The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 2

Vocabulary

Fino

FEE-noh — Until, up to a point in time or space

ad

ahd — To, at; variant of 'a' before vowels

ora

OH-rah — Now; also means hour

ho

oh — I have; first person singular of avere

avuto

ah-VOO-toh — Had; past participle of avere

pochissima

poh-KEES-see-mah — Very little, extremely small amount of something

esperienza

eh-speh-RYEHN-tsah — Experience, practical knowledge gained over time

in

een — In, into; common Italian preposition

materia

mah-TEH-ryah — Subject, matter, topic under discussion

Mi

mee — Me, myself; reflexive or indirect object pronoun

sono

SOH-noh — I am; also third person plural of essere

sposato

spoh-ZAH-toh — Married; past participle of sposarsi

una

OO-nah — A, one; feminine indefinite article or numeral

volta

VOHL-tah — Time, instance; once as in one occasion

sola

SOH-lah — Alone, only, sole; feminine form of solo

Fu

foo — Was; third person singular past absolute of essere

a

ah — To, at; very common Italian preposition

causa

KOW-zah — Cause, reason; a causa di means because of

di

dee — Of, from; extremely common Italian preposition

un

oon — A, an; masculine indefinite article

malinteso

mah-leen-TEH-zoh — Misunderstanding, miscommunication between people

tra

trah — Between, among; indicates position or relationship

me

meh — Me; stressed personal pronoun first person singular

e

eh — And; basic Italian coordinating conjunction

giovane

JOH-vah-neh — Young; a young person, youth

persona

pehr-SOH-nah — Person, individual human being

Languidamente

lahn-gwee-dah-MEHN-teh — Languidly, in a slow and listless manner

Non

nohn — Not; standard Italian negation word

so

soh — I know; first person singular of sapere

se

seh — If, whether; common Italian conjunction

la

lah — The; feminine definite article; also her/it

tua

TOO-ah — Your; feminine possessive adjective informal singular

vita

VEE-tah — Life; one's existence or way of living

familiare

fah-mee-LYAH-reh — Family-related, domestic; also familiar or informal

mi

mee — Me; unstressed first person object pronoun

interessi

een-teh-REHS-see — Interest; subjunctive of interessare, to interest

molto

MOHL-toh — Much, very, a lot; common intensifier adverb

No

noh — No; standard Italian negative response

signore

seen-YOH-reh — Sir, mister; polite title for a man

non

nohn — Not; standard Italian negation word

è

eh — Is; third person singular present of essere

argomento

ahr-goh-MEHN-toh — Topic, subject, argument under discussion

interessante

een-teh-rehs-SAHN-teh — Interesting, engaging, worth paying attention to

Io

EE-oh — I; first person singular subject pronoun

stesso

STEHS-soh — Same, himself, itself; used for emphasis

ci

chee — There, about it; reflexive or locative pronoun

penso

PEHN-soh — I think; first person singular of pensare

mai

my — Never, ever; used in negative or question contexts

Naturalissimo

nah-too-rah-LEES-see-moh — Most natural, absolutely natural; superlative of naturale

ne

neh — Of it, about it; partitive or reference pronoun

certo

CHEHR-toh — Certainly, sure; certain or definite

Basta

BAH-stah — Enough, that's enough; stop or suffice

così

koh-ZEE — Like this, so, thus; common Italian adverb

grazie

GRAH-tsyeh — Thank you; expression of gratitude

Grazie

GRAH-tsyeh — Thank you; repeated for stage direction emphasis

esce

EH-sheh — Exits, leaves; third person singular of uscire

Le

leh — The (plural feminine); also polite you pronoun

opinioni

oh-pee-NYOH-nee — Opinions, views, personal positions on topics

sul

sool — On the; contraction of su and il

matrimonio

mah-tree-MOH-nyoh — Marriage, matrimony, wedding institution

sembrano

SEHM-brah-noh — They seem, they appear; third person plural of sembrare

alquanto

ahl-KWAHN-toh — Somewhat, rather, quite; indicates moderate degree

permissive

pehr-mees-SEE-veh — Permissive, lenient, tolerant of liberal behavior

Davvero

dahv-VEH-roh — Really, truly, indeed; expresses genuine affirmation

le

leh — The (plural feminine); also her or to her

classi

KLAHS-see — Classes, social groups or categories of people

inferiori

een-feh-RYOH-ree — Lower, inferior; referring to lower social classes

danno

DAHN-noh — They give; third person plural present of dare

il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

buon

bwohn — Good; masculine singular adjective before noun

esempio

eh-ZEHM-pyoh — Example, model; something to be followed

che

keh — That, which, who; versatile conjunction or pronoun

cosa

KOH-zah — Thing, what; used in questions and statements

servono

SEHR-voh-noh — They serve for, they are useful; a cosa servono means what use are they

Sembrano

SEHM-brah-noh — They seem, they appear to be something

come

KOH-meh — As, like, how; comparison or question word

classe

KLAHS-seh — Class, social group; also elegance or style

avere

ah-VEH-reh — To have; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb

assolutamente

ahs-soh-loo-tah-MEHN-teh — Absolutely, completely, entirely without exception

alcun

ahl-KOON — Any, no; used in negative contexts with nouns

senso

SEHN-soh — Sense, meaning, feeling; awareness or direction

responsabilità

reh-spohn-sah-bee-lee-TAH — Responsibility, accountability for one's actions

morale

moh-RAH-leh — Moral, ethical; relating to right and wrong conduct

Entra

EHN-trah — Enters; third person singular of entrare

Il

eel — The; masculine singular definite article

signor

seen-YOR — Mister, Mr.; polite title before a surname

Come

KOH-meh — How; used in greetings and questions

stai

stye — You are, how are you; second person of stare

mio

MEE-oh — My; masculine singular possessive adjective

caro

KAH-roh — Dear, beloved; also expensive; term of affection

Cosa

KOH-zah — What, thing; used to form questions

ti

tee — You; second person singular object pronoun

porta

POHR-tah — Brings, carries; also door; third person of portare

città

cheet-TAH — City, town; urban area or municipality

Oh

oh — Oh; exclamation expressing surprise or emotion

piacere

pyah-CHEH-reh — Pleasure; also nice to meet you

Cos'

koz — What; short form of cosa before altro

altro

AHL-troh — Other, else, another; something different

dovrebbe

doh-VREHB-beh — Should, ought to; conditional of dovere

portare

pohr-TAH-reh — To bring, to carry, to take somewhere

qualcuno

kwahl-KOO-noh — Someone, somebody; indefinite pronoun for a person

da

dah — From, by, since; versatile Italian preposition

qualche

KWAHL-keh — Some, any, a few; indefinite adjective before noun

parte

PAHR-teh — Part, place, side; da qualche parte means somewhere

A

ah — To, at; Italian preposition

mangiare

mahn-JAH-reh — To eat; fundamental Italian verb for eating

al

ahl — To the, at the; contraction of a and il

solito

SOH-lee-toh — Usual, habitual; al solito means as usual

vedo

VEH-doh — I see; first person singular present of vedere

Rigidamente

ree-jee-dah-MEHN-teh — Rigidly, stiffly; in a formal or tense manner

Credo

KREH-doh — I believe, I think; first person of credere

nella

NEHL-lah — In the; contraction of in and la

buona

BWOH-nah — Good; feminine singular form of buono

società

soh-cheh-tah — Society, company; social group or organization

sia

SEE-ah — Is, be; subjunctive of essere expressing doubt

consuetudine

kohn-sweh-TOO-dee-neh — Custom, habit, tradition established over time

prendere

PREHN-deh-reh — To take, to get, to have food or drink

piccolo

PEEK-koh-loh — Small, little, tiny; common Italian adjective

rinfresco

reen-FREHS-koh — Refreshment, light snack or drink served to guests

alle

AHL-leh — At the; contraction of a and le for time

cinque

CHEEN-kweh — Five; the number five, as in five o'clock

Dove

DOH-veh — Where; interrogative adverb of place

sei

seh-ee — You are; also six; second person of essere

stato

STAH-toh — Been, state; past participle of essere

giovedì

joh-veh-DEE — Thursday; the fourth day of the week

scorso

SKOHR-soh — Last, past; referring to a previous time period

Sedendosi

seh-dehn-DOH-see — Sitting down; reflexive gerund of sedersi

divano

dee-VAH-noh — Sofa, couch; upholstered piece of furniture

In

een — In, into; Italian preposition of location

campagna

kahm-PAH-nyah — Countryside, rural area outside the city

Ma

mah — But; adversative coordinating conjunction

fai

fye — You do, you make; second person of fare

lì

lee — There; adverb indicating a distant place

grazia

GRAH-tsyah — Grace, favor; per grazia means for goodness sake

Togliendo

tohl-YEHN-doh — Removing, taking off; gerund of togliere

i

ee — The; masculine plural definite article

guanti

GWAHN-tee — Gloves; hand coverings worn as accessories

Quando

KWAHN-doh — When; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb

si

see — Oneself, one; reflexive pronoun or impersonal subject

diverte

dee-VEHR-teh — Enjoys, has fun; third person of divertirsi

divertono

dee-VEHR-toh-noh — They enjoy themselves; third person plural of divertirsi

gli

lyee — The (masculine plural); also to him indirect pronoun

altri

AHL-tree — Others, other people; masculine plural of altro

È

eh — Is; third person singular present of essere

tremendamente

treh-mehn-dah-MEHN-teh — Tremendously, terribly, awfully boring or intense

noioso

noh-YOH-zoh — Boring, tedious, dull; causing boredom

E

eh — And; basic Italian coordinating conjunction

chi

kee — Who; interrogative or relative pronoun for people

persone

pehr-SOH-neh — People, persons; plural of persona

Con

kohn — With; Italian preposition indicating accompaniment

aria

AH-ryah — Air, manner, expression; con aria means with an air of

spensierata

spehn-syeh-RAH-tah — Carefree, lighthearted, free from worry or concern