The Picture of Dorian Gray — Page 9

English → It CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

You know we poor artists have to show ourselves in society from time to time, just to remind the public that we are not savages.

Sapete che noi poveri artisti dobbiamo mostrarci in società di tanto in tanto, solo per ricordare al pubblico che non siamo dei selvaggi.

With an evening coat and a white tie, as you told me once, anybody, even a stock-broker, can gain a reputation for being civilized.

Con un abito da sera e una cravatta bianca, come mi diceste una volta, chiunque, persino un agente di borsa, può guadagnarsi la reputazione di essere civilizzato.

Well, after I had been in the room about ten minutes, talking to huge overdressed dowagers and tedious academicians, I suddenly became conscious that some one was looking at me.

Ebbene, dopo essere rimasto nella stanza per circa dieci minuti, parlando con imponenti matrone vestite in modo eccessivo e tediosi accademici, mi resi improvvisamente conto che qualcuno mi stava guardando.

I turned half-way round and saw Dorian Gray for the first time.

Mi voltai a metà e vidi Dorian Gray per la prima volta.

When our eyes met, I felt that I was growing pale.

Quando i nostri occhi si incontrarono, sentii che stavo diventando pallido.

A curious sensation of terror came over me.

Una curiosa sensazione di terrore mi invase.

I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself.

Sapevo di trovarmi faccia a faccia con qualcuno la cui sola personalità era così affascinante che, se glielo avessi permesso, avrebbe assorbito tutta la mia natura, tutta la mia anima, la mia stessa arte.

I did not want any external influence in my life.

Non volevo alcuna influenza esterna nella mia vita.

You know yourself, Harry, how independent I am by nature.

Lo sapete voi stesso, Harry, quanto sono indipendente per natura.

I have always been my own master; had at least always been so, till I met Dorian Gray.

Sono sempre stato padrone di me stesso; lo ero stato almeno sempre, fino a quando non incontrai Dorian Gray.

Then—but I don't know how to explain it to you.

Poi — ma non so come spiegarvelo.

Something seemed to tell me that I was on the verge of a terrible crisis in my life.

Qualcosa sembrava dirmi che ero sull'orlo di una terribile crisi nella mia vita.

I had a strange feeling that fate had in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows.

Avevo la strana sensazione che il destino avesse in serbo per me gioie squisite e squisiti dolori.

I grew afraid and turned to quit the room.

Ebbi paura e mi voltai per uscire dalla stanza.

Vocabulary

Sapete: You (plural) know; second person plural of sapere
che: That, which, or what; versatile conjunction or pronoun
noi: We; first person plural subject pronoun
poveri: Poor; lacking money or deserving sympathy
artisti: Artists; people who create works of art
dobbiamo: We must; first person plural of dovere
mostrarci: To show ourselves; reflexive infinitive of mostrare
in: In, into; basic preposition indicating location or movement
società: Society; organized community or social group
di: Of, from; extremely common Italian preposition
tanto: So much, so often; indicates large degree or frequency
solo: Only, alone; just one or without others
per: For, in order to; preposition of purpose or duration
ricordare: To remind or remember; recall to mind
al: To the; contraction of preposition a and article il
pubblico: Public, audience; group of people attending or watching
non: Not; basic Italian negation particle
siamo: We are; first person plural of essere
dei: Of the; plural contraction of di and il
selvaggi: Savages, wild people; uncivilized or primitive individuals
Con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
un: A, an; masculine indefinite article
abito: Suit, dress, garment; formal or everyday clothing
da: From, by, since; versatile Italian preposition
sera: Evening; the period between afternoon and night
e: And; basic coordinating conjunction
una: A, an; feminine indefinite article
cravatta: Tie, necktie; fabric worn knotted around the neck
bianca: White; lacking color, pure white shade
come: As, like, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison
mi: Me, to me; first person singular object pronoun
diceste: You (plural) said; past tense of dire
volta: Time, occasion; a single instance or occurrence
chiunque: Anyone, whoever; indefinite pronoun for any person
persino: Even; used to emphasize an unlikely or extreme case
agente: Agent, broker; person acting on behalf of another
borsa: Stock exchange or bag; financial market or handbag
può: Can, is able to; third person singular of potere
guadagnarsi: To earn for oneself; acquire through effort or merit
la: The; feminine singular definite article
reputazione: Reputation; general opinion others hold about someone
essere: To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary and linking verb
civilizzato: Civilized; having good manners and social refinement
Ebbene: Well then, so; discourse marker introducing a conclusion
dopo: After, afterward; indicating sequence in time
rimasto: Remained, stayed; past participle of rimanere
nella: In the; contraction of in and feminine article la
stanza: Room; enclosed space within a building
circa: About, approximately; used before numbers or estimates
dieci: Ten; the cardinal number 10
minuti: Minutes; units of time, sixty seconds each
parlando: Speaking, talking; gerund form of parlare
imponenti: Imposing, impressive; commanding attention through size or manner
matrone: Matrons; dignified, often middle-aged married women
vestite: Dressed; past participle of vestire, feminine plural
modo: Way, manner; the method or style of doing something
eccessivo: Excessive; going beyond what is normal or appropriate
tediosi: Tedious, boring; causing weariness through dullness
accademici: Academics; scholars or university professors
resi: Rendered, made; past participle of rendere, plural
improvvisamente: Suddenly; happening without warning or expectation
conto: Account, realization; rendersi conto means to realize
qualcuno: Someone, somebody; an unspecified person
stava: Was (doing); third person singular imperfect of stare
guardando: Looking, watching; gerund of guardare
Mi: Me; first person singular reflexive or object pronoun
voltai: I turned; first person singular past tense of voltare
a: To, at; common Italian preposition of location or direction
metà: Half, midway; halfway point of a movement or thing
vidi: I saw; first person singular past tense of vedere
prima: Before, first; indicating something earlier in time
Quando: When; conjunction or adverb of time
i: The; masculine plural definite article
nostri: Our; first person plural possessive adjective, masculine plural
occhi: Eyes; the organs of sight
si: Themselves, each other; reflexive or reciprocal pronoun
incontrarono: They met; third person plural past tense of incontrare
sentii: I felt, I heard; first person singular past tense of sentire
stavo: I was (doing); first person singular imperfect of stare
diventando: Becoming; gerund of diventare
pallido: Pale; having little color, especially in the face
Una: A, an; feminine singular indefinite article
curiosa: Curious, strange; unusual or arousing interest
sensazione: Sensation, feeling; physical or emotional impression
terrore: Terror, dread; extreme fear or fright
invase: Invaded, overwhelmed; past tense of invadere
Sapevo: I knew; first person singular imperfect of sapere
trovarmi: To find myself; reflexive infinitive of trovare
faccia: Face; front part of the head, or face-to-face
cui: Whose, whom; relative pronoun used with prepositions
sola: Sole, alone; only one, without others, feminine
personalità: Personality; distinctive character or individual qualities
era: Was; third person singular imperfect of essere
così: So, thus; in this way or to such a degree
affascinante: Fascinating, charming; extremely attractive or captivating
se: If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
glielo: It to him/her; combined indirect and direct pronoun
avessi: I had (subjunctive); first person singular of avere subjunctive
permesso: Permitted, allowed; past participle of permettere
avrebbe: He/she would have; third person singular conditional of avere
assorbito: Absorbed; past participle of assorbire, completely engulfed
tutta: All, entire; the whole of something, feminine singular
mia: My; first person singular possessive adjective, feminine
natura: Nature; innate character or the natural world
anima: Soul; spiritual or inner essence of a person
stessa: Same, herself; used for emphasis or identity, feminine
arte: Art; creative expression or skill in a discipline
Non: Not; negation particle in Italian sentences
volevo: I wanted; first person singular imperfect of volere
alcuna: Any; used in negative sentences, feminine singular
influenza: Influence; power to affect someone or something
esterna: External, outside; coming from beyond oneself
vita: Life; the state of being alive
Lo: It, him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
sapete: You know; second person plural of sapere
voi: You (plural); second person plural subject pronoun
stesso: Same, himself; used for emphasis, masculine singular
quanto: How much, how; used in exclamations or questions
sono: I am or they are; first/third person of essere
indipendente: Independent; free from outside control or influence
Sono: I am; first person singular of essere
sempre: Always; at all times without exception
stato: Been, state; past participle of essere or noun
padrone: Master, owner; person in control or authority
me: Me, myself; stressed first person singular pronoun
lo: It, him; masculine singular direct object clitic
ero: I was; first person singular imperfect of essere
almeno: At least; at a minimum, if nothing else
fino: Until, up to; indicating a limit in time or space
quando: When; temporal conjunction or interrogative adverb
incontrai: I met; first person singular past tense of incontrare
Poi: Then, afterward; indicating what follows in sequence
ma: But; adversative conjunction contrasting two ideas
so: I know; first person singular present of sapere
spiegarvelo: To explain it to you; combined infinitive with pronouns
Qualcosa: Something; an unspecified thing or matter
sembrava: It seemed; third person singular imperfect of sembrare
dirmi: To tell me; infinitive of dire with clitic pronoun
sull': On the; contraction of su and article before vowel
orlo: Edge, brink; the rim or border of something
terribile: Terrible, dreadful; causing fear or very unpleasant
crisi: Crisis; a critical or turning point situation
Avevo: I had; first person singular imperfect of avere
strana: Strange; odd or unusual, feminine singular form
il: The; masculine singular definite article
destino: Destiny, fate; predetermined course of events
avesse: Had (subjunctive); third person singular of avere subjunctive
serbo: In store; tenere in serbo means to keep in reserve
gioie: Joys; feelings of great happiness or delight
squisite: Exquisite; extremely refined or delicately beautiful, feminine plural
squisiti: Exquisite; extremely refined or delicately beautiful, masculine plural
dolori: Pains, sorrows; feelings of physical or emotional suffering
Ebbi: I had; first person singular past tense of avere
paura: Fear; an unpleasant emotion caused by danger or threat
uscire: To go out, to leave; exit or depart from a place
dalla: From the; contraction of da and feminine article la

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