The Scarlet Letter — Page 3

Vocabulary

PAGINA

PAH-jee-nah — A single leaf or side of a book

LA

lah — Definite article, feminine singular: the

DOGANA

doh-GAH-nah — Customs office where goods are checked at border

PORTA

POR-tah — A door or gate providing entry or exit

DELLA

DEL-lah — Contraction of 'di la': of the (feminine)

PRIGIONE

pree-JOH-neh — A prison or jail where people are confined

VIGNETTA

veen-YET-tah — A small illustration or cartoon in a publication

ROSA

ROH-zah — A rose flower; also the color pink

SELVATICA

sel-VAH-tee-kah — Wild, untamed, growing naturally without cultivation

I

ee — Definite article, masculine plural: the

PETTEGOLI

pet-TEH-goh-lee — Gossips; people who spread rumors about others

IN

een — Preposition meaning in, into, or inside

PIEDI

PYEH-dee — Feet; the lower extremities of the human body

SULLA

SOOL-lah — Contraction of 'su la': on the (feminine)

MISERABILE

mee-zeh-RAH-bee-leh — Miserable, wretched, in a pitiable condition

EMINENZA

eh-mee-NEN-tsah — Eminence; a prominent elevated position or distinction

FU

foo — Third person singular past tense of essere: was

RICONDOTTA

ree-kon-DOT-tah — Led back, brought back, escorted to a place

GLI

lyee — Definite article, masculine plural before vowels

OCCHI

OK-kee — Eyes; the organs of sight on the face

DELLO

DEL-loh — Contraction of 'di lo': of the (masculine)

STUDIOSO

stoo-DYOH-zoh — A scholar or studious person devoted to learning

RUGOSO

roo-GOH-zoh — Wrinkled, creased, having many lines on skin

BRILLARONO

breel-LAH-roh-noh — They shone, sparkled, or gleamed brightly

L'

l — Elided definite article before a vowel sound

ABITAZIONE

ah-bee-tah-TSYOH-neh — A dwelling, residence, or place where one lives

SOLITARIA

soh-lee-TAH-ryah — Solitary, lonely, isolated from others

PASSI

PAS-see — Steps or footsteps; units of walking movement

SOLITARI

soh-lee-TAH-ree — Solitary, lone, made alone without companions

UN

oon — Indefinite article, masculine singular: a, an

TOCCO

TOK-koh — A touch; a light physical contact with something

MANINA

mah-NEE-nah — Little hand; affectionate diminutive of mano

DI

dee — Preposition meaning of, from, or belonging to

IL

eel — Definite article, masculine singular: the

PETTORALE

pet-toh-RAH-leh — A breastplate or chest ornament worn as armor

DEL

del — Contraction of 'di il': of the (masculine)

GOVERNATORE

goh-vehr-nah-TOH-reh — A governor; official who leads a region or colony

PROVVEDI

prov-VEH-dee — Provide, take care of, see to it (imperative)

TU

too — Personal pronoun second person singular: you

NON

non — Adverb of negation: not

PERDERÒ

pehr-deh-ROH — I will lose; future tense of perdere

BAMBINA

bam-BEE-nah — A little girl, a young female child

MINISTRO

mee-NEES-troh — A minister; a clergyman or government official

E

eh — Conjunction meaning and, connecting words or clauses

MEDICO

MEH-dee-koh — A doctor or physician who treats patients

SUO

SOO-oh — Possessive adjective third person: his, her, its

PAZIENTE

pah-TSYEN-teh — A patient; person receiving medical treatment

LE

leh — Definite article, feminine plural: the

VERGINI

VER-jee-nee — Virgins; women who have not had sexual relations

CHIESA

KYEH-zah — A church; a building for Christian worship

SI

see — Reflexive pronoun or particle meaning oneself

TROVAVANO

troh-VAH-vah-noh — They were, they found themselves (imperfect tense)

NEL

nel — Contraction of 'in il': in the (masculine)

MERIGGIO

meh-REED-joh — Noon, midday; the middle of the day

QUELLO

KWEL-loh — Demonstrative adjective/pronoun: that, that one

STRANO

STRAH-noh — Strange, odd, unusual, or peculiar in nature

SPLENDORE

splen-DOH-reh — Splendor, brilliance, radiant and dazzling brightness

NELLA

NEL-lah — Contraction of 'in la': in the (feminine)

CASA

KAH-zah — A house or home where people live

LUTTO

LOOT-toh — Mourning, grief, bereavement after someone's death

MANDRAGOLA

man-DRAH-goh-lah — Mandrake; a plant with supposed magical medicinal properties

RACCOGLIEVA

rak-kol-LYEH-vah — Was gathering, collecting, picking up (imperfect tense)

ERBE

EHR-beh — Herbs or grasses; plants used in cooking or medicine

QUA

kwah — Here, in this place (colloquial form of qui)

LÀ

lah — There, in that place, over there

RIVA

REE-vah — A bank, shore, or edge of a river or sea

MARE

MAH-reh — The sea or ocean; a large body of saltwater

VUOI

VWOY — You want; second person singular of volere

ANCORA

an-KOH-rah — Still, yet, again; expressing continuation or repetition

PERDONARMI

pehr-doh-NAR-mee — To forgive me; infinitive with reflexive pronoun

RAGGIO

RAD-joh — A ray or beam of light from the sun

SOLE

SOH-leh — The sun; the star at the center of our solar system

RUSCELLO

roo-SHEL-loh — A brook or stream; a small flowing body of water

SORRISO

sor-REE-zoh — A smile; an expression of happiness or amusement

DAL

dal — Contraction of 'da il': from the (masculine)

SIGNIFICATO

seen-yee-fee-KAH-toh — Meaning, significance, what something conveys or implies

SINISTRO

see-NEES-troh — Sinister, ominous, suggesting evil or dark intentions

ILLUSTRI

eel-LOOS-tree — Illustrious, distinguished, renowned and highly respected

PERSONAGGI

pehr-soh-NAD-jee — Characters or personages; notable individuals in a story

CI

chee — Reflexive or locative pronoun: us, ourselves, there

INCONTREREMO

een-kon-treh-REH-moh — We will meet; future tense of incontrare

NUOVO

NWOH-voh — New, fresh, recently made or not seen before

RITORNO

ree-TOR-noh — Return; the act of coming back to a place

INTRODUZIONE

een-troh-doo-TSYOH-neh — An introduction; an opening section presenting a work

A

ah — Preposition meaning to, at, or in a place

LETTERA

LET-teh-rah — A letter; a written message or an alphabet character

SCARLATTA

skar-LAT-tah — Scarlet; a bright red color, vivid and intense

È

eh — Third person singular present of essere: is

alquanto

al-KWAN-toh — Rather, somewhat, quite; indicating a moderate degree

singolare

seen-goh-LAH-reh — Singular, remarkable, peculiar, or noteworthy in character

che

keh — Conjunction or pronoun meaning that, which, who

pur

poor — Yet, still, even though; concessive particle

non

non — Adverb of negation: not

essendo

es-SEN-doh — Being; gerund form of essere used in subordinate clauses

incline

een-KLEE-neh — Inclined, prone, disposed toward something

a

ah — Preposition meaning to, at, toward something

parlare

par-LAH-reh — To speak or talk; the infinitive of speaking

troppo

TROP-poh — Too much, excessively, more than is appropriate

di

dee — Preposition meaning of, about, from

me

meh — Personal pronoun first person singular: me, myself

stesso

STES-soh — Same, self; used for emphasis with pronouns

e

eh — Conjunction meaning and

delle

DEL-leh — Contraction of 'di le': of the (feminine plural)

mie

MYEH — Possessive adjective first person feminine plural: my

faccende

fat-CHEN-deh — Affairs, matters, chores, everyday business concerns

al

al — Contraction of 'a il': at the, to the

focolare

foh-koh-LAH-reh — Hearth, fireplace; the domestic home setting

domestico

doh-MES-tee-koh — Domestic, relating to home and household life

né

neh — Neither, nor; used to connect negative alternatives

con

kon — Preposition meaning with, together with someone

i

ee — Definite article masculine plural: the

miei

MYEH-ee — Possessive adjective first person masculine plural: my

amici

ah-MEE-chee — Friends; people with whom one has close affection

intimi

EEN-tee-mee — Intimate, close, deeply personal and trusted friends

un

oon — Indefinite article masculine singular: a, an

impulso

eem-POOL-soh — An impulse, a sudden urge or instinctive drive

autobiografico

ow-toh-byoh-GRAH-fee-koh — Autobiographical; relating to one's own life story

si

see — Reflexive pronoun; oneself, used in reflexive verbs

sia

SYAH — Subjunctive of essere: may be, should be

impadronito

eem-pah-droh-NEE-toh — Taken hold of, seized, mastered (past participle)

per

pehr — Preposition meaning for, through, by, in order to

due

DOO-eh — The number two; also meaning a couple of times

volte

VOL-teh — Times, occasions; plural of volta meaning time

nella

NEL-lah — Contraction of 'in la': in the (feminine)

mia

MEE-ah — Possessive adjective first person feminine singular: my

vita

VEE-tah — Life; the period of existence of a person

nel

nel — Contraction of 'in il': in the (masculine)

rivolgermi

ree-VOL-jehr-mee — In addressing myself, turning to speak to someone

pubblico

POOB-blee-koh — The public; people in general or an audience