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 |
