The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 15

Vocabulary

Poiché

poi-ké — conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because'

non

non — basic negation word meaning 'not'

temevamo

te-mé-va-mo — we feared, past imperfect of 'temere'

meno

mé-no — less, fewer; used in comparisons

i

i — masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'

nostri

nós-tri — our, masculine plural possessive adjective

tormenti

tor-mén-ti — torments, sufferings, intense mental or physical pains

né

né — nor, neither; used in negative correlative constructions

pregavamo

pre-gá-va-mo — we prayed, past imperfect of 'pregare'

Te

te — you, accusative pronoun, here referring to God

per

per — preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'through'

sfuggire

sfug-gí-re — to escape, to flee from something or someone

ad

ad — variant of 'a,' preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'

essi

és-si — they, third-person masculine plural pronoun

Eppure

ep-pú-re — and yet, nevertheless; introduces a contrasting statement

peccavamo

pec-cá-va-mo — we sinned, past imperfect of 'peccare'

scrivendo

scri-vén-do — writing, present gerund of 'scrivere'

o

o — or, conjunction linking alternatives

leggendo

leg-gén-do — reading, present gerund of 'leggere'

studiando

stu-diàn-do — studying, present gerund of 'studiare'

di

di — preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about'

quanto

quàn-to — how much, as much as; used in comparisons

ci

ci — us, ourselves; reflexive or indirect object pronoun

veniva

ve-ní-va — was coming, past imperfect of 'venire'

richiesto

ri-chiés-to — required, requested; past participle of 'richiedere'

mancavano

man-cá-va-no — they were lacking, past imperfect of 'mancare'

Signore

si-gnó-re — Lord, sir; title of respect or divine address

memoria

me-mó-ria — memory, the ability to remember things

capacità

ca-pa-ci-tà — capacity, ability, skill or aptitude for something

delle

dél-le — contraction of 'di le,' meaning 'of the' (feminine plural)

quali

quá-li — which, relative pronoun referring to previously mentioned things

la

la — feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'

Tua

tú-a — your, feminine singular possessive adjective (formal/divine)

volontà

vo-lon-tà — will, desire, intention or determination

ne

ne — of it, of them; partitive or genitive pronoun

aveva

a-vé-va — had, past imperfect third-person singular of 'avere'

date

dá-te — given, past participle feminine plural of 'dare'

abbastanza

ab-bas-tàn-za — enough, sufficiently; indicates adequate quantity or degree

nostra

nós-tra — our, feminine singular possessive adjective

età

e-tà — age, the period or stage of one's life

ma

ma — but, however; conjunction introducing a contrast

il

il — masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'

unico

ú-ni-co — unique, only, sole; the one and only thing

diletto

di-lét-to — delight, pleasure, beloved pastime or enjoyment

era

é-ra — was, past imperfect third-person singular of 'essere'

gioco

giò-co — game, play; recreational activity done for fun

e

e — and, basic coordinating conjunction linking elements

questo

quès-to — this, demonstrative pronoun or adjective indicating proximity

eravamo

e-rá-va-mo — we were, past imperfect of 'essere'

puniti

pu-ní-ti — punished, past participle masculine plural of 'punire'

da

da — by, from; preposition indicating agent or origin

coloro

co-ló-ro — those people, third-person plural demonstrative pronoun

che

che — who, that, which; versatile relative conjunction

pur

pur — yet, even, still; concessive adverb implying contrast

facevano

fa-cé-va-no — they did, they were doing; past imperfect of 'fare'

lo

lo — it, him; masculine singular direct object pronoun

stesso

stés-so — same, himself/itself; emphasizes identity or sameness

Ma

ma — but, however; conjunction introducing a contrast

l'

l' — elided form of 'lo' or 'la,' the definite article

ozio

ò-zio — idleness, leisure without productive activity

degli

dé-gli — contraction of 'di gli,' meaning 'of the' (masculine plural)

adulti

a-dúl-ti — adults, grown-up people as opposed to children

è

è — is, third-person singular present of 'essere'

chiamato

chia-má-to — called, named; past participle of 'chiamare'

lavoro

la-vó-ro — work, labor, job or professional activity

quello

quél-lo — that, demonstrative pronoun referring to something distant

dei

déi — contraction of 'di i,' meaning 'of the' (masculine plural)

ragazzi

ra-gáz-zi — boys, kids, young people or teenagers

essendo

es-sén-do — being, present gerund of 'essere'

in

in — in, into; preposition indicating location or state

realtà

re-al-tà — reality, the actual state of things or existence

punito

pu-ní-to — punished, past participle masculine singular of 'punire'

quegli

quég-li — those (masculine plural), demonstrative adjective or pronoun

nessuno

nes-sú-no — no one, nobody; indefinite negative pronoun

compatisce

com-pa-tís-ce — pities, sympathizes; third-person singular of 'compatire'

gli

gli — to him, the (masculine plural); pronoun or article

uomini

uò-mi-ni — men, plural of 'uomo'; adult male human beings

approverà

ap-pro-ve-rà — will approve, future third-person singular of 'approvare'

forse

fór-se — perhaps, maybe; expresses uncertainty or possibility

qualcuno

qual-cú-no — someone, anybody; indefinite pronoun referring to a person

sano

sá-no — healthy, sound; used here as 'of sound judgment'

giudizio

giu-dí-zio — judgment, discernment, wisdom in evaluating situations

io

io — I, first-person singular subject pronoun

venissi

ve-nís-si — I came, subjunctive imperfect of 'venire'

picchiato

pic-chiá-to — beaten, hit; past participle of 'picchiare'

ragazzo

ra-gáz-zo — boy, young man, teenager or child

perché

per-ché — because, why; conjunction or interrogative adverb

giocando

gio-cán-do — playing, present gerund of 'giocare'

a

a — to, at; preposition indicating direction or location

palla

pál-la — ball; round object used in sports and games

facevo

fa-cé-vo — I was doing, I did; past imperfect of 'fare'

progressi

pro-grés-si — progress, advances; improvements in skill or knowledge

negli

né-gli — contraction of 'in gli,' meaning 'in the' (masculine plural)

studi

stú-di — studies, academic subjects or scholarly pursuits

dovevo

do-vé-vo — I had to, I was obliged; past imperfect of 'dovere'

apprendere

ap-prén-de-re — to learn, to acquire knowledge or a skill

solo

só-lo — only, alone, just; indicates exclusivity or solitude

affinché

af-fin-ché — so that, in order that; introduces a purpose clause

uomo

uò-mo — man, adult male human being

potessi

po-tés-si — I could, subjunctive imperfect of 'potere'

giocare

gio-cá-re — to play; to engage in a game or sport

modo

mó-do — way, manner, mode; how something is done

ancor

an-cór — still, yet, even; shortened form of 'ancora'

più

piú — more; comparative adverb indicating greater degree

sconveniente

scon-ve-niénte — improper, unsuitable, unseemly or inappropriate behavior

cos'

cos' — elided form of 'cosa,' meaning 'what thing'

altro

àl-tro — other, another, else; refers to something different

faceva

fa-cé-va — he/she was doing; past imperfect third-person singular 'fare'

colui

co-lúi — he who, that man; demonstrative pronoun for a person

mi

mi — me, myself; first-person singular object pronoun

picchiava

pic-chiá-va — was hitting, beating; past imperfect of 'picchiare'

quale

quá-le — which, who; relative pronoun or interrogative adjective

se

se — if, whether; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis

sconfitto

scon-fít-to — defeated, beaten; past participle of 'sconfiggere'

qualche

quál-che — some, any; indefinite adjective indicating an unspecified amount

futile

fú-ti-le — futile, trivial, pointless; lacking importance or purpose

discussione

dis-cus-sió-ne — discussion, argument, debate between two or more people

con

con — with; preposition expressing accompaniment or means

suo

súo — his, her, its; third-person singular possessive adjective

collega

col-lé-ga — colleague, coworker; person sharing the same profession

amareggiato

a-ma-reg-giá-to — embittered, saddened; past participle of 'amareggiarsi'

geloso

ge-ló-so — jealous, envious; feeling resentment over another's advantage

fossi

fós-si — I was, subjunctive imperfect of 'essere'

quando

quàn-do — when; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb

venivo

ve-ní-vo — I was coming; past imperfect of 'venire'

battuto

bat-tú-to — beaten, struck; past participle of 'battere'

un

un — a, an; masculine singular indefinite article

compagno

com-pá-gno — companion, classmate, fellow; person sharing an activity

peccai

pec-cái — I sinned; simple past first-person singular of 'peccare'

Iddio

id-dío — God; emphatic or archaic form of 'Dio'

Creatore

cre-a-tó-re — Creator; one who creates, especially God in theology

Ordinatore

or-di-na-tó-re — Ordainer, Organizer; one who orders or arranges everything

tutte

tút-te — all, every; feminine plural of 'tutto'

le

le — the, them; feminine plural article or pronoun

cose

có-se — things, matters, objects; plural of 'cosa'

della

dél-la — contraction of 'di la,' meaning 'of the' (feminine singular)

natura

na-tú-ra — nature, the natural world or inherent character of things

del

del — contraction of 'di il,' meaning 'of the' (masculine singular)

peccato

pec-cá-to — sin, transgression; moral offense against divine law

mio

mío — my, mine; first-person singular possessive adjective

Dio

Dío — God; the supreme divine being in monotheistic religion

nel

nel — contraction of 'in il,' meaning 'in the' (masculine singular)

trasgredire

tras-gre-dí-re — to transgress, to violate rules or commands

comandi

co-màn-di — commands, orders; directives that must be obeyed

miei

miéi — my, mine; first-person plural possessive adjective (masculine)

genitori

ge-ni-tó-ri — parents, mother and father together

quelli

quél-li — those, those ones; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun

maestri

ma-és-tri — teachers, masters; those who instruct or guide others

ciò

ciò — this, that; neuter demonstrative pronoun for abstract things

qualunque

qua-lún-que — whatever, any; indefinite adjective indicating no restriction

intento

in-tén-to — intent, purpose, aim; goal behind an action

avrebbero

a-vrèb-be-ro — they would have; conditional perfect of 'avere'

voluto

vo-lú-to — wanted, wished; past participle of 'volere'

imparassi

im-pa-rás-si — I learned, subjunctive imperfect of 'imparare'

avrei

a-vréi — I would have; first-person singular conditional of 'avere'

potuto

po-tú-to — been able to; past participle of 'potere'

poi

pòi — then, afterward, later; temporal adverb indicating sequence

metterlo

mét-ter-lo — to put it, to place it; infinitive 'mettere' with pronoun

buon

buòn — good; elided masculine singular form of 'buono'

uso

ú-so — use, usage; the act of employing something practically