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The Brothers Karamazov — Page 1

English → It Chapter II. Level 8/10

He Gets Rid Of His Eldest Son

Si sbarazza del figlio maggiore

You can easily imagine what a father such a man could be and how he would bring up his children.

Potete facilmente immaginare che tipo di padre potesse essere un uomo simile e come avrebbe allevato i suoi figli.

His behavior as a father was exactly what might be expected.

Il suo comportamento da padre era esattamente quello che ci si poteva aspettare.

He completely abandoned the child of his marriage with Adelaïda Ivanovna, not from malice, nor because of his matrimonial grievances, but simply because he forgot him.

Abbandonò completamente il figlio nato dal suo matrimonio con Adelaïda Ivanovna, non per cattiveria, né a causa dei suoi rancori matrimoniali, ma semplicemente perché se ne dimenticò.

While he was wearying every one with his tears and complaints, and turning his house into a sink of debauchery, a faithful servant of the family, Grigory, took the three-year-old Mitya into his care.

Mentre annoiava tutti con le sue lacrime e le sue lamentele, e trasformava la sua casa in una sentina di dissolutezza, un fedele servitore della famiglia, Grigory, prese in cura il piccolo Mitya di tre anni.

If he hadn't looked after him there would have been no one even to change the baby's little shirt.

Se non si fosse occupato di lui, non ci sarebbe stato nessuno nemmeno a cambiargli la camicina.

It happened moreover that the child's relations on his mother's side forgot him too at first.

Accadde inoltre che anche i parenti del bambino dal lato materno se ne dimenticarono dapprima.

His grandfather was no longer living, his widow, Mitya's grandmother, had moved to Moscow, and was seriously ill, while his daughters were married, so that Mitya remained for almost a whole year in old Grigory's charge and lived with him in the servant's cottage.

Il nonno non era più in vita, sua moglie, la nonna di Mitya, si era trasferita a Mosca ed era gravemente malata, mentre le sue figlie erano sposate, cosicché Mitya rimase per quasi un anno intero alle cure del vecchio Grigory e visse con lui nella casetta della servitù.

But if his father had remembered him (he could not, indeed, have been altogether unaware of his existence) he would have sent him back to the cottage, as the child would only have been in the way of his debaucheries.

Ma se suo padre si fosse ricordato di lui (non poteva, in effetti, essere del tutto ignaro della sua esistenza) lo avrebbe rimandato alla casetta, poiché il bambino non avrebbe fatto altro che intralciare le sue dissolutezze.

But a cousin of Mitya's mother, Pyotr Alexandrovitch Miüsov, happened to return from Paris.

Ma un cugino della madre di Mitya, Pyotr Alexandrovitch Miüsov, si trovò a tornare da Parigi.

Vocabulary

Si
Reflexive pronoun meaning oneself or each other
sbarazza
Gets rid of, frees oneself from something
del
Contraction of di and il meaning of the
figlio
Son or child of a parent
maggiore
Older, greater, or eldest among siblings
Potete
You can, second person plural of potere
facilmente
Easily, without difficulty or effort
immaginare
To imagine or picture something in the mind
che
That, which, or who; common conjunction and pronoun
tipo
Type, kind, or sort of person or thing
di
Of, from; very common Italian preposition
padre
Father, male parent of a child
potesse
Could, subjunctive imperfect of potere
essere
To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb
un
A, an; indefinite article masculine singular
uomo
Man, adult male human being
simile
Similar, like, or such as described
e
And; basic coordinating conjunction in Italian
come
How, as, or like; common Italian conjunction
avrebbe
Would have; conditional of avere third person
allevato
Raised, brought up a child or animal
i
The; masculine plural definite article
suoi
His, her, its; plural possessive adjective
figli
Children or sons; plural of figlio
Il
The; masculine singular definite article
suo
His, her, its; singular possessive adjective
comportamento
Behavior, conduct, or manner of acting
da
From, by, as; versatile Italian preposition
era
Was; third person singular imperfect of essere
esattamente
Exactly, precisely, just as expected
quello
That, that one; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
ci
There, us, ourselves; common Italian particle
si
Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person
poteva
Could; third person singular imperfect of potere
aspettare
To wait or to expect something to happen
Abbandonò
Abandoned, left behind completely without care
completamente
Completely, entirely, without any remainder
nato
Born; past participle of nascere
dal
From the; contraction of da and il
matrimonio
Marriage, wedding union between two people
con
With; common Italian preposition
non
Not; basic Italian negation adverb
per
For, by, through; common Italian preposition
cattiveria
Malice, wickedness, or mean-spirited behavior
Nor, neither; negative coordinating conjunction
a
To, at; very common Italian preposition
causa
Cause, reason, or motive behind an action
dei
Of the; contraction of di and i plural
rancori
Grudges, resentments held after conflict or dispute
matrimoniali
Marital, relating to marriage or married life
ma
But; basic Italian adversative conjunction
semplicemente
Simply, plainly, without complication or elaboration
perché
Because, why; causal conjunction or question word
se
If, oneself; conditional conjunction or reflexive
ne
Of it, from there; common Italian pronoun particle
dimenticò
Forgot; third person singular past of dimenticare
Mentre
While, whereas; temporal or contrastive conjunction
annoiava
Was boring or annoying; imperfect of annoiare
tutti
Everyone, all; plural pronoun or adjective
le
The, her; feminine plural article or pronoun
sue
His, her; feminine plural possessive adjective
lacrime
Tears shed from crying or strong emotion
lamentele
Complaints, grievances, or continual expressions of discontent
trasformava
Was transforming; imperfect of trasformare
la
The, her; feminine singular article or pronoun
casa
House, home, dwelling place
in
In, into; common Italian preposition of place
una
A, an; feminine singular indefinite article
dissolutezza
Debauchery, dissolute behavior, moral corruption and excess
fedele
Faithful, loyal, devoted to someone or something
servitore
Servant, male domestic servant of a household
della
Of the; contraction of di and la feminine
famiglia
Family, household unit of related people
prese
Took; third person singular past of prendere
cura
Care, attention given to someone needing help
piccolo
Small, little; adjective for size or age
tre
Three; the number three in Italian
anni
Years; plural of anno, unit of time
fosse
Were, was; subjunctive imperfect of essere
occupato
Busy, occupied; past participle of occupare
lui
He, him; third person masculine singular pronoun
sarebbe
Would be; conditional of essere third person
stato
Been; past participle of essere
nessuno
Nobody, no one; negative indefinite pronoun
nemmeno
Not even; strong negative adverb or conjunction
cambiargli
To change for him; infinitive plus indirect pronoun
Accadde
It happened; third person singular past of accadere
inoltre
Moreover, furthermore; additive linking adverb
anche
Also, too, even; common Italian additive adverb
parenti
Relatives, family members related by blood or marriage
bambino
Child, small boy; young male human being
lato
Side; lateral direction or familial line
materno
Maternal, relating to the mother's side
dimenticarono
They forgot; third person plural past of dimenticare
dapprima
At first, initially, in the beginning
nonno
Grandfather; father's or mother's father
più
More, most, no longer; common Italian adverb
vita
Life; living existence of a person or being
moglie
Wife; female spouse in a marriage
nonna
Grandmother; mother's or father's mother
trasferita
Transferred, moved; past participle of trasferire feminine
ed
And; variant of e used before vowels
gravemente
Seriously, gravely, severely ill or injured
malata
Sick, ill; feminine adjective describing poor health
figlie
Daughters; plural of figlia, female children
erano
Were; third person plural imperfect of essere
sposate
Married; past participle plural feminine of sposare
cosicché
So that, therefore; consecutive conjunction in Italian
rimase
Remained, stayed; third person singular past of rimanere
quasi
Almost, nearly; Italian adverb of approximation
anno
Year; single unit of twelve months
intero
Entire, whole, complete; adjective of totality
alle
To the, at the; contraction of a and le
cure
Care, treatment; plural of cura
vecchio
Old man, old; adjective or noun for age
visse
Lived; third person singular past of vivere
nella
In the; contraction of in and la feminine
casetta
Small house; affectionate diminutive of casa
servitù
Servants' quarters or domestic servitude collectively
Ma
But; adversative conjunction contrasting previous statement
ricordato
Remembered; past participle of ricordare
effetti
Effects; in effetti means in fact or indeed
tutto
Everything, all; singular pronoun or adjective
ignaro
Unaware, ignorant of a situation or fact
esistenza
Existence; the state of existing or living
lo
Him, it; masculine singular direct object pronoun
rimandato
Sent back, returned; past participle of rimandare
alla
To the; contraction of a and la feminine
poiché
Since, because; causal conjunction explaining a reason
fatto
Done, made; past participle of fare
altro
Other, else, another; common Italian adjective
intralciare
To hinder, obstruct, get in the way
cugino
Cousin; relative who is a child of an uncle or aunt
madre
Mother; female parent of a child
trovò
Found, happened; third person singular past of trovare
tornare
To return, go back to a place or state
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