Italian words are divided into syllables as follows:

　　A single consonant goes with the following vowel.

　　Italian English

　　ca–sa house

　　po–si–ti–vo positive

　　Double consonants are divided.

　　Italian English

　　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.

　　Italian English

　　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.

　　Italian English

　　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.

　　Italian English

　　sem–pre always

　　fel–tro felt

　　mem–bro member

　　men–tre while

　　BUT

　　Italian English

　　fi–ne–stra window

　　pe–sche peaches

　　mi–ne–stra soup

　　mo–stro monster

　　Diphthongs and triphthongs are never divided.

　　Italian English

　　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.

　　Italian English

　　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