The divine comedy — Page 1

Vocabulary

Ora

OH-rah — Now; at this moment in time

il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

giorno

JOR-noh — Day; a period of twenty-four hours

se

seh — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis

ne

neh — Of it, from there; partitive or locative pronoun

andava

an-DAH-vah — Was going; imperfect tense of andare

e

eh — And; basic coordinating conjunction

l'

l — The; elided definite article before a vowel

aria

AH-ryah — Air; the atmosphere or a musical melody

Imbrunita

eem-broo-NEE-tah — Darkened; grown dim as evening approaches

dalle

DAL-leh — From the; contraction of da and le

ombre

OM-breh — Shadows; dark shapes cast by blocking light

loro

LOH-roh — Their; third-person plural possessive pronoun

fatiche

fah-TEE-keh — Labors; efforts or toils undertaken with difficulty

liberati

lee-beh-RAH-tee — Freed; released from work or obligation

Tutti

TOOT-tee — All; every one without exception

gli

lyee — The; masculine plural definite article

animali

ah-nee-MAH-lee — Animals; living creatures other than humans

sulla

SOOL-lah — On the; contraction of su and la

terra

TEHR-rah — Earth; land or the ground underfoot

io

EE-oh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun

solo

SOH-loh — Alone; only, without others present

Mi

mee — Me; first-person singular object pronoun

preparai

preh-pah-RAH-ee — I prepared; past tense of prepararsi

a

ah — To, at; basic Italian preposition of direction

sostenere

sos-teh-NEH-reh — To sustain; to bear or endure something difficult

conflitto

kon-FLEET-toh — Conflict; a struggle or clash between opposing forces

Sia

SEE-ah — Be; subjunctive of essere, meaning both/whether

della

DEL-lah — Of the; contraction of di and la

triste

TREES-teh — Sad; sorrowful or melancholy in feeling

pietà

pyeh-TAH — Pity; compassion felt toward suffering others

sia

SEE-ah — Both/whether; used in correlative sia…sia construction

di

dee — Of; preposition indicating possession or origin

quella

KWEL-lah — That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

via

VEE-ah — Way, road; a path or route to follow

pericolosa

peh-ree-koh-LOH-zah — Dangerous; full of peril or risk

Che

keh — That, which; relative pronoun or conjunction

la

lah — The; feminine singular definite article

mia

MEE-ah — My; feminine singular possessive adjective

infallibile

een-fal-LEE-bee-leh — Infallible; incapable of error or failure

memoria

meh-MOH-ryah — Memory; the faculty of recalling past experiences

dovrà

doh-VRAH — Will have to; future tense of dovere

ripercorrere

ree-pehr-KOR-reh-reh — To retrace; to go over again a past path

O

oh — O; exclamatory invocation used in poetry

Muse

MOO-zeh — Muses; goddesses inspiring artists and poets

alto

AL-toh — High, lofty; elevated in position or quality

genio

JEH-nyoh — Genius; exceptional intellectual or creative power

ora

OH-rah — Now; at the present moment

degnate

den-YAH-teh — Deign; condescend to grant or bestow something

Il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

vostro

VOS-troh — Your; second-person plural possessive adjective

aiuto

ah-YOO-toh — Help; assistance or support given to someone

mente

MEN-teh — Mind; the faculty of thought and intellect

che

keh — That; relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause

tutto

TOOT-toh — All, everything; the totality of something

ciò

choh — That, what; neuter demonstrative pronoun

vidi

VEE-dee — I saw; first-person past tense of vedere

hai

AH-ee — You have; second-person singular of avere

conservato

kon-ser-VAH-toh — Preserved, kept; past participle of conservare

Al

al — At the, to the; contraction of a and il

sicuro

see-KOO-roh — Safe, secure; free from danger or risk

in

een — In; preposition indicating location or state

uno

OO-noh — One, a; masculine singular indefinite article

scritto

SKREET-toh — Writing; a written text or document

qui

kwee — Here; in this place or location

tuo

TOO-oh — Your; second-person singular possessive adjective

valore

vah-LOH-reh — Value, worth; merit or excellence of character

E

eh — And; coordinating conjunction linking clauses

le

leh — The; feminine plural definite article

eminenti

eh-mee-NEN-tee — Eminent; distinguished or outstanding in ability

doti

DOH-tee — Gifts, talents; natural abilities or endowments

vengono

VEN-goh-noh — Come, are; third-person plural of venire

messe

MES-seh — Put, placed; feminine plural past participle of mettere

alla

AL-lah — To the; contraction of a and la

prova

PROH-vah — Test, proof; a trial or examination of ability

Così

koh-ZEE — Thus, so; in this way or manner

cominciai

koh-meen-CHAH-ee — I began; first-person past tense of cominciare

Bardo

BAR-doh — Bard; a poet, here referring to Virgil

tu

too — You; second-person singular subject pronoun

sei

SEH-ee — You are; second-person singular of essere

guida

GWEE-dah — Guide; one who leads or directs another

Considera

kon-SEE-deh-rah — Consider; examine carefully before deciding something

bene

BEH-neh — Well; in a good or appropriate manner

me

meh — Me; first-person singular stressed object pronoun

vi

vee — There, you; locative adverb or object pronoun

virtù

veer-TOO — Virtue; moral excellence or strength of character

Sufficiente

soof-fee-CHEN-teh — Sufficient; enough to meet requirements or needs

prima

PREE-mah — Before, first; preceding in time or order

questa

KWES-tah — This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

alta

AL-tah — High, lofty; elevated or great in degree

impresa

eem-PREH-zah — Undertaking, enterprise; a bold or challenging task

Tu

too — You; second-person singular subject pronoun

mi

mee — Me; first-person singular unstressed object pronoun

affidi

af-FEE-dee — Entrust; you entrust or assign to someone

Hai

AH-ee — You have; second-person singular of avere

narrato

nar-RAH-toh — Narrated; past participle of narrare, to tell

padre

PAH-dreh — Father; a male parent or paternal figure

Ancora

an-KOH-rah — Still, yet; continuing to be in a state

vestito

ves-TEE-toh — Clothed, dressed; wearing mortal flesh or garments

carne

KAR-neh — Flesh; the physical body of a living being

corruttibile

kor-root-TEE-bee-leh — Corruptible; subject to decay or moral corruption

tra

trah — Among, between; preposition indicating position amid others

Le

leh — The; feminine plural definite article

stirpi

STEER-pee — Lineages, races; families or ancestral bloodlines

immortali

eem-mor-TAH-lee — Immortal beings; those who do not die

aveva

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

trovato

troh-VAH-toh — Found; past participle of trovare

accesso

at-CHES-soh — Access; the right or means of entering somewhere

lì

lee — There; in that place, at that location

era

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

stato

STAH-toh — Been; past participle of essere

Presente

preh-ZEN-teh — Present; physically in attendance or existing now

con

kon — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means

i

ee — The; masculine plural definite article

sensi

SEN-see — Senses; the bodily faculties of perception

Ma

mah — But; adversative conjunction introducing a contrast

grande

GRAN-deh — Great; large in size, power, or importance

Signore

seen-YOH-reh — Lord; a title of honor or divine authority

del

del — Of the; contraction of di and il

cielo

CHEH-loh — Sky, heaven; the space above or divine realm

Onnipotente

on-nee-poh-TEN-teh — Omnipotent; all-powerful, having unlimited authority

nemico

neh-MEE-koh — Enemy; an adversary or hostile opponent

male

MAH-leh — Evil; moral wrongdoing or harmful force

tale

TAH-leh — Such; of that kind or degree

favore

fah-VOH-reh — Favor; an act of kindness or preferential treatment

mostrò

mos-TROH — Showed; third-person singular past of mostrare

In

een — In; preposition indicating location or state

contemplazione

kon-tem-plah-TSYOH-neh — Contemplation; deep thoughtful consideration or meditation

effetto

ef-FET-toh — Effect; a result or outcome of an action

chi

kee — Who; relative or interrogative pronoun for persons

da

dah — From, by; preposition of origin or agency

lui

loo-EE — Him; third-person masculine singular pronoun

doveva

doh-VEH-vah — Had to; imperfect tense of dovere

discendere

dee-SHEN-deh-reh — To descend; to come down from or derive from

Sembra

SEM-brah — Seems; appears or looks to be something

al

al — To the; contraction of a and il

giudizio

joo-DEE-tsyoh — Judgment; the ability to form sound opinions

ragione

rah-JOH-neh — Reason; rational thinking or a valid argument

ben

ben — Well; shortened form of bene, appropriately

meritato

meh-ree-TAH-toh — Deserved, merited; past participle of meritare

Poiché

poy-KEH — Since, because; causal conjunction explaining a reason

egli

EH-lyee — He; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun

vasto

VAH-stoh — Vast; immense or extensive in scope

impero

eem-PEH-roh — Empire; a large realm under one sovereign rule

Nell'

nel — In the; elided contraction of in and il

empireo

em-PEE-reh-oh — Empyrean; the highest heaven of divine fire

altissimo

al-TEES-see-moh — Highest; superlative of alto, most elevated

fu

foo — Was; third-person singular past of essere

scelto

SHEL-toh — Chosen; past participle of scegliere

come

KOH-meh — As, like; conjunction or adverb of comparison

Entrambi

en-TRAM-bee — Both; referring to two things or persons together

quali

KWAH-lee — Which; relative pronoun referring to things or persons

dir

deer — To say; shortened infinitive of dire

vero

VEH-roh — True; corresponding to fact or reality

furono

FOO-roh-noh — Were; third-person plural past of essere

ordinati

or-dee-NAH-tee — Ordained, ordered; established by divine authority

stabiliti

stah-bee-LEE-tee — Established, set; past participle of stabilire

per

pehr — For, through; preposition of purpose or means

luogo

LWOH-goh — Place; a location or specific position in space

santo

SAN-toh — Holy; sacred or consecrated to divine purpose

dove

DOH-veh — Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place

siede

SYEH-deh — Sits; third-person singular present of sedere

Colui

koh-LOO-ee — He who, that one; demonstrative pronoun for persons

sacra

SAH-krah — Sacred; dedicated to a holy or divine purpose

cattedra

KAT-teh-drah — Chair; the seat of authority, especially papal throne

succede

soo-CHEH-deh — Succeeds; follows after in a position or role

Egli

EH-lyee — He; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun

questo

KWES-toh — This; masculine singular demonstrative adjective

viaggio

VYAD-joh — Journey, trip; a long travel to a destination

nel

nel — In the; contraction of in and il

canto

KAN-toh — Song, canto; a poem or chapter of an epic

celebrato

cheh-leh-BRAH-toh — Celebrated; praised or commemorated in verse

Apprese

ap-PREH-zeh — Learned; third-person singular past of apprendere

cose

KOH-zeh — Things; objects or matters of any kind

sua

SOO-ah — His, her; third-person singular possessive adjective

vittoria

veet-TOH-ryah — Victory; triumph achieved over an enemy or challenge

diedero

DYEH-deh-roh — Gave; third-person plural past of dare

origine

oh-REE-jee-neh — Origin; the starting point or source of something

manto

MAN-toh — Mantle, cloak; a garment symbolizing authority

papale

pah-PAH-leh — Papal; relating to the pope or papacy

Nei

NEH-ee — In the; contraction of in and i

tempi

TEM-pee — Times; periods or eras in history

successivi

soo-ches-SEE-vee — Subsequent; following afterward in sequence or time

Anche

AN-keh — Also, too; indicates addition or inclusion

vaso

VAH-zoh — Vessel; a container, here the chosen vessel Paul

eletto

eh-LET-toh — Chosen, elect; selected for a special purpose

viaggiò

vyad-JOH — Traveled; third-person singular past of viaggiare

Per

pehr — In order to; preposition expressing purpose

riportarci

ree-por-TAR-chee — To bring us back; to return something to us

certezza

cher-TET-tsah — Certainty; the state of being absolutely sure

fede

FEH-deh — Faith; belief and trust, especially religious

è

eh — Is; third-person singular present of essere

ingresso

een-GRES-soh — Entrance; a way in or act of entering

salvezza

sal-VET-tsah — Salvation; deliverance from sin or damnation

perché

pehr-KEH — Why, because; causal or interrogative conjunction

dovrei

doh-VREH-ee — I should; first-person singular conditional of dovere

là

lah — There; in that place, farther away

presumere

preh-ZOO-meh-reh — To presume; to assume or dare without authority

o

oh — Or; disjunctive conjunction presenting an alternative

Lo

loh — It, him; masculine singular direct object pronoun

permette

pehr-MET-teh — Permits; third-person singular of permettere