Little Women — Page 1

English → It CHAPTER ONE Level 6/10

PLAYING PILGRIMS

FARE I PELLEGRINI

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

«Il Natale non sarà Natale senza regali,» brontolò Jo, sdraiata sul tappeto.

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

«È così terribile essere povere!» sospirò Meg, guardando il suo vecchio vestito.

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

«Non mi sembra giusto che alcune ragazze abbiano tante belle cose, e altre ragazze niente di niente,» aggiunse la piccola Amy, con un risentito sospiro dal naso.

"We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth contentedly from her corner.

«Abbiamo papà e mamma, e ci abbiamo l'una l'altra,» disse Beth con contentezza dal suo angolo.

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, "We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a long time."

I quattro giovani visi su cui brillava la luce del fuoco si illuminarono alle parole allegre, ma si oscurarono di nuovo quando Jo disse tristemente: «Non abbiamo papà, e non lo avremo per molto tempo.»

She didn't say "perhaps never," but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.

Non disse «forse mai», ma ciascuna lo aggiunse in silenzio, pensando al papà lontano, là dove si combatteva.

Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, "You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army.

Nessuno parlò per un momento; poi Meg disse con tono cambiato: «Sapete, la ragione per cui la mamma ha proposto di non fare regali questo Natale è che sarà un inverno difficile per tutti; e lei pensa che non dovremmo spendere denaro per il piacere, quando i nostri uomini soffrono così nell'esercito.

We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly.

Non possiamo fare molto, ma possiamo fare i nostri piccoli sacrifici, e dovremmo farlo volentieri.

But I am afraid I don't," and Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.

Ma temo di non farlo,» e Meg scosse la testa, pensando con rimpianto a tutte le belle cose che desiderava.

"But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that.

«Ma non penso che il poco che potremmo spendere servirebbe a qualcosa. Abbiamo ciascuna un dollaro, e l'esercito non ne trarrebbe gran beneficio se lo donassimo.

Vocabulary

FARE: FA-re — To do or make; a fundamental action verb
I: i — Definite article masculine plural: the
PELLEGRINI: pel-le-GRI-ni — Pilgrims; people on a religious or spiritual journey
Il: il — Definite article masculine singular: the
Natale: na-TA-le — Christmas; the Christian holiday celebrated December 25th
non: non — Not; negation word used before verbs
sarà: sa-RÀ — Will be; third person singular future of essere
senza: SEN-tsa — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack
regali: re-GA-li — Gifts or presents given on special occasions
brontolò: bron-to-LÒ — Grumbled or muttered in discontent; past tense
sdraiata: sdra-IA-ta — Lying down; reclining in a horizontal position
sul: sul — On the; contraction of su and il
tappeto: tap-PE-to — Rug or carpet covering a floor surface
È: è — Is; third person singular present of essere
così: co-SÌ — So or thus; used to intensify or connect ideas
terribile: ter-RI-bi-le — Terrible or awful; describing something very unpleasant
essere: ES-se-re — To be; the fundamental linking or auxiliary verb
povere: PO-ve-re — Poor; feminine plural adjective describing lack of wealth
sospirò: so-spi-RÒ — Sighed; exhaled deeply expressing emotion or sadness
guardando: guar-DAN-do — Looking at or watching; present gerund of guardare
il: il — Definite article masculine singular: the
suo: SU-o — His, her, its; third person possessive adjective
vecchio: VEC-chio — Old; adjective describing something aged or worn
vestito: ves-TI-to — Dress or outfit; a garment worn on the body
Non: non — Not; negation word used before verbs
mi: mi — Me or to me; first person singular pronoun
sembra: SEM-bra — Seems or appears; third person singular of sembrare
giusto: GIU-sto — Fair or right; adjective meaning just or correct
che: che — That or which; conjunction or relative pronoun
alcune: al-CU-ne — Some; indefinite adjective referring to a few things
ragazze: ra-GAZ-ze — Girls; plural noun referring to young females
abbiano: AB-bia-no — Have; third person plural present subjunctive of avere
tante: TAN-te — So many; feminine plural adjective of quantity
belle: BEL-le — Beautiful or lovely; feminine plural adjective
cose: CO-se — Things; plural noun referring to objects or matters
e: e — And; basic coordinating conjunction connecting words
altre: AL-tre — Others; feminine plural pronoun or adjective
niente: NIEN-te — Nothing; indefinite pronoun indicating complete absence
di: di — Of or from; very common Italian preposition
aggiunse: ag-GIUN-se — Added or remarked; past tense of aggiungere
la: la — The; feminine singular definite article
piccola: PIC-co-la — Little or small; feminine adjective describing small size
con: con — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
un: un — A or an; masculine singular indefinite article
risentito: ri-sen-TI-to — Resentful or bitter; adjective expressing lingering displeasure
sospiro: so-SPI-ro — Sigh; a deep breath expressing emotion or weariness
dal: dal — From the; contraction of da and il
naso: NA-so — Nose; the facial organ used for breathing and smelling
Abbiamo: ab-BIA-mo — We have; first person plural present of avere
papà: pa-PÀ — Dad or father; informal term for one's father
mamma: MAM-ma — Mom or mother; informal term for one's mother
ci: ci — Us, ourselves, or there; versatile Italian pronoun
abbiamo: ab-BIA-mo — We have; first person plural present of avere
l': l' — The; elided definite article before a vowel sound
una: U-na — One or a; feminine singular indefinite article
altra: AL-tra — Other; feminine singular pronoun or adjective
disse: DIS-se — Said; third person singular past tense of dire
contentezza: con-ten-TEZ-za — Contentment or happiness; feeling of peaceful satisfaction
angolo: AN-go-lo — Corner or angle; a point where two lines meet
quattro: QUAT-tro — Four; the cardinal number between three and five
giovani: GIO-va-ni — Young; adjective or noun referring to young people
visi: VI-si — Faces; plural noun referring to human facial features
su: su — On or up; preposition indicating position above something
cui: cui — Whom or which; relative pronoun used after prepositions
brillava: bril-LA-va — Was shining or gleaming; imperfect tense of brillare
luce: LU-ce — Light; radiance emitted by fire, sun, or lamps
del: del — Of the; masculine singular contraction of di and il
fuoco: FUO-co — Fire; combustion producing heat and light
si: si — Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person
illuminarono: il-lu-mi-na-RO-no — Lit up or brightened; past tense of illuminarsi
alle: AL-le — To the or at the; feminine plural preposition contraction
parole: pa-RO-le — Words; units of spoken or written language
allegre: al-LE-gre — Cheerful or merry; feminine plural adjective of joy
ma: ma — But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast
oscurarono: o-scu-ra-RO-no — Darkened or clouded over; past tense of oscurarsi
nuovo: NUO-vo — New or again; adjective meaning new or anew
quando: QUAN-do — When; conjunction or adverb indicating time
tristemente: tri-ste-MEN-te — Sadly; adverb describing doing something with sadness
lo: lo — Him or it; masculine singular direct object pronoun
avremo: a-VRE-mo — We will have; first person plural future of avere
per: per — For or through; preposition indicating purpose or duration
molto: MOL-to — Very or much; adverb or adjective of great quantity
tempo: TEM-po — Time or weather; noun with two common meanings
forse: FOR-se — Perhaps or maybe; adverb expressing uncertainty or possibility
mai: mai — Never or ever; adverb of time expressing negation
ciascuna: cia-SCU-na — Each one; feminine singular pronoun meaning each person
in: in — In or into; preposition indicating location or state
silenzio: si-LEN-zio — Silence; complete absence of sound or noise
pensando: pen-SAN-do — Thinking; present gerund of pensare
al: al — To the or at the; masculine singular preposition contraction
lontano: lon-TA-no — Far away; adjective or adverb indicating great distance
là: là — There; adverb indicating a place at a distance
dove: DO-ve — Where; adverb or conjunction indicating location
combatteva: com-bat-TE-va — Was fighting; imperfect tense of combattere
Nessuno: nes-SU-no — Nobody or no one; indefinite pronoun of negation
parlò: par-LÒ — Spoke; third person singular past tense of parlare
momento: mo-MEN-to — Moment; a brief period or point in time
poi: poi — Then or afterwards; adverb indicating sequence in time
tono: TO-no — Tone; quality of voice expressing mood or attitude
cambiato: cam-BIA-to — Changed; past participle of cambiare indicating alteration
Sapete: sa-PE-te — You know; second person plural present of sapere
ragione: ra-GIO-ne — Reason or right; noun meaning rationale or correctness
ha: ha — Has; third person singular present tense of avere
proposto: pro-PO-sto — Proposed or suggested; past participle of proporre
fare: FA-re — To do or make; a fundamental action verb
questo: QUE-sto — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun
è: è — Is; third person singular present of essere
inverno: in-VER-no — Winter; the coldest season of the year
difficile: dif-FI-ci-le — Difficult or hard; adjective describing a challenging situation
tutti: TUT-ti — Everyone or all; masculine plural pronoun of totality
lei: lei — She or her; third person singular feminine pronoun
pensa: PEN-sa — Thinks; third person singular present of pensare
dovremmo: do-VREM-mo — We should; first person plural conditional of dovere
spendere: SPEN-de-re — To spend money; infinitive of expenditure verb
denaro: de-NA-ro — Money; currency used for purchasing goods or services
piacere: pia-CE-re — Pleasure or enjoyment; noun or verb meaning to please
i: i — The; masculine plural definite article
nostri: NO-stri — Our; masculine plural possessive adjective
uomini: UO-mi-ni — Men; plural noun referring to adult male persons
soffrono: SOF-fro-no — They suffer; third person plural present of soffrire
nell': nell' — In the; elided preposition contraction before vowel
esercito: e-SER-ci-to — Army; a military land force of a nation
possiamo: pos-SIA-mo — We can; first person plural present of potere
piccoli: PIC-co-li — Small or little; masculine plural adjective of size
sacrifici: sa-cri-FI-ci — Sacrifices; acts of giving up something for others
farlo: FAR-lo — To do it; infinitive fare with attached pronoun
volentieri: vo-len-TIE-ri — Willingly or gladly; adverb meaning with good will
Ma: ma — But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast or opposition
temo: TE-mo — I fear; first person singular present of temere
scosse: SCOS-se — Shook; third person singular past tense of scuotere
testa: TE-sta — Head; the uppermost body part containing the brain
rimpianto: rim-PIAN-to — Regret or longing; noun expressing sadness over loss
a: a — To or at; very common Italian preposition
tutte: TUT-te — All or every; feminine plural pronoun of totality
le: le — The; feminine plural definite article
desiderava: de-si-de-RA-va — Wanted or desired; imperfect tense of desiderare
penso: PEN-so — I think; first person singular present of pensare
poco: PO-co — Little or a bit; adverb or adjective of small amount
potremmo: po-TREM-mo — We could; first person plural conditional of potere
servirebbe: ser-vi-REB-be — Would serve or help; conditional tense of servire
qualcosa: qual-CO-sa — Something; indefinite pronoun referring to an unspecified thing
dollaro: DOL-la-ro — Dollar; a unit of currency used in several countries
ne: ne — Of it or about it; partitive or pronominal particle
trarrebbe: trar-REB-be — Would draw or gain; conditional tense of trarre
gran: gran — Great; elided form of grande before consonants
beneficio: be-ne-FI-cio — Benefit or advantage; a positive outcome or gain
se: se — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothetical clause
donassimo: do-NAS-si-mo — We donated; first person plural imperfect subjunctive of donare

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