The letter combination 'sc', when followed by the vowels i or e, will produce a soft sound, like the English words shoe, shore, share and cash. cuscino = cushion scimmia = monkey sciarpa = scarf pesce = fish The letter combination 'sc', when followed by the vowels a, o or u, will produce a hard sound, like the English words sky, ski, score and scarf. scuola = school tasca = pocket pesca = peach scarpe = shoes scatola = box discorso = speech bosco = forest When the letter combination 'sc' is followed by an h, the sound becomes hard. maschile = masculine schiavo = slave schiuma = foam schiuma da barba = shaving cream gelato = ice cream musica = music domanda = question messaggio = message meno = less piu' = more cattivo = bad importante = important interessante = interesting intelligente = intelligent portare = to carry, to bring, to wear io porto = I carry tu porti = you carry (informal) Lei porta = you carry (formal) lui/lei porta = he/she carries noi portiamo = we carry voi portate = you carry (plural) loro portano = they carry lavare = to wash io lavo = I wash tu lavi = you wash (informal) Lei lava = you wash (formal) lui/lei lava = he/she washes noi laviamo = we wash voi lavate = you wash (plural) loro lavano = they wash usare = to use io uso = I use tu usi = you use (informal) Lei usa = you use (formal) lui/lei usa = he/she uses noi usiamo = we use voi usate = you use (plural) loro usano = they use abitare = to live io abito = I live tu abiti = you live (informal) Lei abita = you live (formal) lui/lei abita = he/she lives noi abitiamo = we live voi abitate = you live (plural) loro abitano = they live ricevere = to receive, to get io ricevo = I receive tu ricevi = you receive (informal) Lei riceve = you receive (formal) lui/lei riceve = he/she receives noi riceviamo = we receive voi ricevete = you receive (plural) loro ricevono = they receive vprendere = to take io prendo = I take tu prendi = you take (informal) Lei prende = you take (formal) lui/lei prende = he/she takes noi prendiamo = we take voi prendete = you take (plural) loro prendono = they take rispondere = to answer io rispondo = I answer tu rispondi = you answer (informal) Lei risponde = you answer (formal) lui/lei risponde = he/she answers noi rispondiamo = we answer voi rispondete = you answer (plural) loro rispondono = they answer questo = comes before a noun that is singular and masculine. Questo libro e' interessante. = This book is interesting. questa = comes before a noun that is singular and femine. Questa lettera e' per Lei. = This letter is for you. questi = comes before a noun that is plural and masculine. Leggiamo questi libri. = We read these books. queste = comes before a noun that is plural and femine. Queste donne dormono troppo. = These women sleep too much. quest' = comes before a singular noun that begins with a vowel. Chi e' quest'uomo? = Who is this man? Mi piace quest'arancia. = I like this orange.