White nights, and other stories — Page 2

Vocabulary

Eppure

ep-PU-re — Yet, still, nevertheless; expresses contrast or surprise

sebbene

seb-BEH-ne — Although, even though; introduces a concessive clause

vivessi

vi-VES-si — I lived (imperfect subjunctive of vivere)

a

a — To, at, in; common preposition of place or direction

Pietroburgo

Piet-ro-BUR-go — Saint Petersburg; major Russian city on the Neva River

da

da — From, since, by; versatile Italian preposition

quasi

KWA-zi — Almost, nearly; indicates approximation of quantity or degree

otto

OT-to — Eight; the cardinal number between seven and nine

anni

AN-ni — Years; plural of anno, unit of time

non

non — Not; basic Italian negation word

avevo

a-VEH-vo — I had (imperfect tense of avere)

nessuna

nes-SU-na — No, none, not any; feminine singular negative adjective

conoscenza

co-no-SHEN-tsa — Acquaintance, knowledge; familiarity with a person or subject

Ma

ma — But; basic coordinating conjunction showing contrast

che

ke — That, what, which; versatile conjunction or pronoun

me

me — Me; stressed first-person singular object pronoun

ne

ne — Of it, of them, some; partitive or pronominal particle

facevo

fa-CHEH-vo — I did, I was doing (imperfect tense of fare)

delle

DEL-le — Of the, some; feminine plural partitive article

conoscenze

co-no-SHEN-tse — Acquaintances, knowledge; plural of conoscenza

Conoscevo

co-no-SHEH-vo — I knew (imperfect of conoscere); familiar personal knowledge

tutta

TUT-ta — All, entire; feminine singular of tutto

così

co-ZEE — So, thus, like this; indicates manner or degree

com'

kom — As, how; elided form of come before a vowel

era

EH-ra — Was (imperfect of essere); third-person singular past

ecco

EK-ko — Here is, there is; exclamation pointing something out

perché

per-KEH — Because, why; introduces reason or poses a question

mi

mi — Me, myself; first-person singular reflexive or object pronoun

sembrava

sem-BRA-va — It seemed (imperfect of sembrare); past appearance or impression

tutti

TUT-ti — Everyone, all; masculine plural of tutto

abbandonassero

ab-ban-do-NAS-se-ro — They abandoned (imperfect subjunctive of abbandonare)

quando

KWAN-do — When; temporal conjunction or adverb

faceva

fa-CHEH-va — He/she was making/doing (imperfect of fare)

le

le — The (feminine plural) or her; article or pronoun

valigie

va-LI-je — Suitcases; plural of valigia, luggage for travel

e

e — And; basic coordinating conjunction

andava

an-DA-va — He/she was going (imperfect of andare)

alla

AL-la — To the; feminine singular contraction of a + la

sua

SU-a — His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective

villa

VIL-la — Villa, country house; elegant suburban or rural residence

estiva

es-TI-va — Summer (adjective, feminine); relating to the summer season

Avevo

a-VEH-vo — I had (imperfect of avere); first-person singular past

paura

pa-U-ra — Fear, fright; strong feeling of being scared

di

di — Of, from; very common Italian preposition

restare

res-TA-re — To stay, to remain; to continue being in a place

solo

SO-lo — Alone, only; without company or exclusively

per

per — For, through, in order to; multipurpose Italian preposition

tre

tre — Three; cardinal number between two and four

giorni

JOR-ni — Days; plural of giorno, unit of time

interi

in-TEH-ri — Entire, whole; masculine plural of intero

vagabondai

va-ga-bon-DAI — I wandered, I roamed (passato remoto of vagabondare)

la

la — The (feminine singular); definite article

città

cit-TA — City, town; urban settlement of significant size

in

in — In, into; basic Italian preposition of location

preda

PREH-da — Prey, grip; in preda a means in the grip of

una

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

profonda

pro-FON-da — Deep, profound; feminine adjective indicating great depth

malinconia

ma-lin-co-NEE-a — Melancholy, sadness; a deep, lingering feeling of sorrow

senza

SEN-tsa — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack

sapere

sa-PEH-re — To know (facts); to have knowledge or understanding

cosa

CO-za — Thing, what; noun or interrogative pronoun

fare

FA-re — To do, to make; one of the most common Italian verbs

stesso

STES-so — Same, itself; used for emphasis or identity

Che

ke — That, what, how; conjunction, pronoun, or exclamation

passeggiassi

pas-sed-JAS-si — I walked (imperfect subjunctive of passeggiare)

sul

sul — On the; masculine singular contraction of su + il

andassi

an-DAS-si — I went (imperfect subjunctive of andare)

ai

ai — To the; masculine plural contraction of a + i

Giardini

jar-DI-ni — Gardens; plural of giardino, public or private green spaces

o

o — Or; basic disjunctive coordinating conjunction

girovagassi

ji-ro-va-GAS-si — I wandered about (imperfect subjunctive of girovagare)

lungofiume

lun-go-FYU-me — Riverside, embankment; road or path along a river

c'

c' — There (elided form of ci); used with essere

nemmeno

nem-MEH-no — Not even; stronger form of negation or exclusion

facce

FAT-che — Faces; plural of faccia, the front of a person's head

ero

EH-ro — I was (imperfect of essere); first-person singular past

abituato

a-bi-TU-a-to — Accustomed, used to; past participle of abituarsi

incontrare

in-con-TRA-re — To meet, to encounter; to come across someone

stessa

STES-sa — Same; feminine singular of stesso, for emphasis or identity

ora

O-ra — Hour, time, now; can refer to time of day

nello

NEL-lo — In the; masculine singular contraction of in + lo

posto

POS-to — Place, spot; a specific location or position

durante

du-RAN-te — During, throughout; preposition of temporal duration

tutto

TUT-to — All, everything, whole; masculine singular of tutto

l'

l' — The; elided form of lo or la before a vowel

anno

AN-no — Year; a full cycle of twelve calendar months

Loro

LO-ro — They, them; third-person plural pronoun

naturalmente

na-tu-ral-MEN-te — Naturally, of course; adverb expressing logical expectation

conoscono

co-NO-sco-no — They know (present of conoscere); personal acquaintance

ma

ma — But; coordinating conjunction showing contrast

io

EE-o — I; first-person singular subject pronoun

li

li — Them (masculine); third-person plural direct object pronoun

conosco

co-NOS-co — I know (present of conoscere); personal familiarity

Li

li — Them; emphatic direct object pronoun, masculine plural

intimamente

in-ti-ma-MEN-te — Intimately, deeply; in a close and personal manner

ho

o — I have (present of avere); auxiliary or possession verb

fatto

FAT-to — Done, made; past participle of fare

uno

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

studio

STU-dyo — Study, research; careful examination or a room for work

dei

DEH-i — Of the; masculine plural contraction of di + i

loro

LO-ro — Their, theirs, them; third-person plural possessive or pronoun

volti

VOL-ti — Faces; plural of volto, a person's face or expression

rallegro

ral-LEH-gro — I rejoice, I cheer up (present of rallegrare/rallegrarsi)

sono

SO-no — They are / I am (present of essere)

allegri

al-LEH-gri — Cheerful, merry; masculine plural of allegro

rattristisco

rat-tris-TIS-co — I become sad (present of rattristarsi); to grow sorrowful

sotto

SOT-to — Under, beneath; preposition or adverb of position

nuvola

NU-vo-la — Cloud; a mass of water vapor in the sky

Ho

o — I have (present of avere); auxiliary or possessive

stretto

STRET-to — Established (here); past participle of stringere, to tighten

amicizia

a-mi-CHI-tsya — Friendship; the close bond between friends

con

kon — With; basic Italian preposition of accompaniment

un

un — A, an; masculine singular indefinite article

vecchio

VEK-kyo — Old man, old; an elderly person or aged adjective

incontro

in-CON-tro — I meet, encounter; present of incontrare

ogni

ON-yi — Every, each; adjective referring to all items in a set

santo

SAN-to — Saint, holy; used colloquially in ogni santo giorno (every single day)

giorno

JOR-no — Day; a 24-hour period of time

sulla

SUL-la — On the; feminine singular contraction of su + la

Un'

un — A, an; feminine indefinite article elided before a vowel

aria

A-rya — Air, look, expression; a person's bearing or appearance

grave

GRA-ve — Serious, grave; indicating a weighty or solemn demeanor

pensierosa

pen-sye-RO-za — Thoughtful, pensive; feminine adjective deep in thought

mormora

MOR-mo-ra — He/she murmurs (present of mormorare); to speak softly

sempre

SEM-pre — Always; at all times without exception

tra

tra — Between, among; preposition of position or relation

sé

se — Himself, herself, itself; stressed reflexive pronoun

agita

A-ji-ta — He/she waves, shakes (present of agitare); to move restlessly

il

il — The; masculine singular definite article

braccio

BRAT-cho — Arm; the upper limb of the human body

sinistro

si-NIS-tro — Left; referring to the left side of the body

mentre

MEN-tre — While, whereas; temporal or contrastive conjunction

nella

NEL-la — In the; feminine singular contraction of in + la

mano

MA-no — Hand; the part of the body at the end of the arm

destra

DES-tra — Right (hand/side); feminine adjective for the right side

tiene

TYE-ne — He/she holds (present of tenere); to keep or grip

lungo

LUN-go — Long; adjective describing great length

bastone

bas-TO-ne — Cane, stick; a walking stick or rod

nodoso

no-DO-zo — Knotty, gnarled; full of knots, describing wood or a stick

pomello

po-MEL-lo — Knob, pommel; rounded handle at the top of a cane

d'

d' — Of; elided form of di before a vowel

oro

O-ro — Gold; precious yellow metal, often indicating luxury

Mi

mi — Me, myself; first-person singular object or reflexive pronoun

nota

NO-ta — He/she notices (present of notare); to observe or remark

persino

per-SI-no — Even, indeed; emphasizes an extreme or unexpected case

si

si — Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun

interessa

in-te-RES-sa — He/she is interested (present of interessarsi); to care about

calore

ca-LO-re — Warmth, heat; physical heat or emotional warmth

Se

se — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis

caso

CA-zo — Case, chance; per caso means by chance or accidentally

trovo

TRO-vo — I find (present of trovare); to discover or come upon

certa

CHER-ta — A certain, sure; feminine of certo, indicating specificity

certo

CHER-to — Certain, sure; expressing confidence or a specific thing

rimane

ri-MA-ne — He/she remains (present of rimanere); to stay or be left

deluso

de-LU-zo — Disappointed; past participle of deludere, feeling let down