The Angel in the House — Page 5

Vocabulary

Geranio

jeh-RAH-nyoh — A flowering plant commonly kept in window boxes

rose

ROH-zeh — Roses; popular flowering plants with thorny stems

adornavano

ah-dor-NAH-vah-noh — They adorned or decorated something beautifully

Le

leh — Feminine plural definite article meaning 'the'

finestre

fee-NEHS-treh — Windows; openings in a wall for light and air

tutte

TOOT-teh — All; feminine plural form of 'tutto'

spalancate

spah-lahn-KAH-teh — Wide open; thrown open fully, as windows or doors

E

eh — And; basic Italian coordinating conjunction

qualcuno

kwahl-KOO-noh — Someone; an unspecified person

nello

NEHL-loh — In the; contraction of 'in' and 'lo'

studio

STOO-dyoh — Study room; a room used for work or music

suonava

swoh-NAH-vah — Was playing a musical instrument

La

lah — Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'

Marcia

MAR-chah — March; a rhythmic musical composition for processions

Nuziale

noo-tsyah-LEH — Wedding; relating to a marriage or nuptial ceremony

di

dee — Of; basic Italian preposition indicating possession or origin

Ed

ehd — And; variant of 'e' used before vowels

era

EH-rah — Was; third person singular imperfect of 'essere'

lì

lee — There; adverb indicating a specific place

che

keh — That; relative pronoun or conjunction

mi

mee — Me; first person singular object pronoun

congedai

kon-jeh-DAH-ee — I took my leave; I said farewell

per

pehr — For; Italian preposition indicating purpose or duration

ultima

OOL-tee-mah — Last; final occurrence of something

volta

VOL-tah — Time; an instance or occurrence of an event

Era

EH-rah — It was; imperfect tense of 'essere'

Natale

nah-TAH-leh — Christmas; Christian holiday celebrated December 25th

ricordavo

ree-kor-DAH-voh — I remembered; imperfect tense of 'ricordare'

ora

OH-rah — Now; at the present moment

ragazze

rah-GAHT-tseh — Girls; young women or female adolescents

crudeli

kroo-DEH-lee — Cruel; causing pain or suffering without mercy

fingevano

feen-JEH-vah-noh — They pretended; they feigned a false emotion

rattristarsi

raht-trees-TAR-see — To become sad; to feel or show sadness

Tolsero

TOL-seh-roh — They removed or took away something

i

ee — The; masculine plural definite article

sempreverdi

sem-preh-VEHR-dee — Evergreens; plants that remain green all year

e

eh — And; basic Italian coordinating conjunction

come

KOH-meh — As or like; Italian conjunction of comparison

agrifoglio

ah-gree-FOH-lyoh — Holly; a thorny evergreen plant with red berries

tra

trah — Among or between; Italian preposition of position

le

leh — The; feminine plural definite article

fiamme

FYAHM-meh — Flames; tongues of fire burning brightly

destò

deh-STOH — Awakened or stirred; aroused something dormant

Il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

fuoco

FWOH-koh — Fire; combustion producing heat and light

illuminando

eel-loo-mee-NAHN-doh — Illuminating; casting light upon something

la

lah — The; feminine singular definite article

grande

GRAHN-deh — Large or great; of considerable size or importance

sala

SAH-lah — Hall or room; a large interior living space

bassa

BAHS-sah — Low; of little height or depth

Un

oon — A; masculine singular indefinite article

tenue

TEH-nweh — Faint or delicate; subtle and not intense

ricco

REEK-koh — Rich; having great wealth or abundant quality

lustro

LOOS-troh — Sheen or luster; a soft glowing brightness

quercia

KWEHR-chah — Oak; a large hardwood tree valued for timber

antica

ahn-TEE-kah — Ancient or old; belonging to a long past era

il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

bagliore

bah-LYOH-reh — Glare or glow; an intense or diffused light

cupo

KOO-poh — Dark or gloomy; deep and somber in tone

del

dehl — Of the; masculine singular contraction

velluto

vehl-LOO-toh — Velvet; a soft luxurious fabric with dense pile

cremisi

KREH-mee-zee — Crimson; a deep vivid red color

Nessun

nehs-SOON — No; not any, used before masculine nouns

cambiamento

kahm-byah-MEHN-toh — Change; an alteration or transformation of something

aveva

ah-VEH-vah — Had; third person singular imperfect of 'avere'

toccato

tok-KAH-toh — Touched; past participle of 'toccare'

Decano

deh-KAH-noh — Dean; a senior dignitary or head of a community

gentile

jehn-TEE-leh — Kind or gentle; pleasant and considerate in manner

Piegato

pyeh-GAH-toh — Bent or bowed; stooped by weight or burden

dalla

DAHL-lah — By the; feminine singular contraction of 'da la'

vedovanza

veh-doh-VAHN-tsah — Widowhood; the state of having lost one's spouse

più

pyoo — More; used for comparison or greater degree

dagli

DAH-lyee — By the; masculine plural contraction of 'da gli'

anni

AHN-nee — Years; units of time equal to twelve months

stabilito

stah-bee-LEE-toh — Settled or established; firmly set in a condition

in

een — In; basic Italian preposition of location

un

oon — A; masculine singular indefinite article

animo

AH-nee-moh — Spirit or mind; one's inner disposition or soul

sereno

seh-REH-noh — Serene; calm and peaceful in mood or atmosphere

Come

KOH-meh — Like or as; conjunction used in comparisons

chi

Who; relative or interrogative pronoun

ancora

ahn-KOH-rah — Still or yet; continuing up to the present moment

presagisce

preh-sah-JEE-sheh — Foresees or presages; senses something in advance

gioia

JOY-ah — Joy; a feeling of great happiness or delight

cielo

CHYEH-loh — Sky or heaven; the expanse above the earth

Ben

behn — Well; adverb indicating aptness or suitability

potevano

poh-TEH-vah-noh — They could; imperfect of 'potere' third plural

suoi

SWOH-ee — His or her; masculine plural possessive adjective

pensieri

pehn-SYEH-ree — Thoughts; ideas or reflections in one's mind

essere

EHS-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian infinitive verb

fissi

FEES-see — Fixed; steadily focused without moving or wavering

alto

AHL-toh — High; at a great elevation or upward position

Ora

OH-rah — Now; at the current moment in time

lei

LEH-ee — She or her; third person singular feminine pronoun

là

lah — There; adverb indicating a distant location

Nel

nehl — In the; masculine singular contraction of 'in il'

suo

SWOH — His or her; singular possessive adjective

volto

VOL-toh — Face; the front part of a person's head

Umiltà

oo-meel-TAH — Humility; the quality of being modest and unpretentious

dignità

dee-nyee-TAH — Dignity; the quality of being worthy of respect

Si

see — Reflexive pronoun; used for third person reflexive

incontravano

een-kon-TRAH-vah-noh — They met or encountered each other regularly

dolcissimo

dol-CHEES-see-moh — Very sweet; superlative of 'dolce'

abbraccio

ahb-BRAH-choh — Embrace; act of holding someone close affectionately

Sembrava

sehm-BRAH-vah — Seemed; imperfect tense of 'sembrare'

espressamente

ehs-prehs-sah-MEHN-teh — Expressly; specifically and deliberately for a purpose

mandata

mahn-DAH-tah — Sent; past participle of 'mandare', feminine form

quaggiù

kwahd-JOO — Down here; referring to this lower earthly realm

Per

pehr — To or for; Italian preposition of purpose

insegnare

een-seh-NYAH-reh — To teach; to impart knowledge or skills to others

alle

AHL-leh — To the; feminine plural contraction of 'a le'

nostre

NOS-treh — Our; feminine plural possessive adjective

menti

MEHN-tee — Minds; the intellectual or reasoning faculties

erranti

ehr-RAHN-tee — Wandering or erring; straying from a correct path

a

ah — To or at; basic Italian preposition

vedere

veh-DEH-reh — To see; to perceive with the eyes

ritmico

REET-mee-koh — Rhythmic; having a regular repeated pattern of sound

mutare

moo-TAH-reh — To change or alter; to transform over time

rapido

RAH-pee-doh — Rapid or swift; moving or happening very quickly

fluire

floo-EE-reh — To flow; to move steadily and continuously

tempo

TEHM-poh — Time; the continuous progression of existence

parte

PAR-teh — Part; a portion or component of a whole

eterna

eh-TEHR-nah — Eternal; lasting forever without beginning or end

quiete

KYEH-teh — Quiet or stillness; a state of calm and rest

sua

SOO-ah — Her or his; feminine singular possessive adjective

vita

VEE-tah — Life; the condition of being alive

tutta

TOOT-tah — All or entire; feminine singular form of 'tutto'

onore

oh-NOH-reh — Honor; great respect and high public esteem

osservava

os-sehr-VAH-vah — Observed or watched; paid careful attention to something

con

kohn — With; Italian preposition indicating accompaniment

riverenza

ree-veh-REHN-tsah — Reverence; deep respect and awe toward something

Che

keh — That; subordinating conjunction introducing a clause

nessuna

nehs-SOO-nah — No; not any, used before feminine nouns

dura

DOO-rah — Hard or harsh; difficult and demanding to endure

esperienza

ehs-peh-ryehn-TSAH — Experience; knowledge gained through living and doing

poteva

poh-TEH-vah — Could; third person singular imperfect of 'potere'

intaccare

een-tahk-KAH-reh — To impair or undermine; to damage or erode something

finzione

feen-TSYOH-neh — Fiction or pretense; something assumed as a principle

della

DEHL-lah — Of the; feminine singular contraction of 'di la'

legge

LEHD-jeh — Law; a rule established by authority or custom

cristiana

krees-TYAH-nah — Christian; relating to Christianity or its teachings

tutti

TOOT-tee — All; masculine plural form of 'tutto'

gli

lyee — The; masculine plural definite article before vowels

uomini

WOH-mee-nee — Men; adult male human beings

siano

SYAH-noh — May be; third person plural present subjunctive of 'essere'

onorevoli

oh-noh-REH-voh-lee — Honorable; deserving of respect and high esteem

così

koh-ZEE — So or thus; in this way or to this degree

sorriso

sor-REE-zoh — Smile; a facial expression of happiness or warmth

conferiva

kon-feh-REE-vah — Conferred or bestowed; granted something to someone

insieme

een-SYEH-meh — Together; at the same time or in combination

Alta

AHL-tah — High; elevated or lofty in position or quality

lusinga

loo-ZEEN-gah — Flattery; pleasing but insincere praise or compliment

benigno

beh-NEE-nyoh — Benign or kind; gentle and favorable in nature

rimprovero

reem-PROH-veh-roh — Reproach; a mild rebuke or expression of disapproval

io

EE-oh — I; first person singular subject pronoun

ragazzo

rah-GAHT-tsoh — Boy or young man; a male youth

rozzo

ROHT-tsoh — Rough or uncouth; lacking refinement or manners

stranamente

strah-nah-MEHN-teh — Strangely; in an unusual or surprising manner

commosso

kom-MOS-soh — Moved or touched emotionally; deeply affected

Divenni

dee-VEHN-nee — I became; first person singular passato remoto of 'divenire'

cortese

kor-TEH-zeh — Courteous; polite and considerate in behavior

mio

MEE-oh — My; first person singular masculine possessive adjective

stesso

STEHS-soh — Same or own; used to emphasize identity

vantaggio

vahn-TAHD-joh — Advantage; a favorable condition or benefit

Gli

lyee — The; masculine plural definite article

lungi

LOON-jee — Far from; a literary expression of distance

dal

dahl — From the; masculine singular contraction of 'da il'

recarle

reh-KAR-leh — To bring to her; infinitive with indirect pronoun attached

danno

DAHN-noh — Harm or damage; injury done to someone

balsamo

BAHL-sah-moh — Balm or balsam; a soothing healing substance

grazioso

grah-TSYOH-zoh — Graceful or charming; having elegance and pleasing quality

resero

REH-seh-roh — They rendered or made; passato remoto of 'rendere'

fronte

FRON-teh — Forehead or front; the upper part of the face

sempre

SEHM-preh — Always; at all times without exception

giovane

JOH-vah-neh — Young; in an early stage of life or development

Con

kohn — With; Italian preposition of accompaniment or means

corone

koh-ROH-neh — Crowns or garlands; circular headpieces of honor

amaranto

ah-mah-RAHN-toh — Amaranth; a plant symbolizing immortality in poetry

palma

PAHL-mah — Palm; a tree or symbol of victory and peace

questa

KWES-tah — This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

primogenita

pree-moh-JEH-nee-tah — Firstborn daughter; the first female child born

non

nohn — Not; basic Italian negation adverb

lasciava

lah-SHAH-vah — Was letting or allowing; imperfect of 'lasciare'

tirare

tee-RAH-reh — To pull or draw; to exert force on something

altalena

ahl-tah-LEH-nah — Swing; a hanging seat that moves back and forth

baciata

bah-CHAH-tah — Kissed; past participle of 'baciare', feminine form

chiamò

kyah-MOH — Called or named; third person singular passato remoto

maleducato

mah-leh-doo-KAH-toh — Rude or ill-mannered; lacking proper social conduct

singhiozzando

seen-gyot-TSAHN-doh — Sobbing; crying with convulsive catches of breath

piano

PYAH-noh — Softly or quietly; gently and at low volume

si

see — Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person

rifiutò

ree-fyoo-TOH — Refused; declined to do or accept something

cantare

kahn-TAH-reh — To sing; to produce musical sounds with the voice

cambiata

kahm-BYAH-tah — Changed; past participle of 'cambiare', feminine form