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] |
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) | gn | pronuncia (pronunciation) | sce/sci | pronuncia (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] |
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).

- mobile (mobile)
- terribile (terrible)
- usabile (usable)
- amabile (lovable)
- trasportabile (transportable)
- bevibile (bevibile)
- mangiabile (eatable)
Exercises on the lesson here