One consonant or two?
In Italian a double consonant (the doppia) is a sound of its own: you hold it clearly longer than a single one. That difference in length alone turns one word into another.
Short versus long
pena
sorrow / penalty
penna
pen
caro
dear / expensive
carro
cart / wagon
casa
house
cassa
cash register / box
nono
ninth
nonno
grandfather
Common double consonants
Almost any consonant can be doubled. Listen for the length in every word. With rr you roll the r for longer, and ss is always a long, voiceless s.
Listen and repeat
tutto
everything
troppo
too much
bello
beautiful
mamma
mum
rosso
red
terra
earth / land
In full sentences
Example sentences
Buon anno!
Happy New Year!
Buona notte, a domani.
Good night, see you tomorrow.
Mio nonno ha ottant’anni.
My grandfather is eighty years old.
Questo caffè è troppo caldo.
This coffee is too hot.
