# Piedmontese phrasebook

Piedmontese (piemontèis) is a Romance language spoken by about two or three million people, the majority of whom live in the Italian region of Piedmont. While it is sometimes debated whether Piedmontese is a language or a dialect, its lack of mutual intelligibility with Italian and its independent growth from Latin mean that it is best classified as a language. While standard Italian has become the dominant language across Italy, Piedmontese is still widely known, especially among older people and in rural areas, and it wouldn't hurt to know some if you're travelling in the region.

## Pronunciation guide
### Vowels
#### a

    like father (IPA: ɑ)

#### e

    like the beginning of the vowel in ray (IPA: e), sometimes like bed (IPA: ɛ)

#### ë

    a schwa, like the about (IPA: ə)

#### eu

    the first sound of e with the upper lip rounded back (IPA: ø)

#### i

    like machine (IPA: i)

#### o

    like book (IPA: ʊ)

#### ò

    like in off (IPA: ɔ)

#### u

    like French tu: the sound of i with the lips rounded back (IPA: y)

### Consonants
#### b

    like in boy (IPA: b)

#### c

    like in cheese if before an e or i (IPA: t͡ʃ), like in cat otherwise (IPA: k)

#### ch

    like the second pronunciation of c

#### cc

    like the first pronunciation of c

#### d

    like in dog (IPA: d)

#### f

    like in fun (IPA: f)

#### g

    like in jump if before an e or i (IPA: d͡ʒ), like in penguin otherwise (IPA: ɡw)

#### gh

    like the second pronunciation of g

#### gg

    like the first pronunciaton of g

#### gli

    like in million (IPA: ʎ)

#### gn

    like in canyon (IPA: ɲ)

#### j

    like in hallelujah (IPA: j)

#### k

    like in king (IPA: k)

#### l

    somewhat like lamb (IPA: l)

#### m

    like in mother (IPA: m)

#### n

    like in night (IPA: n), like in sing before consonants and at the ends of words (IPA: ŋ)

#### nn

    like the first pronunciation of n

#### p

    like in port (IPA: p)

#### q

    like English q

#### r

    trilled r (IPA: r)

#### s

    like in song (IPA: s), like in busy between vowels, after consonants, and at word endings (IPA: z), sometimes like in pressure (IPA: ʃ). The first pronunciation is always used before c or cc. The second is always used before g or gg.

#### ss

    like the first pronunciation of s

#### sc

    like in scan (IPA: sk), sometimes like question (IPA: stʃ)

#### t

    like in tap (IPA: t)

#### v

    like in van (IPA: v), sometimes between v and w (IPA: ʋ)

#### z

    like in zoom (IPA: z), sometimes like in dads (IPA: d͡z)

## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello.

    Cerea. (cher-eeah)

#### How are you?

    Com a l'é? (cohm-a-lay)

#### Fine, thank you.

    A va bin grassie/mersì' (ah va been grasshieh/mersshi)

#### And you?

    E ti? (eh tea)

#### What's your name?

    Com it ciamës-to? (Com-it cham-us toe) Com it ës-ciame? (Com-it us-cham-eh)

#### My name is...

    Mi im ës-ciamo (Me im us cha-mo)

#### Thank you.

    Mersi. (Mer-sshi)

#### Thank you very much.

    Bombin ëd grassie. (Bomb-bin uhd grasshieh)

#### You're welcome.

    Figurte. (Figur-tay)

#### Goodbye.

    Arvëdse. (Ar-vuhd-seh)

#### Do you speak English?

    Parlës-to anglèis? (Par-lus toe ang-lays)

#### Good Morning.

    Bondì. (bawn-dee)

#### Good evening.

    Bon-a sèira. (bohn-ah shy-i-rah)