Italian words are divided into syllables as follows:
A single consonant goes with the following vowel.
| ca–sa | house |
| po–si–ti–vo | positive |
Double consonants are divided.
| bab–bo | dad |
| ros–so | red |
| bel–lo | beautiful |
| at–to | act |
Two consonants, the first of which is l, m, n, or r, are divided.
| al–ber–go | hotel |
| con–ten–to | contented |
| am–pio | ample |
| for–tu–na | fortune |
Otherwise, a combination of two consonants belongs to the following syllable.
| ba–sta | enough |
| fi–glio | son |
| pa–dre | father |
| ba–gno | bath |
| so–pra | above |
| sa–cro | sacred |
The first of three consonants, except s, goes with the preceding syllable.
| sem–pre | always |
| fel–tro | felt |
| mem–bro | member |
| men–tre | while |
BUT
| fi–ne–stra | window |
| pe–sche | peaches |
| mi–ne–stra | soup |
| mo–stro | monster |
Diphthongs and triphthongs are never divided.
| nuo–vo | new |
| mie–le | honey |
| per–fi–dia | spite |
| uo–mo | man |
| mai | never |
| lin–gua | language |
| suoi | his |
| pi–gliai | I took |
Diphthongs may occur in stressed or unstressed syllables. However, when a diphthong is broken by stress (the vowel i or u directly bears the stress), then the two vowels break into separate syllables.
| mi–o | mine |
| tu–o | yours |
| spi–a | spy |
| ma–ni–a | mania |
| rin–vi–o | postponement |
| te–ra–pi–a | therapy |
| al–le–gri–a | joy |
| far–ma–ci–a | pharmacy |