Alice's Adventures in Wonderland — Page 7

English → It Preface Level 5/10

Everything is so out-of-the-way down here, that I should think very likely it can talk: at any rate, there's no harm in trying."

Qui tutto è così strano, che penso sia molto probabile che possa parlare: in ogni caso, non c'è nulla di male nel provare."

So she began: "O Mouse, do you know the way out of this pool?

Così cominciò: «O Topo, conosci la via d'uscita da questo stagno?

I am very tired of swimming about here, O Mouse!"

Sono molto stanca di nuotare qui intorno, o Topo!»

(Alice thought this must be the right way of speaking to a mouse: she had never done such a thing before, but she remembered having seen in her brother's Latin Grammar, "A mouse—of a mouse—to a mouse—a mouse—O mouse!")

(Alice pensò che questo doveva essere il modo giusto di rivolgersi a un topo: non lo aveva mai fatto prima, ma ricordava di aver visto nella Grammatica Latina di suo fratello: «Un topo — di un topo — a un topo — un topo — o topo!»)

The Mouse looked at her rather inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little eyes, but it said nothing.

Il Topo la guardò in modo alquanto indagatore, e le sembrò che ammiccasse con uno dei suoi piccoli occhi, ma non disse nulla.

"Perhaps it doesn't understand English," thought Alice; "I daresay it's a French mouse, come over with William the Conqueror."

«Forse non capisce l'inglese,» pensò Alice; «direi che è un topo francese, venuto con Guglielmo il Conquistatore.»

(For, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened.)

(Infatti, nonostante tutta la sua conoscenza della storia, Alice non aveva un'idea molto chiara di quanto tempo prima fossero accadute le cose.)

So she began again: "Où est ma chatte?" which was the first sentence in her French lesson-book.

Così ricominciò: «Où est ma chatte?» che era la prima frase del suo libro di lezioni di francese.

The Mouse gave a sudden leap out of the water, and seemed to quiver all over with fright.

Il Topo fece un balzo improvviso fuori dall'acqua, e sembrò tremare tutto per lo spavento.

"Oh, I beg your pardon!" cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the poor animal's feelings.

«Oh, ti chiedo scusa!» gridò Alice in fretta, temendo di aver ferito i sentimenti del povero animale.

"I quite forgot you didn't like cats."

«Ho dimenticato del tutto che non ti piacevano i gatti.»

"Not like cats!" cried the Mouse, in a shrill, passionate voice.

«Non mi piacciono i gatti!» gridò il Topo con voce acuta e appassionata.

"Would _you_ like cats if you were me?"

«Ti piacerebbero i gatti se fossi al posto mio?»

"Well, perhaps not," said Alice in a soothing tone: "don't be angry about it.

«Beh, forse no,» disse Alice con tono rassicurante: «non arrabbiarti per questo.

Vocabulary

Qui: Here; in this place or location.
tutto: Everything; all things or the whole.
così: Thus; in this way or manner.
strano: Strange; odd or unusual in appearance.
che: That; which; relative pronoun for clauses.
penso: I think; first person singular of pensare.
sia: May be; subjunctive of essere (to be).
molto: Very; much; to a great degree.
probabile: Probable; likely to happen or occur.
possa: May; can; subjunctive of potere.
parlare: To speak; to communicate with words.
in: In; preposition indicating location or position.
ogni: Every; each; all individual items.
caso: Case; instance; situation or circumstance.
non: Not; negation particle for verbs.
nulla: Nothing; not anything whatsoever.
di: Of; preposition showing possession or relationship.
male: Badly; poorly; in an evil manner.
nel: In the; contraction of in+il.
provare: To try; to attempt or test.
Così: Thus; in this way or manner.
cominciò: Began; past tense of cominciare (to begin).
Topo: Mouse; small rodent animal.
conosci: Do you know; second person singular of conoscere.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
via: Way; road; path or street.
uscita: Exit; way out from a place.
da: From; preposition indicating origin or direction.
questo: This; demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
stagno: Pond; small body of still water.
Sono: I am; first person singular of essere.
stanca: Tired; weary; fatigued (feminine form).
nuotare: To swim; to move through water.
intorno: Around; about; in a circle.
pensò: Thought; past tense of pensare.
doveva: Had to; was supposed to; must.
essere: To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb.
il: The; masculine singular definite article.
modo: Way; manner; method of doing.
giusto: Right; correct; proper or appropriate.
rivolgersi: To address; to speak to someone.
un: A; an; masculine singular indefinite article.
lo: Him; masculine singular direct object pronoun.
aveva: Had; past tense of avere.
mai: Ever; never; at any time.
fatto: Done; fact; past participle of fare.
prima: Before; previously; in advance.
ma: But; conjunction showing contrast or opposition.
ricordava: Remembered; past tense of ricordare.
aver: To have; infinitive form of avere.
visto: Seen; past participle of vedere.
nella: In the; contraction of in+la.
Grammatica: Grammar; rules of language structure.
Latina: Latin; ancient Roman language or culture.
suo: His; her; possessive adjective.
fratello: Brother; male sibling.
Un: A; an; masculine singular indefinite article.
Il: The; masculine singular definite article.
guardò: Looked; past tense of guardare.
le: Her; to her; feminine indirect object.
sembrò: Seemed; appeared; past tense of sembrare.
con: With; preposition showing accompaniment.
uno: One; number or indefinite article.
dei: Of the; contraction of di+i.
suoi: His; hers; possessive adjective plural.
piccoli: Small; little; diminutive adjective.
occhi: Eyes; plural of occhio.
disse: Said; past tense of dire.
Forse: Perhaps; maybe; possibly.
capisce: Understands; third person of capire.
inglese: English; language or nationality.
direi: I would say; conditional of dire.
francese: French; language or nationality.
venuto: Come; arrived; past participle of venire.

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