Piccolissima — Page 5

English → It Full Text Level 3/10

When, however, Piccolissima was two inches high, and lively as a grasshopper, she became restless in her cocoanut shell; she was desirous to get out of it, to walk, and to jump, and she not only deranged the clock, but she was in real danger.

Quando, tuttavia, Piccolissima era alta due pollici, e vivace come una cavalletta, divenne irrequieta nel suo guscio di noce di cocco; desiderava uscirne, camminare e saltare, e non solo mandava in disordine l'orologio, ma si trovava in reale pericolo.

She was now as much as seven years old, and she amused herself with all sorts of little pranks, and loving ways, with one of her brothers eighteen months old.

Aveva ormai ben sette anni, e si divertiva con ogni sorta di piccole monellerie e moine affettuose con uno dei suoi fratelli di diciotto mesi.

The great boy, in a sort of ecstasy at some of the drolleries of his little sister, seized her and put her in his mouth, taking into it nearly the whole head of the poor little thing.

Il bambino grande, in una sorta di estasi per alcune delle buffonate della sua sorellina, la afferrò e se la mise in bocca, infilandovi quasi tutta la testa della povera piccola.

Her cry was so shrill that the baby boy opened his jaws and let the unfortunate Piccolissima fall on the floor.

Il suo grido fu così acuto che il bambino aprì le mascelle e lasciò cadere la sfortunata Piccolissima sul pavimento.

She did not recover for a long time from this fall.

Non si riprese per molto tempo da questa caduta.

Another time, a large cat, a great mouser, ran after her, and it was with difficulty they rescued Piccolissima from the claws of Raminagrobis.

Un'altra volta, un grosso gatto, grande cacciatore di topi, le corse dietro, e fu con difficoltà che riuscirono a salvare Piccolissima dagli artigli di Raminagrobis.

The father, Mr. Thumb, could not repress some anxiety about the fate of his amiable daughter, who had more than common intelligence, and who, by her extreme smallness, was exposed to so many dangers.

Il padre, il Signor Pollice, non riusciva a reprimere una certa ansietà riguardo alla sorte della sua amabile figlia, che possedeva un'intelligenza superiore alla norma, e che, per la sua estrema piccolezza, era esposta a così tanti pericoli.

Piccolissima did her best to acquire knowledge.

Piccolissima faceva del suo meglio per acquisire conoscenza.

She had the best intentions in the world; she desired in every thing to please all who approached her; but her extreme restlessness led her away in spite of herself.

Aveva le migliori intenzioni del mondo; desiderava in ogni cosa compiacere tutti coloro che le si avvicinavano; ma la sua estrema irrequietezza la trascinava fuori strada suo malgrado.

Vocabulary

Quando: KWAHN-doh — When; used to indicate a point in time
tuttavia: toot-tah-VEE-ah — However; nevertheless; used to contrast ideas
Piccolissima: peek-koh-LEES-see-mah — Extremely tiny; superlative form of piccola
era: EH-rah — Was; third person singular imperfect of essere
alta: AHL-tah — Tall; describing height of a person or object
due: DOO-eh — Two; the number 2
pollici: POHL-lee-chee — Inches or thumbs; plural of pollice
e: eh — And; basic coordinating conjunction
vivace: vee-VAH-cheh — Lively; full of energy and spirit
come: KOH-meh — Like; as; how; common comparison word
una: OO-nah — A; an; feminine indefinite article
cavalletta: kah-vahl-LET-tah — Grasshopper; a small jumping insect
divenne: dee-VEN-neh — Became; third person singular passato remoto of diventare
irrequieta: eer-reh-KWEE-eh-tah — Restless; unable to stay still or calm
nel: nehl — In the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
suo: SOO-oh — His; her; its; possessive adjective
guscio: GOO-shoh — Shell; outer casing of a nut or egg
di: dee — Of; from; very common Italian preposition
noce: NOH-cheh — Walnut; a type of tree nut
cocco: KOH-koh — Coconut; tropical fruit with hard shell
desiderava: deh-zee-deh-RAH-vah — Desired; wanted; imperfect tense of desiderare
uscirne: oo-SHEER-neh — To get out of it; exit combined with pronoun
camminare: kahm-mee-NAH-reh — To walk; to move on foot
saltare: sahl-TAH-reh — To jump; to leap; to skip
non: nohn — Not; basic negation word in Italian
solo: SOH-loh — Only; alone; just; limiting adverb
mandava: mahn-DAH-vah — Was sending; was putting; imperfect of mandare
in: een — In; into; common Italian preposition
disordine: dee-ZOHR-dee-neh — Disorder; mess; state of confusion
l': l — The; elided definite article before vowel
orologio: oh-roh-LOH-joh — Clock; watch; timepiece
ma: mah — But; however; coordinating conjunction
si: see — Reflexive pronoun; oneself; herself; himself
trovava: troh-VAH-vah — Found herself; was; imperfect of trovarsi
reale: reh-AH-leh — Real; actual; genuine danger or situation
pericolo: peh-REE-koh-loh — Danger; risk; peril
Aveva: ah-VEH-vah — Had; third person singular imperfect of avere
ormai: ohr-MAH-ee — By now; already; at this point
ben: behn — Well; fully; used for emphasis before numbers
sette: SET-teh — Seven; the number 7
anni: AHN-nee — Years; plural of anno
divertiva: dee-vehr-TEE-vah — Amused herself; had fun; imperfect of divertirsi
con: kohn — With; together with; Italian preposition
ogni: OH-nyee — Every; each; all kinds of
sorta: SOHR-tah — Sort; kind; type of something
piccole: PEEK-koh-leh — Small; little; feminine plural adjective
monellerie: moh-nel-leh-REE-eh — Mischief; pranks; naughty tricks
moine: MOH-ee-neh — Coaxing; sweet flattery; affectionate gestures
affettuose: ahf-fet-TWOH-zeh — Affectionate; loving; tender
uno: OO-noh — One; a; masculine indefinite article or number
dei: DEH-ee — Of the; masculine plural prepositional contraction
suoi: SWOH-ee — Her; his; possessive adjective masculine plural
fratelli: frah-TEL-lee — Brothers; male siblings
diciotto: dee-CHOHT-toh — Eighteen; the number 18
mesi: MEH-zee — Months; plural of mese
Il: eel — The; masculine singular definite article
bambino: bahm-BEE-noh — Child; baby boy; young male child
grande: GRAHN-deh — Great; big; large in size or feeling
estasi: ES-tah-zee — Ecstasy; rapture; overwhelming delight
per: pehr — For; through; by; common preposition
alcune: ahl-KOO-neh — Some; a few; feminine plural adjective
delle: DEL-leh — Of the; some; feminine plural contraction
buffonate: boof-foh-NAH-teh — Clownish antics; silly pranks; buffoonery
della: DEL-lah — Of the; feminine singular prepositional contraction
sua: SOO-ah — His; her; its; feminine singular possessive adjective
sorellina: soh-rel-LEE-nah — Little sister; affectionate diminutive of sorella
la: lah — Her; the; feminine direct object pronoun
afferrò: ahf-fehr-ROH — Grabbed; seized; passato remoto of afferrare
se: seh — Himself; herself; reflexive pronoun
mise: MEE-zeh — Put; placed; passato remoto of mettere
bocca: BOH-kah — Mouth; the opening used for eating and speaking
quasi: KWAH-zee — Almost; nearly; approximately
tutta: TOOT-tah — All; entire; whole; feminine singular adjective
testa: TES-tah — Head; top part of the body
povera: POH-veh-rah — Poor; unfortunate; used to express pity
piccola: PEEK-koh-lah — Small; little; diminutive feminine adjective
grido: GREE-doh — Cry; shout; scream
fu: foo — Was; third person singular passato remoto of essere
così: koh-ZEE — So; thus; in this way
acuto: ah-KOO-toh — Sharp; acute; piercing; said of sounds
che: keh — That; which; who; conjunction or pronoun
il: eel — The; masculine singular definite article
aprì: ah-PREE — Opened; third person singular passato remoto of aprire
le: leh — The; her; feminine plural or indirect pronoun
mascelle: mah-SHEL-leh — Jaws; the bones forming the mouth structure
lasciò: lah-SHOH — Let; allowed; dropped; passato remoto of lasciare
cadere: kah-DEH-reh — To fall; to drop down
sfortunata: sfohr-too-NAH-tah — Unfortunate; unlucky; ill-fated person
sul: sool — On the; masculine singular prepositional contraction
pavimento: pah-vee-MEN-toh — Floor; the ground surface of a room
Non: nohn — Not; basic Italian negation word
riprese: ree-PREH-zeh — Recovered; took back; passato remoto of riprendere
molto: MOHL-toh — Much; very; a lot
tempo: TEM-poh — Time; weather; period
da: dah — From; by; since; Italian preposition
questa: KWES-tah — This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
caduta: kah-DOO-tah — Fall; tumble; act of falling down
Un': oon — A; an; elided feminine indefinite article
altra: AHL-trah — Other; another; feminine singular adjective
volta: Time; occasion; instance of something occurring
un: oon — A; an; masculine indefinite article
grosso: GROHS-soh — Big; large; fat; bulky
gatto: GAHT-toh — Cat; domestic feline animal
cacciatore: kahch-chah-TOH-reh — Hunter; one who hunts prey
topi: TOH-pee — Mice; rats; plural of topo
corse: KOHR-seh — Ran; chased; passato remoto of correre
dietro: DYEH-troh — Behind; after; in pursuit of
difficoltà: dee-fee-kohl-TAH — Difficulty; trouble; challenge
riuscirono: ryoo-SHEE-roh-noh — They managed; they succeeded; passato remoto of riuscire
a: ah — To; at; very common Italian preposition
salvare: sahl-VAH-reh — To save; to rescue from danger
dagli: DAHL-yee — From the; masculine plural prepositional contraction
artigli: ahr-TEEL-yee — Claws; sharp nails of animals
padre: PAH-dreh — Father; male parent
Signor: seen-YOHR — Mister; Mr.; title of address for a man
Pollice: POHL-lee-cheh — Thumb; also inch; proper name here
riusciva: ryoo-SHEE-vah — Was able to; managed; imperfect of riuscire
reprimere: reh-PREE-meh-reh — To repress; to suppress; to hold back
certa: CHEHR-tah — A certain; some; a particular kind of
ansietà: ahn-syeh-TAH — Anxiety; worry; concern about something
riguardo: ree-GWAHR-doh — Regarding; with respect to; concerning
alla: AHL-lah — To the; feminine singular prepositional contraction
sorte: SOHR-teh — Fate; destiny; lot in life
amabile: ah-MAH-bee-leh — Lovable; amiable; pleasant and kind
figlia: FEEL-yah — Daughter; female child
possedeva: pohs-seh-DEH-vah — Possessed; had; imperfect of possedere
intelligenza: een-tel-lee-JEN-tsah — Intelligence; mental ability; smartness
superiore: soo-peh-RYOH-reh — Superior; above average; higher than normal
norma: NOHR-mah — Norm; standard; the usual level
estrema: es-TREH-mah — Extreme; very great in degree
piccolezza: peek-koh-LET-tsah — Smallness; tininess; the state of being tiny
esposta: es-POH-stah — Exposed; subjected to; vulnerable to danger
tanti: TAHN-tee — So many; a great number of
pericoli: peh-REE-koh-lee — Dangers; perils; plural of pericolo
faceva: fah-CHEH-vah — Was doing; was making; imperfect of fare
del: dehl — Of the; some; masculine singular contraction
meglio: MEL-yoh — Better; best; the best one can do
acquisire: ahk-kwee-ZEE-reh — To acquire; to gain; to obtain knowledge
conoscenza: koh-noh-SHEN-tsah — Knowledge; acquaintance; awareness of something
migliori: meel-YOH-ree — Best; better; plural comparative adjective
intenzioni: een-ten-tsyOH-nee — Intentions; purposes; aims
mondo: MOHN-doh — World; everyone; the whole of society
cosa: KOH-zah — Thing; what; object or matter
compiacere: kohm-pyah-CHEH-reh — To please; to satisfy; to make happy
tutti: TOOT-tee — Everyone; all; everybody
coloro: koh-LOH-roh — Those who; those people; the ones who
avvicinavano: ahv-vee-chee-NAH-vah-noh — Were approaching; were coming near; imperfect of avvicinarsi
irrequietezza: eer-reh-kwee-eh-TET-tsah — Restlessness; inability to stay calm or still
trascinava: trah-shee-NAH-vah — Was dragging; was pulling along; imperfect of trascinare
fuori: FWOH-ree — Outside; out; away from a place
strada: STRAH-dah — Road; street; path
malgrado: mahl-GRAH-doh — Despite; in spite of; regardless of

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →