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How to pronounce Italian double consonants? | 6 easy rules for double consonants in Italian

Italian double consonants/Italian double consonants

How to pronounce Italian double consonants? There are sixteen consonants (b-c-d-f-g-h-l-m-n-p-q-r-s-t-v-z) in the Italian alphabet.

The pronunciation of consonants changes when they double. It is necessary to know the difference between the correct pronunciation of the letter when it is doubled or not.

1. All consonants can be doubled in a word, except (h) and (q).

La lettera e la pronuncia
(the letter and the pronunciation)		Esempio
(Example)		La pronuncia
(The pronunciation)
b [b]cambia
fiaba		[kambja]
[fjaba]
bb [bb]rabbia
nebbia		[rabbja]
[nebbja]
c [k]eco
baco		[ɛko]
[bako]
cc [kk]ecco
ricco
bacco
rocca		[ɛkko]
[rikko]
[bakko]
[rokka]
c [tʃ]cacio
aceto
bruciato		[katʃo]
[a’tʃeto]
[bru’tʃato]
cc [ttʃ]caccia
accetto		[kattʃa]
[at’tʃetto]
d [d]caldo[kaldo]
dd [dd]freddo[freddo]
f [f]stufa[stufa]
ff [ff]stoffa[stɔffa]
g [g]frigo
lego
lega
fuga		[frigo]
[lego]
[lega]
[fuga]
gg [gg]friggo
leggo
legga
fugga		[friggo]
[leggo]
[legga]
[fugga]
g [ʤ]regia[re’ʤia]
gg [dʤ]reggia[redʤa]
I [I]vale
pala
ala		[vale]
[pala]
[ala]
II [II]valle
palla
alla		[valle]
[palla]
[alla]
m [m]ama
camino
fumo		[ama]
[ka’mino]
[fumo]
mm [mm]mamma
cammino
fummo		[mam’ma]
[kam’mino]
[fummo]
n [n]nono
tono
vano
dono
sano		[nɔno]
[tono]
[vano]
[dono]
[sano]
nn [nn]nonno
tonno
vanno
donna
sanno		[nɔnno]
[tonno]
[vanno]
[dɔnna]
[sanno]
P [P]papa
copia		[pa’pa]
[kɔpja]
PP [PP]pappa
coppia		[pappa]
[kɔppja/koppja]
r [r]sera
coro
caro		[sera]
[kɔro]
[karo]
rr [rr]serra
corro
carro		[sɛrra]
[kɔrro]
[karro]
s [s] [z]casa
mese
poso
base		[kasa/kaza]
[mese/meze]
[poso/pozo]
[baze]
ss [ss]cassa
messe
posso
basse		[kassa]
[mɛsse]
[pɔsso]
[basse]
t [t]latina
note
tuta
dita
fato		[la’tina]
[note]
[tuta]
[dita]
[fato]
tt [tt]lattina
notte
tutta
ditta
fatto		[lat’tina]
[nɔtte]
[tutta]
[ditta]
[fatto]
v [v]evitare
ovale
evento		[evi’tare]
[o’vale]
[e’vɛnto]
vv [vv]avvitare
avvento		[avvi’tare]
[av’vɛnto]
z [ts]scalzo[skaltso]
z [tts]struzzo[struttso]
z [dz]zero[dzɛro]
zz [ddz]azzurro[ad’dzurro]
Italian double consonants

2. When (gli – gn) or (sci – sce ) comes between two vowels they have a double sound even if they don’t have a double letter.

gli pronuncia
(pronunciation)		gnpronuncia
(pronunciation)		sce/scipronuncia
(pronunciation)
aglio
(garlic)		[aʎʎo]bagno
(bath) 		[baɲɲo]pesce
(fish)		[pʃʃe]
figlio
(son)		[fiʎʎo]pugno
(punch)		[puɲɲo]ascensore
(elevator)		[aʃʃen’sore]
foglio
(sheet)		[fɔʎʎo]sogno
(dream)		[soɲɲo]ruscello
(stream)		[ruʃ’ʃɛllo]
luglio
(July)		[luʎʎo]bisogna
(need)		[bi’zoɲɲa]asciugamano
(towel)		[aʃ’ʃuga’mano]
meglio
(better)		[mɛʎʎo]lasagna
(lasagna)		[la’zaɲɲa]cuscino
(cushion)		[kuʃ’ʃino]
legno
(wood)		[leɲɲo]spugna
(sponge)		[spuɲɲa]fascia
(bandage)		[faʃʃa]
Italian double consonants

3. The consonant z is pronounced as if it were a double when it comes between two vowels or in the following cases:

A). In nouns ending with -ion:

  • Azione (action)
  • Lezione (lesson)
  • Informazione (information)

B). In nouns ending in -zia, -zie, -zio:

  • polizia (police)
  • delizie (delights)
  • giudizio(judgment)
  • spazio(space)

4. The doubling of (q) is written (cq).

  • Acqua (Water)
  • Acquistare (Purchase)
  • Acquirente (Buyer)
  • Acquario (Aquarium)
  • Acquedotto (Aqueduct)
  • Acquerello (Watercolor)

Only the words exist with a double (q) in italian

  • Soqquadro (Upside down)
  • Soqquadrare (to mess up)

5. The consonants (g) and (z) do not double before (-ion).

  • stagione (season)
  • ragione (reason)
  • carnagione (complexion)
  • azione (action)
  • correction (correzione)
  • stazione (station)

6. The consonant (b) does not doubled before (-ile).

pronounce Italian double consonants
Italian double consonants
  • mobile (mobile)
  • terribile (terrible)
  • usabile (usable)
  • amabile (lovable)
  • trasportabile (transportable)
  • bevibile (bevibile)
  • mangiabile (eatable)

Next lesson:

The consonants (the letter G)