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Crime and Punishment — Page 3

English → It CHAPTER I Level 8/10

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The heat in the street was terrible: and the airlessness, the bustle and the plaster, scaffolding, bricks, and dust all about him, and that special Petersburg stench, so familiar to all who are unable to get out of town in summer--all worked painfully upon the young man's already overwrought nerves.

Il caldo nella strada era terribile: e la mancanza d'aria, il trambusto e l'intonaco, le impalcature, i mattoni e la polvere tutt'intorno a lui, e quel particolare fetore di Pietroburgo, così familiare a tutti coloro che non riescono ad andarsene dalla città in estate--tutto ciò agiva dolorosamente sui nervi già esasperati del giovane.

The insufferable stench from the pot-houses, which are particularly numerous in that part of the town, and the drunken men whom he met continually, although it was a working day, completed the revolting misery of the picture.

Il fetore insopportabile proveniente dalle bettole, che sono particolarmente numerose in quella parte della città, e gli uomini ubriachi che incontrava continuamente, sebbene fosse un giorno lavorativo, completavano la rivoltante miseria del quadro.

An expression of the profoundest disgust gleamed for a moment in the young man's refined face.

Un'espressione del più profondo disgusto balenò per un momento sul viso raffinato del giovane.

He was, by the way, exceptionally handsome, above the average in height, slim, well-built, with beautiful dark eyes and dark brown hair.

Era, tra l'altro, eccezionalmente bello, di statura superiore alla media, snello, ben fatto, con begli occhi scuri e capelli castano scuro.

Soon he sank into deep thought, or more accurately speaking into a complete blankness of mind; he walked along not observing what was about him and not caring to observe it.

Ben presto sprofondò in una profonda riflessione, o per parlare più accuratamente in un completo vuoto mentale; camminava senza osservare ciò che gli stava intorno e senza volerlo osservare.

From time to time, he would mutter something, from the habit of talking to himself, to which he had just confessed.

Di tanto in tanto borbottava qualcosa, per l'abitudine di parlare tra sé, alla quale aveva appena confessato di essere soggetto.

At these moments he would become conscious that his ideas were sometimes in a tangle and that he was very weak; for two days he had scarcely tasted food.

In quei momenti si rendeva conto che i suoi pensieri erano a volte ingarbugliati e che era molto debole; per due giorni aveva appena assaggiato del cibo.

He was so badly dressed that even a man accustomed to shabbiness would have been ashamed to be seen in the street in such rags.

Era così mal vestito che persino un uomo abituato alla miseria si sarebbe vergognato di farsi vedere per strada in simili stracci.

In that quarter of the town, however, scarcely any shortcoming in dress would have created surprise.

In quel quartiere della città, tuttavia, quasi nessuna mancanza nell'abbigliamento avrebbe destato sorpresa.

Vocabulary

Il
Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
caldo
Heat or warmth; hot weather or temperature.
nella
Contraction of 'in la', meaning 'in the' (feminine).
strada
Street or road used for travel.
era
Third person singular imperfect of 'essere'; was.
terribile
Terrible; extremely bad or intense.
e
Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
la
Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
mancanza
Lack or absence of something needed.
d'
Elided form of 'di', meaning 'of' or 'from'.
aria
Air; the atmosphere or a breeze.
il
Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'.
trambusto
Commotion or uproar; noisy disorder.
l'
Elided definite article used before vowels.
intonaco
Plaster applied to walls or ceilings.
le
Feminine plural definite article meaning 'the'.
impalcature
Scaffolding used in construction or repair work.
i
Masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'.
mattoni
Bricks used as building construction material.
polvere
Dust or powder; fine particles in the air.
tutt'
Elided form of 'tutto/tutta', meaning 'all' or 'every'.
intorno
Around or surrounding a person or place.
a
Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
lui
Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'him'.
quel
Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular).
particolare
Particular or specific; a detail or characteristic.
fetore
Stench or foul smell; putrid odor.
di
Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'.
così
So or thus; in such a way.
familiare
Familiar; well-known or relating to family.
tutti
All or everyone; masculine plural of 'tutto'.
coloro
Those people; plural demonstrative pronoun.
che
Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'who', 'that'.
non
Negation adverb meaning 'not'.
riescono
Third person plural of 'riuscire'; they manage or succeed.
ad
Variant of 'a' used before vowels; to.
andarsene
Reflexive verb meaning to go away or leave.
dalla
Contraction of 'da la', meaning 'from the' (feminine).
città
City or town; urban settlement.
in
Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'.
estate
Summer; the warm season of the year.
tutto
All or everything; masculine singular of 'tutto'.
ciò
This or that; neuter demonstrative pronoun.
agiva
Third person singular imperfect of 'agire'; acted.
dolorosamente
Painfully; in a manner causing pain or suffering.
sui
Contraction of 'su i', meaning 'on the' (masculine plural).
nervi
Nerves; the body's nerve fibers or one's composure.
già
Already or once; previously or formerly.
esasperati
Exasperated; severely irritated or frayed.
del
Contraction of 'di il', meaning 'of the' (masculine).
giovane
Young person; a youth or young man.
insopportabile
Unbearable; impossible to tolerate or endure.
proveniente
Coming from; originating at a specific place.
dalle
Contraction of 'da le', meaning 'from the' (feminine plural).
bettole
Taverns or low-class drinking establishments.
sono
Third person plural present of 'essere'; they are.
particolarmente
Particularly; especially or in a specific way.
numerose
Numerous; many in number (feminine plural).
quella
Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (feminine singular).
parte
Part or portion; a section of a whole.
della
Contraction of 'di la', meaning 'of the' (feminine).
gli
Masculine plural definite article or indirect object pronoun.
uomini
Men; plural of 'uomo', adult male humans.
ubriachi
Drunk; intoxicated from alcohol (masculine plural).
incontrava
Third person singular imperfect of 'incontrare'; encountered.
continuamente
Continuously; without stopping or interruption.
sebbene
Although or even though; concessive conjunction.
fosse
Third person singular imperfect subjunctive of 'essere'; were.
un
Masculine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
giorno
Day; a 24-hour period of time.
lavorativo
Workday; relating to work or labor.
completavano
Third person plural imperfect of 'completare'; completed.
rivoltante
Revolting; disgusting or causing strong repulsion.
miseria
Misery or poverty; extreme wretchedness or destitution.
quadro
Picture or scene; a visual tableau or painting.
Un'
Elided feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
espressione
Expression; a look on one's face conveying emotion.
più
More; used for comparison or addition.
profondo
Deep or profound; intense or far-reaching.
disgusto
Disgust; a strong feeling of revulsion or loathing.
balenò
Flashed or flickered; appeared briefly and suddenly.
per
Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'by'.
momento
Moment; a brief period or instant of time.
sul
Contraction of 'su il', meaning 'on the' (masculine).
viso
Face; the front part of a person's head.
raffinato
Refined; having elegant manners or sophisticated taste.
Era
Third person singular imperfect of 'essere'; was.
tra
Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'within'.
altro
Other or else; another thing or person.
eccezionalmente
Exceptionally; to an unusually high degree.
bello
Beautiful or handsome; pleasing to the eye.
statura
Stature or height; the natural height of a person.
superiore
Superior or above average; higher in rank or degree.
alla
Contraction of 'a la', meaning 'to the' (feminine).
media
Average; the typical or middle standard measure.
snello
Slender or slim; having a lean and graceful build.
ben
Apocope of 'bene'; well, used before adjectives.
fatto
Made or built; past participle of 'fare'.
con
Preposition meaning 'with'.
begli
Beautiful (masculine plural before vowels); handsome.
occhi
Eyes; the organs of sight (plural).
scuri
Dark; of a dark color (masculine plural).
capelli
Hair; the hair on a person's head.
castano
Chestnut brown; a medium brown hair or eye color.
scuro
Dark; having little light or a deep shade.
Ben
Apocope of 'bene'; well, soon (as in 'ben presto').
presto
Soon or quickly; in a short time.
sprofondò
Sank or plunged into; third person singular passato remoto.
una
Feminine singular indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
profonda
Deep or profound (feminine); intense in nature.
riflessione
Reflection or deep thought; contemplation.
o
Conjunction meaning 'or'; presenting an alternative.
parlare
To speak; infinitive of the verb 'to talk'.
accuratamente
Accurately or precisely; in an exact manner.
completo
Complete or total; entire without missing parts.
vuoto
Empty or void; a hollow or blank state.
mentale
Mental; relating to the mind or intellect.
camminava
Third person singular imperfect of 'camminare'; walked.
senza
Without; lacking something or someone.
osservare
To observe or notice; to watch attentively.
stava
Third person singular imperfect of 'stare'; was staying.
volerlo
To want it; infinitive 'volere' with pronoun attached.
Di
Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
tanto
So much or so often; a large amount or degree.
borbottava
Muttered or grumbled; spoke indistinctly to oneself.
qualcosa
Something; an unspecified thing.
abitudine
Habit; a regular tendency or practice.
Himself or herself; reflexive pronoun (third person).
quale
Which or what; relative or interrogative pronoun.
aveva
Third person singular imperfect of 'avere'; had.
appena
Just or barely; only a short time ago.
confessato
Confessed; admitted or acknowledged something past.
essere
To be; the infinitive of the verb 'essere'.
soggetto
Subject or prone to; susceptible to something.
In
Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'.
quei
Demonstrative adjective meaning 'those' (masculine plural).
momenti
Moments; brief periods of time (plural).
si
Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', or 'oneself'.
rendeva
Third person singular imperfect of 'rendersi'; realized.
conto
Account or realization; used in 'rendersi conto' (to realize).
suoi
His or her (masculine plural possessive adjective).
pensieri
Thoughts; ideas or reflections in one's mind.
erano
Third person plural imperfect of 'essere'; they were.
volte
Times; instances or occasions (plural of 'volta').
ingarbugliati
Tangled or confused; muddled thoughts or situations.
molto
Very or much; a great degree or amount.
debole
Weak or feeble; lacking strength or energy.
due
Two; the number 2.
giorni
Days; plural of 'giorno', periods of time.
assaggiato
Tasted or eaten; past participle of 'assaggiare'.
cibo
Food; nourishment or sustenance for the body.
mal
Poorly or badly; apocope of 'male'.
vestito
Dressed or clothed; past participle of 'vestire'.
persino
Even; used for emphasis, meaning 'even so'.
uomo
Man; an adult male human being.
abituato
Accustomed or used to; habituated to something.
sarebbe
Third person singular conditional of 'essere'; would be.
vergognato
Ashamed; felt shame about something done.
farsi
To make oneself; reflexive infinitive of 'fare'.
vedere
To see; the infinitive meaning to look or observe.
simili
Such or similar; alike in nature (plural).
stracci
Rags; torn or worn-out pieces of clothing.
quartiere
Neighborhood or district; a section of a city.
tuttavia
Nevertheless or however; despite what was said.
quasi
Almost or nearly; not quite fully.
nessuna
No or none; feminine form of 'nessuno'.
nell'
Contraction of 'in l'', meaning 'in the' before vowels.
abbigliamento
Clothing or attire; garments worn by a person.
avrebbe
Third person singular conditional of 'avere'; would have.
destato
Aroused or awakened; past participle of 'destare'.
sorpresa
Surprise; an unexpected event or reaction.
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