← The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 8

English → It FIRST ACT SCENE Level 7/10

Yes, but that does not account for the fact that your small Aunt Cecily, who lives at Tunbridge Wells, calls you her dear uncle.

Sì, ma questo non spiega il fatto che la tua piccola zia Cecily, che abita a Tunbridge Wells, ti chiama il suo caro zio.

Come, old boy, you had much better have the thing out at once.

Dai, vecchio mio, faresti molto meglio a tirare fuori la faccenda immediatamente.

JACK.

My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist.

Mio caro Algy, parli esattamente come se fossi un dentista.

It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn't a dentist.

È molto volgare parlare come un dentista quando non si è un dentista.

It produces a false impression.

Produce una falsa impressione.

ALGERNON.

Well, that is exactly what dentists always do.

Beh, è esattamente quello che fanno sempre i dentisti.

Now, go on! Tell me the whole thing.

Ora, continua! Dimmi tutto.

I may mention that I have always suspected you of being a confirmed and secret Bunburyist; and I am quite sure of it now.

Posso menzionare che ho sempre sospettato che tu fossi un Bunburyista convinto e segreto; e ora ne sono del tutto sicuro.

JACK.

Bunburyist? What on earth do you mean by a Bunburyist?

Bunburyista? Che diavolo intendi con Bunburyista?

ALGERNON.

I'll reveal to you the meaning of that incomparable expression as soon as you are kind enough to inform me why you are Ernest in town and Jack in the country.

Ti rivelerò il significato di quell'espressione incomparabile non appena sarai così gentile da informarmi del perché sei Ernest in città e Jack in campagna.

JACK.

Well, produce my cigarette case first.

Beh, prima tira fuori il mio portasigarette.

ALGERNON.

Here it is. [Hands cigarette case.]

Eccolo. [Porge il portasigarette.]

Now produce your explanation, and pray make it improbable. [Sits on sofa.]

Ora fornisci la tua spiegazione, e ti prego di renderla improbabile. [Si siede sul divano.]

JACK.

My dear fellow, there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all.

Mio caro amico, non c'è assolutamente nulla di improbabile nella mia spiegazione.

In fact it's perfectly ordinary.

In realtà è perfettamente ordinaria.

Old Mr. Thomas Cardew, who adopted me when I was a little boy, made me in his will guardian to his grand-daughter, Miss Cecily Cardew.

Il vecchio signor Thomas Cardew, che mi adottò quando ero un bambino, mi nominò nel suo testamento tutore di sua nipote, la signorina Cecily Cardew.

Vocabulary

Sì: sì — Yes; used to affirm or agree with something.
ma: ma — But; conjunction used to introduce a contrast.
questo: questo — This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective indicating nearby thing.
non: non — Not; negation word used before verbs.
spiega: spiega — Explains; third person singular of spiegare.
il: il — The; masculine singular definite article.
fatto: fatto — Fact; something known to be true or real.
che: che — That; conjunction or relative pronoun connecting clauses.
la: la — The; feminine singular definite article.
tua: tua — Your; feminine singular possessive adjective.
piccola: piccola — Small, little; feminine adjective describing small size.
zia: zia — Aunt; female relative who is a parent's sister.
abita: abita — Lives, resides; third person singular of abitare.
a: a — At, to, in; preposition indicating location or direction.
ti: ti — You; informal second person singular object pronoun.
chiama: chiama — Calls; third person singular of chiamare, to call.
suo: suo — His, her, its; third person singular possessive adjective.
caro: caro — Dear; affectionate term used to address someone warmly.
zio: zio — Uncle; male relative who is a parent's brother.
Dai: dai — Come on; informal interjection urging someone to act.
vecchio: vecchio — Old; adjective describing age, also used as familiar address.
mio: mio — My; masculine singular first person possessive adjective.
faresti: faresti — You would do; second person singular conditional of fare.
molto: molto — Very, much; adverb intensifying adjectives or verbs.
meglio: meglio — Better; comparative adverb or adjective of bene or buono.
tirare: tirare — To pull, to draw out; common Italian verb of motion.
fuori: fuori — Out, outside; adverb indicating outward direction or position.
faccenda: faccenda — Matter, affair, business; refers to a situation or issue.
immediatamente: immediatamente — Immediately; adverb meaning right away without delay.
Mio: mio — My; masculine singular first person possessive adjective.
parli: parli — You speak; second person singular present of parlare.
esattamente: esattamente — Exactly; adverb meaning precisely or in exact manner.
come: come — Like, as, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison.
se: se — If; conjunction introducing a conditional clause.
fossi: fossi — Were; second person singular imperfect subjunctive of essere.
un: un — A, an; masculine singular indefinite article.
dentista: dentista — Dentist; professional who treats teeth and oral health.
È: è — Is; third person singular present indicative of essere.
volgare: volgare — Vulgar, coarse; adjective meaning rude or in poor taste.
parlare: parlare — To speak, to talk; common Italian infinitive verb.
quando: quando — When; conjunction or adverb indicating time of action.
si: si — Oneself, one; reflexive or impersonal pronoun in Italian.
è: è — Is; third person singular present indicative of essere.
Produce: produce — Produces; third person singular of produrre, to produce.
una: una — A, an; feminine singular indefinite article.
falsa: falsa — False; feminine adjective meaning untrue or misleading.
impressione: impressione — Impression; effect or image created in someone's mind.
Beh: beh — Well; interjection used to introduce a statement or hesitation.
quello: quello — That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something more distant.
fanno: fanno — They do, they make; third person plural of fare.
sempre: sempre — Always; adverb indicating something happens all the time.
i: i — The; masculine plural definite article.
dentisti: dentisti — Dentists; plural of dentista, oral health professionals.
Ora: ora — Now; adverb indicating the present moment.
continua: continua — Continue; imperative form of continuare, to go on.
Dimmi: dimmi — Tell me; imperative of dire combined with mi pronoun.
tutto: tutto — Everything, all; pronoun or adjective meaning the whole thing.
Posso: posso — I can; first person singular present indicative of potere.
menzionare: menzionare — To mention; verb meaning to bring something up briefly.
ho: ho — I have; first person singular present indicative of avere.
sospettato: sospettato — Suspected; past participle of sospettare, to suspect.
tu: tu — You; informal second person singular subject pronoun.
convinto: convinto — Convinced; adjective meaning firmly believing something.
e: e — And; conjunction used to connect words or clauses.
segreto: segreto — Secret; something kept hidden or not publicly known.
ora: ora — Now; adverb indicating the present moment.
ne: ne — Of it, about it; partitive or replacing a prepositional phrase.
sono: sono — I am / they are; present indicative of essere.
del: del — Of the; masculine singular contraction of di and il.
sicuro: sicuro — Sure, certain; adjective meaning confident or without doubt.
Che: che — What, that; interrogative or relative pronoun or conjunction.
diavolo: diavolo — Devil; used in exclamations like 'what the devil.'
intendi: intendi — You mean, you intend; second person singular of intendere.
con: con — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
Ti: ti — You; informal second person singular object pronoun.
rivelerò: rivelerò — I will reveal; first person singular future of rivelare.
significato: significato — Meaning, significance; noun referring to what something means.
di: di — Of, from; very common Italian preposition.
quell': quell' — That; elided form of quella or quello before a vowel.
espressione: espressione — Expression; a word, phrase, or way of conveying meaning.
incomparabile: incomparabile — Incomparable; adjective meaning beyond comparison, unmatched.
appena: appena — As soon as, just; adverb indicating immediacy or barely.
sarai: sarai — You will be; second person singular future of essere.
così: così — So, thus; adverb meaning in this way or to such degree.
gentile: gentile — Kind, polite; adjective describing a courteous person.
da: da — From, by, since; versatile Italian preposition.
informarmi: informarmi — To inform me; infinitive of informare with mi attached.
perché: perché — Why, because; interrogative adverb or causal conjunction.
sei: sei — You are; second person singular present of essere.
in: in — In, into; preposition indicating location or movement inside.
città: città — City, town; noun referring to an urban settlement.
campagna: campagna — Countryside, country; rural area outside cities and towns.
prima: prima — Before, first; adverb or adjective indicating earlier time.
tira: tira — Pulls out, draws; third person singular of tirare.
portasigarette: portasigarette — Cigarette case; small container used to carry cigarettes.
Eccolo: eccolo — Here it is; exclamation presenting or pointing out something.
Porge: porge — Hands, offers; third person singular of porgere.
fornisci: fornisci — Provide, supply; second person singular imperative of fornire.
spiegazione: spiegazione — Explanation; a statement that makes something clear.
prego: prego — Please, you're welcome; polite expression in Italian.
renderla: renderla — To make it; infinitive rendere combined with la pronoun.
improbabile: improbabile — Unlikely, improbable; adjective meaning not likely to happen.
Si: si — Oneself; reflexive pronoun used with impersonal constructions.
siede: siede — Sits; third person singular present of sedersi.
sul: sul — On the; contraction of su and il.
divano: divano — Sofa, couch; upholstered piece of furniture for sitting.
amico: amico — Friend; male person with whom one has close relationship.
c': c' — There; elided form of ci before è, used in c'è.
assolutamente: assolutamente — Absolutely; adverb meaning completely or without exception.
nulla: nulla — Nothing; pronoun meaning not anything at all.
nella: nella — In the; feminine singular contraction of in and la.
mia: mia — My; feminine singular first person possessive adjective.
In: in — In; preposition indicating location or state.
realtà: realtà — Reality; the state of things as they actually exist.
perfettamente: perfettamente — Perfectly; adverb meaning in a completely correct manner.
ordinaria: ordinaria — Ordinary, common; feminine adjective meaning nothing special.
Il: il — The; masculine singular definite article.
signor: signor — Mr.; title used before a man's name in Italian.
mi: mi — Me; first person singular direct or indirect object pronoun.
adottò: adottò — Adopted; third person singular past of adottare.
ero: ero — I was; first person singular imperfect of essere.
bambino: bambino — Child, baby; young male child or infant.
nominò: nominò — Appointed, named; third person singular past of nominare.
nel: nel — In the; masculine singular contraction of in and il.
testamento: testamento — Will, testament; legal document declaring one's final wishes.
tutore: tutore — Guardian, tutor; person legally responsible for another.
sua: sua — His, her; feminine singular third person possessive adjective.
nipote: nipote — Niece, nephew, grandchild; close younger family relative.
signorina: signorina — Miss; title used to address an unmarried young woman.

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