How is « gli » as in « gli zaino » pronounced in Italian? Is the g silent? Is it pronounced « li » or « i »? I’ve been listening and can’t tell for sure because native speakers say it so quickly and there seems to be a liaison with other words.

Question

How is « gli » as in « gli zaino » pronounced in Italian? Is the g silent? Is it pronounced « li » or « i »? I’ve been listening and can’t tell for sure because native speakers say it so quickly and there seems to be a liaison with other words.

Answer

Thank you Filiberto, that helps. So it’s a « li » with the tongue against the palate, correct?

Answer

Hello cindy I am a native Italian speaker and I understand your problem because the "gli" sound is very specific, but with practice you can learn.  The most important thing is the position of the tongue that must touch the palate.

Answer

It is a special sound that exists in Italian.
I am sure there are YouTube videos about it.

Good luck!