Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 1

Vocabulary

copertina

Cover of a book or magazine

Conosciuto

Known or recognized by people

anche

Also, too, as well

come

As, like, how

IL

Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'

GOBBO

Hunchback; person with a curved back

DI

Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'

Di

Preposition meaning 'of,' 'by,' or 'from'

Tradotto

Translated from one language to another

da

Preposition meaning 'by,' 'from,' or 'since'

PREFAZIONE

Preface or introduction to a book

Alcuni

Some, a few; indefinite plural adjective

anni

Years; plural of anno

fa

Ago; used to express time in the past

mentre

While, whereas; conjunction indicating simultaneity

visitava

Was visiting a place; imperfect tense of visitare

o

Or; disjunctive conjunction offering alternatives

meglio

Better; comparative adverb of bene

frugava

Was rummaging or searching through carefully

in

In, into; common Italian preposition of location

l'

Elided definite article 'the' before a vowel

autore

Author; person who writes a book

di

Of, from; very common Italian preposition

questo

This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective

libro

Book; a written or printed literary work

trovò

Found; past historic tense of trovare

un

A, an; masculine singular indefinite article

angolo

Corner or angle of a space or shape

oscuro

Dark, obscure, or hidden from light

una

A, an; feminine singular indefinite article

delle

Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'le'

torri

Towers; plural of torre, tall structures

la

The; feminine singular definite article

seguente

Following, next; coming after in sequence

parola

Word; a unit of spoken or written language

incisa

Engraved or carved into a surface

a

At, to; common Italian preposition

mano

Hand; part of the human body

sulla

On the; contraction of 'su' and 'la'

parete

Wall, especially an interior wall of a building

Queste

These; feminine plural demonstrative adjective

maiuscole

Capital letters; uppercase letters in writing

greche

Greek; feminine plural adjective referring to Greece

annerite

Blackened; darkened by time or smoke

dal

From the; contraction of 'da' and 'il'

tempo

Time; also weather in Italian

e

And; basic coordinating conjunction

assai

Very, quite, rather; literary adverb of degree

profondamente

Deeply, profoundly; to a great depth or extent

incise

Engraved, carved; feminine plural past participle

nella

In the; contraction of 'in' and 'la'

pietra

Stone, rock; solid mineral building material

con

With; Italian preposition of accompaniment

non

Not; basic Italian negation adverb

so

I know; first person singular of sapere

quali

Which, what; plural interrogative or relative pronoun

segni

Signs, marks; traces left on a surface

peculiari

Peculiar, distinctive, characteristic of something

della

Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'la'

calligrafia

Calligraphy; decorative or artistic handwriting style

gotica

Gothic; relating to Gothic art or script style

impressi

Impressed, imprinted; marked into a surface

nelle

In the; contraction of 'in' and 'le'

loro

Their, them; third person plural pronoun

forme

Forms, shapes; outward appearance of things

nei

In the; contraction of 'in' and 'i'

atteggiamenti

Attitudes, postures; manners of expression or stance

se

If, whether; conditional or reflexive pronoun

avessero

Had; third person plural subjunctive of avere

avuto

Had; past participle of avere

lo

The, it; masculine singular definite article or pronoun

scopo

Purpose, aim, goal of an action

rivelare

To reveal, to disclose hidden information

che

That, which, who; versatile conjunction or pronoun

era

Was; third person singular imperfect of essere

stata

Been; feminine past participle of essere

del

Of the; contraction of 'di' and 'il'

Medioevo

Middle Ages; medieval historical period in Europe

ad

To, at; variant of 'a' before vowels

averle

To have them; infinitive with clitic pronoun attached

ivi

There, in that place; literary adverb of place

tracciate

Traced, drawn, inscribed on a surface

soprattutto

Above all, especially, most importantly

il

The; masculine singular definite article

fatale

Fatal, fateful; relating to fate or doom

malinconico

Melancholic, sad, filled with deep sadness

significato

Meaning, significance of a word or symbol

esse

They; feminine third person plural subject pronoun

contenuto

Content, contained; held within something

colpirono

Struck, hit; they affected or impressed strongly

Si

Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves

interrogò

Questioned, wondered; past historic of interrogarsi

cercò

Tried, searched; past historic of cercare

indovinare

To guess, to figure out or divine something

chi

Who; interrogative or relative pronoun

poteva

Could, was able to; imperfect of potere

essere

To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb

quell'

That; elided form of 'quello' before a vowel

anima

Soul, spirit; inner essence of a person

tormento

Torment, anguish, intense mental or physical pain

aveva

Had; third person singular imperfect of avere

voluto

Wanted, wished; past participle of volere

abbandonare

To abandon, to leave behind permanently

mondo

World; the earth or human society in general

senza

Without; preposition indicating absence or lack

lasciare

To leave, to let, to allow something remain

stigma

Stigma, mark of shame or disgrace

delitto

Crime, offense; a serious illegal act committed

infelicità

Unhappiness, misery, state of being unhappy

fronte

Front, forehead; the foremost part of something

dell'

Of the; elided contraction of 'di' and 'la/lo'

antica

Ancient, old; feminine adjective for great age

chiesa

Church; Christian place of worship and prayer

In

In, into; Italian preposition of location

seguito

Later, subsequently; after a period of time

muro

Wall; solid vertical structure dividing spaces

fu

Was; third person singular past historic of essere

imbiancato

Whitewashed; covered with white paint or lime

raschiato

Scraped; surface material removed by scraping

quale

Which, that; relative or interrogative pronoun

due

Two; the number 2

cose

Things; plural of cosa, objects or matters

iscrizione

Inscription; words carved or written on a surface

scomparve

Disappeared; past historic of scomparire

È

Is; third person singular present of essere

così

So, thus, in this way

infatti

In fact, indeed; used to confirm or explain

si

Reflexive particle; oneself, impersonal 'one'

è

Is; third person singular of essere

soliti

Accustomed, used to; habitual practice

procedere

To proceed, to go about doing something

le

The; feminine plural definite article

meravigliose

Marvelous, wonderful, extraordinary in beauty

chiese

Churches; plural of chiesa, places of worship

duecento

The 1200s; the thirteenth century in Italian art

questa

This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

parte

Part, side; a portion or section of something

Le

The, them; feminine plural article or pronoun

mutilazioni

Mutilations; acts of damaging or disfiguring something

giungono

Arrive, come; third person plural of giungere

ogni

Every, each; indefinite adjective of totality

dall'

From the; elided contraction of 'da' and 'l'

interno

Interior, inside; the inner part of something

esterno

Exterior, outside; the outer part of something

Il

The; masculine singular definite article

prete

Priest; ordained Christian religious minister

imbianca

Whitewashes; applies white paint to a surface

raschia

Scrapes; removes material by scraping a surface

poi

Then, afterwards; temporal adverb of sequence

arriva

Arrives, comes; third person singular of arrivare

popolo

People, folk, common population of a place

demolisce

Demolishes, tears down; destroys a structure completely