War and Peace — Page 8
"They say old maids have a mania for matchmaking, and though I don't feel that weakness in myself as yet, I know a little person who is very unhappy with her father.
«Si dice che le zitelle abbiano la mania di combinare matrimoni, e sebbene io non senta ancora in me quella debolezza, conosco una persona che è molto infelice con suo padre.
She is a relation of yours, Princess Mary Bolkónskaya."
È una vostra parente, la principessa Marija Bolkonskaja.»
Prince Vasíli did not reply, though, with the quickness of memory and perception befitting a man of the world, he indicated by a movement of the head that he was considering this information.
Il principe Vasilij non rispose, ma con la prontezza di memoria e di percezione propria di un uomo di mondo, indicò con un movimento della testa che stava prendendo in considerazione quella notizia.
"Do you know," he said at last, evidently unable to check the sad current of his thoughts, "that Anatole is costing me forty thousand rubles a year?
«Sapete,» disse infine, evidentemente incapace di frenare il triste flusso dei suoi pensieri, «che Anatole mi costa quarantamila rubli all'anno?
And," he went on after a pause, "what will it be in five years, if he goes on like this?"
E,» continuò dopo una pausa, «cosa sarà fra cinque anni, se continua così?»
Presently he added: "That's what we fathers have to put up with.... Is this princess of yours rich?"
Poco dopo aggiunse: «Ecco cosa dobbiamo sopportare noi padri... È ricca questa vostra principessa?»
"Her father is very rich and stingy.
«Suo padre è molto ricco e avaro.
He lives in the country.
Vive in campagna.
He is the well-known Prince Bolkónski who had to retire from the army under the late Emperor, and was nicknamed 'the King of Prussia.'
È il noto principe Bolkonskij che dovette ritirarsi dall'esercito sotto il defunto Imperatore, e fu soprannominato 'il Re di Prussia'.
He is very clever but eccentric, and a bore.
È molto intelligente ma eccentrico, e noioso.
The poor girl is very unhappy.
La povera ragazza è molto infelice.
She has a brother; I think you know him, he married Lise Meinen lately.
Ha un fratello; credo che lo conosciate, ha sposato Lise Meinen di recente.
He is an aide-de-camp of Kutúzov's and will be here tonight."
È un aiutante di campo di Kutuzov e sarà qui stasera.»
"Listen, dear Annette," said the prince, suddenly taking Anna Pávlovna's hand and for some reason drawing it downwards.
«Ascoltate, cara Annette,» disse il principe, prendendo all'improvviso la mano di Anna Pavlovna e per qualche ragione tirandola verso il basso.
Vocabulary
- Si
- Reflexive pronoun or 'yes' in Italian
- dice
- Third person singular of 'dire'; means 'says'
- che
- Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'which'
- le
- Feminine plural article or indirect pronoun 'to her'
- zitelle
- Old maids; unmarried women of a certain age
- abbiano
- Subjunctive form of 'avere'; meaning 'they have'
- la
- Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'
- mania
- Obsession or strong habit for something
- di
- Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'
- combinare
- To arrange or bring together, often marriages
- matrimoni
- Plural of matrimonio; marriages or weddings
- e
- Conjunction meaning 'and'
- sebbene
- Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'
- io
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'I'
- non
- Negation word meaning 'not'
- senta
- Subjunctive of 'sentire'; to feel or sense
- ancora
- Adverb meaning 'yet', 'still', or 'again'
- in
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'into'
- me
- First person singular stressed pronoun meaning 'me'
- quella
- Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning 'that'
- debolezza
- Weakness or flaw in character or body
- conosco
- First person singular of 'conoscere'; I know someone
- una
- Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'
- persona
- A person or individual human being
- è
- Third person singular of 'essere'; means 'is'
- molto
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'very' or 'much'
- infelice
- Unhappy or unfortunate person or situation
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with'
- suo
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
- padre
- Father; male parent of a person
- È
- Third person singular of 'essere'; means 'is'
- vostra
- Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'your' (plural)
- parente
- A relative or family member by blood or marriage
- principessa
- Princess; title for a noblewoman of high rank
- Il
- Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
- principe
- Prince; title for a nobleman of high rank
- rispose
- Past tense of 'rispondere'; he or she answered
- prontezza
- Quickness or readiness of mind or action
- memoria
- Memory; the ability to recall past events
- percezione
- Perception; the ability to sense and understand things
- propria
- Feminine of 'proprio'; one's own or proper
- uomo
- Man; adult male human being
- mondo
- World or society; broadly the social sphere
- indicò
- Past tense of 'indicare'; he or she indicated
- movimento
- Movement or motion of the body or object
- della
- Contraction of 'di' and 'la'; meaning 'of the'
- testa
- Head; the uppermost part of the human body
- stava
- Imperfect of 'stare'; was in a state or position
- prendendo
- Gerund of 'prendere'; taking or considering something
- considerazione
- Consideration; careful thought about something
- notizia
- News or piece of information received
- Sapete
- Second person plural of 'sapere'; do you know
- disse
- Past tense of 'dire'; he or she said
- infine
- Adverb meaning 'finally' or 'in the end'
- evidentemente
- Adverb meaning 'evidently' or 'obviously'
- incapace
- Incapable or unable to do something
- frenare
- To restrain, hold back, or brake something
- il
- Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
- triste
- Adjective meaning 'sad' or 'sorrowful'
- flusso
- Flow or stream of something continuous
- dei
- Contraction of 'di' and 'i'; meaning 'of the'
- suoi
- Plural possessive adjective meaning 'his' or 'her'
- pensieri
- Thoughts; plural of 'pensiero'
- mi
- First person singular pronoun meaning 'me' or 'to me'
- costa
- Third person of 'costare'; it costs a price
- quarantamila
- The number forty thousand in Italian
- rubli
- Rubles; plural of 'rublo', Russian currency
- anno
- Year; a period of twelve calendar months
- continuò
- Past tense of 'continuare'; he or she continued
- dopo
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'after' or 'then'
- pausa
- Pause; a brief stop or break in speech
- cosa
- Thing or what; used in questions and statements
- sarà
- Future tense of 'essere'; he or she will be
- fra
- Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'in'
- cinque
- The number five in Italian
- anni
- Years; plural of 'anno'
- se
- Conjunction meaning 'if' in conditional sentences
- continua
- Third person singular of 'continuare'; continues
- così
- Adverb meaning 'so', 'thus', or 'like this'
- Poco
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'little' or 'few'
- aggiunse
- Past tense of 'aggiungere'; he or she added
- Ecco
- Exclamation meaning 'here is' or 'there you go'
- dobbiamo
- First person plural of 'dovere'; we must or have to
- sopportare
- To bear, endure, or put up with something
- noi
- First person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'
- padri
- Plural of 'padre'; fathers
- ricca
- Feminine adjective meaning 'rich' or 'wealthy'
- ricco
- Masculine adjective meaning 'rich' or 'wealthy'
- avaro
- Miser or miser-like; excessively stingy person
- Vive
- Third person singular of 'vivere'; he or she lives
- campagna
- Countryside or rural area outside the city
- noto
- Known or notable; well recognized by others
- dovette
- Past tense of 'dovere'; he or she had to
- ritirarsi
- Reflexive verb meaning to withdraw or retire
- dall'
- Contraction of 'da' and 'l''; meaning 'from the'
- esercito
- Army; a large organized military force
- sotto
- Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath'
- defunto
- Deceased; referring to someone who has died
- Imperatore
- Emperor; title for a sovereign of an empire
- fu
- Past tense of 'essere'; he or she was
- soprannominato
- Nicknamed; given an informal alternative name
- Re
- King; title for a male sovereign ruler
- intelligente
- Adjective meaning 'intelligent' or 'smart'
- eccentrico
- Eccentric; a person with unconventional behavior
- noioso
- Boring or tedious; causing boredom or annoyance
- povera
- Feminine adjective meaning 'poor' or 'unfortunate'
- ragazza
- Girl or young woman; female youth
- Ha
- Third person singular of 'avere'; he or she has
- fratello
- Brother; male sibling in a family
- credo
- First person singular of 'credere'; I believe
- lo
- Masculine singular direct object pronoun meaning 'him'
- conosciate
- Subjunctive of 'conoscere'; that you may know someone
- ha
- Third person singular of 'avere'; he or she has
- sposato
- Past participle of 'sposare'; married someone
- recente
- Recent; happening or done not long ago
- aiutante
- Assistant or aide; one who helps another person
- campo
- Field or camp; open area or military base
- qui
- Adverb meaning 'here' in this place
- stasera
- This evening or tonight
- Ascoltate
- Imperative of 'ascoltare'; listen (plural or formal)
- cara
- Feminine adjective meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'
- improvviso
- Sudden or unexpected; happening without prior warning
- mano
- Hand; the end part of the human arm
- per
- Preposition meaning 'for', 'through', or 'by'
- qualche
- Adjective meaning 'some' or 'a few'
- ragione
- Reason or motive behind an action or belief
- tirandola
- Gerund of 'tirare' with pronoun; pulling her
- verso
- Preposition meaning 'towards' or 'in the direction of'
- basso
- Low or downward; opposite of high or tall
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