In Italian, all consonants except h can be doubled. Double consonants (i consonanti doppie) are pronounced much more forcefully than single consonants. With double f, l, m, n, r, s, and v, the sound is prolonged; with double b, c, d, g, p, and t, the stop is stronger than for the single consonant. Double z is pronounced almost the same as single z. Double s is always unvoiced.
Double consonant examples:
Italian | English |
---|---|
babbo | dad |
fetta | slice |
evviva | hurrah |
bistecca | beefsteak |
mamma | mama |
albicocca | apricot |
bello | beautiful |
filetto | filet |
anno | year |
assai | a lot |
basso | short |
ragazzo | boy |
ferro | iron |
pennello | paint brush |
espresso | espresso coffee |
tavolozza | palette |
spaghetti | spaghetti |
cavalletto | easel |
Most Italian words end in a vowel.
Diphthongs (i dittonghi) are two vowels fused to emit a single sound. A diphthong is formed when an unstressed i or u combines with another vowel (a, e, o) or when the two vowels combine with each other, in which case either the i or u may remain unstressed. In diphthongs, unstressed i and u become semivowels approximating in sound the English consonants y and w, respectively.
Diphthong examples:
Italian | English |
---|---|
ieri | yesterday |
buono | good |
fiore | flower |
chiuso | closed |
invidia | envy |
più | more |
Tripthongs also exist. These are sequences of three vowels with a single sound, usually a diphthong followed by an unstressed i.
Italian | English |
---|---|
tuoi | yours |
miei | mine |
buoi | oxen |
pigliai | I took |
Italian has numerous words that contain sequences of vowels. The following words are not triphthongs (which are infrequent), but sequences of a vowel and a diphthong.
Italian | English |
---|---|
noia | boredom |
febbraio | February |
baia | bay |
fioraio | florist |
Each of the words below has a sequence of two diphthongs:
Italian | English |
---|---|
ghiaia | gravel |
muoio | I die |
acquaio | sink |
gioiello | jewel |
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