Crime and Punishment — Page 3
"
"
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.
- sé
- 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.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →