Quick answerTiramisù is pronounced tee-ra-mee-SOO (IPA /tiramiˈsu/). Four even syllables, then a firm push on the last one — that is what the accent on "ù" marks. Keep every vowel short and clean; do not stretch the middle into "meez".
The name is a whole sentence: tira mi sù, "pull me up" — the espresso-and-cocoa pick-me-up. Say it as three little words pushed together and the stress falls exactly where the accent sits, on the final "sù".
01The accent is an instruction
When an Italian word ends in a stressed vowel, the spelling adds an accent: caffè, però, tiramisù. It is not there for looks — it is telling you to land on that last syllable instead of drifting off it the way English does.
| Italian | Meaning | Hear |
|---|---|---|
Tiramisù /tiramiˈsu/ | coffee-and-mascarpone dessert | |
Caffè /kafˈfɛ/ | coffee | |
Però /peˈrɔ/ | but, however |
Say "un tiramisù" and push the last syllable: tee-ra-mee-SOO. The engine listens for where your stress lands.
- tih-RAH-mee-su → tee-ra-mee-SOO The stress belongs on the final syllable, not the second.
- tee-ra-MEE-zoo → tee-ra-mee-SOO The "s" stays crisp, and the weight is on "soo", not "mee".
A dessert that means "pick me up"
Tiramisù is a no-bake layered dessert of coffee-soaked savoiardi, mascarpone and cocoa. The name literally reads as "pull me up" — a nod to the caffeine and sugar lift.
The accent is not decoration; it is a finger pointing at the syllable you stress.
Why does tiramisù have an accent but "pizza" doesn't?
Is the "s" a soft "z" sound?
How many syllables is it?
Now try it yourself — out loud.
Say it out loud and let the engine check where your stress lands.
Practice this in Sentiero →