Hard C​​ [k]:​​ ca,​​ co,​​ cu,​​ chi,​​ che

Soft C​​ [ʧ]:​​ cia,​​ cio,​​ ciu,​​ ci,​​ ce

The letter C can have two different sounds, depending on the vowel that follows.

For example,​​ casa​​ is pronounced with a hard​​ c​​ and​​ ciao​​ with a soft​​ c.​​ 

C​​ is hard​​ when it is followed by​​ a,​​ o,​​ u. Examples:​​ casa,​​ coperta,​​ cuscino.​​ 

The hard sounds​​ ca,​​ co,​​ cu​​ become soft, if we add “i”. Examples:​​ ciao, arancione,​​ ciuccio.

C​​ is soft when it is followed by​​ i,​​ e. Examples:​​ ciliegia,​​ cervo.

The soft sounds​​ ci,​​ ce​​ become hard, if we add “h”. Examples:​​ chiodo, archeologo.

Hard G​​ [g]:​​ ga,​​ go,​​ gu,​​ ghi,​​ ghe

Soft G​​ [ʤ]:​​ gia,​​ gio,​​ giu,​​ gi,​​ ge

The letter G too can have two different sounds, depending on the vowel that follows.

G​​ is hard when it is followed by​​ a,​​ o,​​ u.​​ Examples:​​ gatto, lego, yogurt.​​ 

The hard sounds​​ ga,​​ go,​​ gu​​ become soft, if we add “i”. Examples:​​ giacca,​​ giove,​​ giungla.

G​​ is soft when it is followed by​​ i,​​ e. Examples:​​ giraffa,​​ gelato.

The soft sounds​​ gi,​​ ge​​ become hard, if we add “h”.​​ Examples:​​ ghiaccio, margherita.