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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
bacco		[ɛkko]
[bakko]
c [tʃ]cacio
aceto		[katʃo]
[a’tʃeto]
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		[frigo]
[lego]
gg [gg]friggo
leggo		[friggo]
[leggo]
g [ʤ]regia[re’ʤia]
gg [dʤ]reggia[redʤa]
I [I]vale
pala		[vale]
[pala]
II [II]valle
palla		[valle]
[palla]
m [m]ama
camino		[ama]
[ka’mino]
mm [mm]mamma
cammino		[mam’ma]
[kam’mino]
n [n]nono
tono		[nɔno]
[tono]
nn [nn]nonno
tonno		[nɔnno]
[tonno]
P [P]papa
copia		[pa’pa]
[kɔpja]
PP [PP]pappa
coppia		[pappa]
[kɔppja/koppja]
r [r]sera
coro		[sera]
[kɔro]
rr [rr]serra
corro		[sɛrra]
[kɔrro]
s [s] [z]casa
mese		[kasa/kaza]
[mese/meze]
ss [ss]cassa
messe		[kassa]
[mɛsse]
t [t]latina
note		[la’tina]
[note]
tt [tt]lattina
notte		[lat’tina]
[nɔtte]
v [v]evitare
evento		[evi’tare]
[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)
  • correzione (correction)
  • 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)

Exercises on the lesson here

Next lesson:

The consonants (the letter G)