolāno (l') | islander | _____ | _____ |
| lčggere | to read | leggčre | light | _____ | _____ |
| leggčro | light | leggerō | I will read | _____ | _____ |
| ličvita | s/he rises | lievitā (la) | levity | _____ | _____ |
| lųstrino | that they shine | lustrėno | sequin | ||
| malčdico | slanderous | maledėco | I curse | _____ | _____ |
| mārtiri | martyrs | martėri (supplizi) | martyrdom | _____ | _____ |
| méndico | I beg | mendėco (il) | beggar | mendicō | s/he begged |
| mčrce | goods | mercč | pity | ||
| mčta | goal | metā | half | ||
| mondāno | mundane | mōndano | they clean | ||
| mugōlio (il) | plant extract (from a variety of pine) | mugolėo (il) | whining, moaning | _____ | _____ |
| nčttare (il) | nectar | nettāre | to clean | _____ | _____ |
| nōcciolo (il) | fruit stone | nocciōlo (il) | hazel | _____ | _____ |
| Omčro | Homer | ōmero | humerus | ||
| ōccupati | (you) see to it | occupāti | busy | _____ | _____ |
| ončsta | honest | onestā (l') | honesty | _____ | _____ |
| ōvvia | obvious | ovvėa | come on! | _____ | _____ |
| Ōvvio (scontato) | obvious | ovvėo (ovviare) | I remedy | _____ | _____ |
| pāgano | they pay | pagāno | pagan | _____ | _____ |
| pānico | panic | panėco | foxtail millet | _____ | _____ |
| pāpa | pope | papā | daddy | ||
| pāssero (il) | sparrow | passerō | I will go by | _____ | _____ |
| pāssino | that they go by | passėno (il) | strainer | _____ | _____ |
| pāttino | I skate | pattėno (il) | type of rowboat | pattinō | s/he skated |
| pčrdono | they lose | perdóno (il) | pardon | perdonō | s/he pardoned |
| péro (il) | pear tree | perō | but, however | _____ | _____ |
| perséguito | I persecute | perseguėto | pursued | perseguitō | s/he persecuted |
| pōrtale | bring them | portāle (il) | portal | _____ | _____ |
| prčdica (la) | sermon | predėca | that s/he foretell | _____ | _____ |
| prčdico | I preach | predėco | I predict | predicō | s/he preached |
| prčsidi (delle scuole) | principals | presėdi (difese, aiuti) | garrisons | _____ | _____ |
| prčsso | near | pressō | s/he pressed | _____ | _____ |
| prėncipi (i) | princes | princėpi (i) | principles | _____ | _____ |
| prōtesi (la) | prosthesis | protési | stretched | _____ | _____ |
| prōvino | (that) they try | provėno (il) | screen-test | _____ | _____ |
| rāschio | clearing of one's throat | raschėo | scraping | _____ | _____ |
| rasségnati | (you) accept it | rassegnāti | resigned | _____ | _____ |
| rčgia | regal | regėa (la) | movie/stage direction | _____ | _____ |
| rčtina | retina | retėna | hair-net | _____ | _____ |
| rųbino | (that) they steal | rubėno (il) | ruby | _____ | _____ |
| Sāra | Proper name | sarā | It will be | _____ | _____ |
| scāldino | (that) they heat | scaldėno (lo) | brazier | _____ | _____ |
| scāmpano | they escape | scampāno | I flare (a skirt) | _____ | _____ |
| scārtino | (that) they discard | scartėno (lo) | slip sheet | _____ | _____ |
| scrėvano | (that) they write | scrivāno (lo) | copyist | _____ | _____ |
| sdrųcio | tear, rip | sdrucėo | ripping | _____ | _____ |
| sciāmano | they swarm | sciamāno | shaman | _____ | _____ |
| séguito (il) | entourage | seguėto | followed | seguitō | s/he continued |
| spėano | they spy | spiāno | I level | spianō | he leveled |
| stānzino | (that) they allocate | stanzėno (lo) | small storage room | _____ | _____ |
| stropėccio (stropicciare) | I rub | stropiccėo (lo) | rubbing | _____ | _____ |
| sųbito | at once | subėto | endured | _____ | _____ |
| témperino | (that) they temper | temperėno | pocket knife | ||
| tčndine (il) | tendon | tendėne (le) | window curtains | _____ | _____ |
| tčrmite | termite | termėte | termite | _____ | _____ |
| tčste | witness | testč | a short time ago | ||
| tórtore | doves | tortóre | club, baton | _____ | _____ |
| trāttino | that they treat | trattėno (il) | dash, hyphen | _____ | _____ |
| tųrbina | it whirls | turbėna (la) | turbine | _____ | _____ |
| tųrbine (il) | whirl | turbėne (le) | turbines | _____ | _____ |
| unėta | united | unitā | unity | ||
| vāluta | s/he values | valųta | currency | _____ | _____ |
| venčfici | poisonous | venefėci (i) | poisonings | _____ | _____ |
| vicāria | vicarious | vicarėa | vicariate | _____ | _____ |
| vėola | s/he violates | viōla (la) | violet; viola (mus. instr.) | _____ | _____ |
| vėolino | (that) they violate | violėno (il) | violin | _____ | _____ |
| vėolo | I violate | viōlo | violet (dialect) | violō | s/he violated |
| vólano | they fly | volāno (il) | fly-wheel | _____ | _____ |
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