White nights, and other stories — Page 8

Vocabulary

Tutti

All, everyone; referring to a whole group

i

The (masculine plural definite article)

passanti

Passersby; people walking past on the street

mi

Me, to me; first person singular object pronoun

rivolgevano

Were directing, turning toward; addressing someone

sguardi

Glances, looks; expressions directed toward someone

così

So, thus, in this way; indicating degree or manner

amichevoli

Friendly, amiable; showing warmth and goodwill

che

That, which, who; conjunction or relative pronoun

sembravano

They seemed, appeared; giving an impression of something

quasi

Almost, nearly; not quite but close to something

salutarmi

To greet me; to say hello to me

tutti

All, everyone; referring to a whole group

contenti

Happy, pleased, content; feeling satisfaction or joy

di

Of, from; common Italian preposition with many uses

qualcosa

Something; an unspecified thing or matter

Fumavano

They were smoking; continuously smoking in the past

sigari

Cigars; rolled tobacco products for smoking

uno

One; indefinite article or number one

per

For, through, per; versatile Italian preposition

E

And; basic coordinating conjunction linking clauses

sentii

I felt, I heard; first person past tense of sentire

felice

Happy, joyful; experiencing or expressing happiness

come

As, like, how; used for comparison or manner

non

Not; basic Italian negation word

mai

Never, ever; referring to absence or extreme of experience

Era

It was; third person singular imperfect of essere

se

If, as if; conditional conjunction in Italian

fossi

I were; subjunctive form of essere for hypotheticals

trovato

Found; past participle of trovare, to find

all'

At the, to the; contraction of a with definite article

improvviso

Sudden, unexpected; happening without prior warning

in

In, into; preposition indicating location or movement

forte

Strong, powerful; having great intensity or strength

era

Was; third person singular imperfect of essere

l'

The; elided form of definite article before vowels

effetto

Effect, impact; result produced by a cause

della

Of the; contraction of di and feminine definite article

natura

Nature; the natural world and its phenomena

su

On, upon, over; Italian preposition of position

un

A, an; masculine indefinite article in Italian

abitante

Inhabitant, resident; person living in a place

città

City, town; an urban settlement or municipality

mezzo

Half, middle; partially or halfway in condition

malato

Sick, ill; suffering from illness or poor health

me

Me; stressed first person singular pronoun

soffocato

Suffocated, stifled; deprived of air or freedom

tra

Between, among; preposition indicating position amid things

le

The (feminine plural); definite article or pronoun

mura

Walls; specifically city or enclosing walls

cittadine

Of the city, urban; relating to city life

C'

There is/are; contraction of ci with essere

è

Is; third person singular present of essere

indicibilmente

Indescribably, unspeakably; beyond what words can express

commovente

Moving, touching; emotionally affecting or stirring

nella

In the; contraction of in with feminine definite article

intorno

Around, surrounding; in the vicinity of something

a

To, at, in; basic Italian preposition of place or direction

quando

When; temporal conjunction or adverb in Italian

all'

At the, to the; elided preposition plus definite article

avvicinarsi

To approach, draw near; reflexive verb of avvicinare

primavera

Spring; season of year between winter and summer

essa

She, it; third person feminine singular pronoun

sprigiona

Releases, unleashes; sets free or gives off something

tutta

All, entire, whole; feminine singular form of tutto

la

The (feminine singular); definite article or pronoun

sua

Her, his, its; feminine possessive adjective or pronoun

forza

Strength, force; physical or moral power or energy

poteri

Powers; abilities or capacities granted to someone

il

The (masculine singular); definite article in Italian

Cielo

Sky, heaven; the space above or divine realm

ha

Has; third person singular present of avere

concesso

Granted, conceded; given or allowed by a higher power

si

Oneself, itself; reflexive pronoun in Italian

ricopre

Covers itself; becomes covered with something anew

foglie

Leaves; the flat green parts of plants and trees

adorna

Adorns, decorates; embellishes or makes more beautiful

e

And; coordinating conjunction joining words or clauses

cosparge

Sprinkles, scatters; spreading something over a surface

fiori

Flowers; blossoms of plants often colorful and fragrant

In

In, into; preposition of location or state

qualche

Some, any; indefinite adjective indicating unspecified amount

modo

Way, manner; a method or fashion of doing something

posso

I can; first person singular present of potere

fare

To do, to make; fundamental Italian verb of action

meno

Less, without; indicates reduction or lacking something

pensare

To think; to consider or reflect on something mentally

una

A, an; feminine indefinite article in Italian

ragazza

Girl, young woman; female youth or young adult

gracile

Frail, slender; thin and delicate in build or health

tisica

Consumptive, tubercular; suffering from tuberculosis historically

volte

Times; instances or occurrences of something happening

guarda

Looks, watches; third person singular of guardare

con

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or manner

compassione

Compassion, pity; sympathy for another's suffering

amore

Love; deep affection or romantic feeling for someone

partecipe

Sharing, participating; taking part or showing empathy

semplicemente

Simply, just; in a plain or uncomplicated manner

nota

Notices, notes; perceives or observes something attentively

eppure

And yet, nevertheless; expressing contrast or surprise

solo

Only, alone; just one or without others

istante

Instant, moment; a very brief period of time

ella

She; formal third person feminine singular pronoun

diventa

Becomes; third person singular of diventare

caso

Case, chance; an instance or matter, sometimes accidental

inspiegabilmente

Inexplicably; in a manner impossible to explain or understand

bella

Beautiful, lovely; attractive in appearance or character

squisita

Exquisite, refined; of exceptional beauty or delicacy

colpiti

Struck, hit; affected strongly or suddenly by something

inebriati

Intoxicated, enraptured; overwhelmed by excitement or beauty

può

Can, may; third person singular present of potere

chiedersi

To wonder, ask oneself; to question internally

quale

Which, what; interrogative or relative pronoun

abbia

Has (subjunctive); subjunctive form of avere

fatto

Done, made; past participle of fare

brillare

To shine, sparkle; to emit or reflect bright light

tale

Such, this kind of; indicating a particular quality or degree

fuoco

Fire; combustion producing light and heat

quegli

Those (masculine plural); demonstrative adjective before vowels

occhi

Eyes; organs of sight in the face

tristi

Sad, sorrowful; experiencing or expressing unhappiness

pensierosi

Pensive, thoughtful; absorbed in deep thought or reflection

Cosa

What, thing; used in questions or to mean an object

richiamato

Called back, recalled; summoned or brought something anew

sangue

Blood; the red fluid circulating in living bodies

quelle

Those (feminine plural); demonstrative adjective or pronoun

guance

Cheeks; the sides of the face below the eyes

pallide

Pale, pallid; lacking color especially in the face

smorte

Wan, colorless; dull and lifeless in complexion

inondato

Flooded, inundated; overwhelmed or filled completely

passione

Passion; intense emotion or strong enthusiasm for something

quei

Those (masculine plural); demonstrative adjective before consonants

lineamenti

Features, lineaments; the lines and contours of a face

delicati

Delicate, fine; subtle and fragile in form or feeling

fremere

To tremble, quiver; to vibrate or shudder with emotion

quel

That (masculine singular); demonstrative adjective

petto

Chest, breast; the front part of the upper torso

vita

Life; the state of living or existence

bellezza

Beauty; the quality of being pleasing to the senses

sul

On the; contraction of su and masculine definite article

viso

Face; the front of the head with facial features

povera

Poor; lacking wealth or evoking sympathy and pity

facendolo

Making it, doing it; gerund of fare with pronoun attached

risplendere

To shine, gleam; to emit radiant light or beauty

sorriso

Smile; the expression of happiness by curving lips

illuminandolo

Illuminating it, lighting it up; making something bright

risata

Laugh, laughter; the sound or act of laughing

vivida

Vivid, bright; intensely clear or strikingly colorful

scintillante

Sparkling, glittering; shining with quick bright flashes

Vi

There, you (plural); pronoun or adverb in Italian

guardate

You look, you watch; second person plural of guardare

cercate

You search, you look for; second person plural of cercare

qualcuno

Someone, anybody; an unspecified person

congetturate

You conjecture, speculate; forming guesses or hypotheses