Jane Eyre: An Autobiography — Page 1

English → It CHAPTER I Level 7/10

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.

Non c'era alcuna possibilità di fare una passeggiata quel giorno.

We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning;

Avevamo errato, in verità, nel boschetto privo di foglie per un'ora al mattino;

but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further outdoor exercise was now out of the question.

ma dal pranzo in poi (la signora Reed, quando non aveva ospiti, pranzava presto) il freddo vento invernale aveva portato con sé nuvole così cupe e una pioggia così penetrante, che qualsiasi ulteriore esercizio all'aperto era ormai fuori questione.

I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.

Ne ero contenta: non mi erano mai piaciute le lunghe passeggiate, specialmente nei pomeriggi freddi: terribile per me era il rincasare nel crudo crepuscolo, con le dita delle mani e dei piedi intirizzite, e un cuore rattristato dai rimproveri di Bessie, la bambinaia, e umiliato dalla consapevolezza della mia inferiorità fisica rispetto a Eliza, John e Georgiana Reed.

The said Eliza, John, and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing-room: she lay reclined on a sofa by the fireside, and with her darlings about her (for the time neither quarrelling nor crying) looked perfectly happy.

La suddetta Eliza, John e Georgiana erano ora radunati intorno alla loro mamma in salotto: lei giaceva distesa su un divano accanto al caminetto, e con i suoi tesori attorno a sé (per il momento né litigando né piangendo) sembrava perfettamente felice.

Me, she had dispensed from joining the group; saying, "She regretted to be under the necessity of keeping me at a distance; but that until she heard from Bessie, and could discover by her own observation, that I was endeavouring in good earnest to acquire a more sociable and childlike disposition, a more attractive and sprightly manner—something lighter, franker, more natural, as it were—she really must exclude me from privileges intended only for contented, happy, little children."

A me aveva dispensato dall'unirmi al gruppo; dicendo: «Rammaricava dovermi tenere a distanza per necessità; ma che fino a quando non avesse sentito da Bessie, e non avesse potuto constatare di persona, che mi stavo adoperando con sincero impegno per acquisire un carattere più socievole e infantile, un modo di fare più attraente e vivace—qualcosa di più leggero, più franco, più naturale, per così dire—avrebbe davvero dovuto escludermi dai privilegi destinati solo a bambini soddisfatti e felici.»

"What does Bessie say I have done?" I asked.

«Cosa dice Bessie che ho fatto?» chiesi.

Vocabulary

c': Contracted form of 'ci', meaning 'there'.
era: Past tense of 'essere'; 'was' or 'there was'.
alcuna: Feminine form of 'alcuno'; meaning 'any' or 'no'.
possibilità: Possibility; chance or opportunity to do something.
fare: To do or to make; a very common Italian verb.
passeggiata: A walk or stroll, often for pleasure outdoors.
quel: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' before a noun.
giorno: Day; a unit of time from sunrise to sunset.
Avevamo: We had; first-person plural imperfect of 'avere'.
errato: Wandered or erred; past participle of 'errare'.
verità: Truth; the quality or state of being true.
boschetto: A small grove or copse of trees in nature.
privo: Lacking or devoid of something; without a quality.
foglie: Leaves; the flat green parts of a plant or tree.
ora: Hour; a period of sixty minutes; also 'now'.
mattino: Morning; the early part of the day before noon.
pranzo: Lunch; the midday meal eaten around noon.
poi: Then, afterward; indicating sequence in time.
signora: Mrs. or lady; a respectful title for an adult woman.
quando: When; a conjunction or adverb indicating time.
aveva: She/he had; third-person singular imperfect of 'avere'.
ospiti: Guests or hosts; people invited to one's home.
pranzava: She lunched; imperfect tense of 'pranzare', to have lunch.
presto: Early or quickly; soon or at an early hour.
freddo: Cold; low in temperature; also used as a noun.
vento: Wind; the natural movement of air outdoors.
invernale: Wintry; relating to or characteristic of winter.
portato: Brought; past participle of 'portare', to carry or bring.
sé: Himself/herself/itself; reflexive pronoun for third person.
nuvole: Clouds; masses of water vapor visible in the sky.
così: So, thus, in this way; intensifier or manner adverb.
cupe: Dark, gloomy, or somber; feminine plural of 'cupo'.
pioggia: Rain; water falling from clouds as precipitation.
penetrante: Piercing or penetrating; describes cold or sharp sensation.
qualsiasi: Any, whatever; referring to any item without restriction.
ulteriore: Further or additional; going beyond what already exists.
esercizio: Exercise; physical activity or practice for fitness.
aperto: Open or outdoors; 'all'aperto' means outside or open air.
ormai: By now, at this point; indicating something already settled.
fuori: Outside or out of; 'fuori questione' means out of question.
questione: Question or issue; a matter under discussion or dispute.
Ne: Of it/them; partitive pronoun replacing a quantity or topic.
ero: I was; first-person singular imperfect of 'essere'.
contenta: Happy, content, satisfied; feminine form of 'contento'.
erano: They were; third-person plural imperfect of 'essere'.
mai: Never or ever; negation or emphasis related to time.
piaciute: Liked; feminine plural past participle of 'piacere'.
lunghe: Long; feminine plural adjective describing length or duration.
passeggiate: Walks; plural of 'passeggiata', leisurely outdoor strolls.
specialmente: Especially; to a greater extent than usual or others.
pomeriggi: Afternoons; plural of 'pomeriggio', the part after noon.
freddi: Cold; masculine plural adjective referring to low temperature.
terribile: Terrible, dreadful; causing fear or strong discomfort.
rincasare: To return home; to go back inside one's house.
crudo: Raw, harsh, or biting; describes cold or unpleasant conditions.
crepuscolo: Twilight or dusk; the dim light just after sunset.
dita: Fingers or toes; plural of 'dito' in Italian.
mani: Hands; plural of 'mano', the body part at arm's end.
piedi: Feet; plural of 'piede', the lower extremity of the leg.
intirizzite: Numb or stiff with cold; frozen or paralyzed by coldness.
cuore: Heart; the organ or center of emotions and feelings.
rattristato: Saddened; past participle of 'rattristare', to make sad.
rimproveri: Reproaches or scoldings; critical remarks aimed at someone.
bambinaia: Nursemaid or nanny; a woman who cares for children.
umiliato: Humiliated; made to feel inferior or ashamed by others.
consapevolezza: Awareness or consciousness; knowing one's situation clearly.
inferiorità: Inferiority; the state of being lower in status or ability.
fisica: Physical; relating to the body or its appearance and health.
rispetto: Respect; also 'compared to' when used with 'a'.
suddetta: The aforementioned; referring to someone previously mentioned.
radunati: Gathered, assembled; past participle of 'radunarsi'.
intorno: Around or surrounding; indicating position encircling something.
mamma: Mom, mother; an affectionate word for one's mother.
salotto: Living room or sitting room; a room for relaxing and guests.
giaceva: She lay; imperfect of 'giacere', to lie down or recline.
distesa: Stretched out, lying down; feminine past participle of 'distendere'.
divano: Sofa or couch; upholstered furniture for sitting or lying.
accanto: Next to, beside; indicating proximity to something or someone.
caminetto: Fireplace; a small hearth built into a wall for heating.
tesori: Treasures or darlings; beloved children referred to affectionately.
attorno: Around, surrounding; positioned on all sides of something.
momento: Moment; a very short period of time.
né: Neither/nor; used to connect two negative elements together.
litigando: Quarreling or arguing; gerund of 'litigare', to fight.
piangendo: Crying or weeping; gerund of 'piangere', to cry.
sembrava: Seemed or appeared; imperfect of 'sembrare', to seem.
perfettamente: Perfectly; in a complete or flawless manner.
felice: Happy, joyful; feeling or expressing great pleasure.
dispensato: Exempted or excused; released from an obligation or duty.
unirmi: To join or unite myself; infinitive with reflexive pronoun.
gruppo: Group; a number of people or things gathered together.
dicendo: Saying; gerund of 'dire', to say or to tell.
Rammaricava: She regretted; imperfect of 'rammaricarsi', to feel regret.
dovermi: Having to keep me; infinitive 'dovere' with object pronoun.
tenere: To keep or hold; a common Italian verb with many uses.
distanza: Distance; the amount of space between two points or people.
necessità: Necessity; something indispensable or urgently required.
fino: Until or up to; indicating a limit in time or space.
avesse: She had (subjunctive); imperfect subjunctive of 'avere'.
sentito: Heard or felt; past participle of 'sentire'.
potuto: Been able to; past participle of 'potere', to be able.
constatare: To ascertain or verify; to observe and confirm something.
persona: Person; an individual human being.
stavo: I was (doing); first-person imperfect of 'stare'.
adoperando: Using or employing; gerund of 'adoperare', to use.
sincero: Sincere, genuine; honest and free from pretense.
impegno: Commitment or effort; dedication to a task or goal.
acquisire: To acquire or gain; to obtain a skill or quality.
carattere: Character or personality; the combination of personal traits.
più: More; a comparative adverb indicating greater degree.
socievole: Sociable, friendly; enjoying the company of other people.
infantile: Childlike or infantile; relating to or typical of children.
modo: Way, manner; how something is done or expressed.
attraente: Attractive; appealing or pleasing in appearance or manner.
vivace: Lively, vivacious; full of energy and enthusiasm.
qualcosa: Something; an unspecified thing or matter.
leggero: Light, carefree; not heavy in weight or in manner.
franco: Frank, open, candid; straightforward and honest in speech.
naturale: Natural; in accordance with nature; not forced or artificial.
dire: To say or tell; one of the most common Italian verbs.
avrebbe: She/he would have; conditional of 'avere'.
davvero: Really, truly; used to emphasize truth or sincerity.
dovuto: Should have; past participle of 'dovere', expressing obligation.
escludermi: To exclude me; infinitive of 'escludere' with object pronoun.
privilegi: Privileges; special rights or advantages granted to someone.
destinati: Intended or destined; past participle of 'destinare'.
solo: Only, alone; referring to exclusivity or solitude.
bambini: Children; plural of 'bambino', a young boy or child.
soddisfatti: Satisfied, content; feeling that needs have been met.
felici: Happy; plural of 'felice', feeling joy or contentment.
Cosa: What; used to ask about something; 'cosa' means 'thing'.
dice: She/he says or you say; present tense of 'dire'.
ho: I have; first-person singular present tense of 'avere'.
fatto: Done or made; past participle of 'fare'.
chiesi: I asked; first-person singular passato remoto of 'chiedere'.

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