The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 10
That wouldn't be at all a bad thing.
Non sarebbe affatto una cattiva cosa.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
Literary criticism is not your forte, my dear fellow.
La critica letteraria non è il tuo forte, mio caro amico.
Don't try it.
Non ci provare.
You should leave that to people who haven't been at a University.
Dovresti lasciarlo a coloro che non hanno frequentato un'università.
They do it so well in the daily papers.
Lo fanno così bene nei giornali quotidiani.
What you really are is a Bunburyist.
Quello che sei davvero è un Bunburyista.
I was quite right in saying you were a Bunburyist.
Avevo perfettamente ragione nel dire che eri un Bunburyista.
You are one of the most advanced Bunburyists I know.
Sei uno dei Bunburyisti più avanzati che conosco.
JACK.
JACK.
What on earth do you mean?
Che cosa mai intendi dire?
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often as you like.
Hai inventato un fratello minore molto utile di nome Ernest, in modo da poter venire in città tutte le volte che vuoi.
I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose.
Io ho inventato un preziosissimo malato cronico di nome Bunbury, in modo da poter andare in campagna ogni volta che voglio.
Bunbury is perfectly invaluable.
Bunbury è assolutamente prezioso.
If it wasn't for Bunbury's extraordinary bad health, for instance, I wouldn't be able to dine with you at Willis's to-night, for I have been really engaged to Aunt Augusta for more than a week.
Se non fosse per la straordinaria cattiva salute di Bunbury, per esempio, non potrei cenare con te da Willis stasera, poiché sono stato davvero impegnato con la zia Augusta per più di una settimana.
JACK.
JACK.
I haven't asked you to dine with me anywhere to-night.
Non ti ho invitato a cenare con me da nessuna parte stasera.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
I know.
Lo so.
You are absurdly careless about sending out invitations.
Sei assurdamente negligente nell'inviare inviti.
It is very foolish of you.
È molto sciocco da parte tua.
Nothing annoys people so much as not receiving invitations.
Nulla irrita le persone quanto il non ricevere inviti.
JACK.
JACK.
You had much better dine with your Aunt Augusta.
Faresti molto meglio a cenare con la tua zia Augusta.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
I haven't the smallest intention of doing anything of the kind.
Non ho la minima intenzione di fare nulla del genere.
To begin with, I dined there on Monday, and once a week is quite enough to dine with one's own relations.
Per cominciare, ci ho cenato lunedì, e una volta alla settimana è più che sufficiente per cenare con i propri parenti.
Vocabulary
- Non
- non — Not; used to negate verbs and statements
- sarebbe
- sarebbe — Would be; third person singular conditional of essere
- affatto
- affatto — At all; used to intensify negation
- una
- una — A, an; indefinite article for feminine nouns
- cattiva
- cattiva — Bad, wicked; feminine adjective describing negative quality
- cosa
- cosa — Thing; a general noun referring to an object or matter
- La
- la — The; definite article for singular feminine nouns
- critica
- critica — Criticism, critique; evaluative judgment of a work
- letteraria
- letteraria — Literary; relating to literature and written works
- non
- non — Not; used to negate verbs and statements
- è
- è — Is; third person singular present of essere
- il
- il — The; definite article for singular masculine nouns
- tuo
- tuo — Your; possessive adjective for singular masculine nouns
- forte
- forte — Strong point, strength; an area of skill or talent
- mio
- mio — My; possessive adjective for singular masculine nouns
- caro
- caro — Dear; affectionate address or expensive depending on context
- amico
- amico — Friend; a person one knows and likes well
- ci
- ci — Here, there, us; reflexive or locative pronoun
- provare
- provare — To try, to attempt; to test or experience something
- Dovresti
- dovresti — You should; second person singular conditional of dovere
- lasciarlo
- lasciarlo — To leave it, let it go; infinitive with object pronoun
- a
- a — To, at; preposition indicating direction or location
- coloro
- coloro — Those people; third person plural demonstrative pronoun
- che
- che — Who, that, which; relative or subordinating conjunction
- hanno
- hanno — They have; third person plural present of avere
- frequentato
- frequentato — Attended, frequented; past participle of frequentare
- un'
- un' — A, an; elided indefinite article before vowel feminine noun
- università
- università — University; an institution of higher education and research
- Lo
- lo — It, him; direct object pronoun for masculine singular
- fanno
- fanno — They do, they make; third person plural of fare
- così
- così — So, thus, like this; adverb indicating manner or degree
- bene
- bene — Well; adverb indicating something is done in a good way
- nei
- nei — In the; contraction of in and i (masculine plural)
- giornali
- giornali — Newspapers; plural of giornale, daily print publications
- quotidiani
- quotidiani — Daily newspapers; adjective or noun meaning daily publications
- Quello
- quello — That; demonstrative pronoun or adjective for distant things
- sei
- sei — You are; second person singular present of essere
- davvero
- davvero — Really, truly; adverb emphasizing truth or sincerity
- un
- un — A, an; indefinite article for masculine singular nouns
- Avevo
- avevo — I had; first person singular imperfect of avere
- perfettamente
- perfettamente — Perfectly; adverb meaning in a complete or flawless way
- ragione
- ragione — Reason, right; essere nel ragione means to be correct
- nel
- nel — In the; contraction of in and il (masculine singular)
- dire
- dire — To say, to tell; infinitive of common communication verb
- eri
- eri — You were; second person singular imperfect of essere
- Sei
- sei — You are; second person singular present of essere
- uno
- uno — One, a; number or indefinite article for masculine nouns
- dei
- dei — Of the; contraction of di and i (masculine plural)
- più
- più — More, most; adverb or adjective indicating greater degree
- avanzati
- avanzati — Advanced; plural adjective meaning skilled or experienced
- conosco
- conosco — I know; first person singular present of conoscere
- Che
- che — What, that; interrogative or relative pronoun
- mai
- mai — Ever, never; adverb used in questions or negations
- intendi
- intendi — You mean, you intend; second person singular of intendere
- Hai
- hai — You have; second person singular present of avere
- inventato
- inventato — Invented, made up; past participle of inventare
- fratello
- fratello — Brother; a male sibling
- minore
- minore — Younger, minor, lesser; adjective indicating smaller degree
- molto
- molto — Very, much; adverb or adjective indicating great quantity
- utile
- utile — Useful; adjective describing something of practical use
- di
- di — Of, from; preposition indicating possession or origin
- nome
- nome — Name; a word by which someone or something is called
- in
- in — In, into; preposition indicating location or movement
- modo
- modo — Way, manner; method or style of doing something
- da
- da — From, by, since; preposition of origin or purpose
- poter
- poter — To be able to; truncated infinitive of potere
- venire
- venire — To come; infinitive of motion verb toward speaker
- città
- città — City; an urban settlement or town
- tutte
- tutte — All; feminine plural adjective meaning every or all
- le
- le — The; definite article for plural feminine nouns
- volte
- volte — Times; plural of volta, meaning instances or occasions
- vuoi
- vuoi — You want; second person singular present of volere
- Io
- io — I; first person singular subject pronoun
- ho
- ho — I have; first person singular present of avere
- preziosissimo
- preziosissimo — Most precious, extremely valuable; superlative of prezioso
- malato
- malato — Sick person, ill; adjective or noun meaning unwell
- cronico
- cronico — Chronic; describing a persistent or long-lasting condition
- andare
- andare — To go; infinitive of common motion verb
- campagna
- campagna — Countryside; rural area outside the city
- ogni
- ogni — Every, each; adjective indicating all members of a group
- volta
- volta — Time, occasion; an instance when something occurs
- voglio
- voglio — I want; first person singular present of volere
- assolutamente
- assolutamente — Absolutely; adverb meaning completely or without doubt
- prezioso
- prezioso — Precious, invaluable; adjective meaning highly valuable or useful
- Se
- se — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothetical clause
- fosse
- fosse — Were; third person singular imperfect subjunctive of essere
- per
- per — For, through, by; preposition indicating purpose or means
- la
- la — The; definite article for singular feminine nouns
- straordinaria
- straordinaria — Extraordinary; adjective meaning exceptional or remarkable
- salute
- salute — Health; the state of being physically well
- esempio
- esempio — Example; instance used to illustrate a point
- potrei
- potrei — I could; first person singular conditional of potere
- cenare
- cenare — To dine, to have dinner; infinitive of evening meal verb
- con
- con — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association
- te
- te — You; second person singular object pronoun (informal)
- stasera
- stasera — This evening, tonight; adverb referring to current evening
- poiché
- poiché — Since, because; conjunction introducing a causal clause
- sono
- sono — I am, they are; first or third person plural of essere
- stato
- stato — Been, state; past participle of essere or noun
- impegnato
- impegnato — Busy, engaged; adjective meaning occupied with something
- zia
- zia — Aunt; a female relative, sister of one's parent
- settimana
- settimana — Week; a period of seven consecutive days
- ti
- ti — You; second person singular indirect or direct object pronoun
- invitato
- invitato — Invited; past participle of invitare, to invite
- me
- me — Me; first person singular object pronoun
- nessuna
- nessuna — No, none; feminine negative adjective or pronoun
- parte
- parte — Part, place; a section or side of something
- so
- so — I know; first person singular present of sapere
- assurdamente
- assurdamente — Absurdly; adverb meaning in a ridiculous or unreasonable way
- negligente
- negligente — Negligent, careless; adjective meaning failing to take care
- nell'
- nell' — In the; elided contraction of in and the article
- inviare
- inviare — To send; infinitive meaning to dispatch something to someone
- inviti
- inviti — Invitations; plural noun for cards or requests to attend
- È
- è — Is; third person singular present of essere
- sciocco
- sciocco — Foolish, silly; adjective describing lack of good sense
- tua
- tua — Your; feminine singular possessive adjective
- Nulla
- nulla — Nothing; indefinite pronoun meaning not anything
- irrita
- irrita — Irritates, annoys; third person singular of irritare
- persone
- persone — People, persons; plural noun for human individuals
- quanto
- quanto — How much, as much as; interrogative or relative adverb
- ricevere
- ricevere — To receive; infinitive meaning to get or accept something
- Faresti
- faresti — You would do; second person singular conditional of fare
- meglio
- meglio — Better; comparative adverb of bene
- minima
- minima — Minimum, slightest; feminine superlative adjective of piccolo
- intenzione
- intenzione — Intention; a plan or aim to do something
- fare
- fare — To do, to make; infinitive of very common action verb
- nulla
- nulla — Nothing; indefinite pronoun meaning not anything at all
- del
- del — Of the; contraction of di and il (masculine singular)
- genere
- genere — Kind, sort, type; a category or class of things
- Per
- per — For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose or reason
- cominciare
- cominciare — To begin, to start; infinitive of common action verb
- cenato
- cenato — Dined; past participle of cenare, to have dinner
- lunedì
- lunedì — Monday; the second day of the week
- e
- e — And; coordinating conjunction linking words or clauses
- alla
- alla — To the, at the; contraction of a and la
- sufficiente
- sufficiente — Sufficient, enough; adjective meaning adequate for a purpose
- i
- i — The; definite article for masculine plural nouns
- propri
- propri — Own; masculine plural possessive adjective meaning one's own
- parenti
- parenti — Relatives; plural noun for family members or relations
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