How to Pronounce Bocce in English and Italian

Have you ever wondered how to pronounce bocce properly? Read on as I teach you the correct pronunciation for the game of bocce ball below.

Like many words that come from another language into English, there can be a significant difference between the ‘proper’ pronunciation of a word in its original language, and how the majority of people actually pronounce the word in English.

This is especially true of Italian words in English, and bocce is an example of this since it is originally an Italian word.

Personally, I enjoy knowing the proper pronunciation of words in the original language. But, there is no need to be stuck up about it.

So let’s review both the way that most people pronounce ‘bocce’ in English, as well as the proper pronunciation to pronounce ‘bocce’ in Italian.

close up image of bocce balls with palino in foreground

What is the Correct Bocce Pronunciation?

Most common pronunciation of ‘bocce’ in English

Most North American native English speakers pronounce bocce to sound like ‘bot-chee’, with an ‘o’ sound like ‘o’ in the word ‘top’ and ‘ee’ like the ‘e’ in ‘we’.

Unless the person you are talking to comes from an Italian background, or has specifically studied Italian pronunciation rules this is most likely how most people will say it.

Since most people do pronounce this word like “bot-chee” in English I won’t say that this pronunciation is not correct…

However, if you want to say the word properly like an Italian, the pronunciation is slightly different than how people typically say it in English.

How to pronounce ‘bocce’ in Italian

In Italian, if you say the word that sounds like “bot-chee”, it is actually closer to the pronunciation of the Italian word ‘baci’ which means ‘kisses’ in Italian. So people will understand what you mean by a pronunciation like “bot-chee” in the United States, if you are in Italy pronouncing the word this way you might be seriously misunderstood!

Based on Italian pronunciation rules:

  • ‘b’ is pronounced pretty much like the normal ‘b’ in English
  • ‘o’ is usually pronounced similar to the ‘a’ in English word all, or perhaps like the ‘o’ from the ‘bot’ in the English word ‘robot’
  • ‘cc’ is pronounced like ‘ch’ in the English word ‘chase’
  • ‘e’ with no accent mark is usually pronounced like ‘e’ in the English word ‘bet’

Therefore, the Italian pronunciation of ‘bocce’ sounds more like ‘bot-cheh’ where:

  • ‘bo’ sounds like ‘bo’ in the ‘bot’ of the English word ‘robot’
  • ‘ch’ sounds like the ‘ch’ in the English word ‘chase’
  • ‘eh’ sounds like the ‘e’ in the English word ‘bet’

One important note here: pronunciation of Italian words varies a lot from region to region, even within Italy! This is true for bocce as well. So take it easy on yourself, and be a bit flexible before you try to correct someone else on their pronunciation as well. Especially if they are Italian :).

For a more technical pronunciation or more options of pronunciation, you can check out the phonetic transcription of bocce ball. It comes from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It refers to an alphabetic system of phonetic spelling based primarily on the Latin alphabet. Basically, it tells you about the specific pronunciation of words because the spelling in English does not always teach you how to say them correctly. If you asked an English speaker how to spell bocce without seeing the written word before, it’s doubtful they would predict how it’s spelled.

What Does Bocce Mean in English?

The word “bocce” is an Italian term that translates to “boss” in the English language. However, it is also the plural form of the Italian word “boccia,” which means “to bowl” in English. It refers to bowl in the sporting sense, like bowling.

This particular definition makes sense because bocce sport involves tossing or rolling balls to hit a goal. 

What Is the Origin of the Word Bocce?

As previously mentioned, the word bocce comes from “boccia” which means bowl. It can also traditionally signify the wooden ball rolled along the ground when playing bowls.

Some Italians also call bocce ball “volo.” This term for the game came from the Italian verb “volare,” meaning “to fly.” It is referencing the game tactic some use to strike an opponent’s ball out of the way by tossing it in the air to hit it.  

Does Bocce Mean Kiss?

Many individuals who are not familiar with the sport often think bocce means “kiss” in English. However, the correct word for that is “baci.” This Italian term roughly translates to “kiss.”

In the sports sense, the bocce game uses the term “kiss” in a different way. It refers to a bocce ball touching the pallino or jack ball after the end of the match. The team who successfully has these two balls interact with each other will be rewarded two points.

What are the different Bocce Balls Called?

Bocce equipment consists of eight large balls and a small ball.

The large balls are often called the bocce balls. They are usually divided into two colors—green and red or blue and red —to distinguish the balls of each team. The colors are not too important though, and there are luxury bocce sets and metal bocce ball sets that aren’t necessarily colored at all but use lines to differentiate between the balls.

The small ball is known as the pallino or jack ball. It is the target for the larger bocce balls during the game. Hence, it features a different color—white.

If you want to get started playing bocce, here are my current favorite picks for the best bocce ball sets overall.

How to Pronounce Pallino

As mentioned above, the pallino ball is important in bocce and acts as the target during the game. People often ask how to pronounce it. In Italian, the double ‘L’ doesn’t have a soft sound like the double ‘LL’ in Spanish, in this situation it sounds just more like a normal ‘L’.

So pallino is pronounced pal – lee – no with a bit more emphasis on the middle syllable that sounds like ‘lee’.

  • ‘pal’ sounds a bit like “Paul”
  • ‘lee’ sounds like it is spelled, as in ‘leek’
  • ‘no’ sounds just like it is spelled, as in the word ‘no’

Conclusion and Learning About Bocce

Most people don’t actually know how to pronounce bocce properly in Italian, so don’t be too hard on yourself, and also don’t be a know-it-all jerk to other English speakers who use the more common English pronunciation that sounds like ‘bot-chee’.

But if you are traveling to Italy or want to fit in with your Italian friends, try out using the proper Italian way that is properly pronounced – more like ‘bot-cheh’ as described in detail above!

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