Little Women — Page 9

English → It CHAPTER ONE Level 6/10

There is so much to do about the play for Christmas night," said Jo, marching up and down, with her hands behind her back, and her nose in the air.

"C'è così tanto da fare per lo spettacolo della notte di Natale," disse Jo, andando avanti e indietro, con le mani dietro la schiena e il naso all'aria.

"I don't mean to act any more after this time. I'm getting too old for such things," observed Meg, who was as much a child as ever about 'dressing-up' frolics.

"Non ho intenzione di recitare più dopo questa volta. Sto diventando troppo vecchia per queste cose," osservò Meg, che era ancora una bambina quanto mai riguardo ai giochi di travestimento.

"You won't stop, I know, as long as you can trail round in a white gown with your hair down, and wear gold-paper jewelry.

"Non smetterai, lo so, finché potrai girare in un abito bianco con i capelli sciolti e indossare gioielli di carta dorata.

You are the best actress we've got, and there'll be an end of everything if you quit the boards," said Jo.

Sei la migliore attrice che abbiamo, e sarà la fine di tutto se abbandoni le scene," disse Jo.

"We ought to rehearse tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene, for you are as stiff as a poker in that."

"Dovremmo fare le prove stasera. Vieni qui, Amy, e fai la scena dello svenimento, perché sei rigida come un manico di scopa in quella parte."

"I can't help it. I never saw anyone faint, and I don't choose to make myself all black and blue, tumbling flat as you do.

"Non posso farci niente. Non ho mai visto nessuno svenire, e non intendo coprirmi tutta di lividi, cadendo distesa come fai tu.

If I can go down easily, I'll drop. If I can't, I shall fall into a chair and be graceful.

Se riesco a scendere con grazia, mi lascerò cadere. Se non ci riesco, cadrò su una sedia e sarò elegante.

I don't care if Hugo does come at me with a pistol," returned Amy, who was not gifted with dramatic power, but was chosen because she was small enough to be borne out shrieking by the villain of the piece.

Non mi importa se Hugo mi viene incontro con una pistola," rispose Amy, che non era dotata di talento drammatico, ma era stata scelta perché era abbastanza piccola da essere portata fuori urlante dal cattivo della storia.

"Do it this way. Clasp your hands so, and stagger across the room, crying frantically, 'Roderigo! Save me! Save me!'" and away went Jo, with a melodramatic scream which was truly thrilling.

"Fallo in questo modo. Unisci le mani così, e barcolla attraverso la stanza, gridando freneticamente: 'Rodrigo! Salvami! Salvami!'" e via andò Jo, con un grido melodrammatico che era davvero emozionante.

Vocabulary

è: e — Third person singular of 'essere'; means 'is'
così: coh-ZEE — So, thus, in this way
tanto: TAN-toh — So much, so many, a lot
da: dah — From, by, since; versatile preposition
fare: FAH-reh — To do, to make
per: pehr — For, in order to, through
lo: loh — Masculine singular definite article or object pronoun
spettacolo: spet-TAH-koh-loh — Show, performance, spectacle
della: DEL-lah — Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'la'
notte: NOT-teh — Night, nighttime
di: dee — Of, from; common Italian preposition
Natale: nah-TAH-leh — Christmas
disse: DEES-seh — He/she said; past tense of 'dire'
andando: an-DAN-doh — Going; present participle of 'andare'
avanti: ah-VAN-tee — Forward, ahead, come in
indietro: in-DYEH-troh — Back, backward, behind
con: kohn — With; basic Italian preposition
le: leh — Feminine plural article; also indirect pronoun 'to her'
mani: MAH-nee — Hands; plural of 'mano'
dietro: DYEH-troh — Behind, at the back of
la: lah — Feminine singular definite article; also 'her'
schiena: SKYEH-nah — Back; the rear part of the body
naso: NAH-zoh — Nose
aria: AH-ryah — Air, sky; also a musical aria
Non: nohn — Not; basic Italian negation word
ho: oh — I have; first person singular of 'avere'
intenzione: in-ten-TSYOH-neh — Intention, plan, purpose
recitare: reh-chee-TAH-reh — To act, to perform, to recite
più: pyoo — More, anymore, no longer
dopo: DOH-poh — After, afterward, later
questa: KWES-tah — This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
volta: VOL-tah — Time, instance, occasion
Sto: stoh — I am; first person of 'stare', used in progressive
diventando: dee-ven-TAN-doh — Becoming; present participle of 'diventare'
troppo: TROP-poh — Too, too much, excessively
vecchia: VEK-kyah — Old; feminine adjective for aged person or thing
queste: KWES-teh — These; feminine plural demonstrative adjective
cose: KOH-zeh — Things; plural of 'cosa'
osservò: os-ser-VOH — He/she observed, remarked; past tense
che: keh — That, who, which; common conjunction and pronoun
era: EH-rah — He/she/it was; imperfect of 'essere'
ancora: an-KOH-rah — Still, yet, again
bambina: bam-BEE-nah — Little girl, young female child
quanto: KWAN-toh — How much, how many, as much as
mai: MY — Ever, never; used in questions and negatives
riguardo: ree-GWAR-doh — Regarding, with respect to, concern
giochi: JOH-kee — Games, plays; plural of 'gioco'
travestimento: trah-ves-tee-MEN-toh — Disguise, costume, dressing up
smetterai: smet-teh-RY — You will stop; future tense of 'smettere'
so: soh — I know; first person singular of 'sapere'
finché: fin-KEH — As long as, until
potrai: poh-TRY — You will be able to; future of 'potere'
girare: jee-RAH-reh — To turn, to wander, to go around
abito: AH-bee-toh — Dress, suit, garment
bianco: BYAN-koh — White; color adjective
capelli: kah-PEL-lee — Hair; plural referring to head hair
sciolti: SHOL-tee — Loose, free, untied; plural past participle of 'sciogliere'
indossare: in-dos-SAH-reh — To wear, to put on clothing
gioielli: joh-YEL-lee — Jewels, jewelry; plural of 'gioiello'
carta: KAR-tah — Paper, card; also map or charter
dorata: doh-RAH-tah — Golden, gilded; feminine adjective
Sei: say — You are; second person singular of 'essere'
migliore: meel-YOH-reh — Better, best; comparative of 'buono'
attrice: at-TREE-cheh — Actress; female performer
abbiamo: ab-BYAH-moh — We have; first person plural of 'avere'
sarà: sah-RAH — It/he/she will be; future of 'essere'
fine: FEE-neh — End, conclusion; also 'fine, refined'
tutto: TOOT-toh — Everything, all, whole
se: seh — If; conditional conjunction
abbandoni: ab-ban-DOH-nee — You abandon, leave behind; subjunctive/present of 'abbandonare'
scene: SHEH-neh — Scenes, stages; plural of 'scena'
Dovremmo: doh-VREM-moh — We should, we ought to; conditional of 'dovere'
prove: PROH-veh — Rehearsals, tests, proofs; plural of 'prova'
stasera: stah-SEH-rah — This evening, tonight
Vieni: VYEH-nee — Come; second person singular imperative of 'venire'
qui: kwee — Here, in this place
fai: fah-ee — You do, you make; second person of 'fare'
scena: SHEH-nah — Scene, stage; a section of a play
svenimento: zveh-nee-MEN-toh — Fainting, loss of consciousness
perché: pehr-KEH — Because, why
rigida: REE-jee-dah — Rigid, stiff, inflexible; feminine adjective
come: KOH-meh — Like, as, how
manico: MAH-nee-koh — Handle, grip of a tool or broom
scopa: SKOH-pah — Broom; used for sweeping floors
quella: KWEL-lah — That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
parte: PAR-teh — Part, role, side, portion
posso: POS-soh — I can, I am able to; first person of 'potere'
farci: FAR-chee — To do about it; 'fare' with clitic 'ci'
niente: NYEN-teh — Nothing, anything
visto: VEES-toh — Seen; past participle of 'vedere'
nessuno: nes-SOO-noh — Nobody, no one, none
svenire: zveh-NEE-reh — To faint, to lose consciousness
intendo: in-TEN-doh — I intend, I mean; first person of 'intendere'
coprirmi: koh-PREER-mee — To cover myself; reflexive form of 'coprire'
tutta: TOOT-tah — All, whole, entire; feminine form of 'tutto'
lividi: LEE-vee-dee — Bruises; plural of 'livido'
cadendo: kah-DEN-doh — Falling; present participle of 'cadere'
distesa: dees-TEH-zah — Stretched out, lying flat; feminine past participle
Se: seh — If; conditional conjunction
riesco: RYEH-skoh — I manage, I succeed; first person of 'riuscire'
scendere: SHEN-deh-reh — To go down, to descend, to get off
grazia: GRAH-tsyah — Grace, elegance, charm; also 'thank you' (archaic)
mi: mee — Me, myself; first person singular object pronoun
lascerò: lah-sheh-ROH — I will let, I will leave; future of 'lasciare'
cadere: kah-DEH-reh — To fall, to drop down
ci: chee — There, here; also reflexive/reciprocal pronoun 'us'
cadrò: kah-DROH — I will fall; future tense of 'cadere'
su: soo — On, up, upon; common Italian preposition
sedia: SEH-dyah — Chair, seat
sarò: sah-ROH — I will be; future tense of 'essere'
elegante: eh-leh-GAN-teh — Elegant, stylish, graceful
importa: im-POR-tah — It matters, it is important
viene: VYEH-neh — He/she comes; third person of 'venire'
incontro: in-KON-troh — Meeting, encounter; also 'toward'
pistola: pees-TOH-lah — Gun, pistol, handgun
rispose: ree-SPOH-zeh — He/she replied; past tense of 'rispondere'
dotata: doh-TAH-tah — Gifted, talented, endowed; feminine past participle
talento: tah-LEN-toh — Talent, natural ability or gift
drammatico: dram-MAH-tee-koh — Dramatic, theatrical, intense
ma: mah — But; basic adversative conjunction
stata: STAH-tah — Been; feminine past participle of 'essere'
scelta: SHEL-tah — Chosen, selected; also 'choice' as a noun
abbastanza: ab-bas-TAN-tsah — Enough, sufficiently, quite
piccola: PEEK-koh-lah — Small, little, young; feminine adjective
essere: ES-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb
portata: por-TAH-tah — Carried, brought; also 'course' of a meal
fuori: FWOH-ree — Outside, out, beyond
urlante: oor-LAN-teh — Screaming, yelling; present participle of 'urlare'
cattivo: kat-TEE-voh — Bad, wicked, villain; masculine adjective or noun
storia: STOH-ryah — Story, history, tale
Fallo: FAL-loh — Do it; imperative of 'fare' with pronoun 'lo'
questo: KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective
modo: MOH-doh — Way, manner, method
Unisci: oo-NEE-shee — Join, unite; second person imperative of 'unire'
barcolla: bar-KOL-lah — Staggers, wobbles; third person of 'barcollare'
attraverso: at-trah-VER-soh — Through, across, via
stanza: STAN-tsah — Room, chamber in a building
gridando: gree-DAN-doh — Shouting, yelling; present participle of 'gridare'
freneticamente: freh-neh-tee-kah-MEN-teh — Frantically, frenetically, in a frenzied manner
Salvami: SAL-vah-mee — Save me; imperative of 'salvare' with pronoun
via: VEE-ah — Away, off; also 'street' or 'road'
andò: an-DOH — He/she went; past tense of 'andare'
grido: GREE-doh — Cry, shout, scream; noun form
melodrammatico: meh-loh-dram-MAH-tee-koh — Melodramatic, exaggeratedly emotional
davvero: dav-VEH-roh — Really, truly, indeed
emozionante: eh-moh-tsyoh-NAN-teh — Exciting, moving, emotionally stirring

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