What Is the Right Pronunciation of “Gnocchi”?

Gnocchi, the Italian food that's a mix between pasta and a dumpling, wasn't well-known here in the U.S. until recent years, compared to how long it’s existed. Long before they could be found in the Trader Joe's freezer section, gnocchi were a staple among authentic Italian restaurants and homes. Dating back to the Renaissance, this peasant dish has had a glow-up and is now considered gourmet.

Since English speakers aren't as familiar with gnocchi than other Italian foods, the word and its pronunciation have been a source of debate. There are the purists who feel it should be pronounced the Italian way, and those for the Anglicized pronunciation are divided into American English and UK English. But is there one correct way to pronounce “gnocchi”?

The Origins of Gnocchi

Gnocchi, or gnocco for the singular, technically go all the way back to Ancient Rome, but the ingredients varied greatly, depending on which part of Italy you hailed from. Bread, flour, cornmeal, and vegetables were all used to make the small, pillowy dumplings anciently. But the most famous and long-standing version, made with potatoes, only came after the Spanish brought potatoes back to Europe from the Americas.

The word “gnocchi” comes from either nocca, the Italian word for “knuckle,” or nocchio, meaning "knot of wood." Nocchio is the same root word found in Pinocchio, the little boy made of wood. Gnocchi dumplings are said to resemble knots of wood or knuckles, which is how the dish got its name.

Italian Pronunciation

If you want to be authentic when speaking of this Italian dish, you'll have to first learn how to pronounce the “gn” sound in Italian. English might have kept Latin spellings for words like gnome, gnarled, bologna, and lasagna, but the pronunciation was Anglicized. There's more to it than just remembering that the “g'”is silent.

The Italian pronunciation of gnocchi is NYOH-kee. Take the ”ny” sound, like in the word “canyon,” then make a long “O” sound. Remember all the way back to elementary school phonics when the long vowel sounds were just saying the letters' names? That's it! After the vowel sound, you pronounce the “cch” with a hard “K” and the “ie” sounds like “ee.”

English Pronunciation

As mentioned earlier, English speakers can sometimes have trouble with the Italian pronunciation of gnocchi because the “gn” throws them off. Even in English, however, pronouncing the “g” and saying guh-NOCK-ee is wrong. Remember that the “g” always remains silent!

There are several ways English speakers pronounce gnocchi: the British and American ways. British English says NAH-kee, without the “ny” sound and a short “o,” as in “sock.” American English actually divides again, with some areas keeping the “ny” sound but also sticking with the short “o” sound, saying, NYAH-kee. Other areas of the U.S. say NOH-kee.

While some people might try to claim one pronunciation as the “correct” one, it's best to remember that language changes all the time. Different areas, dialects, and cultures all affect how we speak, and what's right for one group of people sounds awful to another.