Clothing
Double consonants
We've already seen that the difference between single and double consonants in Italian isn't just a matter of spelling. Double consonants also sound longer than single consonants!
t
vestito, carota, ciotola (shorter sound, as in stick)
tt
cappotto, gatto, biscotto (longer sound, as in not tiny)
l
orologio, gelato, fagiolo (shorter sound, as in color)
ll
cappello, caramella, pollo (longer sound, as in call later)
b
abito, cibo, libro (shorter sound, as in robe)
bb
abbigliamento, abbastanza (longer sound, as in club bar)
Always on time
What time is it? Check your orologio! The Italian word orologio means both watch and clock. Context will help you understand exactly what people are talking about.
Io ho un orologio.
I have a watch.
È un orologio.
It's a clock.