The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 13

Vocabulary

Buon

bwon — Good; used in greetings like 'buon giorno'

pomeriggio

po-me-RID-jo — The afternoon part of the day

caro

KA-ro — Dear or beloved; affectionate term of address

spero

SPE-ro — I hope; first person singular of sperare

che

ke — That, which, or who; common conjunction and pronoun

tu

tu — You; informal second person singular pronoun

ti

ti — Yourself or to you; reflexive/indirect pronoun

stia

STIA — Be; subjunctive form of stare indicating state

comportando

kom-por-TAN-do — Behaving; gerund of comportarsi meaning to behave

molto

MOL-to — Very or much; common adverb of degree

bene

BE-ne — Well; adverb indicating good condition or behavior

Mi

mi — Me or myself; first person reflexive/object pronoun

sento

SEN-to — I feel or I hear; first person of sentire

zia

TSIA — Aunt; female relative, parent's sister

Non

non — Not; basic negation adverb in Italian

è

è — Is; third person singular of essere to be

esattamente

e-zat-ta-MEN-te — Exactly; precisely the same or correct

la

la — The; feminine singular definite article

stessa

STES-sa — Same; feminine adjective indicating identical thing

cosa

KO-za — Thing; common noun for an object or matter

In

in — In or at; basic preposition of location or state

effetti

ef-FET-ti — Effects; in 'in effetti' means indeed or in fact

le

le — The; feminine plural definite article or pronoun

due

DU-e — Two; the number two

cose

KO-ze — Things; plural of cosa, objects or matters

vanno

VAN-no — Go; third person plural of andare to go

raramente

ra-ra-MEN-te — Rarely; something that happens very infrequently

insieme

in-SIE-me — Together; in company or combination with another

Vede

VE-de — Sees; third person singular of vedere to see

e

e — And; basic coordinating conjunction

lo

lo — Him or it; masculine singular direct object pronoun

saluta

sa-LU-ta — Greets; third person singular of salutare to greet

con

kon — With; basic preposition indicating accompaniment

gelida

JE-li-da — Icy cold; feminine adjective meaning extremely cold

freddezza

fred-DET-tsa — Coldness; emotional distance or coolness toward someone

A

a — To or at; basic preposition of direction or location

Mio

MI-o — My; masculine singular possessive adjective

come

KO-me — How or as; common adverb and conjunction

sei

SEI — You are; second person singular of essere to be

elegante

e-le-GAN-te — Elegant; stylish and graceful in appearance

Sono

SO-no — I am or they are; form of essere to be

sempre

SEM-pre — Always; at all times without exception

vero

VE-ro — True or real; adjective meaning genuine or truthful

signor

si-NYOR — Mister; polite title for a man before name

Lei

LEI — She or formal you; pronoun for third person or formal

assolutamente

as-so-lu-ta-MEN-te — Absolutely; completely or without any doubt

perfetta

per-FET-ta — Perfect; feminine adjective meaning flawless or ideal

signorina

si-nyo-RI-na — Miss; polite title for an unmarried young woman

Spero

SPE-ro — I hope; first person singular of sperare to hope

di

di — Of or to; very common Italian preposition

non

non — Not; basic negation word in Italian sentences

esserlo

ES-ser-lo — To be it; infinitive essere combined with pronoun lo

lascerebbe

la-she-REB-be — Would leave; conditional of lasciare to leave

spazio

SPAT-tsyo — Space or room; area available for something

per

per — For or through; common preposition of purpose

sviluppi

zvi-LUP-pi — Developments; plural noun from sviluppo meaning growth

ho

o — I have; first person singular of avere to have

intenzione

in-ten-TSYO-ne — Intention; a plan or purpose to do something

svilupparmi

zvi-lup-PAR-mi — To develop myself; reflexive infinitive of sviluppare

in

in — In or into; basic preposition of location

molte

MOL-te — Many; feminine plural adjective meaning a large number

direzioni

di-ret-TSYO-ni — Directions; plural noun meaning ways or orientations

si

si — Oneself; reflexive pronoun for third person

siedono

SIE-do-no — They sit; third person plural of sedersi to sit

nell'

nel — In the; contraction of in and the article

angolo

AN-go-lo — Corner; the point where two walls or lines meet

dispiace

dis-PIA-che — Sorry or displease; used to apologize or regret

se

se — If; conditional conjunction introducing hypothetical clause

siamo

SIA-mo — We are; first person plural of essere to be

un

un — A or an; masculine singular indefinite article

po'

po — A little; abbreviated form of poco meaning slightly

ritardo

ri-TAR-do — Delay or lateness; being behind the expected time

ma

ma — But; basic adversative conjunction contrasting ideas

sono

SO-no — I am or they are; common form of essere

stata

STA-ta — Been; feminine past participle of essere to be

costretta

kos-TRET-ta — Forced or obliged; feminine past participle of costringere

a

a — To or at; basic Italian preposition

fare

FA-re — To do or make; very common Italian infinitive

visita

VI-zi-ta — Visit; a trip to see someone at their place

alla

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

cara

KA-ra — Dear; feminine form of affectionate adjective caro

ci

chi — There or us; pronoun or adverb of place

andavo

an-DA-vo — I used to go; imperfect of andare to go

da

da — Since, from, or by; versatile Italian preposition

quando

KWAN-do — When; temporal conjunction or adverb of time

morto

MOR-to — Dead or died; past participle of morire to die

il

il — The; masculine singular definite article

suo

SU-o — His, her, or its; third person possessive adjective

povero

PO-ve-ro — Poor; adjective meaning lacking money or unfortunate

marito

ma-RI-to — Husband; a woman's male spouse

mai

MAI — Never or ever; adverb of time and negation

visto

VIS-to — Seen; past participle of vedere to see

una

U-na — A or an; feminine singular indefinite article

donna

DON-na — Woman; adult female person

così

ko-ZI — So or thus; adverb indicating degree or manner

cambiata

kam-BIA-ta — Changed; feminine past participle of cambiare to change

sembra

SEM-bra — Seems or looks; third person of sembrare to seem

vent'

vent — Twenty; number before anni meaning years

anni

AN-ni — Years; plural of anno meaning a calendar year

più

pyu — More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree

giovane

JO-va-ne — Young; adjective describing someone of few years

E

e — And; basic coordinating conjunction joining clauses

ora

O-ra — Now; adverb indicating the present moment

prenderò

pren-de-RO — I will take; future tense of prendere to take

tazza

TAT-tsa — Cup; a small vessel for drinking hot beverages

tè

tè — Tea; a hot drink made by infusing dried leaves

uno

U-no — One or a; masculine singular number or article

quei

KWEJ — Those; masculine plural demonstrative adjective

deliziosi

de-li-TSYO-zi — Delicious; masculine plural adjective meaning very tasty

tramezzini

tra-med-DZI-ni — Sandwiches; small Italian crustless sandwiches

al

al — To the or with the; contraction of a and il

cetriolo

che-tri-O-lo — Cucumber; a long green salad vegetable

mi

mi — Me or to me; first person object pronoun

aveva

a-VE-va — Had; third person imperfect of avere to have

promesso

pro-MES-so — Promised; past participle of promettere to promise

Certamente

cher-ta-MEN-te — Certainly; without doubt, of course

Si

si — Yes or oneself; affirmation or reflexive pronoun

avvicina

av-vi-CHI-na — Approaches; third person singular of avvicinarsi

tavolo

TA-vo-lo — Table; a flat-topped piece of furniture

del

del — Of the; contraction of di and il

vieni

VIE-ni — Come; second person singular imperative of venire

sederti

se-DER-ti — To sit yourself; reflexive infinitive of sedersi

qui

kwi — Here; adverb indicating this place or location

Grazie

GRAT-tsye — Thank you; expression of gratitude

mamma

MAM-ma — Mom or mother; informal affectionate term for mother

sto

sto — I am; first person singular of stare

benissimo

be-NIS-si-mo — Very well; superlative form of bene meaning extremely well

dove

DO-ve — Where; adverb of place asking about location

Raccogliendo

rak-kol-YEN-do — Picking up; gerund of raccogliere meaning to gather

piatto

PIAT-to — Plate or dish; flat vessel used for serving food

vuoto

VWO-to — Empty; adjective meaning containing nothing inside

orrore

or-RO-re — Horror; a feeling of great shock or disgust

Cielo

CHIE-lo — Sky or heaven; exclamation expressing surprise or dismay

Perché

per-KE — Why or because; question word and conjunction

Li

li — Them; masculine plural direct object pronoun

avevo

a-VE-vo — I had; first person imperfect of avere to have

ordinati

or-di-NA-ti — Ordered; masculine plural past participle of ordinare

appositamente

ap-po-zi-ta-MEN-te — Specially or purposely; done with specific intent

Gravemente

gra-ve-MEN-te — Seriously or gravely; in a solemn earnest manner

c'

chi — There is; contracted form of ci before erano

erano

E-ra-no — There were; third person plural imperfect of essere

cetrioli

che-tri-O-li — Cucumbers; plural of cetriolo, long green vegetables

mercato

mer-KA-to — Market; a place where goods are bought and sold

stamattina

sta-mat-TI-na — This morning; referring to the current morning

signore

si-NYO-re — Sir or mister; polite form of address for a man

Ci

chi — There; adverb of place or pleonastic pronoun

andato

an-DA-to — Gone; past participle of andare to go

volte

VOL-te — Times; plural of volta meaning occasion or instance

Niente

NIEN-te — Nothing; pronoun indicating complete absence of something

No

no — No; basic negation word in Italian

Nemmeno

nem-ME-no — Not even; stronger negation emphasizing impossibility

pagando

pa-GAN-do — Paying; gerund of pagare meaning to pay

contanti

kon-TAN-ti — Cash; physical currency used for immediate payment

Va

va — Goes or okay; third person of andare or interjection

grazie

GRAT-tsye — Thank you; common expression of gratitude