Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Double letters and accent
Maybe you have noticed that the Italian language is very melodious, and it depends also
on the fact that there are many “double letters” together, that create a special rhythm in the
word, and in the sentence. If you don't stress that letter, the word will often have a different
meaning. This stress is represented by the colon “:”.
Here you can see how the meaning changes if you forget to double the letter:
PALLA ['pal:a] = Ball
but
PALA ['pala] = Shovel
CASSA ['cas:a] = Cash register / case but
CASA ['casa] = Home
ROSSA ['ros:a] = Red (female)
but
ROSA ['rosa] = Rose / Pink
CARRO ['car:o] = Cart
but
CARO ['caro] = Dear
PAPPA ['pap:a] = Baby food (familiar) but
PAPA ['papa] = Pope
Another important thing you may have noticed is this symbol '
It is used to indicate the stressed syllable, and it stresses the first following vowel, so in
'PALLA, for example, the accent is on the first “a”.
Generally the stressed syllable is the second to last. If it is the last one, you will find an
accent on the vowel, e.g., “papà” (dad), “città” (city), but if it is the third to last , e.g., “per-
dere” (to lose) you have to look it up in a dictionary, because there won't be any mark on it.
