Great Expectations — Page 1

English → It Chapter I. Level 8/10

My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip.

Essendo il cognome di mio padre Pirrip, e il mio nome di battesimo Philip, la mia lingua infantile non riusciva a ricavare da entrambi i nomi nulla di più lungo o più esplicito di Pip.

So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.

Così, mi chiamai Pip, e venni chiamato Pip.

I give Pirrip as my father's family name, on the authority of his tombstone and my sister,—Mrs. Joe Gargery, who married the blacksmith.

Fornisco Pirrip come cognome di mio padre, sull'autorità della sua lapide e di mia sorella,—la signora Joe Gargery, che sposò il fabbro.

As I never saw my father or my mother, and never saw any likeness of either of them (for their days were long before the days of photographs), my first fancies regarding what they were like were unreasonably derived from their tombstones.

Poiché non vidi mai mio padre né mia madre, e non vidi mai alcuna somiglianza di nessuno dei due (poiché i loro giorni erano molto prima dell'era delle fotografie), le mie prime fantasie su come fossero erano irragionevolmente ricavate dalle loro lapidi.

The shape of the letters on my father's, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair.

La forma delle lettere sulla lapide di mio padre mi diede la strana idea che fosse un uomo tarchiato, robusto, scuro, con i capelli neri ricci.

From the character and turn of the inscription, "_Also Georgiana Wife of the Above_," I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly.

Dal carattere e dall'andamento dell'iscrizione, "_Anche Georgiana Moglie del Suddetto_", traevo la conclusione infantile che mia madre fosse lentigginosa e cagionevole.

To five little stone lozenges, each about a foot and a half long, which were arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were sacred to the memory of five little brothers of mine,—who gave up trying to get a living, exceedingly early in that universal struggle,—I am indebted for a belief I religiously entertained that they had all been born on their backs with their hands in their trousers-pockets, and had never taken them out in this state of existence.

A cinque piccole lapidi di pietra a forma di losanga, ciascuna lunga circa mezzo metro, disposte in fila ordinata accanto alla loro tomba, e sacre alla memoria di cinque miei fratellini,—che avevano rinunciato a guadagnarsi da vivere, assai presto in quella lotta universale,—devo la convinzione che nutrii religiosamente che fossero tutti nati sulla schiena con le mani nelle tasche dei pantaloni, e non le avessero mai tirate fuori in questo stato di esistenza.

Vocabulary

Essendo: es-SEN-do — Being; gerund of 'essere', used to introduce clauses.
il: il — The; masculine singular definite article.
cognome: co-GNOH-me — Surname; the family or last name of a person.
di: di — Of; preposition indicating possession or origin.
mio: MEE-o — My; masculine singular possessive adjective or pronoun.
padre: PAH-dre — Father; male parent of a person.
e: e — And; basic coordinating conjunction linking elements.
nome: NOH-me — Name; word used to identify a person or thing.
battesimo: bat-TEH-zi-mo — Baptism; Christian rite of initiation with water.
la: la — The; feminine singular definite article.
mia: MEE-a — My; feminine singular possessive adjective or pronoun.
lingua: LEEN-gwa — Tongue; language; organ of speech in the mouth.
infantile: in-fan-TEE-le — Infantile; relating to infancy or early childhood.
non: non — Not; basic negation word in Italian sentences.
riusciva: riu-SHEE-va — Managed; was able to; imperfect of 'riuscire'.
a: a — To; at; basic Italian preposition of direction or purpose.
ricavare: ri-ca-VAH-re — To extract; to derive or obtain something from something.
da: da — From; by; preposition indicating origin or agent.
entrambi: en-TRAM-bi — Both; referring to two things or people together.
i: i — The; masculine plural definite article in Italian.
nomi: NOH-mi — Names; plural of 'nome'; words identifying people or things.
nulla: NUL-la — Nothing; not anything; used in negative expressions.
più: pyoo — More; plus; comparative adverb indicating greater quantity.
lungo: LOON-go — Long; describing something of great length or duration.
o: o — Or; coordinating conjunction presenting an alternative choice.
esplicito: es-PLEE-chi-to — Explicit; clear, direct, and fully expressed without ambiguity.
Così: co-ZEE — So; thus; in this way or for this reason.
mi: mi — Me; myself; first person singular reflexive or object pronoun.
chiamai: kia-MAI — I called; past tense of 'chiamare', to call or name.
venni: VEN-ni — I came; I was; past tense of 'venire'.
chiamato: kia-MAH-to — Called; named; past participle of 'chiamare'.
Fornisco: for-NEES-co — I provide; I supply; first person of 'fornire'.
come: KOH-me — As; how; like; used for comparison or manner.
sull'autorità: sul-lau-to-ri-TAH — On the authority; based on the testimony or evidence of.
della: DEL-la — Of the; feminine singular contraction of 'di' and 'la'.
sua: SOO-a — His; her; its; feminine singular possessive adjective.
lapide: LAH-pi-de — Tombstone; gravestone; stone slab bearing an inscription.
sorella: so-REL-la — Sister; female sibling of a person.
signora: si-GNOH-ra — Mrs.; madam; polite title for a married or adult woman.
che: ke — Who; that; which; relative pronoun or conjunction.
sposò: spo-ZOH — Married; past tense of 'sposare', to marry someone.
fabbro: FAB-bro — Blacksmith; craftsman who works with iron and metal.
Poiché: poi-KE — Since; because; given that; causal conjunction in Italian.
vidi: VEE-di — I saw; past tense of 'vedere', to see.
mai: MAI — Never; ever; adverb used in negative or question contexts.
né: ne — Neither; nor; used to link two negative alternatives.
madre: MAH-dre — Mother; female parent of a person.
alcuna: al-KOO-na — Any; no; feminine singular indefinite adjective with negation.
somiglianza: so-mi-LYAN-tsa — Resemblance; similarity in appearance between people or things.
nessuno: nes-SOO-no — Nobody; no one; none; indefinite pronoun of negation.
dei: DEI — Of the; masculine plural contraction of 'di' and 'i'.
due: DOO-e — Two; the cardinal number between one and three.
poiché: poi-KE — Since; because; causal or explanatory conjunction.
loro: LOH-ro — Their; they; third person plural pronoun or possessive.
giorni: JIOR-ni — Days; plural of 'giorno'; units of time, 24 hours.
erano: E-ra-no — Were; third person plural imperfect of 'essere'.
molto: MOL-to — Very; much; a lot; adverb or adjective of degree.
prima: PREE-ma — Before; earlier; adverb or adjective indicating precedence.
dell'era: del-LE-ra — Of the era; of the age or period of time.
delle: DEL-le — Of the; feminine plural contraction of 'di' and 'le'.
fotografie: fo-to-gra-FEE-e — Photographs; images captured by a camera.
le: le — The; feminine plural definite article in Italian.
mie: MEE-e — My; feminine plural possessive adjective or pronoun.
prime: PREE-me — First; earliest; feminine plural ordinal adjective.
fantasie: fan-ta-ZEE-e — Fantasies; imaginative ideas or daydreams; plural of 'fantasia'.
su: su — On; about; upon; preposition of position or topic.
fossero: FOS-se-ro — Were; third person plural imperfect subjunctive of 'essere'.
irragionevolmente: ir-ra-jo-ne-vol-MEN-te — Unreasonably; in an irrational or illogical manner.
ricavate: ri-ca-VAH-te — Derived; obtained; feminine plural past participle of 'ricavare'.
dalle: DAL-le — From the; feminine plural contraction of 'da' and 'le'.
lapidi: LAH-pi-di — Tombstones; plural of 'lapide'; stone grave markers.
La: la — The; feminine singular definite article.
forma: FOR-ma — Form; shape; the external appearance of something.
lettere: LET-te-re — Letters; characters of the alphabet; also written messages.
sulla: SUL-la — On the; feminine singular contraction of 'su' and 'la'.
diede: DYE-de — Gave; third person singular past tense of 'dare'.
strana: STRAH-na — Strange; odd; feminine adjective describing something unusual.
idea: i-DE-a — Idea; a thought or mental image formed in the mind.
fosse: FOS-se — Was; imperfect subjunctive of 'essere', used in subordinate clauses.
un: un — A; an; masculine singular indefinite article in Italian.
uomo: WOH-mo — Man; an adult male human being.
tarchiato: tar-KYA-to — Stocky; thickset; describing a person of sturdy, solid build.
robusto: ro-BOOS-to — Robust; strong; describing someone physically powerful and sturdy.
scuro: SKOO-ro — Dark; of a dark color or complexion.
con: kon — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or possession.
capelli: ca-PEL-li — Hair; the strands of hair on a person's head.
neri: NE-ri — Black; dark; masculine plural adjective describing color.
ricci: RIT-chi — Curly; masculine plural adjective describing curly hair.
Dal: dal — From the; masculine singular contraction of 'da' and 'il'.
carattere: ca-RAT-te-re — Character; style; nature or personality of a person or thing.
dall'andamento: dal-lan-da-MEN-to — From the manner; from the course or progression of something.
dell'iscrizione: del-lis-cri-TSIO-ne — Of the inscription; of the text carved or written on stone.
Anche: AN-ke — Also; too; even; adverb indicating addition or inclusion.
Moglie: MOL-ye — Wife; a married woman in relation to her husband.
del: del — Of the; masculine singular contraction of 'di' and 'il'.
Suddetto: sud-DET-to — Aforementioned; the previously mentioned person or thing.
traevo: tra-E-vo — I was drawing; imperfect of 'trarre', to draw or derive.
conclusione: con-clu-ZIO-ne — Conclusion; the final judgment or deduction reached.
lentigginosa: len-tig-gi-NO-sa — Freckled; covered with freckles; feminine adjective.
cagionevole: ca-jo-NE-vo-le — Sickly; frail; describing a person of delicate health.
A: a — At; to; preposition indicating location, time, or direction.
cinque: CHIN-kwe — Five; the cardinal number between four and six.
piccola: PIK-ko-la — Small; little; feminine adjective describing small size.
pietra: PYE-tra — Stone; rock; hard natural mineral material.
losanga: lo-ZAN-ga — Lozenge; diamond shape; rhombus-shaped stone or object.
ciascuna: cha-SKOO-na — Each; every one; feminine singular distributive pronoun.
lunga: LOON-ga — Long; feminine adjective describing length or duration.
circa: CHEER-ca — About; approximately; used to indicate an approximate measure.
mezzo: MET-tso — Half; middle; used to indicate half of a unit.
metro: ME-tro — Meter; unit of length equal to 100 centimeters.
disposte: dis-POS-te — Arranged; placed; feminine plural past participle of 'disporre'.
in: in — In; into; preposition indicating location or state.
fila: FEE-la — Row; line; an ordered sequence of people or objects.
ordinata: or-di-NAH-ta — Orderly; tidy; feminine adjective describing neat arrangement.
accanto: ak-KAN-to — Next to; beside; preposition indicating proximity.
alla: AL-la — To the; at the; feminine singular contraction of 'a' and 'la'.
tomba: TOM-ba — Tomb; grave; a burial place or monument for the dead.
sacre: SAH-kre — Sacred; holy; feminine plural adjective indicating sacred dedication.
memoria: me-MOR-ia — Memory; remembrance; the ability or act of remembering.
miei: MYE-i — My; masculine plural possessive adjective or pronoun.
fratellini: fra-tel-LEE-ni — Little brothers; diminutive plural of 'fratello'.
avevano: a-VE-va-no — They had; third person plural imperfect of 'avere'.
rinunciato: ri-nun-CHA-to — Renounced; given up; past participle of 'rinunciare'.
guadagnarsi: gua-da-NYAR-si — To earn; to gain for oneself; reflexive infinitive of 'guadagnare'.
vivere: VEE-ve-re — To live; to exist; the infinitive of the verb 'vivere'.
assai: as-SAI — Very; quite; a great deal; adverb indicating high degree.
presto: PRES-to — Soon; early; quickly; adverb indicating speed or early time.
quella: KWEL-la — That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
lotta: LOT-ta — Struggle; fight; a contest or battle against opposition.
universale: u-ni-ver-SAH-le — Universal; common to all; affecting everyone without exception.
devo: DE-vo — I must; I owe; first person singular of 'dovere'.
convinzione: con-vin-TSIO-ne — Conviction; firm belief held with strong certainty.
nutrii: nut-TREE — I nourished; I harbored; past tense of 'nutrire'.
religiosamente: re-li-jo-za-MEN-te — Religiously; devoutly; with great faithfulness or consistency.
tutti: TUT-ti — All; everyone; masculine plural adjective or pronoun.
nati: NAH-ti — Born; masculine plural past participle of 'nascere'.
schiena: SKYE-na — Back; the rear part of the human body.
mani: MAH-ni — Hands; plural of 'mano'; the human hand.
nelle: NEL-le — In the; feminine plural contraction of 'in' and 'le'.
tasche: TAS-ke — Pockets; plural of 'tasca'; pouches sewn into clothing.
pantaloni: pan-ta-LOH-ni — Trousers; pants; a garment covering the legs.
avessero: a-VES-se-ro — Had; third person plural imperfect subjunctive of 'avere'.
tirate: ti-RAH-te — Pulled; drawn out; feminine plural past participle of 'tirare'.
fuori: FWO-ri — Out; outside; adverb indicating position or direction outward.
questo: KWES-to — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
stato: STA-to — State; condition; also past participle of 'essere' (been).
esistenza: e-zis-TEN-tsa — Existence; the state or fact of living or being.

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