Bruschetta. Tortellini. Versace. These three words are included in any Italian American’s vocabulary. But are you sure you’re pronouncing them correctly?Most likely, you are amongst the majority of people who have unintentionally Americanized the way these words are supposed to be pronounced.

Thankfully, there is a quicker way to correct yourself that doesn’t involve watching hours of Italian movies or chefs on cooking shows. There are a series of patterns in Italian words that Americans change. Once you know what the common mistakes are, you’ll be able to correct most of your mispronunciations.