1 [the text had dots under many e, o z and zz which I cannot ...

[The text had dots under many "e, o z and zz" which I cannot 

reproduce. They are often foot-noted] 

AN ITALIAN CONVERSATION GRAMMAR COMPRISING THE 

MOST IMPORTANT RULES OF ITALIAN GRAMMAR , WITH 

NUMEROUS EXAMPLES AND EXERCISES THEREON, 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN DIALOGUES, HINTS ON ITALIAN 

VERSIFICATION, AND EXTRACTS IN ITALIAN POETRY, 

FOLLOWED BY A SHORT GUIDE TO ITALIAN COMPOSITION . 

ALSO AN ENGLISH-ITALIAN AND ITALIAN-ENGLISH 

VOCABULARY. 

Throughout this Grammar the tonic accent on words is marked 

in darker type , and the proper pronunciations of the letters " E," 

"O," "S," and "Z," are indicated . 

BY N. PERINI, F.R.A.S., 

Professor of Italian at King's College, London, and at the Royal 

College of Music, and at University College, Bristol, and Italian 

Examiner to the University of London, the Victoria University, 

Manchester, the Civil Service Commissioners, the Staff College, 

the Royal Military Academy , Woolwich, and the Society of Arts. 

FOURTH EDITION-CAREFULLY REVISED. 

LIBRAIRIE HACHETTE & CIE - 

LONDON: 18, KING WILLIAM STREET, CHARING CROSS, W.C. 

PARIS: 79, BOULEVARD SAINT-GERMAIN . 

BOSTON, U.S. : CARL SCHOENHOF. 

1895. 

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] 

DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION , TO 

LORD TENNYSON, POET LAUREATE. 

D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. 

PREFACE . (v) 

IN bringing before the public this grammar, which is arranged in 

a way different from that generally adopted, I feel it incumbent on 

me to offer a few words of explanation . 

I have throughout adhered to the deductive method, that is, I do 

not set any exercise before the student, except on points 

previously explained. I have always regarded as mischievous the 

system of setting exercises beyond the knowledge of the student, 

and in which one-half of the words are translated ; these may be 

called exercises in writing, rather than exercises on grammar, 

and in doing them the student often loses sight of the very points 

the grammarian wishes to elucidate . 

1

I have made the verb the framework of the whole grammar, as it 

is impossible to form a sentence without it. I have also discarded 

the usual method of separating Accidence from Syntax, for it 

seems to me that such a separation has no existence in reality ; 

I have combined the two parts, and gradually introduced the 

Syntax as I thought its knowledge would be required by the 

student. 

Being convinced, as most people now are, that the best way of 

learning a foreign language is to translate into it from one's own 

language , I have added to this grammar a Short Guide to Italian 

Composition, comprising extracts in English prose, with notes to 

facilitate their translation into Italian. I have also given some 

hints on Italian versification, and extracts in Italian Poetry, so 

that the student may, at an early stage , learn how to read, and, if 

so disposed, commit to memory some of the 

(vi). PREFACE . 

finest verses in the Italian language , and thus acquire a correct 

Italian accent. I have supplemented the whole with Vocabularies, 

which will enable the student not only to dispense with any other 

book for the first lessons, but to find without loss of time the word 

he wants. 

The meaning of the letters in darker type , which will be found in 

many Italian words throughout this grammar, and the directions 

for the proper pronunciations of the letters " E," " O," " S," and " Z," 

which is a very important feature in my book , are given in rules 

5, 9, 48, 53, and 63. 

I hope that the improvements I have made in my book will 

increase the favour I have already received from my colleagues 

and from the public, and for which I am very grateful . 

N. PERINI. 

KING'S COLLEGE , LONDON. 

November , 1895. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS. (vii) 

INTRODUCTION Page 1 

The Alphabet. 

Pronunciation of the Vowels. 

Pronunciation of the Consonants . 

Rules for Dividing Words into Syllables. 

On the Pronunciation of Words. 

2

The Written Accent . 

The Apostrophe. 

Use of Capital Letters . 

On Reading and Speaking Italian . 

Reading Exercises . 

LESSON 

I. On the Definite Article 13 

On the Prepositions , "Di," "A," "Da" 14 

II. On the Verb, "Avere ," to have 16 

III . On the Modes of Addressing People in Italian 19 

On the Interrogative and Negative Forms of Verbs ... 20 

IV. On the Partitive Article 22 

On the Indefinite Article 23 

V. On the Verb " Essere ," to be 25 

On the Verb " Essere ," with " Ci," and " VI " 27 

VI. On the Verbs .'. 28 

On the First Conjugation in "Are" 29 

VII. On the Personal Pronouns 34 

On the Conjunctive Personal Pronouns 35 

On the Disjunctive Personal Pronouns 38 

VIII . On the Double Conjunctive Pronouns 40 

IX. On the Words, "Ci," "Vi,"and "Ne" 43 

X. On the Second Conjugation in " Ere " 46 

XI. On the Third Conjugation in " Ire" 50 

XII. On Verbs conjugated Passively 54 

XIII. On the Neuter Verbs 56 

XIV. On the Reflective and Reciprocal Verbs 59 

XV. On the Impersonal Verbs 62 

XVI. On the Impersonal Verbs expressive of the State of the 

Weather 65 

XVII. On the Irregular Verbs 66 

XVIII. On the Use of the Definite and Partitive Articles ... 93 

XIX. On the Use of the Indefinite Article 97 

XX. On the Gender and Number of Nouns 99 

XXI. On the Compound Nouns 109 

XXII. On the Italian Suffixes 111 

On the Collective Nouns 113 

(viii). CONTENTS. 

LESSON 

XXIII. On Qualitative Adjectives 115 

3

On "Bello," " Grande ," " Buono," " Santo," " Tutto," " Mezzo," " Ogni," 

"Altro," " Molto," "Tanto," &c. 117 

XXIV. On the Formation of Adverbs 122 

On the Degrees of Comparison ... ... ... ... 123 

XXV. On the Numeral Adjectives 128 

XXVI. On the Possessive Adjectives 132 

On the Possessive Pronouns... ... ... ... ... 136 

XXVII. On the Demonstrative Adjectives 138 

On the Demonstrative Pronouns 140 

On the Demonstrative Personal Pronouns ... ... 141 

XXVIII. On the Relative Pronouns 143 

XXIX. On the Indefinite Pronouns 147 

On " Niente ," " Nulla," " Quanto," and " Per Quanto" ... 152 

XXX. On the Infinitive Mood 154 

XXXI. On the Indicative Mood 156 

XXXII. On the Subjunctive Mood, and "Se" 161 

XXXIII. On the Form and Use of Passive Verbs 168 

XXXIV. On " Volere ," " Dovere ," " Potere ," and " Sapere " ... 171 

XXXV. On the Negation 173 

XXXVI. On the Past Participle 176 

XXXVII. On the Verbs "Avere ," " Essere ," " Andare," " Dare," " Fare ," 

"Stare," " Sapere," " Tenere," " Volere," and " Venire " used 

idiomatically ... ... ... 179 

XXXVIII. On the Adverbs 190 

On the Words "Onde," "Bene ," and " Pure" 196 

XXXIX. On the Prepositions 198 

XL. On the Complements of Verbs ... ... ... ... 205 

XLI. On the Conjunctions and Interjections 209 

Transposition of Words in Italian Sentences 212 

Italian Idioms and Sayings 213 

Italian Proverbs ... ... ... ... ... ... 215 

English-Italian Dialogues 216 

Titles and Expressions used in Italian Letters 222 

A Guide to Italian Composition ... ... ... ... 224 

Italian Poetry 235 

English-Italian Vocabulary ... ... ... ... ... 246 

Italian -English Vocabulary 259 

ITALIAN GRAMMAR . 1 

INTRODUCTION 

ON THE PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING OF THE ITALIAN 

LANGUAGE 

4

THE ALPHABET 

1. The Italian Alphabet consists of the following twenty-one 

letters : 

A, B, C, D. E, F, G, H. I, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Z. 1 

A, E, I, O. U, are vowels, and the other letters are consonants . 

2. The Italian language is very nearly pronounced as it is written. 

There are no real diphthongs in Italian . 

PRONUNCIATION OF THE VOWELS . 

3. A is pronounced like the a, in artist . Ex. "amara ," bitter . 

4. E has two different sounds ; one like that of the e in the 

English word emigrant. Ex. ; " pena," punishment, " fedele," 

faithful; the other a broad sound, like that of the a in the English 

word gate . Ex. "balestra ," cross-bow, "bella," beautiful . 

5. Throughout this grammar a dot is placed under the letter e, 

thus e, when it has the broad sound of the a in the English word 

gate . 

6. 1 The Letters, K, W, X, Y, are not made use of in spelling 

Italian words. 

The letter J was formerly used in spelling many Italian words, but 

it is now generally discarded ; the letter i, which has very nearly 

the same sound as j (see rule 7), being used instead . 

ON PRONUNCIATION AND SPELLING . 2 

7. I is pronounced like the ee, in eel. Ex. " vita " life . 

8. O has two different sounds ; one like that of the o, in the 

English word vote; as "fiore ," flower, " colpo," blow, " molto," much; 

the other like that of the o in the English word orphan. Ex. " oro,"1 

gold, "Corpo," body, "tosto," soon. 

9. Throughout this grammar a dot is placed under the letter o, 

thus o, when it has the broad sound of the v in the English word 

orphan. 

10. U is pronounced like the oo, in the English word moon. Ex. " 

uno," one, "universo ," universe , "volume ," volume . 

PRONUNCIATION OF THE CONSONANTS. 

11. The consonants B, D, F, 2 L, M, N, P, R 3 T, 4 and V, are 

pronounced in the same manner as in English. 

PRONUNCIATION OF THE LETTER C. 

5

C, followed by A, O, or U, has a hard sound. 

12. CA is pronounced like the ca, in cart. Ex. " capo," head. 

13. CO is pronounced like the co, in comet . Ex. "Colombo," dove. 

14. CU is pronounced like the cu, in cuckoo. Ex. " cura," cure . 

C, followed by E or I, has a soft sound. 

15. CE is pronounced like the cha, in chase . Ex. " cena ," supper. 

16. CI is pronounced like the chi, in chip. Ex. "cibo," food. 

H hardens the sound of C before E and I. 

17. CHE is pronounced like the ca, in cake . Ex. " cheto ," quiet . 

18. CHI is pronounced like the kee, in keep . Ex. " chiave ," key. 

PRONUNCIATION OF SCE, AND SCI. 

19. SCE is pronounced like the sha, in shape. Ex. " scena ," scene . 

20. SCI is pronounced like the shee , in sheep. Ex. " sciame ," 

swarm. 

21. 1 When there are two or three o's in a word, the second and 

third always have the same sound as the first. Ex. " oro" gold, 

"cronologia ," chronology. 

22. 2 The Italians always substitute f for ph, in words derived 

from the Greek . Ex. " filosofia ," philosophy. 

23. 3 Notice that the " r," is pronounced much more emphatically 

in Italian than in English. Ex. " burro," butter. 

24. 4 Notice that in Italian the vowel u is never pronounced like 

the u in the English word union, but always like the two o's, in 

the English word moon. 


PRONUNCIATION OF THE LETTER G. 

G, followed by A, O, or U, is pronounced hard. 

25. GA is pronounced like the ga, in garden. Ex. " gabbia," cage . 

26. GO is pronounced like the go, in goblet. Ex. "gola," throat. 

27. GU is pronounced like the goo, in goose. Ex. " gufo," owl. 

G, followed by E or I, has a soft sound. 

28. GE is pronounced like the ge, in gem. Ex. " gente ," people. 

29. GI 1 is pronounced like the gi, in gin. Ex. " giro," turn. 

H, hardens the sound of G before E and I. 

30. GHE is pronounced like the ga, in gate . Ex. " leghe ," leagues . 

31. GHI is pronounced like the gi, in gimlet . Ex. "laghi ," lakes . 

6

PRONUNCIATION OF GLI. 

32. GLI is pronounced like the illi , in postillion. Ex. " giglio ," lily. 

33. Notice, however, that "gli" is pronounced like the gli, in 

glimmer, in the words " Anglia," England, " anglicano," Anglican, " 

geroglifico," hieroglyphic, hieroglyphical, " negligenza," 

negligence , and in the verb " negligere ," to neglect . 

PRONUNCIATION OF GN. 

34. GN is pronounced like the gn, in design . Ex. " agnello ," lamb. 

ON THE LETTER H. 

35. H has no sound by itself, and may be considered as an 

auxiliary letter . 

36. The principal use of the letter H in Italian is, as already 

explained in rules 17, 18, 30, 31, to give to the letters c and g a 

hard sound, when they are followed by e or i. 

37. H is also used at the beginning of the words "ho," I have, "hai," 

thou hast, " ha," he has, and "hanno," they have; in which words 

the h is retained only to distinguish them from " o," meaning or, " 

ai," to the, "a," to or at, and " anno" year. The h is further used in 

the interjections " ah ! " "oh ! " " ahi ! " " ehi !" 

38. 1 The student should pay great attention to the pronunciation 

of the letters c and g, and to bear well in mind that the i serves 

only to soften the sound of c, and s, in the syllables " cia," " cio," 

"ciu," " già," " gio," and " giù," which must be pronounced as one, 

and not as two syllables. Ex. " ciarlare " to chat, " ciotto," pebble, " 

ciuffo," lock of hair , " giallo," yellow, " giorno," day, " maggiore , " 


PRONUNCIATION OF QUA, QUE, QUI, and QUO. 

39. QUA 1 is pronounced like the qua, in quality. Ex." quadra, 

"picture . 

40. QUE is pronounced like the que, in question. Ex. "questo," this 

1 

41. QUI is pronounced like the qui, in quick . Ex. "quinto," fifth. 

42. QUO is pronounced like the quo, in quotation. Ex. " quota," 

share . 

PRONUNCIATION OF THE LETTER S. 

7

43. S has two different sounds ; a sharp hissing sound, and a soft 

one. 

44. S, at the beginning of a word, and followed by a vowel, has a 

hard sound, like the S in the English word spirit . Ex. "sito," site . 

45. S, at the beginning of a word, and followed by one of the 

consonants c, f, p, q, t, has a hard sound, like the s in the English 

word spirit. Ex. " scanno," bench, " sforzo," effort, " spia," spy " 

squadrone," squadron, " storpio," lame . 

46. S, at the beginning of a word, and followed by one of the 

consonants b, d, g, I, m, n, r, v, has a soft sound, like the s in the 

English word rose. Ex. " sbaglio," mistake, " sdegno," disdain, "il 

sgabello," stool, " sleale," disloyal, " smalto," enamel, " snello," 

nimble , "sregolato ," disorderly, " svelare ," to unveil . 

47. S, between two vowels, has, as a rule , the soft sound of the s 

in the English word rose. Ex. " sposo," bridegroom, " chiesa," 

church ; but this rule has numerous exceptions . 

48. Throughout this grammar a dot is placed under the s, thus s, 

when it has the soft sound of the s in the English word rose. 

49. When the s is doubled it always has a hard, hissing sound. Ex. 

" rarissimo ," very rare . 

PRONUNCIATION OF THE LETTERS Z AND ZZ. 

50. Z has two sounds ; one sharp, like that of the ts in the English 

word wits. Ex. " zampa," paw, " zio," uncle , " amicizia," friendship, " 

prudenza," prudence; the other sound like that of the letter z in 

the English word zeal. Ex. "zelo," zeal, "garzone ," youth, waiter . 

51. 1 Notice that the letter q, in Italian , is always followed by .u 


52. ZZ have two different sounds ; one like that of the ts in the 

English word wits. Ex. " piazza," square , " bellezza," beauty, " 

prezzo," price , " nozze ," wedding, " mezzo," over-ripe; the other 

sound like that of the zz in the English word muzzle . Ex. " 

dozzina," dozen, " orizzonte ," horizon, " gazza," magpie, " gazzetta," 

gazette , " mezzo," 1 middle, means , half. 

53. Throughout this grammar a dot is placed under the 2, thus z, 

when it has the soft sound of the z in the English word zeal; and 

dots are placed under the two zz, thus zz, when they have the soft 

sound of the zz in the English word muzzle . 

8

RULES FOR DIVIDING WORDS INTO SYLLABLES . 

54. (i) One or two consonants at the beginning of a word, followed 

by one, two, or even three vowels, form a syllable . Ex. "ve-de-re," 

to see, "pre-ga-re," to pray, " fie-le," gall, " quie -to," quiet, " scuo- 

la," school. 

Except when the stress of the voice, or what is called the " Tonic 

Accent," falls upon one of the vowels ; in that case that vowel 

marks the end of the syllable. Ex. "Di-o," God, " mi-o," my. 

55. (ii) A consonant between two vowels makes a syllable with the 

second vowel. Ex. " a-mi-co," friend , " o-no-re," honour. 

56. (iii) When two consonants are in the middle of a word, one of 

them makes a syllable with the preceding, and the other with the 

following vowel. Ex. " al-ber-go," inn, " ac-cen-to," accent. But if 

the second of the two consonants is either l, m, n, or r, the two 

consonants are united to the following vowel. Ex. " miglio," mile , " 

sti-gma," stigma, " cam-pa-gna," country, " ve-dre-mo," we shall 

see. 

57. (iv) When there are three consonants in the middle of a word, 

the first of them makes a syllable with the preceding, and the two 

others with the following vowel. Ex. "om-bra," shade, shadow, 

"sem-pre " always. 

58. (v) The consonant s, with any other consonants which may 

follow it, always form a syllable with the following vowel. Ex. " que- 

sto," this, " a-spet-to," aspect, " v o-stro," your. Except in compound 

words. Ex. " dis-a-gio," discomfort, " dis-giun-ge-re," to unconnect, 

&c. 

1 Notice that the sound of the e in " mezzo," meaning middle , 

means , half, is broad. 


ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF WORDS. 

" PAROLE PIANE," flat words. 

59. In pronouncing most Italian words the stress of the voice, or 

what is called the " Tonic Accent " falls upon the penultimate, or 

last syllable but one. Ex. " prato," (the stress on the a) meadow, " 

felice," (the stress on the i ) happy, " parlare ," (the stress on the 

second a) to speak , " finivamo," (the stress on the a) we were 

finishing, " castello," (the stress on the e and the first l castle. 

These words are called "parole piane ," flat words. 

9

" PAROLE SDRUCCIOLE ," slippery words. 

60. In some words (perhaps one out of every eighteen) the tonic 

accent falls on the ante -penultimate, that is to say, on the last 

syllable but two. Ex. 

" tavola," table , " carcere ," prison, " docile," docile, " vendere," to 

sell, " compravano," they were buying, " altissimo," very high. 

These words are called "parole sdrucciole ," slippery words. 

" PAROLE BISDRUCCIOLE," very slippery words. 

61. In about eighty words (third persons plural of verbs of the first 

conjugation, see rule 176) the tonic accent falls upon the last 

syllable but three . Ex. 

" terminano," they end, " rotolano," (21) they roll. These words are 

called "parole bisdrucciole," very slippery words 1 

" PAROLE TRONCHE," curtailed words. 

62. There are besides the " parole piane ," " sdrucciole," and " 

bisdrucciole," some words which have lost the final syllable , and 

are therefore called " parole tronche," curtailed words. The tonic 

accent in these words falls upon the last vowel, which is always, 

marked by the grave accent ( v ), and is strongly pronounced. Ex. 

"carità " (caritade ), charity , " credè " (credeo ), he believed , 

" finì " (finio ), he finished , " parlò " (parloe), he spoke, 

" virtù " (virtude ),. virtue . 

VERY IMPORTANT RULE. 

63. The way adopted to indicate the " Tonic Accent," through-out 

this grammar is this : IN ALL THE " PAROLE SDRUCCIOLE " and " 

BlSDRUCCIOLE," THE LETTER OR LETTERS UPON WHICH THE 

STRESS OF THE VOICE SHOULD FALL ARE PRINTED IN DARKER 

TYPE. 

No difference is made in the type on " parole piane ," and " 

tronche ." 

64. 1 It is to be observed that the tonic accent in verbs never 

changes its place when a pronoun, or pronouns are joined to it, so 

that a " parola piana," by taking a pronoun after it, becomes " 

sdrucciola," and when two pronouns are joined to it, it becomes 

"bisdrucciola." Ex. " vendete," sell, " vendetelo," sell it, " 

vendetemelo ," sell it to me. 


10

THE WRITTEN ACCENT. 

65. There is only one written accent in Italian orthography, 

namely the grave accent, marked thus ( x ), and which is written 

on the final vowel of the " parole tronche " (curtailed words), 

which have been explained in rule 62, such as " carità," 1 

charity, " credè ," he believed, " finì," he finished, " parlò," he 

spoke, "virtù ," virtue . 

66. The grave accent is also written on the words " più," more , 

"può," he or she can, "già," already, of course , "giù," down, below, 

to prevent them being mispronounced . 

67. Notice that there is no need of writing the accent on mono- 

syllabic words, such as "re," king, "fu," (he) was, " su," on or upon ; 

except however on the following monosyllables, to distinguish 

them from others spelt in the same manner, but written without 

accent , and which have a different meaning . 

È means (he) is, E means and. 

DÀ means (he) gives , DA means from, by, &c. 

Dì means day, DI means of. Di' means say (thou.) 

LÀ means there , LA means the, (art.), and her, it, ( pron.) 

Lì means there , LI means them , (conj. pron.) 

NÈ means neither and nor, NE means of it, us, to us, (pron.) 

SÈ means one's self, (conj. pron.) SE means if. 

Sì (short for così) means yes, si means one's self, (conj. pron.) 

TÈ means tea, TE means thee , (conj. pron.) ' 

68. The grave accent is also used in the following words and a few 

others to indicate where the stress of the voice should be laid in 

pronouncing them : 

ÀNCORA means anchor, ANCÒRA means again , still, yet. 

BÀLIA, (f.), means nurse , BALÌA, (m.), means magistrate , power. 

CÀNONE, means canon, rule , CANÒNE, means big dog. 

CÙPIDO, means greedy , CUPIDO, means Cupid. 

TÈNDINE means tendon, TENDÌNE means curtains . 

69. 1 The vowels over which the grave accent is placed must be 

pronounced with a broad, emphatic sound. 


THE APOSTROPHE. 

70. The apostrophe ( ' ) in Italian takes the place of a final vowel, 

preceding a word beginning with another vowel. Ex. 

11

" l'albero," instead of "lo albero," the tree, " l'anima," instead of " 

la anima," the soul, " gl'insetti," instead of " gli insetti," the 

insects, una " bell' opera," instead of una " bella opera," a fine 

work , un " grand'uomo," instead of un " grande Uomo," a great 

man. 

71. In a few words the apostrophe takes the place of a syllable. Ex. 

" un Po'," instead of " un Poco," a little, " me'," instead of " 

meglio," better, "vo'," instead of "voglio," I will, "to'," instead of " 

togli," take , " di'," instead of " dici," say. 

72. It is to be observed that in poetry the apostrophe is sometimes 

placed before a consonant, in the place of a vowel which has been 

left out. Ex 

." E'l sospirar dell' aura infra le fronde." 

instead of 

" E il sospirar della aura infra le fronde." 

And the sighing of the breeze among the trees .(Petrarca .) 

73. All Italian words except " il," the, "un," a or an, "in," in, " per," 

for, through, " con," with, " non," not, end with one of the vowels a, 

e, i, o, u, and this vowel indicates the gender, number, and verbal 

inflection of words. 1 

USE OF CAPITAL LETTERS . 

74. In Italian the names of the months, the names of the days of 

the week, and adjectives begin with a small letter, when not at 

the commencement of a sentence . Ex 

Mi mando la grammatica francese lunedì. 

He sent me the French grammar on Monday. 

75 1 Besides the words given above (in rule 73), which always end 

with a consonant, the Italians suppress the last vowel, or syllable , 

in many words, to avoid the monotony which would be produced by 

the use of too many ending vowels, so that they use "bel," instead 

of " bello," beautiful, " gran," instead of " grande," great, tall, large , 

"san," instead of " santo," saint, holy, " buon," instead of " buono," 

good. They also suppress the final vowel in many words, 

especially in the infinitive of verbs. Ex. " Aver avuto," instead of " 

Avere avuto," to have had, " Parlar francese ," instead of " Parlare 

francese ," to speak French. There is no rule for these 

curtailments ; the judgment and ear decide . 

ON PRONUNCIATION. 9 

12

ON READING AND SPEAKING ITALIAN. 

76. Now that the student is in possession of the rules for the 

pronunciation of Italian words, he should read aloud to his 

teacher, and by himself. As far as reading goes, the Italian 

language is most attractive ; it offers no serious difficulty to the 

English student, who, under the guidance of an able teacher can, 

after two or three hours' practice, read it far better than an 

Italian could possibly know how to read English after as many 

weeks' or months' practice . 

77. In reading and speaking Italian, great care must be taken to 

UTTER THE DOUBLE CONSONANTS bb, cc, dd, &c., DISTINCTLY ; 

after having pronounced the first of the two consonants, the voice 

is kept lingering for a short while, and then the other consonant, 

with its accompanying vowel, is pronounced. Ex. " avreb...be," he 

would have, " ec...citare," to excite (the cc sound like the chi, in 

chicory, because the cc are followed by i), " Zoc...colo," sandal (the 

cc sound like kk, because the cc are followed by 0), "ad...dio," 

good-bye, " ef. ..ficace ," efficacious, " corag...gio," courage , " 

bel...lo," beautiful, "fum...mo," we were, " saran...no," they will be, 

" cop...pa," nape of the neck, "tor...re," tower, " bonis...simo," very 

good, "dot. ..to," learned, "bev...vi," / drank, " delicatez...za," 

delicacy . 

78. The student must also be very careful NOT TO PRONOUNCE 

THE WORDS SEPARATELY, but RATHER TO LET THEM RUN INTO 

ONE ANOTHER, except, of course , when they are divided by 

punctuation . 

79. The student must also remember that, although the ending 

vowels indicate the gender, number, and verbal inflection of 

Italian words, yet, IN READING AND SPEAKING, THE LAST 

SYLLABLE OF WORDS MUST BE PRONOUNCED SOFTLY, 

LOWERING THE VOICE, EXCEPT WHEN THE LAST VOWEL is 

ACCENTED ; in this latter case all the stress of the voice must be 

laid on the accented vowel, without however leaving any pause 

between it and the word which follows. Ex. 

" Parlerò a Carlo, è gli (32) dirò la verità," I shall speak to Charles, 

and will tell him the truth. Which must be pronounced as if it 

were written thus: " ParleròaCarlo , eglidiròlaverità ." 

13

80. It is characteristic of the Italians to express a great deal more 

emphasis than the English in pronouncing phrases in the 

interrogative and exclamative forms. Ex. 

Ha Carlo portato il mio libro ? 1 

Has Charles brought my book ? 

Che bel cavallo ! 2 

What a beautiful horse ! 

1 The voice must be gradually raised from the first to the last 

word in this phrase. 

2 The emphasis must be increased from the first to the last word 

in this phrase. 

10 READING EXERCISES . 

READING EXERCISES . 

EXERCISE I. ( ON CA, CO, AND CU.) 

Carlo (12) ha (35) trovato il libro nella (77) mia camera (63). 

Charles has found the book in my room. 

Ho sempre (5) creduto che fosse italiano . È (69) vestito come 

mio nipote.(13) 

I always thought that he was an Italian . He is dressed like 

my nephew . 

Vostro (9) padre non ha cura (14) della sua salute , 

Your father does not take care of his health . 

La sua tema di mostrarmi il suo tema è ridicola . 

His fear of showing me his exercise is ridiculous . 

Ci sono quasi venti nomi di diversi venti . 

There are nearly twenty names of different winds. 

Hanno fatto un buca nella porta del foro 

They have made a hole in the door of the Foro. 

Quando diede il suo voto il Senato era quasi Voto (21). 

Forum. When he gave his vote the Senate was almost 

empty. 

EXERCISE II. ( ON CE AND CI.) 

Tua sorella 1 ha una bella voce (15) di soprano. Si, tu dici (16) 

Your sister has a fine soprano voice . Yes, you say 

la verità (69). Il fanciullo era nascosto (21) nell' armadio . Enrico 

the truth. The child was hidden in the cupboard. Henry 

14

è un uomo 2 di buona natura . Hanno portato la mia cena ? (80) 

is a good-natured man. Have they brought my supper ? 

No, non ancòra. Ora il cielo è sereno . Mi piace tanto respirare 

No, not yet. Now the sky is bright. I am very fond of breathing 

l'aria della mattina . Nell' autunno (2) l'aurora non è mai molto 

the morning air. In autumn the dawn is never very 

lucente . Ella comincio (79) a parlare con una certa autorità . 

bright. She began to speak with a certain authority . 

EXERCISE III. ( ON CHE, CHI, SCE AND SCI.) 

Che (17) bel libro ! (80) Di chi (18) è ? Veramente non saprei 

What a fine book ! Whose is it ? Really I cannot 

dirlo ; ma credo che sia di Odoardo. Le antiche cronache 

say ; but I believe it belongs to Edward. Ancient chronicles give 

istruiscono molto. Il Vostro fanciullo non ha più (69) paura del 

much instruction . Your child is no longer afraid of 

mio cane . Dov' è la chiave (18) della mia camera ? Il facchino 

my dog. Where is the key of my room ? The porter 

l'ha attaccata al chiodo. Mio fratello ha veduto tutte le principali 

has hung it on the nail . My brother has seen all the principal 

città dell' Europa. La Maria ha scelto (19) un bel colore. Antonio 

cities of Europe. Mary has chosen a beautiful colour. Anthony 

sciupa (20) tutti i suoi abiti . C'erano cento uomini nella miseria . 

spoils all his clothes . There were a hundred men in poverty. 

1 Notice that, in nouns and qualificative adjectives, the e followed 

by two ll (ello, ella, elli, elle), has always the broad sound of a in 

the word gate . 

2 Notice that the o preceded by a u has always the broad sound of 

o in the word orphan. 

READING EXERCISES . 11 

EXERCISE IV. ( ON GA, GO, GU, GE, GI, GHE,) 

Il gatto (25) guarda (27) sempre la gabbia dell' uccello . io ho 

The cat is always looking at the bird's cage . I have 

male alla gola (26). Il generale (28) è un uomo giusto (29) ; 

a sore throat. The general is a just man ; he 

comprò le ghette (30), è le pago una ghinea (31). La geografia 

bought the gaiters and paid a guinea for them . Geography 

15

e la cronologia (21) sono gli (32) occhi della storia . Guglielmo è 

and chronology are the eyes of history . William is 

andato nel giardino a Cogliere dei fieri . Che bel giglio ! (80). 

gone into the garden to gather flowers. What a beautiful lily ! 

Ciò accadde al tempo degli dei falsi e bugiardi. Il Lago Maggiore . 

That happened at the time of the false and lying gods. Lago 

Maggiore . 

EXERCISE V. (ON GN, QUA, QUE, QUI, AND QUO.) 

I miei fratelli hanno viaggiato in Italia e in Francia durante i 

My brothers travelled in Italy and France during the months 

mesi di maggio , giugno (34) e luglio. Il postiglione fu molto 

of May, June and July- The postilion was 

negligente (33) verso la mia famiglia . Chi può sciogliere il 

very negligent towards my family . Who can untie the 

nodo ? (80). lo ; ecco l'ho già sciolto. Voglio del caffè di buona 

knot ? I ; see I have already untied it. I want some coffee of a good 

qualità (39). Giuseppe ed io siamo stati alla campagna ; abbiamo 

quality. Joseph and I have been in the country ; we walked 

camminato tre leghe (30). Questa (40) è la quinta (41) questione 

three leagues . This is the fifth quarrel 

che i miei fratelli hanno avuta insieme. Un sogno di buon 

augurio . 

that my brothers have had together . A dream of good omen . 

EXERCISE VI. (ON THE LETTER S.) 

Questa signora (44) ha molto spirito. Abbiamo udito uno 

This lady is very witty. We have heard 

squillo (45) di tromba. Allo sbocco (40) del fiume l'acqua è molto 

a trumpet peal. At the outlet of the river the water is very 

turbata. Suo suocero ha mostrato troppo sdegno (46) ; ciò è uno 

muddy. Your father -in-law has shown too much anger ; that is a 

sbaglio (46). Il prato era smaltato (46) di fiori . Questo giovinotto 1 

mistake . v This meadow was full of flowers. This young man is 

e svelto (46). È venuto a dirmi che ha disegnato il suo quadro. 

active . He came to tell me that he has drawn his picture . 

Non è lecito di susurrare in compagnia . Tutto l'edificio risonava 2 

16

It is not proper to whisper in company. The whole building 

resounded 

di applausi. Stefano ha disigillato 2 la mia lettera . 

with applause. Stephen has unsealed my letter . 

1 Notice that an o followed by two tt (otto, otta, otti , otte ), has 

always the broad sound of o in the word orphan. 

2 Notice that an s preceded by ri, meaning again, and di, 

meaning un, has the hard sound of s in the word spirit . 

12 READING EXERCISES . 

EXERCISE VII. (ON THE S, SHARP.) 

Che cosa c'è ? La casa del pievano è incendiata . Il riso rallegra . 

What is it ? The parson's house is on fire . Laughter cheers . 

Mi piace il riso. Ho desiderio di vederlo . Non è così facile di 

I like rice . I wish to see him. It is not so easy 

punirlo. La Giovanna portava una vesta di raso. Egli è molto 

to punish him. Joan wore a satin dress. He is very 

geloso. 1 La sua gelosia 1 gli sarà fatale . Questo Inglese 2 ha 

jealous . His jealousy will be fatal to him. This Englishman has 

sposato una Francese 2 Abbiamo fatte molte spese . 3 

married a Frenchwoman. We have incurred a great deal of 

expense . 

EXERCISE VIII. (ON THE Z, AND ZZ, SHARP.) 

Vo altiero della sua amicizia (50,53) per me. La bellezza (52, 53) 

I am proud of his friendship for me. The beauty 

della natura . Non vanno mai in carrozza. Ho comprato quattro 

of nature . They never go in a carriage . I have bought four 

fazzoletti da naso. Ammiro la sua presenza di spirito è la sua 

pocket-handkerchiefs . I admire his presence of mind and 

costanza. Ho incontrato mio zio nella piazza di San Marco ; mi 

constancy . I met my uncle in the Square of Saint Mark ; he 

ha dato quattro biglietti per le " Nozze di Figaro." Cameriere , 

gave me four tickets for the "Nozze di Figaro." Waiter , 

portatemi una tazza di caffe nero , la zuccheriera , e una scatola di 

bring me a cup of black coffee , the sugar-basin, and a box of 

zolfanelli . Che scherzo ! Non Voglio questa pera perché è mezza . 

17

matches. What a joke ! I will not have this pear because it is 

over-ripe. 

EXERCISE IX. (ON THE Z, AND ZZ, SOFT.) 

La Signorina Bianchini ha una bellissima voce di mezzo-soprano. 

Miss Bianchini has a beautiful light soprano voice . 

" Nel mezzo (53) del cammin di nostra vita " (Dante ). La rappre- 

Midway the journey of our life . The repre - 

sentazione dell' opera "La Gazza Ladra " del Rossini durò due ore 

sentation of the opera "La Gazza Ladra" of Rossini, lasted two 

hours and 

e mezzo. " I Promessi Sposi " del Manzoni (53) è un bellissimo 

a - half. "The Betrothed," of Manzoni is a very beautiful 

romanzo. Egli ha scelto una magnifica statua di bronzo. 

novel . He has chosen a magnificent bronze statue . 

Quest' Uomo è molto bizzarre e rozzo ; non ha il menomo zelo per 

il 

This man is very eccentric and rude ; he has not the slightest 

zeal for 

suo lavoro. L'orizzonte era del colore azzurro del più puro zaffiro. 

his work . The horizon was of the azure colour of the purest 

sapphire. 

1 Notice that the s in adjectives ending in oso, and words derived 

from them , is sharp, like the s in the word spirit . 

2 Notice that the s in adjectives indicating nationality, ending in 

ese, is sharp, like the s in the word spirit, except in " Francese," 

French , and " Lucchese ," Lucchese . 

3 Notice that the s in nouns ending in esa, ese, is sharp, like the 

s in the word spirit, except in the words " chiesa," church, " 

Agnese ," Agnes , and a few others . 

ON THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 13 

LESSON I. 

1. ON THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 

81. The definite article The is translated into Italian by "il" in the 

singular, and "i" in the plural, before masculine nouns beginning 

with a consonant . Ex. 

" Il libro," 1 the book, " i libri," the books. 

18

82. The is translated by " lo " in the singular, and " gli " in the 

plural, before masculine nouns 2 beginning with an s followed by 

another consonant , or with a z. Ex. 

Lo sperone ,3 the spur, gli speroni , the spurs. 

Lo zingaro , the gipsy, gli zingari , the gipsies . 

83. The is translated by "lo," 4 or rather " l' " in the singular, and " 

gli " 5 in the plural, before masculine nouns 2 beginning with a 

vowel ; the " i" of "gli " may be replaced by an apostrophe before a 

noun 2 beginning with an " i." Ex. 

L'albero, 6 the tree , gli alberi , the trees . 

L'idolo, the idol, gl' idoli, the idols. 

84. The is translated by " la" in the singular, and "le" in the 

plural, before feminine nouns 2 beginning with a consonant. If 

the feminine nounf begins with a vowel, the a in " la " is 

suppressed and replaced by an apostrophe ; the e in " le " may be 

replaced by an apostrophe before a nounf beginning with e. Ex. 

La penna, 7 the pen, le penne , the pens. 

L' anima , the soul, le anime , the souls. 

L' elegia 8 the elegy , I'elegie , the elegies . 

85. 1 There are only two genders in Italian, masculine and 

feminine . Nearly all nouns ending in o are masculine, and form 

their plural by changing o into i. 

2 Also before adjectives ; as it is a question of euphony. 

86. 3 Nouns ending in e are of both genders, and form their plural 

by changing e into i. 

87.4 The only words before which " lo " is used for the sake of 

euphony instead of "il " are " più" and " meno," in the expressions 

"per lo più," for the most part, and " per lo meno ," at least . 

88. 5 The only word before which " gli," " degli," " agli ,"&c. , are 

used for the sake of euphony instead of " i," " dei," "ai," &c., is " 

dei" gods. Ex. 

" Al tempo degli dei falsi e bugiardi." (Dante ). 

During the time of the false and lying gods. 

6 See rule 63, to understand the meaning of the letters in the 

darker type. 

19

89. 7 Most nouns ending in a are feminine , and form their plural 

by changing the a into i. 

8 An e, dotted thus e, has a broad sound, like the a in gate . 

14 ON THE PREPOSITIONS " DI," "A," "DA." 

2. ON THE PREPOSITIONS " DI," "A," "DA." 

THE PREPOSITION "DI." 

90. The preposition " di " corresponds to the preposition of. Ex. 

Il padrone di questa casa. The master of this house . 

Il regno di Spagna. The kingdom of Spain. 

Il duomo di Milano . The cathedral of Milan . 

91. " D'," instead of " di," is used before words beginning with an i 

; when the word begins with any other vowel either " di " or " d' " 

may be used. Ex. 

Il regno d' Italia . The kingdom of Italy. 

92. The English possessive case , expressed by 's, as Peter's book , 

is rendered in Italian by inverting the position of the two words, 

and placing the preposition " di," between them . Ex. 

" Il libro di Pietro ." " Peter's book." 

THE PREPOSITION "A." 

93. The preposition " a " corresponds to the prepositions to and at. 

Ex. 

Vado a Parigi . I am going to Paris . 

Ho parlato a Carlo. I have spoken to Charles . 

Mio padre è a casa. My father is at home . 

94. " Ad" may be used instead of " a," before a word beginning with 

a vowel, especially before an a. Ex. 

Sono stato ad Atene . I have been to Athens . 

THE PREPOSITION " DA." 

95. The preposition " da " is used in the sense of from. Ex. 

Vengo da Firenze . I come from Florence . 

96. The a of " da " is never replaced by an apostrophe in Italian 

prose. Ex. 

È partito da Edimburgo. He has left Edinburgh. 

97. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of by, when 

preceded by a past participle . Ex. 

20

Egli è stimato da tutti. He is esteemed by everybody. 

98. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of fit for, like 

a.- 1 Ex. 

Carta da scrivere . Writing paper. 

Egli combatte (69) da eroe . He fought like a hero . 

1 The preposition "da" has also other meanings which the 

student will find explained further on, pages 201 and 202. 

ON THE PREPOSITIONS " DI," " A," " DA," ETC. 15 

99. When " di," " a," " da," and the prepositions " in," in, " con," 

with, "per," for, " su," on, and " fra " or " tra," among, between, are 

followed by the articles " il," " lo," "la," "l'," " i," " gli," " le," the two 

words are contracted as shown in the subjoined table : 

100. 

Di il into |del, and |di i |into |dei, 1 of the. 

A il |al, |a i |ai, to the. 

Da il |dal, |da i |dai from the 

21 

by the. 

In il |nel, |in i |nei, in the. 

Con il |col, |con i |coi, with the. 

Per il |pel, |per i |pei, for the. 

Su il |sul, |su i |sui, on the. 

Fra il |fral, |fra i |frai , among the. 

101. 

Di lo dello, ,, di gli degli, of the. 

A lo allo, a gli agli, to the. 

Da lo ,, dallo, ,, da gli dagli , from , the 

In lo ,, nello, ,, in gli negli, in the, &c. 

102 

Di la ,, della, ,, di le ,, delle, of the. 

A la alla, ale alle, to the. 

In la ,, nella, ,, in le ,, nelle, in the, &c. 

103. 

Di l' dell,' di gli degli, of the. 

Al' all,' a gli agli, to the, &c. 

VOCABULARY.

il libro, the book. il giardino, the garden. 

il tema, 2 the exercise. L'albero, the tree. 

La tavola, the table. il ramo, the branch. 

La donna, the woman. il pane, the bread. 

il ragazzo, the boy. L' uccello, the bird. 

La ragazza, the girl. La gabbia, the cage. 

EXERCISE I 3 

The boy's (92) book . The girl's exercise. The branch of the tree. 

The woman in the garden. The bird in the cage . The woman with 

the bread. The book on the table . The birds (85) among the 

branches of the trees . In the boys' gardens 

1 Instead of "dei," "ai," "dai,"&c., " de'," "a'," " da'," are often used. 

104. 2 There are only a few nouns masculine ending in a ; they 

form their plural in i. See rule 397. 

3 For the numeral adjectives see page 128. 

16 ON THE VERB "AVERE." 

LESSON II. 

ON THE VERB "AVERE," TO HAVE. 

INFINITIVE MOOD. 

PRESENT . PAST. 

Avere avuto, to have had. Avere, to have. 

GERUND. 1 PAST PARTICIPLE PAST GERUND 

Avendo,2 having. Avuto, had. Avendo avuto, having 

INDICATIVE MOOD. 

22 

had. 

PRESENT IMPERFECT PAST DEFINITE 

I have &c. I had &c. I had &c. 

Io ho,3 Avevo, 5 Ebbi, 

Tu hai, Avevi, Avesti, 

Egli, or esso, | ha Aveva ; 6 Ebbe ; 

Ella, or essa,4 

Noi abbiamo, Avevamo, Avemmo, 

Voi avete, Avevate, Aveste, 

Eglino, or essi, | hanno Avevano. 6 Ebbero.

Elleno, or esse, | 

105 1 The Gerund in Italian always remains invariable. Besides 

a Gerund, most Italian verbs have a Present Participle, ending in 

" ente ," and " end," or in " ante ," and "anti ." Ex. 

"Una finestra avente carta, invece di vetri " (Pellico). A window 

which had paper, instead of glass. But as this form of the verb is 

seldom used, it is not given in the verbal paradigms, in this 

grammar . 

2 The e, dotted thus e, has a broad sound, like the a in gate . 

106. 3 As the termination of the verb is sufficient to indicate the 

person and number of the subject in the sentence , the personal 

pronouns, used as subjects, are not expressed in Italian, except 

(a) to avoid ambiguity, (6) when two or more pronouns (used as 

subjects), are employed in the same sentence , (c) when a 

particular stress is to be laid on the pronoun ; so the Italian for " I 

have the book," is simply " Ho il libro." 

107.4 "Egli ," " ella," " eglino," " elleno," are used only in speaking of 

persons, whilst "esso," " essa," " essi," " esse ," are employed with 

reference to persons, animals and things. " Eglino" and " elleno" 

are becoming obsolete; " essi" and " esse " being used instead of 

them . 

108. 5 Both the first and the third persons singular of the 

Imperfect Indicative, of all verbs, formerly ended in , but now the 

general tendency of Italian writers is to make the termination of 

the first person in o, and that of the third in a ; by this means it 

is easier to mark the distinction between the first, and the third 

person singular , without the aid of the personal pronouns. 

109. 6 The letter v in the third persons of the Imperfect 

Indicative of all verbs, except those of the first conjugation, is 

often omitted . Ex. 

" avea ," " aveano ." 

ON THE VERB " AVERE." 17 

PAST INDEFINITE. PLUPERFECT. PAST ANTERIOR. 

Ho avuto,-a-i-e &c. 1 Avevo avuto, &c. Ebbi avuto, &c. 

I have had, &c. I had had, &=c. I had had, &c. 

FUTURE. CONDITIONAL. IMPERATIVE MOOD. 

I shall have &c. I should have &c. Have (thou)&c. 

23

Avrò, Avrei, No first pers 

Avrai, Avresti, Abbi, 

Avrà ; Avrebbe ; Abbia ; 

Avremo, Avremmo, Abbiamo, 

Avrete, Avreste, Abbiate, 

Avranno. Avrebbero. 2 Abbiano. 

FUTURE 

ANTERIOR. 

CONDITIONAL PAST. The Past of the 

24 

Imperative is 

Avrò avuto, &c. Avrei avuto, &c. seldom used. 

I shall have had, &c. I should have had, &c. 

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 

PRESENT. IMPERFECT. 

That I may have &c. That (or if) I might have &c. 

Che io abbia, Che or se 3 io avessi, 

Che tu abbia, Che or se tu avessi, 

Che egli/essi abbia ; Che or se egli/ella avesse ' 

Che abbiamo, Che or se avessimo, 

Che abbiate, Che or se aveste, 

Che essi/esse abbiano Che or se essi/esse avessero. 

PAST. PLUPERFECT . 

Che i o abbia avuto, &c. Che or se io avessi avuto, &c. 

That I may have had, &c. That or if I might have had, &c. 

110. 1 The Past Participle in Italian is variable ; it ends in o, 

when it is used in connection with a noun masculine singular ; 

in a for the feminine singular ; in z for the masculine plural ; and 

in e for the feminine plural. The rules for the Past Participle are 

given further on. For the present the student had better to leave 

it invariable , in o. 

111. 2 In poetry " avrìa" is often used instead of " avrei" and 

"avrebbe," and " avriano " instead of " avrebbero." 

112. 3 The Italian conditional conjunction " se," if, when it 

precedes a verb used in the present or past tense , is followed by 

the Imperfect Subjunctive (followed by the Conditional Present), 

or by the Pluperfect Subjunctive (followed by the Conditional Past). 

Ex.

Se io avessi del denaro, avrei degli amici . 

If I had money , I should have friends . 

Se io avessi avuto del danaro, avrei avuto degli amici . 

If I had had money , I should have had friends . 

18 ON THE VERB "AVERE." 

VOCABULARY. 

Carlo, Charles. Maria, 1 Mary. 

Elisabetta, Elizabeth. Guglielmo, 2 William. 

Enrico, Henry. Giovanni, 3 John. 

La lezione, the lesson. il dizionario, the dictionary. 

La penna, the pen. 

La matita, 4 the pencil. 

La lettera, 5 the letter. il pennello, the paint-brush. 

La carta, the paper. L' Uomo, the man. 

il calamaio, the ink-stand. Gli uomini, the men. 

La lavagna, the slate. La chiave, the key. 

il temperino, the penknife. La casa, the house, 

E, and. Oggi, to-day. Sotto, under. Anche, also. 

ieri, yesterday Già, already. Domani, to-morrow. 

La grammatica, the grammar. 

Lo (82) scrittoio, the writing-desk 

Accanto a, by the side of. Vicino a, near to. 

EXERCISE II. 

I (106) have the dictionary. Charles has the paper. Mary had (Imp. 

Ind.) the pen; she had also the grammar. We had Henry's (92) 

writing-desk. William and John have the ink-stand. Yesterday 

Elizabeth had (Imp. Ind.) the letter and 6 the penknife ; she had 

already had ( Pluperf. Ind.) the books. 7 I shall have the lesson to- 

morrow. William and Charles will have the slate and 8 ink-stand. 

The man has the key of the (102) house . The men have had ( Past 

Ind.) the books from (95, 96) Henry. We have John's paint-brushes 

in the (101) writing -desk, under the table. 8 

113. 1 In speaking of women the Italians often put the definite 

article before their names . Ex. " La Maria ." 

2 An e, dotted thus e, has the broad sound of the a in the word 

gate . 

25

3 An o, dotted thus o, has the broad sound of the o in the word 

orphan. 

4 Another word frequently used in Italian for pencil is " lapis " 

(the s pronounced), written the same in the singular as in the 

plural. 


darker type. 

114.6 Ed, instead of e, may be used before a word beginning with 

a vowel, for the sake of euphony. Ex. 

" Carlo ed io. " 

Charles and I. 

7 This word was given in the previous Vocabulary, and, with all 

the words which occur in the exercises, is contained in the 

General Vocabulary at the end of this grammar . 

115. 8 In Italian the definite article must be repeated before each 

noun. 

ON THE MODES OF ADDRESSING PEOPLE IN ITALIAN. 19 

LESSON III. 

ON THE MODES OF ADDRESSING PEOPLE IN ITALIAN. 

116. The Italians have three ways of addressing one another; 

they employ the second person singular, " Tu," thou, or the 

second person plural, " Voi," you, or the third person singular, 

feminine , " Ella," she. 

117. The second person singular, " tu," is used by parents when 

they speak to their children, and when husband and wife , 

brothers and sisters speak to one another. This form is used also 

when speaking to very intimate friends . Ex. 

Amo la tua conversazione . 

I like your (thy) conversation . 

118. In Italian " tu " is further used, as thou is in English, in 

poetry, and sometimes to express anger or scorn towards the 

person addressed. 

119. The second person plural " voi," is used by ladies and 

gentlemen towards their inferiors. It is also employed in 

commerce . Ex. 

Voi parlate troppo. 

You speak too much. 

26

120. But when the Italians wish to show respect to the person 

they address (whether man or woman) instead of " voi," you, they 

use the third person singular feminine , " ella," she, which 

pronoun in that case stands for " Vostra Signoria " (your Lordship, 

or Ladyship). 

The words spoken are supposed to be addressed to the title and 

not to the person. Ex. 

" Ella ha il temperino," instead of " Voi avete il temperino."1 You 

have the penknife . 

121. In speaking to more than one person " loro," or " elleno" (see 

rule 107), they, which stand for " le Vostre Signorie," or " for 

Signori ," or " for Signore " (your Lordships, or Ladyships), are 

used. 1 

122. In writing the exercises in this grammar, the student is 

strongly advised to write as many sentences as he can in the 

three forms ; that is, in the second and third persons singular, 

and in the second person plural, as explained in rules 117, 119, 

and 120, thus : 

Hai (tu) tuo 

Ha ella mandate il suo quadro all' esposizione ? 

Avete (voi) Vostro 

Have you sent your picture to the exhibition ? 

123 1 All the words in sentences employed in connection with " 

Ella ," " Lei " and " Loro " should have the feminine inflection, but 

many people , ignoring the pronouns (" Ella ," " Lei " and " Loro' ? ") 

give to words the masculine or feminine inflection, according as 

they speak to a woman or a man, to women or men. Ex. 

To a woman : " È Ella stata invitata al ballo ? " |Have you 

To a man : " È Ella stato invitato al ballo?" | been 

To women : " Sono Loro state invitate al ballo ? " |invited to 

To men : " Sono Loro stati invitati al ballo? " |the ball ? 

20 ON THE INTERROGATIVE AND NEGATIVE FORMS OF 

VERBS. 

ON THE INTERROGATIVE AND NEGATIVE 

FORMS OF VERBS. 

124. In Italian, a verb is conjugated interrogatively, simply by 

placing the mark of interrogation after it ; 1 and, in speaking, by 

raising the voice towards the end of the sentence . 2 Ex. 

27

Avete il libro di Guglielmo ? 

Have you William's book ? 

125. A verb is conjugated negatively, by placing the negative 

particle " non " before it. Ex. 

Carlo non ha l' oriuolo. 

Charles has not the watch. 

126. It is very important to notice that in Italian the Present of 

the Infinitive is used instead of the second person singular of the 

Imperative Mood, when the verb is used negatively . Ex. 

Non avere il cappello. |Do not (thou) have the hat. 

Non abbiate il cappello. |Do not (you) have the hat. 

Non abbiate il cappello. | 

127. A verb is conjugated interrogatively-negatively, by placing 

the negative particle " non " before it, and the mark of 

interrogation at the end of the sentence ; in speaking the voice 

must be raised towards the end of the sentence . Ex. 

ha ella il libro di Carlo ? 

Have you not Charles' book ? 

VOCABULARY. 

Il cappello the hat. La sciarpa the scarf. 

Il cappellino the bonnet. Il giornale the newspaper. 

L' abito 3 the coat. La vesta the dress. 

Il danaro the money. Si yes. 

Ma but. O...O either... or. 

No no. Quando when. 

Il franc obollo the postage-stamp. 

Non (verb) nè...nè neither... nor. 

EXERCISE III. 

William has Henry's (92) coat. Has Elizabeth the money ? Yes. We 

(106) have neither the newspaper nor the postage stamp. Have 

you (122, a) Charles' grammar ? No, I have not (125) the books. 

When shall we have (124) the dictionary ? To-day or to-morrow. 

Do 4 not have (126) the bonnet, but have the dress. 

1 A personal pronoun is sometimes required to avoid ambiguity. 

Ex. 

" Ha egli il libro ? " 

Has he the book ? 

28

2 When an interrogative sentence begins with an interrogative 

pronoun or an adverb, the tone of the voice in Italian is much the 

same as in English. Ex. 

" Perché non venne ieri ? " 

Why did you not come yesterday ? 

3 See rule 63, in order to understand the meaning of the letters 

in the darker type. 

128. 4 The auxiliaries do, does, did, are not translated into 

Italian . 

ON THE INTERROGATIVE AND NEGATIVE FORMS OF VERBS. 

21 

VOCABULARY. 

Mio padre, my 1 father. il loro nipote 2, their nephew. 

Mia madre, my mother. il signore, the gentleman, 

Tuo fratello, thy brother. La signora, the lady. 

Tua sorella. thy sister. il mio: 3 scolare, my pupil. 

Suo figlio, his or her 

son. 

il tempo, the time. 

Nostro cugino, our cousin. La canzone, the song. 

Vostro zio, your uncle. L'inchiostro. the ink. 

Gennaio, January Maggio, May Settembre, September 

Febbraio, February Giugno, June Ottobre, October 

Marzo, March Luglio, July Novembre, November 

Aprile, April Agosto, August, Dicembre, December 

Eccolo,| here he is, Eccoli, m. | |Prima di, before. 

3 |here it is, |here they are| Dopo, after . 

Eccola, |here she is. Eccole, f.| |Mentre , whilst . 

EXERCISE IV. 

My sister has the ink-stand, but she has not (125) the ink. 

Charles has my (131) money. My brother has Henry's song. The 

woman had (Imp. Ind.) my mother's dress. We had already had 

(Pluperf. Ind.) our (129) uncle's letter. Have you (122, 124) the 

postage -stamp, for the (100) newspaper ? Yes, here it is. Have you 

William's exercises (104) ? Yes, here they are. Has John my 

pupil's pens (100, 131) ? Yes, here they are. I shall have (the) 

time for my lesson to-day. Their (130) nephew shall have my coat 

29

and 4 hat after May. 5 We shall not have my father's writing desk 

before to-morrow. We should have had the ink. 

129. 1 My, thy, his, her, our, your, are translated by " mio," " tuo," 

" suo," " nostro," " vostro;" "mia," " tua," "sua," "nostra," " vostra," 

before names of kindred in the singular . Ex. 

" mio padre," my father . 

130. 2 But before "loro" and when the names of kindred are in the 

plural, the article is used. Ex. 

" Il loro nipote," their nephew . " I miei fratelli ," my brothers. 

131. 3 Before any nouns but names of kindred, my, thy, his, her, 

our, your, are translated in the singular by " il mio," " il tuo," "il 

suo," "il nostro," &c., and in the plural by " i miei," " i tuoi ," " i 

suoi," "I nostri ," " i vostri ," "I loro." Ex. 

" Il mio scolare ," 

my pupil. 

132.4 "Mio," "tuo,"&c., "il mio," "il tuo,"&c., must be repeated 

before each noun, when there are several. " Ecco qui mia madre 

e mia sorella ," here are my mother and sister . 

5 See rule 74. 

22 ON THE PARTITIVE ARTICLE. 

LESSON IV. 

ON THE PARTITIVE ARTICLE. 

133. The partitive articles some and any, are translated into 

Italian by " del," " dello," " della," to express quantity . Ex. 

Ho comprato della carta e dell' inchiostro . 

I have bought some paper and ink. 

134. The partitive articles some and any are translated by"dei," 

" degli," " delle," to express number . Ex. 

Gli mandai degli abiti francesi 1 e delle armi inglesi . 

I sent him some French clothes and English arms . 

135. When some means a limited number, 2 it is translated 

either by " qualche ," which is invariable, and is followed by a 

noun in the singular, or by " alcuno," which agrees in gender and 

number with the noun to which it refers . Ex. 

Vado a comprare qualche libro spagnuolo. 

I am going to buy some (a few), Spanish books. 

30

Non aveva seco che alcuni amici . 

He only had with him some (a few) friends . 

136. The partitive articles " del," " dello," " della," " qualche ," " 

alcuno," " alcuni," " alcune," must be repeated before each noun, 

when there are several . Ex. 

Ho comprato della carta e dei libri. 

I have bought some paper and books. 

137. When some and any are omitted, or could be omitted in 

English, the partitive articles are omitted, or could be omitted in 

Italian . Ex. 

V'erano uomini , donne , e persino fanciulli . 

There were men, women , and even children . 

Ho veduto in Inghilterra cavalli bellissimi . 

I have seen in England very fine horses . 

138. When in a sentence there is the partitive article " del," " 

della," &c., in a subsequent sentence referring to it, in Italian, 

the partitive article must be represented by the pronoun " ne," 

some , of it, of them ; and the verb must be repeated in full. Ex. 

Ha, or ha ella del denaro ? 

Have you any money ? 

Si, ne ho. 

Yes, I have . 

Avremo dell' acqua ? 

Shall we have some water ? 

Si, ne avremo . 

Yes, we shall. 

1 An s dotted thus s, has the soft sound of the s in the word rose. 

I39- 2 But when the number is very limited (few, a few] some is 

translated by " pochi," m., or " poche," f. Ex. 

Egli aveva pochi amici . 

He had few friends . 

ON THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 23 

VOCABULARY. 

L'oro (21), gold L'acciaio, steel Il lottone, brass 

L' argento, silver Il ferro, iron Lo stagno, tin 

Il platino, platinum Il rame, copper Il piombo, lead 

31

EXERCISE V. 

I have some (133) silver. Has your brother any iron ? Yes; he has 

some iron, (136) copper, and brass. Mary had (Imp. Ind.) some 

paper, but she had not any pens. Charles has neither the 

grammar, nor the dictionary. My father has some money. We 

have not any ink. Have we any postage -stamps? Yes, we have 

(138). Yesterday we had (Imp. Ind.) my uncle's dictionary. Have 

you (124) any pencils ? No, I have not any. Henry and William 

have money , but John has not any (138). 

ON THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 

140. The indefinite article a or an is translated into Italian by " 

un," 1 before a masculine noun beginning either with a 

consonant or a vowel. Ex. 

Un giorno felice . 

A happy day. 

Un Uomo amabile . 

An amiable man. 

141. The indefinite article a or an is translated by " uno " before a 

masculine noun beginning with an 5 followed by another 

consonant , or with a z. Ex. 

Uno scolare diligente . 

A diligent pupil. 

Uno zio ricchissimo . 

A very rich uncle . 

142. The indefinite article a or an is translated by " una," before a 

feminine noun beginning with a consonant . Ex. 

Una signora francese . 

A French lady. 

143. The indefinite article a or an is translated by " un'," before a 

feminine noun beginning with a vowel. Ex. 

Un' anima sensibile . 

A sensitive soul. 

144. When in a sentence there is an indefinite article, " un," 

"uno," &c., in a subsequent sentence referring to it, the 

indefinite article preceded by the pronoun "ne" (of them), must be 

repeated, if the answer be in the affirmative ; but if the answer 

32

e negative " ne " only is expressed ; " uno " and " una " being 

omitted . Ex. 

Ha ella un dizionario ? 

Have you a dictionary ? 

Si, ne h o uno. No, non ne ho. 

Yes I have . No, I have not. 

145. 1 But when a or an are numeral adjectives they are 

translated by " uno " or " una." Ex. 

Ella ha due libri, ma io non ne ho che uno. 

You have two books, but I have but one. 

ON THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 24 

VOCABULARY. 

L'aria , 1 air. La luce, light. il fuoco,2 fire. 

L'acqua, water. il fumo, the smoke, il vento, 3 the wind. 

Un sec olo, a century. Lunedì, (69) Monday. 

Un anno, a year. Martedì, Tuesday. 

Un mese, a month. Merc oledì, Wednesday. 

Una settimana a week, Giovedì Thursday. 

Un giorno, di, a day. Venerdì, Friday. 

Un' ora, an hour, Sabato Saturday. 

Un minuto, a minute. Domenica,. Sunday 

Una chiesa. a church, Una stanza, a room, 

Un palazzo, a palace, Una camera, a room, 

Una strada, a street. La sedia, the chair. 

Perché ? why Perché, because. 

Mai ? ever ? No, mai, giammai, never. 

Non (verb) mai, never. Spesso, sovente, often. 

Sempre, always. Subito, at once. 

Fra Poco, very soon. 

EXERCISE VI. 

Mary has a pencil. We have a writing-desk. Have you (124) ever 

had a lesson from my (131) master 4 ? Never. Charles has never 

had a penknife . When shall I have my dictionary ? Very soon, on 

5 Friday, or Saturday (74). To-morrow Elizabeth will have a dress, 

and Mary will have a bonnet. Henry shall not have my brother's 

slate . Shall we not (127) have some water ? Yes, we shall (138). 

William, do not (126) have (thou) any (133) fire in your (thy) room 

33

to-day. He had (Imp. Ind.) his book on 6 a chair, in my cousin's 

garden. We shall have the book at once. 



2 Notice that an o preceded by a u has always the broad sound of 

the o in the word orphan. 


gate . 

146. 4 Master is translated into Italian by " maestro," when it 

means a teacher, and by " padrone ," when it means a master (an 

owner). 

147. 5 On is not translated into Italian before Monday, Tuesday, 

&c., nor before any name of time . Ex. " Il primo gennaio," On the 

first of January . 

148. 6 The preposition " su," on, upon, takes an r (" sur "), before a 

vowel, for the sake of euphony. Ex. 

L'ho trovato sur una tavola. 

I found it on a table. 

ON THE VERB "ESSERE ." 25 

LESSON V. 

THE VERB "ESSERE ," TO BE. 



Essere, to be. Essere stato, 1 to have been. 

GERUND. PAST PARTICIPLE. PAST GERUND. 

Essendo, being. Stato-a-i-e, been. Essendo stato, 

INDICATIVE 

MOOD. 

PRESENT 

IMPERFECT. 

34 

having been. 

PAST DEFINITE. 

I am &c. I was &c. I was &c. 

Sono, Ero, 3 Fui, 

Sei, Eri, Fosti, 

È'; (69) Era ; Fu; 

Siamo, 2 Eravamo, Fummo, 

Siete, Eravate, Foste, 

Sono. Erano. Furono.


Sono stato, &c. Ero stato, &c. Fui stato, &c. 

I have been, &c. I had been, &c. I had been, &c. 

FUTURE. CONDITIONAL . IMPERATIVE 

MOOD. 

I shall be &c. I should be &c. Be (thou) &c. 

Sarò, Sarei, . No first person. 

Sarai, Saresti, Sii, 

Sarà ; Sarebbe ; Sia ; 

Saremo, Saremmo, Siamo, 

Sarete, Sareste, Siate, 

Saranno. Sarebbero. Siano. 

FUTURE 

ANTERIOR. 

CONDITIONAL PAST. The Past of the 

Sarò stato, &c. Sarei stato, &c. Imperative is 

I shall have been, 

&c. 

I should have been, 

&c. 

35 

seldom used. 

149. 1 Notice that the compound tenses of " essere," are formed 

by using the same verb as auxiliary, or that its past participle 

"stato," is variable . Ex. 

Sono stato, or stata (no) a Parigi . I have been to Paris . 

150.2 The following forms are often used in poetry : " semo," 

instead of "siamo, " sete," instead of " siete," "fue," instead of " fu," 

" furo," instead of " furono, "fia," instead of "sarà," " fiano," or " 

fieno," instead of "saranno," " saria, instead of "sarei" and " 

sarebbe," " sariano," instead of " sarebbero," " fora, instead of 

"sarebbe" and " sarebbero," "sie," instead of "sia," and "sieno" 

instead of "siano ." 

3 Or "era"; see rule 108. 

26 ON THE VERB " ESSERE ." 


PRESENT . IMPERFECT. 

That I may be &c. That I might be &c. 

Che io sia, Che / se(0112) io fossi,

Che tu sia, Che / se tu fossi, 

Che egli/essa sia ; Che egli/essa fosse; 

Che siamo, Che / se fossimo, 

Che siate, Che / se foste, 

Che essi/esse siano, Che essi/esse fossero. 

PAST PLUPERFECT. 

Che i o sia state, &c. Che / se i o fossi stato, &c. 

That I may have been &c. That I might have been, &c. 

VOCABULARY. 

Buono, 1 good. Uno, 1. 

Primo a, I. Felice, 1 happy. 

Due, 2. Secondo a, II. 

Grande, tall, large. Tre, 3- 

Terzo a, III, Piccolo, small, little. 

Quattro, 4- Quarto a, IV. 

Bello, beautiful, fine. Cinque, 5- 

Quinto a, V. Orgoglioso, proud. 

Sei, 6. Sesto a, VI. 

Dove, where Dentro, within Lontano, far Cotesto,2 that 

Qui, here Fuori, without Questo, this Quello,3 that 

EXERCISE VII. 

John is tall, but his brother Charles is little. This church is 

beautiful. Where is Elizabeth ? She (106, a ) is here . These tables 

are small, but they are good. Where are Henry and John ? They 

are not (125) here ; they are in our uncle's garden. Where shall 

we be on (147) Thursday? We shall be in our (100, 129) cousin's 

room . Where have you been (124, 149) ? I have been in my 

brother's room . Will you be here on Wednesday ? Yes ; I shall be 

either here , or at my sister's house . Where are my pens ? They 

are in that (152) writing desk. Be (122) good, William, and you will 

be happy. Do (128, 122, 126) not be proud. 

151. 1 Adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns 

they qualify ; those ending in o, change the o into a for the 

feminine , and form their masculine plural by changing o into i, 

and their feminine plural by changing a into e, as " buono," " 

buona," " buoni," " buone." Adjectives ending in e do not change for 

36

the feminine ; the plural for both genders is formed by changing 

the e into an i ; as " felice ," " felici ." 

152. 2 "Cotesto," " cotesta," &c., mean that, near the person 

spoken to. 

153- 3 " Quello," "quella," c., mean thai , distant from the speaker , 

and the person addressed. 

ON THE VERB " ESSERE .' 27 

THE VERB "ESSERE ," WITH CI " AND "VI." 

154. The verb " Essere " is very often employed as an impersonal 

verb, with the adverbs " ci " and " vi." 1 

INFINITIVE PRESENT. |Esserci, or esservi, to be there or in 

it, &c. 

MOOD. PAST. |Esserci stato, to have been there, 

&c. 

GERUND. |Essendoci, being there, &c. 

PAST GER. |Essendoci stato, having been there, 

&c. 

INDICATIVE PRESENT. |C'è, or v'è, there is, or there is in it, 

&c. 

MOOD. |Ci sono, or vi sono, there are, &c. 

IMPERFECT |C' era, or v' era, there was, &c. 

. 

|C' erano, or v' erano, there were, 

PAST 

INDEF. 

&c. 

|C' è stato, or stata, there has been, 

&c. 

|Ci sono stati, or state, there have 

been, &c. 

FUTURE. |Ci or vi sarà, |there will be, &c. 

|Ci or vi saranno, | 

CONDITION- |Ci or vi sarebbe, |there would 

be, &c. 

-AL MOOD. |Ci or vi sarebbero| 

INTERROGATIVELY. NEGATIVELY. 

C' è or v' è ? is there ? &c. Non c' è or v' è, there is not, &c. 

Ci or vi sono ? are there ? 

&c. 

Non ci or vi sono, there are not, &c. 

37

VOCABULARY. 

Il castello, the castle, Il salotto the parlour, 

La torre, the tower. Il fanciullo, the child. 

il medesimo, the same. Poco, (21) a little. 

Troppo, too much. Lo stesso, the same. 

Molto, very, much. Troppo poco, too little. 

EXERCISE VIII. 

Charles is the first, I. (106 b) am the second, and Elizabeth is the 

third. My brother's house is too large . Where is Mary ? She is in 

my sister's room . Is there a man in the street ? Yes ; there is a 

man and a child. . Is there a table in our parlour ? No ; there are 

three chairs, but there is no (125) table . There was a small 

inkstand in my uncle's room . There is too much ink in this pen. 

Is there a pencil in my brother's writing-desk ? No, there are 

three pens and some paper. There will be a book for the pupil, and 

a writing -desk for the master (146). 

1 " Ci " means here and in it, " vi " means there and in it, but the 

two words are used indiscriminately ; "ci " is used oftener than " 

vi." 

28 ON THE VERBS. 

LESSON VI. 

ON THE VERBS. 

155. Verbs are of five kinds ; Active ,1 Passive, Neuter, 

Pronominal, and Impersonal ; besides the two Auxiliaries, " Avere 

" and " Essere ,"2 3 which have already been given . 

156. Verbs are either Regular , Irregular , or Defective .4 

157. Italian regular verbs are generally classified into three 

conjugations, which are distinguished by the termination of the 

Present of the Infinitive Mood. 

The first ends in ARE, as COMPRARE, to buy.5 

The second ,, ERE, as CREDERE, to believe .6 

The third ,, IRE, as FINIRE, to finish 7 

158. 1 Active Verbs are either Active Transitive , or Active 

Intransitive . 

38

159. An Active Transitive Verb is a verb expressing an action 

which passes to the object in the sentence , without the help of a 

preposition. In the phrase " Giovanni ha comprato il libro," John 

bought the book , " Giovanni " is the subject, "ha comprato " is the 

verb, active transitive , and " il libro " is the object, called direct 

object. 

160. An Active Intransitive Verb is a verb expressing an action 

which passes to the object in the sentence through a preposition. 

In the phrase, " Maria ha parlato a Carlo," Mary spoke to Charles, 

"Maria" is the subject, "ha parlato," the verb, active intransitive, 

and "a Carlo" is the object, in this case called indirect object. 

161. 2 "Avere " is really an active transitive verb, and " Essere " is 

really a neuter verb, but they are generally called auxiliary verbs, 

because the compound tenses of all other verbs are formed with 

the help of either of them . 



4 Page 66 and following contain all the important irregular and 

defective verbs used in the Italian language , arranged 

alphabetically . 

162. 5 There are altogether about 7,000 verbs in Italian, of which 

6,000 are of the first conjugation, and are all regular, like " 

comprare ," to buy, except three : " Andare," to go ; " Dare," to give ; 

and " Stare ," to stay, to be in health , to dwell, and to remain . 

163. 6 The second conjugation includes 500 verbs, of which only 

60 are regular : of the 440 irregular, 60 end in " ere," long, ( Parole 

piane , like " temere," to fear), and 380 in " ere," short ; ( Parole 

sdrucciole , like " Credere ," to believe ). 

164. 7 There are 500 verbs of the third conjugation, in " ire ; " of 

these 430 are regular, conjugated either like " Finire," to finish 

(390 of them), or like " Servire," to serve (40 of them) ; 70 are 

irregular . 

ON THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN "ARE." 29 

ON THE CONJUGATION OF ACTIVE VERBS. 

MODEL OF THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN "ARE." 

"COMPRARE ," TO BUY. 



39

Compr are, 1 to buy. Aver 2 compr ato, to have 

40 

bought. 


Compr ando, 3 Compr ato-a-i-e, 4 Avendo compr ato, 

buying. bought. having bought. 


PRESENT. IMPERFECT. PAST DEFINITE. 

I buy &c. I bought &c. I bought &c. 

Compr o, Compr avo, 5 Compr ai, 

Compr i, Compr avi, Compr asti, 

Compr a ; Compr ava ; Compr ò ; 

Compr iamo, Compr avamo, Compr ammo, 

Compr ate, Compr avate, Compr aste, 

Compr ano. Compr avano. Compr arono 6 


Ho comprato, &c. Avevo comprato, &c. Ebbi comprato, &c. 

I have bought, &c. I had bought, &c. I had bought, &c. 

165. 1 A verb consists of two parts ; the root which is invariable, 

and the termination, which varies to indicate mood, tense , 

person and number. In the verb "comprare ," " compr " is the root, 

and " are " the termination . 

166. 2 The compound tenses of all active verbs are formed with " 

avere ." 

3 The Present Participle of " comprare " (see rule 105) is " 

comprante . " seldom used. The Pres. Part, of "parlare " is " 

parlante ," of " amare ," " amante," and so of all the verbs of the 

first conjugation . 

167. 4 The Past Participle of active transitive verbs remains 

invariable, that is to say it ends in o, when the direct object in 

the sentence follows it. Ex. " Ho comprato tre libri. " I have bought 

three books. But when the direct object precedes the past 

participle, the latter is variable . Ex. " Ecco i libri che ho comprati." 

Here are the books I have bought.

168. The Past Participle of active intransitive verbs always 

remains invariable . Ex. 

" Ci hanno parlato. " 

They spoke to us. 

5 Or " comprava ; " see rule 108. 

169. 6 In poetry " compràro " is often used instead of " comprarono 

; " in the same way "parlàro," instead of " parlarono," they spoke , " 

andàro," instead of " andarono," they went, etc. 

ON THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN " ARE " 30 

FUTURE. CONDITIONAL. IMPERATIVE 

MOOD. 

I shall buy, &c. I should buy, &c. Buy (thou) &c. 

Compr erò, Compr erei, 1 No first person. 

Compr erai, Compr eresti, Compr a, 

Compr erà ; Compr erebbe ; Compr i ; 

Compr eremo, Compr eremmo, Compr iamo, 

Compr erete, Compr ereste, Compr ate, 

Compr eranno. Compr erebbero. Compr ino. 

FUTURE 

CONDITIONAL The Past of the 

ANTERIOR. 

PAST. 

Avrò comprato, &c. Avrei comprato, &c. Imperative is 

I shall have bought, 

&c. 


I should have 

bought, &c. 

PRESENT. IMPERFECT. 

That I may buy &c. That I might buy &c. 

41 

seldom used. 

Che io compr i, Che or se io compr assi, 

Che tu compr i, Che or se tu compr assi, 

Che egli/essa compr i; Che or se egli/essa compr asse ; 

Che compr iamo, Che or se compr assimo, 

Che compr iate, Che or se compr aste, 

Che essi/esse compr ino. Che or se essi/esse compr assero. 

PAST. PLUPERFECT. 

Che io abbia comprato, &c. Che or se io avessi comprato, 

&c. 

That I may have bought, &c. That I might have bought, &c. 

IMPORTANT REMARKS .

170. Verbs ending in "care ," and " gare ," as " peccare," to sin, and " 

pregare," to pray, require an h after the c and g, when followed by 

e or i, because the c and g are to be pronounced hard throughout 

the conjugation. Ex. " pecco," " pecchi," " pecca," " pecchiamo," 

&c.; " prego," " preghi ," " prega," " preghiamo ," &c. 

171. Verbs ending in " ciare " and " giare ," as " scacciare," to drive 

away, and " mangiare," to eat, drop the i before another i, or an e, 

as " scaccerò ," &c. ; " mangerei ," &c. 

172. Verbs ending in " iare ," as "odiare ," to hate , retain the i in 

the root when the termination is marked by one i only. Ex. " odio," 

" odii," "odia," " odiamo," &c. 

173. Verbs ending in " gnare," as " regnare," to reign, omit the i of 

the termination of the first person plural of the Present 

Indicative . Ex. " regno ," " regni ," "regna ," " regnamo ," &c. 

174. 1 In poetry " compreria " is often used instead of " 

comprerei," and " comprerebbe ," and " compreriano " instead of " 

comprerebbero " ; in the same way " parleria," instead of " 

parlerei " and " parlerebbe ," &c. 

ON THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN " ARE." 31 

REGULAR VERBS OF THE FIRST CONJUGATION. 

Alloggiare , to lodge. Licenziare, to dismiss. 

Amare, to love, to like. Migli orare, to improve. 

Augurare, 1 to augur, to 

wish. 

42 

Minacciare, to threaten. 

Baciare, to kiss. Mirare, to gaze, to look at. 

Ballare, to dance. Pesare, to weigh. 

Biasimare, 

1 

to blame. Portare, to carry. 

Caricare, 1 to load. Predicare, 1 to preach. 

Cercare, to look for. Privare, to deprive. 

Coniugare, 

1 

to conjugate. Raccontare, to relate. 

Disprezzare, to despise. Rispettare, to respect. 

Disputare, 1 to dispute. Rubare, to steal. 

Evitare, 1 to avoid. Scappare, to escape. 

Fumare, to smoke. Scherzare, to joke. 

Giudicare, 1 to judge. Spaventare, to frighten. 

Guadagnare 

, 

to earn. Sperare, to hope. 

Guardare, to look. Stampare, to print.

Guastare, to spoil. Stimare, to esteem. 

Imparare, to learn. Stracciare, to tear. 

Ingannare, to deceive. Tagliare, to cut. 

Mendicare, 

1 

to beg. Trascurare, to neglect. 

Meritare, 1 to merit. Volare, to fly. 

175. The following verbs, and about thirty more , have two past 

participles ; a long one, which expresses an action, and an 

abbreviated one, which is a kind of adjective : 

Participles 

Adattare , to adapt. adattato, and adatto. 

Adornare, to adorn. adornato, and adorno. 

Avvezzare , to accustom . avvezzato , and avvezzo. 

Caricare , to load. caricato , and carico . 

Saziare , to satiate , satisfy . saziato , and sazio. 

Svegliare , to wake up. svegliato , and sveglio . Ex. 

Ho caricato il mio schi oppo. 

I have loaded my gun. 

Il mio schi oppo è carico . 

My gun is loaded. 

176. 1 The " Tonic Accent " in all the regular verbs of the first 

conjugation is the same as in " Comprare ," but in the verbs in 

the list above , marked with an asterisk (*/1), and in about 

seventy more , the three persons in the singular of the Present 

Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive are " sdrucciole," and the 

third persons plural of the same tenses are " bisdrucciole ." Ex. 

Auguro, auguri , augura ; 

Auguriamo , augurate , augurano . 

ON THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN " ARE." 32 

VOCABULARY. 

L' Inghilterra , England. Inglese, Englishman, 

La Francia, France. Francese, 

(48) 

43 

English. 

Frenchman, 

French. 

La Germania, Germany. Tedesco. German. 

L' Italia,. Italy. Italiano, Italian. 

La Spagna, Spain. Spagnuolo, Spaniard, Spanish.

La situazione the situation. 

La porta, l'uscio, the gate, door. 

Questa città, this town, city. 

La lingua, tongue, the language. 

Facile, easy, Politico, political, 

Difficile, difficult. Commerciale, commercial. 

NOTE. In this and the following exercises the verbs are given in 

the Present of the Infinitive Mood ; it is left to the student to put 

them in the proper mood, tense , number , and person. 

EXERCISE IX. 

I do (128) not (125) find (a) the Italian 1 language difficult. William 

speaks (b) French, 2 but does not speak German. I am buying 3 

some (134) books for my brother. I blame (c) my sister, because 

she was listening (d) at the door. Shall you (117 122) vote (e) to- 

morrow ? Yes. John found 4 this letter on (148) a chair, in my 

brother's room . I have sent (f) Henry's Spanish grammar to my 

mother. Charles always 5 studies (g) in our uncle's garden. We 

admire (h) the situation of this town. I have left (i) William's book 

on my writing-desk. Elizabeth will play, (j) I (106, b) shall sing, (k) 

and Charles will draw (1). 

(a) Trovare . (b) Parlare. (c) Biasimare . (d) Ascoltare. (e) Votare . (f) 

Mandare . (g) Studiare. (h) Ammirare . (i) Lasciare . (j) Suonare. (k) 

Cantare . (1) Disegnare . 

177. 1 Adjectives indicating shape, colour, and nationality are put 

after the noun they qualify, in Italian. Ex. La lingua italiana. The 

Italian language . 

178. 2 English, French, &c., meaning the English, the French 

language , &c., are also translated by " l' inglese," " il francese ," 

&c., or " la lingua inglese ," " la lingua francese ," &c. 

179- 3 The English expressions "I am buying," " She was 

listening," " I shall be writing," &c. , are translated into Italian as 

if they were " I buy," "she listened " (Imp. Ind.), "I shall write ," &c. 

180. 4 Translate as if it were "has found," because, in Italian, 

when the time at which an action occurred is not stated, the verb 

must be put in the Past Indefinite . 

44

181. 5 " Sempre ," always, and " mai," ever, never, are generally 

placed after the verb. 

ON THE FIRST CONJUGATION IN "ARE." 33 

VOCABULARY. 

L' Europa, Europe Europeo, 1 European 

L' America, America Americano, American 

La Scozia, Scotland Scozzese, Scotchman, Scotch 

L' Irlanda, Ireland Irlandese, Irishman, Irish 

La sottoveste, the waistcoat ieri sera, 2 last night 

Il mondo, the world Un quadro, a picture 

Una scoperta, a discovery La larghezza, the breadth 

Una rivoluzione, a revolution La lunghezza, the length 

La riunione, the meeting Una ciliegia, a cherry 

Una regola, a rule Dell' uva, some grapes 

Il pianoforte, the pianoforte Del vino, some wine 

Questa mattina, this morning Dell' acquavite, some brandy 

EXERCISE X. 

I have bought two Italian (177) books, one (145) for Henry, and one 

for William. You (106 b) were dining (179) (a), whilst I was 

studying. Mary will embroider (b) a waistcoat for my father. The 

discovery of (the) America caused (c) (Past Def.) a revolution in 

the commercial world. When I entered (d) 3 the room he was 

working (e). Did you speak (Past Def.) at the meeting last night ? 

No, I did not (125) speak (Past Def.). I shall explain (f) (170) this 

rule this evening. I shall have built (g) my house before October 

(74). Measure (h) (122) the length and (115) breadth of this room , 

before 4 buying the pianoforte . We shall preserve (i) these 

cherries with (in the) brandy. If (112) I had money, I would buy 

this picture . 

(a) Pranzare . (b) Ricamare . (c) Cagionare . (d) Entrare. (e) Lavorare . 

(f) Spiegare . (g) Fabbricare. '(h) Misurare . (i) Conservare . 

1 Notice that in the terminations " eo," "ea," "ei," and " ee " the e 

has the broad sound of a in the word gate . 

182. 2 "Sera" means evening. " ieri sera" means yesterday 

evening. Last night, meaning the night time , is translated by 

"Questa notte," or "La notte passata." 

183. 3 " Entrare," to enter, is a neuter verb, and is always followed 

by " in." Ex. 

45

Entrai nel teatro alle sei. 

I entered the theatre at six o'clock. 

184.4 All prepositions (except " dopo," after,) in Italian are followed 

by the Infinitive Present , or Past. Ex. 

Prima di andare a Parigi . 

Before going to Paris . 

Prima di aver parlato. 

Before having spoken. 

185. The preposition "dopo," after, is always followed by the Past of 

the Infinitive . Ex. 

Partirò dopo aver parlato. 

I shall start after having spoken. 

34 ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

LESSON VII. 

ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

PERSONAL PRONOUNS USED AS SUBJECTS 1 OF VERBS. 

186. The personal pronouns are translated into Italian as follows : 

Io, I Noi, We 

Tu, Thou Voi, You 

Egli, Ei, or Esso. He, it 2 . m. Essi or Eglino, | 

Ella or Essa, She, it, you (120). f. Esse or Elleno, |They you (121)' 

187. The pronouns "egli," " ella," " eglino," and " elleno," are used 

only in speaking of persons, whilst "esso," " essa," " essi," and " 

esse ," are often employed with reference to persons, animals, and 

things, and are used both as the subjects and objects of verbs. " 

Eglino " and " elleno " are becoming obsolete ; " essi " and " esse " 

being used instead of them . Ex. 

Egli parla francese . 

He speaks French . 

Ei non sapeva che fare del pane che gli gettavo . (Pellico .) 

He did not know what to do with the bread I threw him. 

Essi andarono a Parigi . 

They went to Paris . 

188. As the termination of the verb, in Italian , is sufficient to 

indicate the person and number of the subject in the sentence , 

the personal pronouns, " Io," " Tu," " Egli," &c., are not expressed , 

46

except (a) when two or more nouns or pronouns are used as 

subjects in the same sentence ; (b) in the present and imperfect 

tenses of the Subjunctive Mood, to avoid ambiguity ; (c] when a 

particular stress is laid on the pronoun. Ex. 

Mentre io scrivo questa lettera , voi preparerete i miei 

bauli. 

Whilst I write this letter , you will prepare my trunks . 

Se i o parlassi , sarei ruinato . 

If I spoke, I should be ruined . 

io parlo quando bisogna. 

I do speak when it is needful . 

189. The personal pronouns " io," " tu," " egli," &c., are sometimes 

accompanied by " stesso," " stessa," or " medesimo," " medesima," 

&c., self, to express emphasis . Ex. 

L' ho scritto io stesso (or medesimo ), 

I wrote it myself . 

190. 1 A noun, or pronoun is called the subject of a verb when it 

represents the person or thing which does, or receives the action 

expressed by the verb. Ex. 

Pietro agisce bene ; egli è stimato . 

Peter acts well ; he is esteemed . 

In which sentence " Pietro " is the subject of " agisce," and " egli " 

of " è stimato ." 

191. 2 There is no neuter gender in Italian ; therefore the 

pronoun it must be translated into Italian by a masculine or 

feminine pronoun. 

ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 35 

PERSONAL PRONOUNS USED AS OBJECTS OF VERBS. 

THE CONJUNCTIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

192. When there is only one pronoun used as a direct, 1 or as an 

indirect 2 object, in the same sentence , the English pronouns 

me, thee , him, etc., and to me, to thee , to him, etc., are 

translated as follows : 

DIRECT OBJECTS. INDIRECT OBJECTS. 

Mi, me. |Mi, to me. 

Ti, thee . |Ti, to thee . 

Lo / esso, him or it (191). |Gli, to him. 

47

La / essa , her, you (120) or it. |Le, to her, you or it. 

Si, | (himself , herself , |Si,. |(to himself , to herself , 

|(itself or themselves . |(to itself or to themselves . 

Ci or ne, 3 us. |Ci or ne, 3 to us. 

Vi,you. |Vi, to you. 

Li / essi , them , mas. |(A) Loro / gli, 4 to them , mas. 

Le / esse , them , Fem. |(A) Loro / le, to them , Fem. 

THE CONJUNCTIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS PLACED BEFORE 

THE VERB. 

193. The pronouns given above ARE, AS A RULE, PLACED BEFORE 

THE VERB. Ex. 

Egli mi parlo con rispetto . 

He spoke to me with respect . 

Non ci hanno mai invitati . 

They never invited us. 

Gli parlerò domani. 5 

I shall speak to him to-morrow. 

194. 1 A noun, or pronoun is called the direct object of a verb 

when it represents the person, or thing which receives the 

action of the verb directly, that is, without passing through a 

preposition . Ex. 

Egli chiamò Carlo e me. 

He called Charles and me. 

In the sentence above " Carlo " and " me " are the direct objects of 

"chiamo ." 

2 A noun, or pronoun is called the indirect object of a verb when it 

represents the person, or thing which receives the action of the 

verb indirectly , that is, through a preposition . Ex. 

" Egli mi parlò," 

he spoke to me. 

In the sentence above " mi" (a me) is the indirect complement of 

" parlò." 

195 3 " Ne " is sometimes used instead of " ci," tis, and to us. Ex. 

L' amicizia tua ne piace . (Tasso.) 

Your friendship pleases (to) us. 

196.4 Notice that instead of "a loro," or " loro," in modern Italian, 

"gli" (mas.), and " le " (fem.), are often used. Ex. 

48

Non gli (or le) presterei del denaro. 

I would not lend them money . 

197. 5 In many cases in which, according to rule 193, the 

conjunctive personal pronoun ought to precede the verb, it is 

placed after it, and joined to it, to give force to the language . If the 

verb ends with an accented vowel, as " mandò," he or she sent, 

the consonant of the pronoun, except the g of "gli," is doubled, and 

the accent suppressed. Ex. 

Essa guardavami sovente . 

She often looked at me. 

Egli mandommi a Milano . 

He sent me to Milan . 

N.B. It is much better for the beginner to follow rule 193. 


THE CONJUNCTIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS PLACED AFTER 

THE VERB. 

198. The conjunctive pronouns " mi," " ti," " gli," &c., ARE PLACED 

AFTER THE VERB, AND JOINED TO IT (that is why they are called 

Conjunctive Pronouns), when they are used with verbs in the 

Infinitive , used Affirmatively 1 ; in which case the final " e " of 

the Infinitive is dropped. Ex. 

Mio padre desidera di mandarmi a Venezia . 

My father desires to send me to Venice . 

199. The conjunctive pronouns " mi," " ti," " gli," &c., are placed 

after the Gerund, used Affirmatively , 1 and joined to it. Ex. 

Essa lo calmo parlandogli con molta bontà. 

She calmed him by speaking to him very kindly. 

200. The conjunctive pronouns " mi," " ti," " gli," &c., are placed 

after the Past Gerund, and joined to it ; in which case the 

auxiliary, " avendo " or " essendo," is omitted, and the Past 

Participle alone is expressed , and is variable . 2 Ex. 

Pagatimi (used instead of avendomi pagato) i libri, andò via. 

Having paid me for the book, he went away, 

Adagiatasi (essend osi 3 adagiata ) sulla sedia , essa narrò le 

sue avventure . 

Having seated herself on the chair , she narrated her 

adventures . 

49

201. The conjunctive pronouns "mi," " ti," "gli," &c., are placed 

after the second person singular, and the first and second 

persons plural of the Imperative, used affirmatively 4 , and are 

joined to them . Ex. 

Parlami ora caro fratello . 

Speak to me now, dear brother. 

Mandateci 5 un mazzo di fiori . 

Send us a bunch of flowers. 

202. 1 When the Infinitive (see rule 126) and the Gerund are 

preceded by a negative, the pronouns are sometimes put before 

the verb. Ex. 

Non ti scordar di me. 

Do not forget me. 

Non gli piacendo la stanza. 

As he did not like the room. 

203. 2 Notice that this rule of leaving out " avendo " or " essendo " 

in the Past Gerund holds good whether there is a pronoun or not. 

Ex. 

Comprato (avendo comprato) il cavallo, ando via. 

Having bought the horse , he went away. 

204. 3 Notice that in the compound tenses of reflective verbs (see 

page 59). " essere " is used. 

205. 4 When the Imperative is used negatively, the Conjunctive 

Pronouns precede the verbs, according to rule 193. Ex. 

Non mi parlare ora, caro fratello . 

Do not speak to me now, dear brother. 

206. 5 Here the student is reminded that, instead of "voi," you, 

the Italians very often use " Ella ," your Lordship or Ladyship (see 

rule 120) ; in which case the pronouns precede the verbs, 

according to rule 193. Ex. 

Ci mandi un mazzo di fiori . 

Send us a bunch of flowers. 


VOCABULARY. 

Londra, London. Parigi, Paris. Roma, Rome. 

Firenze, Florence. Glasgovia, Glasgow. Dublino, Dublin. 

50

Napoli, Naples. Venezia, Venice. Genova, Genoa. 

Federico, Frederick. Giorgio, George. Odoardo, Edward. 

Giacomo, James. Filippo, Philip. Giuseppe, Joseph. 

Luigia, Louisa. Francesca, Frances. Il caffe, coffee. 

Il tè, tea. Il latte, milk. La crema, cream. 

Il butirro, butter. L'olio, oil. Lo zucchero, sugar. 

L' aceto, vinegar. 

La cioccolata, chocolate. Margherita, Margaret. 

EXERCISE XI 

Where did you (120, 122) buy ( have you bought) this coffee ? I 

bought it (192, 193) in 1 London. Does (128) Edward speak Italian 

? Yes, he does. 2 Where did you study (have you studied) the 

French language ? I studied (have studied) it in France. Has 

Louisa sent to- day's newspaper to my father ? Yes ; she sent (has 

sent) it this morning. Charles always speaks to me (193) when he 

meets (a) me. My father taught (b) us yesterday, and will teach us 

to-day. My mother never (non. . . mai, 181) sends us (193) here . I 

shall not speak to him (193) to-day. Have you bought any sugar ? 

Yes, I have (138, 208). George has made me (193) a present of (c) 

some Italian books. If (112) they had any (133) money, they would 

send (to) him some tea and (136), bread. 

(a) Incontrare . (b) Insegnare . (c) Regalare (to make a present of). 

207. 1 The prepositions in and to are translated into Italian by 

"a," before the name of a town, and by " in " before the name of a 

continent , an empire , a kingdom , a duchy, or a province . Ex. 

Andò a Parigi , in Francia . 

He went to Paris , in France . 

208. 2 In answering a question, the verb contained in the 

question, and not merely the translation of " I do," "he does," " it 

does," " I have," " he did," " I will," &c., must be expressed in the 

answer, in Italian, and the verb must be in the same tense as in 

the question ; and if there is a noun in the question, that noun 

also must be represented in the answer by a pronoun, agreeing 

in gender and number with the noun it represents . Ex. 

Giovanni , parla il tedesco ? Si, lo parla. 

Does John speak German ? Yes, he does. 

51

209. The above rule holds good also when "I do," " I did," " I have," 

&c., have reference to a previous verb in the sentence . Ex. 

Avevo promesso di portare il mio oriuolo, e l' ho portato. 

I had promised to bring my watch, and I have brought it. 


THE DISJUNCTIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

210. When in the same sentence there are more than one direct 

(195) or more than one indirect (196) objects, relating to different 

persons or things, or when they desire to lay a particular stress 

on the object in the sentence , the Italians place the following 

personal pronouns after the verb, but not joined to it that is why 

they are called Disjunctive Personal Pronouns. 

DIRECT OBJECTS (195). INDIRECT OBJECTS (196). 

Me, me. A me, to me. 

Te, thee . A te, to thee . 

Lui / esso, him or it (191)- A lui or a esso, to him or it. 

Lei / essa , her, you or it. A lei / a essa , to her, you or it. 

Sè |himself , herself , . A se., |to himself , herself . 

|itself or themselves . |To itself or themselves . 

Noi, us. A noi, to us. 

Voi, you. A voi, to you. 

Loro / essi , them , mas. (A) loro / a essi , to them , mas. 

Loro / esse , them , Fem. (A) loro / a esse , to them , Fem. 

EXAMPLES . 

Il generale parlò a me, ma non parlò a mio nipote. 

The general spoke to me, but he did not speak to my 

nephew . 

Parlo a Lei, Signore ; perché non mi risponde ? 

I speak to you, Sir ; why do you not answer me ? 

211. Notice that in the case explained in rule 210, "gli" and " le " 

(see rule 196) could not be used instead of " a loro." Ex. 

Manderò un libro a lui, e a loro manderò del denaro. 

I shall send him a book, and some money to them . 

212. Notice that not only " a " to, but all the other prepositions " 

di," of, " do," from , " con," with, " per," for, through, &c., are used to 

52

form the indirect objects of verbs, but, as they always follow the 

verb, they offer no difficulty to the student. Ex. 

Carlo parlerà per me. 1 

Charles will speak for me. 

Vuol ella venir con me ? 2 

Will you come with me ? 

Parti con loro. 3 

He went away with them . 

213. 1 Instead of "per me," "per te," "per lui," and "per lei,"&c., the 

conjunctive forms " mi," "ti," "gli," and " le," &c., are used with 

such verbs as " fare ," to do, to make, " fabbricare ," to build, " 

dipingere ," to faint, &c., when the sentence contains also a direct 

object. Ex. 

Gli (per lui) fabbricarono una casa. 

They built him (for him) a house . 

214. 2 "Meco," " teco," " seco," are sometimes used instead of "con 

me," " con te," "con se." Ex. Vuol ella venir meco ? Will you come 

with me? 

215. 3 Formerly the pronoun " esso," ( invariable) was sometimes 

used pleonastically before " lui," " lei," " loro." Ex. 

Andai con essoloro (D'Azeglio ). 

I went along with them . 


VOCABULARY. 

Il marmo , marble . La pietra, stone. Il mattone, brick. 

Il legno, wood. Il cristallo, crystal. Il vetro, glass. 

Paolo, Paul. Andrea, Andrew. Stefano, Stephen. 

Carlotta, 

Charlotte. 

Antonio, Anthony. Maddalena, Madeline. 

La statua, the statue. il fazzoletto, the 

53 

handkerchief, 

La testa, the head. Uno (141) specchio a looking-glass, 

Gli occhi, the eyes. Un leggio, a reading-desk, 

I capelli, the hair. Carta sugante, blotting-paper, 

il braccio, the arm. Ceralacca, sealing-wax. 

La mano, the hand. Un acquarello, a water-colour, 

il dito, the finger. Mio suocero, my father-in-law, 

il piede, 1 the foot. Mia cognata, my sister-in-law,

L'anello, the ring. Vostro genero, your son-in-law. 

EXERCISE XII. 

I condemned (a) (Past Def.) him, and I pardoned (b) my (129) 

brother. Paul always (181) speaks of himself (212). Charlotte (113) 

spoke to me (210), but she did not speak to my (130) sisters. I 

speak to you (210) ; why do (128) you not answer ? You never pay 

attention (c) to me. He always speaks of me, but I never speak of 

him. They sent (Past Def.) a reading-desk to me (210), and a 

marble statue to my (146) master. Stephen will speak for me. 

They built him (213) a marble palace. Madeline has sent a gold 

ring to William, and a small water-colour to my sister-in-law. She 

sent (180) also a beautiful looking-glass to my sister. I shall place 

(d) the picture before her. 3 

(a) Condannare . (b) Perdonare a. (c) Badare a. 2 (d) Posare 

1 Notice that the e in the diphthong ie (except in the suffixes 

"etto," &c.), has the broad sound of a in the word gate . 

216. 2 " Badare " is always followed by a disjunctive personal 

pronoun. Ex. 

Badate a me. 

Pay attention to me. 

You could not say "Badatemi ." 

217. 3 When the prepositions "davanti ," " dinanzi," " innanzi," 

before, " didietro, " " dietro," behind, " incontro," against, " sopra," 

"disopra," on, upon, above , " sotto," " disotto," under, below, are 

used with a conjunctive personal pronoun, they are placed at the 

end of the phrase. Ex. 

Gli andò incontro . 

He went against him. 


LESSON VIII. 

ON DOUBLE CONJUNCTIVE PRONOUNS. 

218. When two conjunctive pronouns are governed by the same 

verb, and one is a " direct " and the other an " indirect object," the 

" indirect " precedes the " direct object," and the i of " mi," " ti," " 

ci," " vi," is changed into e. When these pronouns come before the 

verb, they are written separately, but when they are placed after 

the verb, they are written together , and joined to it. Ex. 

54

Me lo presto Guglielmo . 

William lent it to me. 

Me li ha comprati mio zio. 

My uncle bought them for me. 

Egli vuol vendercelo oggi. 

He will sell it to us to-day. 

Me lo, or mel 1 disse ieri sera . 

He told it to me last night . 

(Dammelo , | 

See rule 201. Me lo dia, | Give it to me. 

(Datemelo , | 

219. When the pronoun " gli," to him, is followed by the pronouns " 

lo," " la," " li," " le," and " ne," instead of changing the final i into 

e, like the other conjunctive pronouns (see rule 218), it takes an 

e after the final i, and forms one word with the relative pronoun. 

Ex. 

Glielo presterò , ma non posso darglielo . 2 

I will lend it to him, but I cannot give it to him. 

Mi ha promesso di mandarglieli questa sera . 3 

He promised that he would send them to him this evening . 

|Mandaglielo , 2 | 

See rule 201. - | Glielo mandi 2 | -Send it to him. 

|Mandateglielo , 2 | 

220. Notice that, for the sake of euphony, " glie " is also used for 

the feminine instead of " le," when followed by " lo," " la," "li," " le," 

and " ne." Ex. 

Maria desiderava i fiori , ed io glieli ho mandati . 2 

Mary wished for the flowers, and I sent them to her. 

221. In Italian an answer must contain the noun expressed in 

the question, or a pronoun in its stead, and the verb must be 

repeated in the answer . Ex. 

Ha ella presola mia ombrella ? 

Have you taken my umbrella ? 

No, non l'ho presa. 

No, I have not. 

55

222. 1 "Mel," " tel," "cel," " vel," are often used instead of " me lo," " 

te lo," "celo," "velo." 

223. 2 It is important to notice that " gli" in this sentence might 

mean either to him, or to her (and consequently to you, see rule 

120), or to them (see rule 211) ; but the sense of the sentence , in 

the context, always helps to clear up the ambiguity . 

ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 41 

VOCABULARY. 

Dio, Iddio, God. Il sole, the sun. 

Il cielo , Heaven : the sky. La luna, the moon. 

La terra , the earth . Le stelle , the stars. 

Mio caro amico , my dear friend , 

Il giorno di nascita , the birthday, 

Questo pericolo this danger. 

Un regalo , a present , 

Un album, an album, 

il popolo, the people, 

Ora, adesso, now. Volontieri , willingly . 

EXERCISE XIII. 

Speak to me (201) now, because I shall not have time to- morrow. 

He was speaking (179) to his master (146) when you called (a) 

(Past Def.) him. When will you send her (192, 193) the pictures ? I 

will send them to her (219, 220) this evening. Do not forget(b) 

(125, 126). Will 1 you help (c) me, (192) my dear friend ? Yes, 

willingly, I will not abandon (d) you in this danger. Will (224) you 

lend (e) me your penknife ? Yes, I will (208). Shall you send him a 

present for his birthday ? Yes, I shall send him an album. I have 

brought (f) Henry's books to 2 show (g) them to you (122, 218). 

They ordered (h) him to (226) speak to the people. 

(a) Chiamare . (b) Dimenticare . (c) Aiutare . (d) Abbandonare. 

(e) Prestare . (f) Portare . (g) Mostrare . (h) Comandare . 

224. 1 When will, would, shall and should are distinct verbs of 

themselves (not mere auxiliaries) they are translated into Italian 

by " Volere " or " Dovere ." Ex. 

Vuol' ella darmi una rosa ? 

Will you give me a rose ? 

N.B. The Present Indicative of " volere ," to be willing, should be 

studied at once ; it is given on page 91 . 

56

225. 2 When the preposition to means in order to, it is translated 

into Italian by " per " or " onde." Ex. 

Sono venuto per (/ onde) parlarle . 

I have come to speak to you. 

226. The verbal prefix to is translated into Italian by " di," when it 

is preceded by an adjective, or a past participle (except " pronto," 

ready, " disposto," disposed, " prono," inclined, " preparato," 

prepared], and a verb expressing an idea of rest or state . Ex. 

Sono decisi di andare a Venezia . 

They have decided to go to Venice . 

227. The verbal prefix to is translated into Italian by " a," when it 

is preceded by a verb expressing motion, or " pronto," " disposto," " 

prono," and " preparato." Ex. 

Venga a trovarmi fra due mesi . 

Come to see me in two months' time . 


FURTHER REMARKS ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

228. " E' " is sometimes used instead of " egli," " esso," and " essi." 

Ex. 

Picchia anche lì e aspetta, e poteva aspettare . 

He also knocks there and waits , (Manz.) and he might wait. 

Cortesemente domandò chi,è' fossero. (Boccaccio.) 

Courteously he asked who they were . 

229. " Desso," " dessa," " dessi ," " desse ," are elegantly used 

instead of "esso," " essa," &c., with the verbs "essere," and 

"parere ." Ex. 

Quegli è desso ; lo conosco. 

It is he ; I know him. 

230. " Egli ," or simply " gli," and " e' " are sometimes used as 

"ripieni," that is pleonastically ; they correspond to the English 

neuter pronoun it. Ex. 

E s' egli è ver che tua potenza sia nel cielo . (Petrarca .) 

And if it be true that thy power is in heaven . 

E' risica d' essere una giornata peggio di ieri . (Manz.) 

It risks to be a day worse than yesterday . 

57

231. Instead of the subjective pronouns " io," " tu," " egli," " ella," " 

essi," and " esse ," the objective pronouns " me," " te," " lui," "lei," 

and " loro" are used after the words "ma," but, " anche," also, " 

come ," " siccome," as, " quanto," as much as, " nemmeno," not 

even, &c., for the sake of euphony, and in other cases solely for 

the purpose of giving more prominence to the pronoun. Ex. 

Ma Lei non mi scrive mai. 

But you never write to me. 

Si levo anche lui il cappello. 

He also took off his hat. 

Lei è ricca , ma i o son povero. 

You are rich , but I am poor. 

Le parole che dicon loro vanno via e spariscono. (Manz.) 

The words which they say fly away and disappear. 

232. Sometimes, in the colloquial style, " la," and " le," are used 

instead of " ella " and " esse ." Ex. 

La c' è ; l' ho trovata ! (Manz.) 

She is there ; I found her ! 

Le son tutte qui. (Manz.) 

They are all here . 

233. When several verbs govern the same pronouns, the latter 

are generally repeated with each verb. Ex. 

Gli 1 amiamo e gli 1 stimiamo . 

We love and esteem them . 

234. " Non lo " is often contracted into " nol." Ex. 

Egli nol disse a nessuno . 

He did not tell it to anybody. 

235. " Il" in poetry, is sometimes used instead of "lo." Ex. 

Oimè ! bene il conosco. (Tas.) 

Alas ! I know him well. 

236. Notice that before a verb beginning with a vowel, or an .r 

followed by another consonant , " gli " is used instead of " li." 

ON THE WORDS " CI," "VI," AND " NE." 43 

LESSON IX. 

ON THE WORDS " CI," " VI," AND " NE." 

58

237. Besides being used as conjunctive personal pronouns (see 

rules 192, 197), " ci," " vi," and " ne," are used as relative 

pronouns, and as adverbs. 

238. " Ci " and " vi," used as relative pronouns, signify of it, of 

them ; about it, about them; to it, to them; for it, for them; in it, 

in them . Ex. 

Non indovinerei , se ci pensassi un anno. 

I could not guess it, if I thought a year about it. 

Questo quadro mi va a genio ; ci ho fatto fare una bella 

cornice . 

I like this picture very much ; I have had a fine frame 

made for it. 

Ci ho dato una mano di vernice . 

I have given it a coat of varnish . 

239. When " ci " and " vi " are used as adverbs, they always refer 

to an antecedent ; "ci" means here , and " vi " means there . 1 Ex. 

Francesco viene qui tutte le mattine , e ci sta fino alle otto 

della sera . 

Francis comes here every morning , and stays till eight 

o'clock in the evening . 

Non sono mai stato in Italia , ma faccio i conti d'andarvi 

questa primavera . 

I have never been to Italy, but I intend to go there this 

Spring. 

240. " Ne," used as a relative pronoun, means some , any, of it, of 

them; concerning (or about) him, her, it; for it, for them, from it, 

from them. As stated already (rule 138) in an answer, " ne " must 

always be expressed in Italian (although some , any, of it, of them, 

&c., are seldom expressed in English), and the verb, in the 

answer , must also be expressed in full. Ex. 

Ha ella per caso qualche libro italiano da prestarmi ? 

Have you perchance any Italian books to lend me ? 

Si, ne ho due o tre, e glieli presterò volontieri . 

Yes, I have two or three , which I shall be very glad to lend 

you. 

Sono certo che le piace la musica , perché ne parla sempre . 

59

I am certain that you are fond of music , for you are always 

speaking about it. 

Vado ai bagni di mare ogni anno, e ne derive sempre molto 

bene . 

I go to the sea- side to bathe every year , and I always de- 

rive great benefit from it. 

241. 1 For the sake of euphony " ci " is sometimes used instead of 

" vi." Ex. 

Andateci , e vi troverete Carlo. 

Go there , and you will find Charles . 

44 ON THE WORDS " CI," " VI," AND " NE." 

242. When " ne " is used as an adverb, it means thence . Ex. 

Sono stato a Parigi ; ne vengo appunto. 

I have been to Paris ; I have just returned from there . 

243. When "ci," " vi," and "ne,"'are used as relative pronouns, and 

as adverbs, they occupy the same position with regard to the verb 

as when they are conjunctive personal pronouns (see rules 192- 

201) and the i of " ci," " vi," is changed into e (218) when " lo," " 

la," " li," " le," and " ne," follow them . Ex. 

Egli va sovente al teatro , e vi mena seco sua sorella . 

He often goes to the theatre and takes his sister with him. 

Mia zia aveva dei biglietti , e me ne diede tre. 

My aunt had some tickets , and she gave me three . 

Non l' ho mai condotto a casa nostra ; ma ho promesso di 

condurcelo. 

I had never taken him to our house , but I have promised to 

do so. 

ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS USED REFLECTIVELY . 

244. We have seen (rule 189) that when myself, thyself, &c., are 

used merely to express emphasis, or to indicate discrimination, 

they are translated by " stesso," " stessa," &c., or "medesimo," 

"medesima," &c. ; but when these pronouns are used as 

Reflective Pronouns, they are expressed by "mi," "ti," "si;" " ci," " 

vi," "si," and are subject to all the rules given above , concerning 

the personal pronouns. Ex. 

Non mi vesto mai prima delle dieci . 

I never dress before ten o'clock. 

60

Preparati , / preparatevi , / si prepari subito. 

Get ready without losing a minute . 

Raccolse i panni di suo fratello , e se ne vesti . 

He took up his brother's clothes , and dressed himself in 

them . 

" Ecco," behold, USED WITH PERSONAL AND RELATIVE 

PRONOUNS. 

245. When a conjunctive pronoun, personal or relative, is used 

with the word " ecco," behold, 1 here is, there is, this is, these 

are, here are, there are, it must be placed after it, and joined to it 

; as "ecc omi ," "ecc oti," " ecc oci," " eccoli ," " ecc ole," "ecc one ." 2 Ex. 

Eccomi . Eccoci pronti. 

Here I am. Here we are ready. 

Se ama le incisioni , ecc one qui delle bellissime . 

If you are fond of engravings , here are some beautiful ones. 

246. 1 Sometimes " ecco " is followed by two pronouns. Ex. 

Eccoteli umiliati . 

Here they are humbled. 

247. 2 Sometimes " ecco " is rendered more graphic by adding to 

it the adverbs " qui," here , and " la," there. Ex. " Eccolo la." There 

he is. 

45 ON THE WORDS " CI," " VI," AND " NE." 

VOCABULARY. 

Un orologio (21) a clock. 

Alla campagna , into the country, 

Casa di campagna country house . 

Un porta-lapis a pencil -case . 

Questo paese , this country. il mio oriuolo, my watch. 

Una rosa, 1 a rose. il frutto, the fruit. 

Questo 

canestro 

this basket . Un ombrello, an umbrella . 

Un errore , a fault. Un ombrellino , a parasol. 

Uno sbaglio, a mistake . Alla posta, to the post. 

Rosso, red. Verde, green. 

Bianco, white , Turchino , blue 

Giallo, yellow. Nero, black, 

61

EXERCISE XIV. 

I have brought my exercise to (225) show it to you (122, 218) ; you 

will find few (139) faults in it (238). Henry has brought (167) us 

(192, 193) a basket of roses. I should not have spoken to her, if I 

had thought (a) of 2 it (238). Before speaking to us, (210) speak to 

my father. He was speaking to us, (179, 192, 193) when they 

called (Past Def.) him into the garden. Have you an English watch 

? Yes, I have (144). If I had thought of it, I should never have lent 

him my pencil-case . When will you take (b) these letters (89) to 

the post ? I will take them (there) (239, 243) at once, if you will 

(224) lend me your umbrella. Have you spoken to William ? No, I 

have not, (208) but I will speak to him when 4 I have time . Why 

did (128) you burn (c) (Past Indef.) that (152) letter? I burnt it (167) 

by 4 mistake. Have you paid (d) for 5 your parasol ? No, but I will 

pay for it when Henry returns (e). 

(a) Pensare . (b) Portare . (c) Abbruciare . (d) Pagare . (e) Ritornare . 

1 An s dotted thus s, has the soft sound of the s in the word rose. 

248. 2 To think of is translated by " pensare a." " Pensare di," 

means to have an opinion about. Ex. 

Che pensa di questo poema? 

What do you think of this poem ? 

249. 3 A verb preceded by the adverbs when, as soon as, &c., 

indicates a future time ; therefore the future , and not the 

present tense , must be used in Italian . Ex. 

Scriverò quando avrò il tempo. 

I shall write when I have time . 

250.4 When a common noun begins with an s, followed by another 

consonant, and is preceded by " per," by, through, "in," in, into, " 

con," : with, and "non," no, not, an i is put before the s for the 

sake of euphony ; as " Per isbaglio ," by mistake . 

251. 5 For is not translated into Italian, after the active verbs to 

pay, to buy, to sell , to ask, to look, to wait, to wish. 

46 ON THE SECOND CONJUGATION IN " ERE." 

LESSON X. 

MODEL OF THE SECOND CONJUGATION IN "ERE." 

"CREDERE ," TO BELIEVE . 

62

"CREDERE ," TO BELIEVE . 



Cred ere, to believe . Aver Cred uto, to have 

63 

believed . 


Cred endo, 1 Cred uto-a-i-e, Avendo Cred uto, 

believing . believed . having believed . 


PRESENT . IMPERFECT . PAST DEFINITE. 

I believe &c. I believed &c. I believed &c. 

Cred o, Cred evo, 5 Cred ei, or etti 

Cred i, Cred evi, Cred esti, 

Cred e ; Cred eva ; Cred è or ette 

Cred iamo, Cred evamo, Cred emmo, 

Cred ete, Cred evate, Cred este, 

Cred ono. Cred evano. Cred erono or ettero 


Ho Creduto, &c. Avevo Creduto, &c. Ebbi Creduto, &c. 

I have believed, &c. I had believed, &c. I had believed, &c. 


MOOD. 

I shall believe, &c. I should believe, &c. Believe (thou) &c. 

Cred erò, Cred erei, 1 No first person. 

Cred erai, Cred eresti, Cred i, 

Cred erà ; Cred erebbe ; Cred a 

Cred eremo, Cred eremmo, Cred iamo, 

Cred erete, Cred ereste, Cred ete, 

Cred eranno. Cred erebbero. Cred ino. 

FUTURE 


ANTERIOR. 

PAST. 

Avrò Creduto, &c. Avrei Creduto, &c. Imperative is 

I shall have 

believed, &c. 

I should have 

believed, &c. 

seldom used. 

1 Notice that the e in the gerundial termination endo, has always 

the broad sound of the a in the word gate .

ON THE SECOND CONJUGATION IN " ERE." 47 



PRESENT . IMPERFECT . 

That I may believe &c. That or if I might believe &c. 

Che io Cred a, Che or se (112) io Cred essi, 

Che tu Cred a, Che or se tu Cred essi, 

Che egli/essa Cred a; Che or se egli/essa Cred esse ; 

Che Cred iamo, Che or se Cred essimo, 

Che Cred iate, Che or se Cred este, 

Che essi/esse Cred ano. Che or se essi/esse Cred essero. 


Che io abbia Creduto, &c. Che or se i o avessi Creduto, &c. 

That I may have believed, &c. That or if I might have believed, 

POETICAL FORMS . 

252. In poetry "crederia" is often used instead of " crederei," and " 

crederebbe " and " crederiano" instead of " crederebbero " ; in the 

same way " temeria ," instead of " temerei " and " temerebbe ," &c. 

253. In poetry " credèro " is often used instead of " crederono " ; in 

64 

&c. 

the same way " temèro " instead of " temerono ," &c. 

REGULAR VERBS OF THE SECOND CONJUGATION. 

Assistere , (a) to assist . Precedere , 1 to precede . 

Cedere , 1 to yield. Premere , 1 to press. 

Dipendere , to depend. Procedere , to proceed. 

Eccedere , 1 to exceed . Resistere , (e) to resist . 

Fendere , (b) to split. Ricevere , 1 to receive . 

Fremere , 1 to rage . Risolvere , (f) to resolve . 

Gemere , to groan. Spandere , 1 to shed. 

Godere , to enjoy. Splendere , to shine . 

Mescere , (c) to pour out. Temere , to fear . 

Pascere , (d) to feed. Vendere , to sell . 

254. 1 Those verbs in the above list, marked thus, (1) form their 

Past Definite either in ei, or in etti ; as " cedei," or " cedetti ," " 

cedesti ," " cedè ," or " cedette " ; " cedemmo," " cedeste ," " cederono," 

or " cedettero ." But all the others have only the termination ei.

(a) The Past Participle of " Assistere " is " assistito ." 

(b) " Fendere " is "fesso." 

(c) " Mescere " is " mesciuto ." 

(d) " Pascere " is " pasciuto." 

(e) " Resistere " is " resistito ." 

(f) " Risolve -re" is " risoluto." 

48 ON THE SECOND CONJUGATION IN "ERE." 

VOCABULARY. 

il generale , the general . La vista , the sight . 

il colonello, the colonel. il Natale , Christmas . 

Un soldato, a soldier. La Pasqua, Easter. 

Un Ordine, an order. il medico , the doctor. 

Una fortezza, a fortress . Questo dono, this gift. 

il presidio, the garrison . La sua salute , his health . 

Un cannone , a cannon . La confidenza , confidence . 

Un fucile , a gun. Qual pegno di, as a mark of. 

il campanello, the bell. Una volta, once. 

La folia, calca, the crowd. Due volte, twice. 

Signore |Mr Signora | Mrs. |Signorina ,| Miss. 

EXERCISE XV. 

|Sir. |Madam. | Madam. 

I receive (a) letters from Mr. 1 James. The soldiers have received 

the general's order. My sister enjoys (b) good health in this 

country. He groans (c) at the sight of the doctor. Receive (122) this 

gift as a mark of my confidence. Believe me, (201, 122) general, 2 

we shall beat (d) them (236). Who (chi) is knocking at (e) (179) the 

door? Charles; he has already knocked twice, and rang (f) the bell. 

The cannon beat down (g) (180) the fortress. I have received a 

letter from my father ; he thinks (h) (che) that he will be in 

London before Christmas. I have sold (i) my (131) country-house 

to Mr. John. Yesterday he lost (j) his umbrella in the crowd. We 

have resolved (k) to yield (l) to him (198). 

(a) Ricevere . (b) Godere . (c) Gemere. (d) Sconfiggere. (e) Battere, or 

Bussare a. (f) Suonare. (g) Buttar giù. (h) Credere, (i) Vendere. (j) 

Perdere . (k) Risolvere di. (l) Cedere a. 

255. 1 In speaking or writing to people , the words Mr., Sir, are 

translated by " Signore " (plural " Signori "), Mrs. , Madam , by " 

Signora " (plural " Signore "), Miss, by " Signorina" (plural 

65

"Signorine.") But in speaking or writing about persons, Mr., Sir, 

&c., are translated by "il Signore ," " i Signori ," " la Signora," " la 

Signorina," " le Signorine," "le Signore ." When "Signore " is 

followed by the name of the person referred to, the e is omitted. 

Ex. 

Il Signor John ha ricevuto una lettera dalla Signora James . 

Mr. John has received a letter from Mrs. James . 

I Signori John sono amici delle Signorine James . 

Messrs . John are friends of the Misses James . 

256. 2 The Italians, out of politeness, use the words Signor and 

Signora before titles, dignities, and names of rank, when they 

address a person equal or superior to themselves . Ex. 

" Caro Signor Marchese ," 

Dear Marquis . 

49 ON THE SECOND CONJUGATION IN " ERE." 

VOCABULARY. 

il fiore , 1 the flower. Questa capra, this goat. 

Una fragola, a strawberry. La montagna , the mountain . 

Questo 

bicchiere 

this glass. La notizia , the news . 

La mia volontà, my will. La bellezza, the beauty. 

Fortificazioni , f. entrenchment 

s. 

il tumulto, the turmoil . il suo 

66 

La freschezza , the freshness . 

successo , 

il mio pensiero , my thought. Un' impresa , an 

his success . 

undertaking 

Contento , glad. Insieme , together . 

Valorosamente , bravely. Tutto, everything . 

Quietamente , quietly . Ad onta di, in spite of. 

Che cosa ? what ? Per piacere, if you please. 

EXERCISE XVI. 

What does (128) this woman sell ? She sells (134-137), fruit 

(fruits) and flowers ; yesterday she sold me some beautiful roses, 

and some good strawberries. Who will succeed 2 him (192, 193) in 

the business ? 3 I think (I believe ) 4 his brother Edward will 

succeed him. He and his sister have left London, and are 

enjoying the beauty of the country, and the freshness of the air. 

She shudders (a) at the thought of meeting (b) (184, 198) him. Do

you believe the news (260) he told us ? (c) No, I do not believe it 

(193). It does not depend upon (d) my sister. The French fought (e) 

bravely, within the (102) entrenchments. The goats browse (f) 

quietly on the mountains in spite of the turmoil of (the) men 

(uomini). I shall never forget (g) the happy days (260) we have 

enjoyed (167) together. Everything will depend upon the success 

of the undertaking. Shall I pour you out (to pour out) (h) a glass of 

wine , Mr. John ? Yes, if you please . 

(a) Fremere. (b) Incontrare. (c) Raccontare . (d) Dipendere da. (e) 

Combattere . (f) Pascere . (g) Dimenticare . (h) Mescere a. 

257. 1 Nouns ending in e, in the singular, form their plural by 

changing the e into i ; as " il fiore ," plural " i fiori ." 

258. 2 When to succeed means to take the place of, it is 

translated by " Succedere a ; " but when it means to be 

successful , it is translated by " Riuscire ." 

259- 3 Business is translated by "Affare ," or " Affari ," when it 

means concern , affairs ; but it is translated by " Negozio ," when it 

means shop, trade. 

260. 4 In Italian the conjunction "che," that, and the relative 

pronoun " che," or " il quale," &c., that, or which cannot be 

omitted before the personal pronoun. Ex. 

Credo ch' egli sia a Vienna . 

I believe (that) he is in Vienna . 

Le notizie che ci ha recate . 

The news (that) he brought us. 

ON THE THIRD CONJUGATION IN " IRE." 50 

LESSON XI. 

MODEL OF THE THIRD CONJUGATION IN "IRE." 

"FINIRE," TO FINISH. 



Fin ire, to finish . Aver Fin ito, to have finished . 


Fin endo, 1 Fin ito-a-i-e, Avendo Fin ito, 

finishing. finished. having finished. 

67



I finish &c. I finished &c. I finished &c. 

Fin isco, Fin ivo, Fin ii, 

Fin isci, Fin ivi, Fin isti, 

Fin isce ; Fin iva ; Fin ì 1 

Fin iamo, Fin ivamo, Fin immo, 

Fin ite, Fin ivate, Fin iste, 

Fin iscono. Fin ivano. Fin irono 1 


Ho Finito, &c. Avevo Finito, &c. Ebbi Finito, &c. 

I have finished, &c. I had finished, &c. I had finished, &c. 


MOOD. 

I shall finish, &c. I should finish, &c. Finish (thou) &c. 

Fin irò, Fin irei, 1 No first person. 

Fin irai, Fin iresti, Fin i, 

Fin irà ; Fin irebbe ; 1 Fin a 

Fin iremo, Fin iremmo, Fin iamo, 

Fin irete, Fin ireste, Fin ite, 

Fin iranno. Fin irebbero. Fin ino. 

FUTURE 


ANTERIOR. 

PAST. 

Avrò Finito, &c. Avrei Finito, &c. Imperative is 

I shall have 

finished, &c. 

I should have 

finished, &c. 

68 

seldom used. 

261. 1 In poetry "finìo" is sometimes used instead of " finì," 

"finiro" instead of "finirono," " finiria," instead of "finirei" and 

"finirebbe " and "finiriano ," instead of " finirebbero ." 

ON THE THIRD CONJUGATION IN "IRE." 51 



That I may finish &c. That or if I might finish &c. 

Che io 1 fin isca, Che or se (112) io fin issi, 

Che tu fin isca, Che or se tu fin issi, 

Che egli/essa fin isca; Che or se egli/essa fin isse ; 

Che fin iamo, Che or se fin issimo, 

Che fin iate, Che or se fin iste,

Che essi/esse fin iscano. Che or se essi/esse fin issero. 


Che io abbia Finito, &c. Che or se i o avessi Finito, &c. 

That I may have finished, &c. That or if I might have finished, 

69 

&c. 

LIST OF VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE " FINIRE." 

Abbellire , to embellish . Indebolire , to weaken . 

Abolire, to abolish. Inferocire , to become 

ferocious . 

Aderire , to adhere . Inghiottire , to swallow. 

Agire , to act. Inorgoglire , to become proud. 

Apparire, to appear. Intenerire , to touch, move . 

Ardire , to dare. Invaghire , to enchant , charm . 

Arrossire , to blush. Marcire , to rot. 

Colpire , to strike . Munire , to furnish . 

Condire , to season . Patire , to suffer. 

Conferire , to confer . Profferire , to proffer. 

Differire , to differ, delay. Progredire , to progress. 

Digerire , to digest. Proibire , to prohibit. 

Eseguire , to execute . Pulire , to clean . 

Esibire, to offer. Riverire , to reverence . 

Garantire to guarantee . Sbigottire , to disconcert . 

Guarire , to cure . Schernire , to despise . 

Impallidire , to turn pale. Sparire , to disappear. 

Impaurire , to frighten . Starnutire , to sneeze . 

Impazzire , to become mad. Stupire , to astonish . 

Impedire , to hinder . Suggerire , to suggest . 

Incivilire , to civilise, 

polish. 

Svanire , to vanish . 


orphan. 

52 ON THE THIRD CONJUGATION IN "IRE." 

ON VERBS CONJUGATED LIKE "SERVIRE," TO SERVE. 

262. As already stated in rule 164, most verbs in "ire" (390 out of 

500) are conjugated regularly like " Finire." But there are a few 

(about 40) which are conjugated like " Servire ," to serve .

These differ from " Finire " in the Present Indicative, Imperative, 

and in the Present Subjunctive , as is shown in the appended 

paradigm : 

INDICATIVE IMPERATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE 

MOOD. MOOD. MOOD. 

PRESENT . --- PRESENT . 

I serve &c. Serve (thou) &c. That I may serve &c. 

Serv o, No ist per. Che io serv a, 

Serv i, Serv i, Che tu serv a, 

Serv e ; Serv a ; Che egli/essa serv a ; 

Serv iamo, Serv iamo, Che serv iamo, 

Serv ite, Serv ite, Che serv iate, 

Serv ono. Serv ano. Che essi/esse serv ano. 

THE FOLLOWING VERBS ARE CONJUGATED LIKE " SERVIRE." 

Consentire , to consent . Sentire , to hear , to feel , 

Divertire , to amuse . Soffrire , to suffer. 

Investire , to invest . Sovvertire , to subvert. 

Partire , 1 to depart. Tossire , to cough. 

Seguire , to follow. Vestire , to dress. 

REMARKS ON SOME PREFIXES USED IN ITALIAN. 

263. The prefix " dis," or simply " s," often means the undoing the 

action expressed by the verb to which it is joined, or the 

nullifying the quality expressed by the noun or adjective before 

which it is placed; as " disarmare," to disarm, " disfare ," or " 

sfare ," to undo, " disordine ," disorder, " svantaggio," disadvantage, 

" disutile ," useless . 

264. The prefix " ri " often means a repetition of the action 

expressed by the verb to which it is joined ; as " ribolire ," to boil 

again , " ridire ," to say again . 

265. The prefix " stra " means the overdoing the action expressed 

by the verb to which it is joined, or the exaggerating the quality 

expressed by the noun or adjective before which it is placed ; as " 

strafare ," to overdo, " stracuocere ," to overcook, " straccarico," 

overloaded. 

1 Partire , meaning to divide, is conjugated like " finire ." 

53 ON THE THIRD CONJUGATION IN " IRE." 

70

VOCABULARY. 

Un bosco, a wood. Una scienza a science . 

Una sorgente , a spring. La scuola, the school. 

Il mio dovere , my duty. La finestra , the window. 

il piacere , the pleasure . La mia condotta my conduct. 

L' animo , the mind. La mattina , the morning . 

L' anima , the soul. Una legge , a law. 

La Notte, the night . La fragranza , the fragrance , 

Nuovo, new. Dolce, sweet , 

Caldo, warm, Vecchio , old. 

Amaro, bitter . Freddo, cold. 

Questa fanciulla , this girl. 

Un fiume , a river (large ) 

Questa famiglia , this family . 

La sera , the evening , night . 

Severamente , severely . 

Probabilmente , probably 

EXERCISE XVII. 

They punish (a) him (192, 193) too severely. He has enriched (b) 

(the) science with 1 new discoveries. Does this boy understand (c) 

Italian ? Yes he understands it (192, 193) but he does not speak 

it. Will you have finished before to- morrow ? Probably I shall (208). 

I shall finish this exercise before (184) going to school. He always 

(181) fulfils (d) his duty. They will never betray (e) us. He will 

inform (f) my family of my conduct. Yesterday my sister was 

sewing (g) (Past Def.) from (the) morning to (the) night. The 

singing 2 of the birds, the murmuring (h) of the springs, the 

fragrance of the flowers contribute (i) to the pleasures of the 

mind. He will obey (j) the laws of this country. We shall start (k) 

for the country on (147, 74) Thursday. 

(a) Punire . 3 (b) Arricchire. 3 (c) Capire. 3 (d) Adempire. (e) 

Tradire . 3 (f) Istruire . 3 (g) Cucire. (h) Mormorare . (i) Contribuire. 

3 (j) Obbedire a. 3 (k) Partire . 

266. 1 " With," preceded by a past particle, is translated by " di," of, 

except when it means in company with, or by means of; then it is 

translated by " con." Ex. 

" Uno scettro adorno di gioie ." 

71

A sceptre adorned with jewels . 

267. 2 To translate into Italian the English expressions " the 

singing of the birds," "the murmuring of the springs," &c., the 

verb must be employed in the present of the Infinitive Mood; or 

the participle , "singing ," &c., must be changed into a noun. Ex. 

Il cantare , / il canto degli uccelli mi diletta oltremodo. 

The singing of birds delights me immensely . 

3 This verb is conjugated like " Finire ;" see page 50. 

54 ON VERBS CONJUGATED PASSIVELY. 

LESSON XII. 

ON VERBS USED PASSIVELY. 

268. A verb used passively expresses an action received by the 

subject in the sentence . The passive voice, in Italian, is formed 

by using the auxiliary " essere," followed by the past participle of 

the verb to be expressed passively. The past participle always 

agrees with the subject in the sentence . Ex. 

I suoi fratelli sono stimati . 

His brothers are esteemed . 

"STIMARE ," TO ESTEEM . CONJUGATED PASSIVELY. 



Essere stimato -a Essere stato stimato 

To be esteemed To have been esteemed 

GERUND. PAST 

PARTICIPLE. 

PAST GERUND. 

Essendo stimato-a-i- Stimato-a-i-e, Essendo stato 

e, 

72 

stimato 

being esteemed esteemed. having been 


esteemed. 


I am esteemed &c. I was esteemed &c. I was esteemed &c. 

Sono Stimato-a , Ero Stimato-a , Fui Stimato-a , 

Sei Stimato-a , Eri Stimato-a , Fosti Stimato-a , 

È Stimato-a ; Era Stimato-a ; Fu Stimato-a ; 

Siamo Stimato-e , Eravamo Stimato-e , Fummo Stimato-e ,

Siete Stimato-a-i-e , Eravate Foste Stimato-a-i-e , 

Sono Stimati-e . Erano Stimati-e . Furono Stimati-e 


Sono stato stimato, Ero stato stimato, Fui stato stimato, 

&c. 

I have been 

esteemed, &c. 

&c. 

I had been 

esteemed, &c. 

73 

&c. 

I had been 

esteemed, &c. 

FUTURE. CONDITIONAL. 

I shall be esteemed, &c. I should be esteemed, &c. 

Sarò Stimato-a , Sarei Stimato-a , 1 

Sarai Stimato-a , Saresti Stimato-a , 

Sarà Stimato-a ; Sarebbe Stimato-a ; 

Saremo Stimati-e , Saremmo Stimati-e , 

Sarete Stimato-a-i-e , Sareste Stimato-a-i-e , 

Saranno Stimati-e . Sarebbero Stimati-e . 

FUTURE ANTERIOR. CONDITIONAL PAST. 

Sarò stato stimato, &c. Sarei stato stimato, &c. 

I shall have been esteemed, &c. I should have been esteemed, 


gate . 

&c. 

ON VERBS CONJUGATED PASSIVELY. 55 

IMPERATIVE MOOD 

SINGULAR PLURAL 

No first person Siamo stimati -e 

Sii Stimato-a be (thou) esteemed, 

&c. 

Siate stimato -a-i-e 

Sii Stimato -a Siano stimati -e 



That I may be esteemed &c. That I might be esteemed &c. 

Che io sia stimato-a , Che or se(112) io fossi stimato-a , 

Che tu sia stimato-a , Che or se tu fossi stimato-a , 

Che egli/essa sia stimato-a 

; 

Che or se egli/essa fosse stimato-a 

Che siamo stimati-e , Che or se fossimo stimati-e , 

Che siate stimato-a-i-e , Che or se foste stimato-a-i-e , 

; 

Che essi/esse siano Che or se essi/esse fossero

stimati-e . stimati-e . 


Che io sia stato stimato, 

&c. 

That I may have been 

esteemed, &c. 

VOCABULARY 

Che or se i o fossi stato stimato, &c. 

That I might have been esteemed, 

&c. 

Il re, the king Una battaglia, a battle 

La regina , the queen Un ballo, a ball (party) 

Un principe , a prince Un invito , an invitation 

Tutti , tutte, all, everybody Parecchi -e, several , many 

EXERCISE XVIII. 

She is loved (a) 1 and esteemed (b) by 2 everybody. The city of 

Rome has been sacked (c) several times. Have you (122) been 

invited (d) to the ball ? No, but I expect (e) an invitation. His son 

and his brother were wounded (f) (Past Definite, passive form ) in 

the battle . Margaret would have been blamed by my mother, if 

(112) she had spoken. Will these ladies be presented (g) (269) to 

the Queen by the Prince ? I believe they will. 3 We should be 

despised (h) if we abandoned him (192, 193) in this danger. 

(a) Amare . (b) Stimare. (c) Saccheggiare . (d) Invitare. (e) 

Aspettare . (f) Ferire . (g) Presentare . (h) Disprezzare . 

269. 1 The past participle of verbs used passively is variable . Ex. 

" Ella è amata . " 

She is loved. 

270. 2 The preposition by, preceded by a past participle, is 

translated into " da," in Italian . Ex. " 

Egli è ammirato da tutti." 

He is admired by everybody. 

271. 3 The English expressions I believe he is , I believe they are, 

I think so, are elegantly translated into Italian by " Credo di si." 

And I believe they are not, I do not think so, are translated by " 

Credo di no." 

ON NEUTER VERBS. 56 

LESSON XIII. 

ON NEUTER VERBS. 

74

272. A neuter verb, properly speaking, is a verb which is neither 

active nor passive ; in that case " essere," to be, is the only real 

neuter verb ; but any active verb which can be used without any 

object (direct or indirect ) is, in Italian , called a neuter verb. Ex. 

Abbiamo riso. 1 

We laughed. 

THE NEUTER VERB " NUOTARE," TO SWIM . 



Nuotare , to swim . Aver 2 nuotato, to have swum. 


Nuotando, 1 Nuotato Avendo nuotato, 

swimming . swum. having swum. 



I swim &c. I swam &c. I swam &c. 

Nuoto, Nuotavo, 5 Nuotai , 

Nuoti, Nuotavi , Nuotasti , 

Nuota ; Nuotava ; Nuotò ; 

Nuotiamo , Nuotavamo , Nuotammo , 

Nuotate , Nuotavate , Nuotaste , 

Nuotano. Nuotavano. Nuotarono 6 

PAST INDEFINITE. PLUPERFECT . PAST ANTERIOR. 

Ho nuotato, &c. Avevo nuotato, &c. Ebbi nuotato, &c. 

I have swum, &c. I had swum, &c. I had swum, &c. 

273. 1 Notice that the past participle of neuter verbs, conjugated 

with " avere ," always remains invariable . 

2 The Present Participle is "nuotante ." 

3 Or " nuotava ; " see rule 108. 

ON NEUTER VERBS. 57 

IMPERATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 

MOOD. PRESENT . IMPERFECT . 

Swim (thou) &c. That I may swim &c. That I might swim &c. 

No first person. Che io nuoti, Che or se io nuotassi, 

Nuota, Che tu nuoti, Che or se tu nuotassi, 

Nuoti ; Che egli/essa nuoti; Che or se egli/essa nuotasse 

75 

;

Nuotiamo, Che nuotiamo, Che or se nuotassimo, 

Nuotate, Che nuotiate, Che or se nuotaste, 

Nuotino. Che essi/esse 

nuotino. 

76 

Che or se essi/esse 

nuotassero. 


Che io abbia nuotato, &c. Che or se i o avessi nuotato, &c. 

That I may have swum, &c. That I might have swum, &c. 

274. There are about 600 neuter verbs in the Italian language , 

upwards of 550 of which require " Avere " for auxiliary . Ex. 

Abbiamo dormito fino alle nove. 

We slept till nine o'clock. 

For the auxiliaries used with the other 50 see rules 275, and 276. 

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL NEUTER VERBS WHICH ARE 

CONJUGATED WITH " AVERE." 

Camminare , to walk Regnare , to reign 

Dormire , to sleep Ridere , to laugh 

Gridare , to cry Sbadigliare , to yawn 

Passeggiare , to take a walk Tacere , to be silent 

Piangere , to weep Tossire , to cough 

Pranzare , to dine Viaggiare , to travel 

275. The following eighteen neuter verbs require " essere " for 

auxiliary , because they indicate a state , rather than an action 

Andare, to go Partire , to depart 

Apparire, to appear Perire , to perish 

Arrivare , to arrive Pervenire , to arrive at 

Cadere , to fall Restare , to remain , 

Divenire , to become Rimanere,to remain , 

Entrare, to enter Sorgere , to rise 

Giungere , to arrive Sortire , to go out 

Morire , to die Uscire , to go out 

Nascere , to be born Venire , to come 

EXAMPLES . 

Sono andati alla campagna . 

They have gone into the country. 

Sono divenute ricchissime . 

They have become very rich .

1? Notice that o preceded by u has always the broad sound of the o 

in the word orphan. 

58 ON NEUTER VERBS. 

276. There are 32 neuter verbs, like " Salire," to ascend, " 

Scendere ," to descend, " Fuggire," to escape, " Passare ," to pass, 

which require either " avere," or " essere " as auxiliary ; " avere " 

when an action is expressed, " essere," when a state is denoted. 

Ex. 

Abbiamo salito il monte . 

We ascended the mountain . 

Andrea è salito sulla torre. 

Andrew is on the tower. 

La cattiva stagione è passata. 

The bad season is passed. 

VOCABULARY. 

Il tempo, the weather . 

La sua bontà, (69) his kindness . Una prigione , a prison, 

Questo ponte, this bridge, Questo parco, this park, 

Una pecora, a sheep . La stagione , the season . 

La primavera , Spring. L' estate , (f.), Summer. 

L' autunno, Autumn . L' inverno , Winter . 

Questa instituzione , this institution . 

Su, sopra, upon, over. Molti, many 

Molto, much, very . Molte, many 

Qualcosa, something Abbastanza, enough 

EXERCISE XIX. 

We have travelled (a) (274, 273) much. I have passed (276) over 

the bridge with my brother. It was a beautiful sight in the park , 

the sheep were browsing, (b) (179) the goats were skipping about, 

(c) the birds were warbling, (d) and the children were playing (e). 

This institution has been established (f) 1 these five years. Has 

your sister arrived ? (275). Yes, she has (208). He escaped (180, 

276) from his prison by 2 jumping (g) from a window. He slept 

(274) whilst we were working (Past Indef.). We lived (h) (180) three 

years in America, and received much kindness from the 

Americans . Do not (126, 122) travel this winter . 

(a) Viaggiare. (b) Pascere. (c) Saltellare. (d) Cantare. (e) Giuocare . 

(f) Stabilire . (g) Saltare . (h) Dimorare . 

77

277. 1 When the verb expresses an action (or a state ) which has 

lasted for some time past, and is still lasting, it must be put in 

the Present Indicative in one of the two following ways : 

Dimoro in questa casa da cinque anni, or | I have been living in 

this Sono cinque anni che dimoro in questa casa. | house these 

five years . 

278. 2 The Italian Gerund is never preceded by any preposition ; 

instead of the Gerund the present of the Infinitive , with a 

preposition , may be used. Ex. 

Saltando., / col saltare da una finestra . 

By jumping from a window. 

59 ON THE REFLECTIVE AND RECIPROCAL VERBS. 

LESSON XIV. 

ON THE REFLECTIVE AND RECIPROCAL VERBS. 

279. A reflective verb is a verb the action of which reacts upon its 

subject, and a reciprocal verb is a verb the action of which is 

reciprocated between two, or several persons, or things . 

280. The compound tenses of reflective and reciprocal verbs are 

formed with the auxiliary " Essere ." Ex. 

Francesco si è vestito . 

Francis has dressed himself . 

THE VERB " LODARSI," TO PRAISE ONES-SELF . 



Lodarsi, Essersi Lodato, 

to praise one's self. to have praised one's self. 


Lodandosi, Lodatosi Essendosi Lodato, 

praising one's self. having praised 


himself . 

78 

having praised one's 

self. 


I praise myself &c. I praised myself &c. I praised myself &c. 

mi lodo, mi lodavo, 1 mi lodai, 

ti lodi, ti lodavi, ti lodasti, 

si loda ; si lodava ; si lodò ; 

ci lodiamo, ci lodavamo, ci lodammo, 

vi lodate, vi lodavate, vi lodaste,

si lodano. si lodavano. si lodarono 6 


mi sono lodato, &c. mi ero lodato, &c. mi fui lodato, &c. 

I have praised 

myself , &c. 

I had praised myself 

, &c. 

79 

I had praised myself 

, &c. 


MOOD. 

I shall praise myself, I should praise Praise thyself &c. 

&c. 

myself, &c. 

mi loderò, mi loderei, no first person. 

ti loderai, ti loderesti, lodati, 

si loderà ; si loderebbe ; si lodi ; 

ci loderemo, ci loderemmo, lodiamoci, 

vi loderete, vi lodereste, lodatevi, 

si loderanno. si loderebbero. si lodino. 

FUTURE 


ANTERIOR. 

PAST. 

mi sarà lodato, &c. mi sarei lodato, &c. imperative is 

I shall have bought, 

&c. 

1 Or " lodava;" see rule 108. 

I should have 

bought, &c. 

seldom used. 

60 ON THE REFLECTIVE AND RECIPROCAL VERBS. 



That I may praise myself 

&c. 

That I might praise myself &c. 

che io mi lodi, che or se io mi lodassi, 

che tu ti lodi, che or se tu ti lodassi, 

che egli/essa si lodi; che or se egli/essa si lodasse ; 

che ci lodiamo, che or se ci lodassimo, 

che vi lodiate, che or se vi lodaste, 

che essi/esse si lodino. che or se essi/esse si lodassero. 


che io mi sia lodato, &c. che or se i o mi fossi lodato, &c. 

That I may have praised myself, 

&c. 

That I might have praised 

myself, &c.

281. Notice that " lodarsi " might mean to praise one's-self, or to 

praise one another ; hence many verbs may be used, in the 

plural, either reflectively or reciprocally . 

VOCABULARY. 

L'assemblea , the assembly . A mia spesa, at my expense . 

Il preparative , the preparation . L' elezione , the election . 

Lo spirito, wit, the mind. Il sapere , learning . 

L'imprudenza , imprudence . Un bastimento , a ship 

vascello , una nave , a ship Una barca, a bark, 

Questa canzone , this song, La chitarra , the guitar . 

Ogni, every , each . Alle sei, at six o'clock. 

A mezzogiorno , at noon. 

EXERCISE XX. 

I presented myself (a) to the (103) assembly. He was arming 

himself (b) for the battle . Elizabeth praises herself too much. 

These two men always praise one another (281). The king 

surrounded himself (c) (Past Def.) with (266) soldiers. She sang 

two Spanish (177, 74) songs, accompanying herself (d) with the 

guitar. Are the children dressing themselves ? (e) (244). No, they 

are not (208). When I entered (183) the room , they were busying 

themselves (f) with the preparations for the election. He has (280) 

enriched himself (g) at my expense . They praise themselves too 

much. 

(a) Presentarsi. (b) Armarsi. (c) Circondarsi. (d) Accom- pagnarsi . 

(e) Vestirsi .1 (f) Affaccendarsi . (g) Arricchirsi .2 

1 This verb is conjugated like " Servire ; " see page 52. 

2 This verb is conjugated like " Finire ; " see page 50. 

ON THE REFLECTIVE AND RECIPROCAL VERBS. 61 

282. The Following Verbs, And A Few More, Are Reflective In 

Italian And Not Reflective In English . 

Accorgersi 

di/che, 1 

Avvedersi 

di/che, 1 

to perceive . Dimenticarsi , to forget, 

to perceive . Scordarsi di, to forget, 

Dolersi di, 1 to grieve at. Fidarsi di, to trust. 

Addormentarsi 

, 

to fall asleep . imbarcarsi , to embark . 

Affrettarsi di, to hasten, Impadronirsi to seize. 

80

81 

di, 2 

Sbrigarsi, to hasten, Spicciarsi, to make haste. 

Infastidirsi di, 

2 

Ingegnarsi, to get weary, to endeavour. 

Alzarsi, to rise. Ingerirsi di, to meddle with. 

Levarsi, to rise. Innamorarsi 

Ammogliarsi, a man to 

marry (a 

woman). 

Maritarsi, a woman to 

marry (a man). 

di, 

Annoiarsi, to get tired. Maravigliarsi 

Appoggiarsi a, to lean 

Approssimarsi 

a, 

against. 

to fall in love 

with. 

Lagnarsi di, to complain of. 

Lamentarsi di, to complain of. 

di, 

to wonder at. 

Offendersi di, to take offence 

at. 

to approach. Opporsi a, 1 to oppose. 

Accostarsi a, to approach. Pascersi di, to feed upon. 

Avvicinarsi a, to approach. Pentirsi di, 2 to repent. 

Arrendersi, to surrender. Querelarsi, |to complain. 

Astenersi, 1 to abstain. |to dispute. 

Attristarsi di, to get sad at. Rallegrarsi di, to rejoice at. 

Avanzarsi, to advance. Rammentarsi 

Avvezzarsi a, to get 

accustomed. 

di, 

to recollect. 

Ricordarsi di, to remember. 

Avviarsi, to set out. Riposarsi a, to rest. 

Bagnarsi, to bathe, to get 

Compiacersi 

di, 1 

Congratularsi 

di, 

wet. 

to take 

pleasure in. 

to congratulate 

upon. 

Contentarsi di, to be satisfied 

with. 

Rompersi, 1 to get broken. 

Sbagliarsi, to mistake. 

Sentirsi bene. 

3 

Sentirsi male, 

3 

to feel well. 

to feel unwell. 

Crucciarsi di, | Svegliarsi, to awake. 

Adirarsi di, |to get angry Vantarsi di, to boast of. 

Arrabbiarsi di, |with. Vestirsi, 3 to dress. 

Dilettarsi di, to delight in, 

with. 

Vergognarsi di, to be ashamed 

of.

EXERCISE XXI. 

I rise every morning at six o'clock. Do you remember Charles' 

birthday ? Yes, I do (208). They embarked (Past Def.) in an English 

ship. I shall remember to bring my mother's umbrella. He has not 

repented of his imprudence. Children, make haste, we shall start 

(partire) at noon. She does not feel well to-day. 

1 This is an irregular verb ; its irregular forms will be given 

farther on. 

2 This verb is conjugated like " Finire ; " see page 50. 

3 This verb is conjugated like " Servire ; " see page 52. 

62 ON IMPERSONAL VERBS. 

LESSON XV. 

IMPERSONAL VERBS. 

283. In Italian, Impersonal Verbs, like " Bastare ," to suffice, are 

used in the third person, both in the singular and plural, and 

their compound tenses are formed with " Essere ." Ex. 

Questo denaro basta. 

This money suffices . 

Questi libri basteranno . 

These books will suffice . 

THE IMPERSONAL VERB "BASTARE," TO SUFFICE . 



Bastare , to suffice . Essere bastato, to have sufficed. 


Bastando, 1 

sufficing . 


Bastato, sufficed. Essendo bastato, 

82 

having sufficed. 


Basta, it 2 suffices ; Bastava, it sufficed ; Bastò, it sufficed ; 

Bastano, they 

suffice . 

Bastavano, they 

sufficed. 

Bastarono, they 

sufficed.

PAST INDEFINITE. PLUPERFECT . 

È bastato, Sono bastati, Era bastato, Erano bastati, 

It has sufficed. They have 

sufficed. 

83 

It had sufficed. They had 

sufficed. 

FUTURE. CONDITIONAL PRESENT . 

Basterà , it will suffice ; Basterebbe , it would suffice ; 

Basteranno , they will suffice . Basterebbero, they would 

suffice . 

FUTURE ANTERIOR. CONDITIONAL PAST. 

Sarà bastato, Sarebbe bastato, 

It will have sufficed. It would have sufficed. 

Saranno bastati, Sarebbero bastati, 

They will have sufficed. They would have sufficed. 



Che basti, Che bastasse , that it might suffice ; 

That it may suffice . Che bastassero, that they might 

Che bastino, Se 

bastasse , 

suffice 

if it sufficed ; 

That they may suffice . Se bastassero , if they sufficed. 

PAST. PLUPERFECT . 

Che sia bastato, Che fosse bastato, that it might have 

That it may have 

sufficed. 

sufficed 

Che fossero bastati, that they might have 

sufficed; 

Che siano bastati, Se fosse bastato, if it had sufficed ; 

That they may have 

sufficed. 

Se fossero bastati, if they had sufficed. 

1 The Present Participle of " bastare " is " bastante ," plural " 

bastanti ." 

284. 2 The pronoun it is not translated into Italian . 

ON IMPERSONAL VERBS. 63

285. The following Impersonal Verbs are of the first regular 

conjugation, like " bastare ." Arrivare , to happen. Capitare , to 

happen. Bisognare , to be necessary . Sembrare , to seem . 

286. The following Impersonal Verbs are of the second and third 

conjugation , and irregular : 

Accadere , 1 |to happen. Occorrere ,4 |to happen, to want. 

Avvenire , 2 | |to be needful . 

Convenire , 3 to. be useful . |Parere ,5 to appear. 

EXAMPLES . 

Ciò accade sovente . 

That often happens. 

Accadono strane cose. 

Strange things happen. 

287. The Impersonal Verbs given above (used in the third person 

singular) govern a verb in the Present of the Infinitive to express 

an action which does not refer to any person in particular ; but 

they govern a verb in the Subjunctive Mood (Present or Imperfect) 

preceded by the conjunction " che," that, when the action 

expressed by the verb has reference to some person or persons. 

Ex. 

Bisogna parlare . 

It is necessary to speak . 

Bisogna che io parli. 

It is necessary that I should speak . 

288. The Impersonal Verbs given in the above rules, 285 and 286, 

are very often used with the conjunctive personal pronouns " mi," 

to me, " ti," to thee , " gli," to him, &c., as shown in the paradigm 

appended to this rule , and are followed either by a noun, or a verb 

in the Present of the Infinitive . 

|Mi accade it happens to me. 

|Ti accade " thee . 

INDICATIVE |Gli accade " him. 

MOOD. |Le accade " her, to it, 

PRESENT . |Ci accade " us. 

|Vi accade " you. 

84 

" or to you (sing .) 

|Accade (a) loro " them , 

" or to you (plur.)

EXAMPLES . 

Mi accade sovente d' incontrarlo . 

It often happens that I meet him. 

Che cosa le occorre , Signora ? 

What do you want, Madam ? 

Mi occorrono dei guanti . 

I want some gloves. 

1 The Past Def. is " accadde." Fut. " accadrà." Cond. " accadrebbe." 

2 The Past Part, is " avvenuto." Pres. Ind. " avviene." Past Def. " 

avvenne." Fut. " avverrà." Cond. " avverrebbe ." Pres. Subj. " che 

avvenga ." 

3 Past Part, is " convenuto." Pres. Ind. " conviene. " Past Def. " 

convenne ." Fut. " converrà." Cond. " converebbe." Pres. Subj. " che 

convenga ." 

4 The Past Part, is "occorso." Past Def. " occorse ." 

5 The Past Part, is " parso." Past Def. "parse " or "parve ." Fut. " 

parrà." Cond. "parrebbe." Pres . Subj. "che paia." 

64 ON IMPERSONAL VERBS. 

289. The following Impersonal Verbs of the three conjugations, 

mostly irregular, are also very often used with the conjunctive 

personal pronouns " mi," to me, " ti," to thee , " gli," to him, &c., 

and are followed either by a noun or by a verb in the Present of 

the Infinitive : 

Abbisognare, to be in want of. Piacere , 3 to please , to like . 

Tardare , to long for. Dispiacere ,4 to displease . 

Calere ,1 to care about. Premere , to have at heart . 

Dolere ,2 to ache . Rincrescere ,5 to be sorry for. 

EXAMPLES . 

Mi abbisognano dei libri. 

I am in want of books. 

Gli tarda di veder l' Italia . 

He longs to see Italy. 

Mi preme la sua salute . 

I am anxious about your health . 

Le rincresce di partire . 

85

She is sorry to go away. 

VOCABULARY. 

Una tragedia , a tragedy. Un romanzo, a novel . 

Una commedia , a comedy. il suo motivo, his motive . 

Sapiente , wise . Correttamente , correctly . 

Prudentemente , prudently. Quanto ? quanta ? how much ? 

Quanti ? quante ? how many ? Non ancora, not yet. 

EXERCISE XXII. 

I must (a) (287) sell (b) my horse before Saturday. What (che cosa, 

mas.) do you (122, 193) want (c) ? I want some Italian books. How 

many do you want (of them) ? (240). I want three (of them) ; 

Alfieri's tragedies, Goldoni's comedies, and a good Italian novel. It 

is not necessary (c) to be very wise to (225) guess (d) his motive . 

How do you like (e) (289) this palace ? I do not like it much. It is 

not enough (f) to speak correctly, it is also necessary (a) to speak 

prudently. It appears (g) that you have not attended (h) to the 

business (259). No, not yet. I have at heart (i) your success . 

(a) Bisognare . (b) Vendere. (c) Occorrere . (d) Indovinare. (e) 

Piacere . (f) Bastare . (g) Parere . (h) Accudire a. (i) Premere . 

1 The Past Def. is " mi calse ." Pres . Subj. " che mi caglia ." 

2 The Pres. Ind. is "mi duole ." Past Def. "mi dolse ." Fut. "mi 

dorrà." Cond. " mi dorrebbe." Pres . Subj. " che mi doglia." 

3 The Past Part, is "piaciuto." Past Def. "piacque." Pres. Subj. "che 

piaccia . " 

4 The Past Part, is "dispiaciuto." Past Def. " dispiacque ." Pres, 

Subj. "che dispiaccia ." 

5 The Past Part, is " rincresciuto." Past Def. "rincrebbe." Pres. 

Subj. "che mi rincresca ." 

ON IMPERSONAL VERBS. 65 

LESSON XVI. 

IMPERSONAL VERBS EXPRESSIVE OF THE STATE OF THE 

WEATHER 

290. The following Impersonal Verbs expressive of the state of the 

weather are used only in the third person singular, and their 

compound tenses are formed either with " Essere " or " Avere ." 

Piovigginare , to drizzle. Tuonare , to thunder. 

Nevicare , to snow. Balenare , to lighten 

86

Grandinare , to hail . Lampeggiare | 

Gelare , to freeze . Albeggiare , to dawn. 

Digelare , to thaw. Annottare , to grow dark. 

291. The only verb of this class of the second conjugation is " 

Piovere," to rain, and it is irregular only in the Past Definite, 

which is "piovve ," it rained . 

EXAMPLES . 

Pioviggina , it drizzles. Nevicava , it snowed. 

Grandina , it hails . È tuonato, it has thundered . 

Digelerà , it will thaw. Se piovesse , if it rained . 

VOCABULARY. 

La pioggia, the rain , il lampo, the lightning . 

La neve , the snow, il baleno, the lightning . 

il ghiaccio , the ice. il pattino, the skate , 

La grandine , the hail , il lago, the lake , 

La nebbia, the fog. il contadino, the peasant . 

Straordinario , extraordinary , Terribilmente , awfully, 

Durante , during. Niente , nothing , 

Ecco tutto, that is all. Non è vero ? is it not so ? 

EXERCISE XXIII. 

Does it (284) rain now? No, it does not (208). It has been raining 

during the night. The wind blows (a). In my country it never (181) 

snows. The thunder re-echoed (b) awfully. The lake is frozen. The 

peasants will sell the ice in the town. If (112) I had skates I would 

skate (c). It is getting dark , we must (285, 288) return to the 

castle. What (che cosa, mas.) has happened (d) ? Nothing (of) 

extraordinary ; it snows, that is all. Has anything (qualche cosa, 

mas.) happened (d) to George ? Nothing ; he is in the garden 

playing 1 with William . 

(a) Soffiare . (b) Rimbombare . (c) Pattinare . (d) Accadere . 

292. 1 When the present participles speaking, playing, &c., are 

used separately from their auxiliary, I am, He is, He was, I shall 

be, &c., they are translated by the simple tenses (" parlo," " 

giuocava ," &c.) preceded by the conjunction " che." Ex. 

Luigi è nel suo studio che lavora. 

Louis is in his studio working . 

66 ON THE IRREGULAR VERBS. 

87

LESSON XVII. 

ON THE IRREGULAR VERBS. 

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ALL THE IMPORTANT IRREGULAR, 

AND DEFECTIVE VERBS USED IN THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE. 

293. The student is strongly advised to learn by heart, first of all, 

the verbs which in the following list are preceded by two asterisks 

( ** ) ; this will enable him to write easily the exercises on the 

irregular verbs. Afterwards he should learn those preceded by one 

asterisk (*) ; leaving those not marked to the last. 

294. Only the irregular forms of the verbs are given. The rest of 

the verbs is conjugated according to the regular paradigms ; those 

ending in " are " are conjugated like " Comprare " (see page 29); 

those ending in "ere" are conjugated like "Credere" 1 (see page 

46) ; and those ending in " ire " are conjugated either like " 

Finire " (see page 50) or like " Servire " (see page 52), as will be 

stated in the foot-notes . 

A 

** Accendere , to light . Past Part, acceso . 

PAST DEFINITE. 2 

Accesi Accend emmo 

Accend esti 3 Accend este 

Accese ;4 . Accesero 

Accadere , to happen (Imper. 286). Past Def. accadde, &c. Fut. 

accadrà, &c. 5 

Accingersi , to prepare one's-self. Past Part, accinto si (200). Past 

Def. mi accinsi , &c. 5 

Accludere , to enclose . Past Part, accluso. Past Def. acclusi , &c. 



VERY IMPORTANT NOTE. 

295. 2 It is most important to notice that most of the Italian 

irregular verbs are, like "accendere," irregular only in the Past 

Participle, and in the Past Definite, and that of the six persons in 

a Past Definite, only three can be irregular : the first person 

singular, which always ends in i, the third person singular, 

which always ends in e, and the third person plural, which always 

ends in era ; so that, one of the three persons being known, the 

others are known, as a matter of course . 

88


gate . 

296.4 Notice that the third person singular of an irregular Past 

Definite is never accented . 

5 The compound tenses of this verb are formed with " Essere ." 

ON THE IRREGULAR VERBS. 67 

** Accogliere (bene ), to receive (kindly). Past Part. accolto. Pres. 

Ind. accolgo, accogli, accoglie ; accogliamo, accogliete, accolgono. 

Past Def. accolsi , accogliesti, accolse ; accogliemmo, accoglieste, 

accolsero. Imperative, accogli, accolga ; accogliamo, accogliete, 

accolgano. Pres . Subj. che io accolga, &c. 

Accorgersi, to perceive. Past Part, accortosi . Past Def. mi accorsi, 

&c.1 

Accorrere , to run to. Past Part, accorso. Past Def. accorsi , &c. 1 

Accrescere, to augment. Past Part, accresciuto. Past Def. 

accrebbi, &c. 

**: Addurre , to bring forth, to allege , is contracted from " 

Adducere ," and is, therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. Adducendo. 

Pres. Ind. adduco, adduci , adduce ; adduciamo, adducete, 

adducono. Imp. Ind. adducevo, &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, addotto. Past Def. addussi , 

adducesti, 2 addusse , &c. Fut. addurrò (69), addurrai , addurrà ; 

addurremo, addurrete, addurranno. Cond. addurrei, addurresti , 

addurrebbe ; addurremmo, addurreste , addurrebbero.3 

** Adempire (or adempiere ), to perform, to fulfil. Pres. Ind. 

adempio, adempi, adempie, &c. Imperative, adempi, adempia, &c. 

Pres . Subj. che io adempia , &c. 

VOCABULARY. 

La serva , the woman-servant Una ragione , a reason 

La lampada, the lamp Una scusa, an excuse 

Raramente , seldom Però, but still, however 

EXERCISE XXIV. 

Where is the servant ? She is in the parlour lighting (292) the 

fire. Yesterday morning I lit my (131) lamp at six o'clock. Your 

uncle received me well (Past Def.). What (che) reason did he 

allege ? (has he alleged ?) He did not allege any reason. He 

seldom fulfils his duty. But still he will adduce good excuses . 

89


2 Notice that the regular forms of the Past Definite (295), namely, 

the second person singular, and the first and second persons 

plural, are derived from the root (165) of the Present Infinitive in 

its full form, " Adduc ere." 

3 Notice that the Conditional always follows the Future in its 

irregularities . 


** Affliggere , to afflict . Past Part, afflitto. Past Def. afflissi , &c. 

** Aggiungere , to add. Past Part, aggiunto . Past Def. aggiunsi , &c., 

** Alludere , to allude. Past Part, alluso.1 Past Def. allusi , &c. 

Ammettere , to admit. Past Part, ammesso . Past Def. ammisi , &c. 

** Andare, to go. Ger. andando. Pres. Ind. vado, or vo, vai, va ; 

andiamo, andate, vanno. Fut. anderò (or andrò), &c. Imperative, 

va, vada ; andiamo , andate, vadano. Pres . Subj. che io vada, &c. 

Anteporre, to prefer, is contracted from " Anteponere." See " 

Porre." 

Apparire,3 to appear. Past Part, apparso. Past Def. apparvi (or 

apparii), &c. 2 

** Appartenere, to belong. Pres. Ind. appartengo, appartieni , 

appartiene ; apparteniamo, appartenete, appartengono. Past Def. 

appartenni, &c. Fut. apparterrò, &c. Cond. apparterrei, &c. 4 

Imperative, appartieni , appartenga, &c. Pres. Subj. che io 

appartenga, &c. 

Appendere, to hang up. Past Part, appeso. Past Def. appesi, &c. 

Apprendere , 5 to learn . Past. Part, appreso. Past Def. appresi, &c. 

** Aprire , 6 to open. Past. Part, aperto. 

Ardere , to burn. Past. Part. arso. Past Def. arsi , &c. 

Arrendersi, to surrender. Past. Part, arreso. Past. Def. mi arresi, 

&c. 

Arridere , to smile . Past. Part, arriso . Past. Def. arrisi , &c. 

*Ascendere , to ascend. Past. Part, asceso . Past. Def. ascesi , &c.. 

Ascondere , to hide . Past Part, ascoso. Past Def. Ascosì, &c. 

Ascrivere , to ascribe . Past Part, ascritto . Past Def. ascrissi , &c. 

90

*Assalire, to assail, to assault. Pres. Ind. assalgo, assali, assale ; 

assagliamo, assalite , assalgono. Past. Def. assalsi (or assalii), &c. 

Imperative, assali, assalga, assagliamo, &c. Pres. Subj. che io 

assalga , &c. 

*Assistere , to assist . Past Part, assistito . 

Assolvere , to absolve. Past Part, assolto (or assoluto). 

Assorbere (or assorbire ), to absorb. Past Part, assorto. 

1 An s, dotted thus s, has the soft sound of the s in the word rose. 


3 In the regular forms it is conjugated like " Finire . " 

4 Notice that the Conditional always follows the Future in its 

irregularities . 

297. 5 Apprendere means to learn (a fact) ; to learn (a lesson, a 

language ) is translated by " Imparare ." 

6 In the regular forms it is conjugated like " Servire ." 


Assumere , to assume . Past Part, assunto. Past Def, assunsi , &c. 

Astenersi , to abstain . See " Tenere ." 

Attorcere , to twist. Past Part, attorto. Past Def. attorsi, &c. 

*Attrarre , to attract, is contracted from " Attraere." Ger. 

Attraendo. Past Part, attratto. Pres. Ind. attraggo, attrai, attrae ; 

attraiamo (or attraggiamo), attraete, attraggono. Imp. Ind. 

attraevo, &c. Past Def. attrassi , attraesti , &c. Fut. attrarrò, &c. 

Cond. attrarrei, &c. Imperative, attrai, attragga ; attraiamo, 

attraete , attraggano . Imp. Subj. che i o attraessi , &c. 

Avvedersi, to perceive. Past Part, avvedutosi. Past Def. mi avvidi , 

&c. 

Avvenire , to happen (Imper . 286). Past Def. mi avvenne , &c. [sic] 

Avvincere , to bind. Past Part, avvinto . Past Def. avvinsi , &c. 

Avvolgere , to wrap round. Past Part. avvolto. Past Def. avvolsi, &c. 

B 

Benedire, to bless, is contracted from " Benedicere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. benedicendo. Pres. Ind. 

benedico , benedici , &c. 

91

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, benedetto. Past Def. benedissi, 

&c. 

VOCABULARY. 

Un cavallo, a horse Questo gatto, this cat 

Il mio cane , my dog L' anno passato, last year 

Fino, until Fino a, as far as 

Verso, towards 

EXERCISE XXV. 

Where are you (122) going (179) ? I am going to Paris. Do not (126, 

122) go now; wait until the autumn and we will go ( there) (239) 

together. We went there last year. If (112) you went there (239) 

now you would meet my father-in-law. This dog belongs to my 

brother-in-law. The door is open (269). They pride themselves on 

1 their wit, and (on their ) learning . 

298. 1 The preposition on (" su," " sopra,") is never translated 

literally in Italian except when it is taken in a literal sense ; as, " 

Sulla tavola." On the table . As explained in rule 147, before a 

name of time on is not translated at all. Sometimes, however, on 

is translated into Italian by another preposition . Ex. 

S' inorgogliscono del loro spirito. 

They pride themselves on their wit. 

Parlai in quell' occasione . 

I spoke on that occasion . 

A condizione ch' ella canti . 

On condition that you sing . 

Parlò di un affare d' importanza . 

He spoke on a matter of importance . 


** Bere , to drink , is contracted from " Bevere," and is, therefore, 

conjugated thus: Ger. bevendo. Pres . Ind. bevo, &c. 

Its irregular forms are: Past Def. bevvi , &c. Fut. berrò, &c. 

C 

** Cadere , to fall. Past Def. caddi, &c. Fut cadrò, &c. 1 

Calere, to care for ( Imper. 289) is only used in the following 

tenses : Pres. Ind. mi cale , &c. Imp. Ind. mi caleva, &c. Past Def. 

mi calse, &c. Pres. Subj. che mi caglia, &c. Imp. Subj. che mi 

calesse , &c. 

92

** Chiedere, to ask. Past Part, chiesto. Pres. Ind. chiedo (or 

chieggo), chiedi , &c. Past Def. chiesi, &c. Imperative, chiedi , 

chieda (or chiegga ), &c. Pres . Subj. che i o chieda (or chiegga ), &c. 

** Chiudere, to shut, to shut up. Past Part, chiuso. Past Def. 

chiusi , &c. 

Cingere , to gird. Past Part, cinto. Past Def. cinsi , &c. 

Cingersi , to prepare one's -self. Conjugated like "Cingere ." 

** Cogliere (contracted into " Corre "), to gather. Past Part. Colto. 

Pres. Ind. colgo, Cogli, Coglie; Cogliamo, Cogliete, colgono. Past 

Def. Colsi, &c. Fut. Coglierò (or corrò), &c. Imperative, cogli, colga 

; Cogliamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che io Colga, &c. 

*Commettere, to commit. Past Part, commesso. Past Def. 

commisi , &c. 

Commuovere, 2 to affect, to move . Past Part, commosso. Pret. Ind. 

commossi , &c. 

Comparire , 3 to appear suddenly. Past Part, comparso. Past Def. 

comparvi , &c. 1 

Compiacere, to comply with, to please . Past Part, compiaciuto. 

Pres. Ind. compiaccio, compiaci, compiace ; compiacciamo, 

compiacete , compiacciono. Past Def. Compiacqui, &c. Imperative, 

compiaci , compiaccia ; compiacciamo , compiacete , compiacciano . 

Compiacersi di, to take delight in, is conjugated like " 

Compiacere ." 


2 When in the verb "Commuovere," the tonic accent does not fall 

on the second o, the letter u may be omitted; " commovendo," " 

commoviamo ," "commovero " instead of " commuovendo ," &c. 

3 In the regular forms it is conjugated like " Finire ." 


*Compiangere, to pity, to lament. Past Part, compianto. Past Def. 

compiansi , &c. Pres . Subj. che io compianga , &c. 

Compire (or compiere), to fulfil, to complete. Pres. Ind. compio, 

compi , compie , &c. Imperative, compi , compia, &c. Pres. Subj. che 

io compia, &c. 

93

** Comporre, to compose , is contracted from " Componere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. componendo. Imp. Ind. 

componevo, &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, composto. Pres. Ind. compongo, 

componi , compone ; componiamo, componete, compongono. Past 

Def. composi , &c. Fut. comporrò, &c. Imperative, componi , 

componga, &c. Pres . Subj. che io componga, &c. 

*Comprendere, to comprehend, to contain, to impress. Past Part, 

compreso. Past Def. compresi , &c. 

Comprimere, to compress. Past Part, compresso. Past Def. 

compressi , &c. 

*Compromettere, to compromise . Past Part, compromesso. Past 

Def. compromisi (or compromessi ), &c. 

Compungere , to grieve . Past Part. Compunto. Past Def. compunsi, 

&c. 

*Conchiudere , to conclude . Past Part, conchiuso. Past Def. 

conchiusi , &c. 

Concludere , to conclude . Past Part, concluso. Past Def. conclusi, 

&c. 

*Concorrere, to concur, to compete . Past Part, concorso. Past Def. 

concorsi , &c. 

EXERCISE XXVI. 

I always drink coffee in the morning and tea in the evening. 

What do the Italians drink ? They drink wine. If (112) I had money 

I should always drink good wine. Henry has fallen from the chair. 

Who (chi) has shut the door? I ; I shut it (180, 193) because all the 

windows are open (269). Where is Charles ? He is in the garden 

gathering (292) flowers for his sister. When I entered (183) the 

room they were composing a letter. I have just 1 composed an 

Italian song. Gather (122) some flowers for me (213). 

299. 1 I have just is translated into Italian by " ho appunto." 


Condiscendere, to condescend. Past Part, condisceso. Past Def. 

condiscesi , &c. 

** Condurre, to lead, is contracted from " Conducere," and is 

therefore conjugated thus : Ger. conducendo. Pres. Ind. conduce , 

&c. 

94

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, condotto. Past Def. condussi , 

&c. Fut. condurrò, &c. 

** Confondere , to confound, to confuse . Past Part, confuso. Past 

Def. confusi , &c. 

Congiungere , to join. Past Part, congiunto. Past Def. congiunsi, 

&c. 

Connettere , to connect. Past Part, connesso. Past Def. connessi, 

&c. 

** Conoscere, to know, to be acquainted with (through the 

senses ). Past Part, conosciuto. Past Def. conobbi, &c. 

* Consistere , to consist (Imper . 284). Past Part, consistito . 1 

Costruire,. 2 to construct . Past Part, costrutto (or costruito). Past 

Def. costrussi , &c. 

Contendere , to quarrel . Past Part, conteso . Past Def. contesi , &c. 

** Contenere , to contain. Pres. Ind. contengo, contieni, contiene ; 

conteniamo, contenete, contengono. Past Def. Contenni, &c. Fut. 

conterrò, &c. Imperative, contieni, contenga ; conteniamo, &c. 

Pres . Subj. che io contenga , &c. 

*Contradire , to contradict, is abbreviated from " Contradicere," 

and is, therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. contradicendo. Pres. Ind. 

contradico, contradici , &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, contradetto. Past Def. 

contradissi , &c. 

Contrapporre , to oppose , is contracted from " Contrapponere ." See 

" Porre." 

*Contrarre , to contract, is contracted from " Contraere ." See 

"Trarre ." 

** Convenire, to suit, (286) to agree upon, to meet by 

appointment. Past. Part, convenuto. Pres. Ind. convengo, 

convieni, conviene ; conveniamo, convenite, convengono. Past. 

Def. convenni, &c. Fut. converrò, &c. Imperative, convieni, 

convenga , conveniamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che i o convenga , &c. 1 


2 In the regular forms it is conjugated like " Finire ." 


95

*Convincere, to convince. Past Part, convinto. Past Def. convinsi, 

&c. 

** Coprire , 1 to cover . Past Part, coperto. 

** Correggere, to correct. Past Part, corretto. Past Def. corressi, 

&c. 

** Correre , to run. Past Part, corso. Past Def. corsi, &c. 2 

*Corrispondere , to correspond. Past Part, corrisposto. Past Def. 

corrisposi , &c. 

Corrodere , to corrode. Past Part, corroso. Past Def. corrosi, &c. 

*Corrompere , to corrupt. Past Part, corrotto. Past Def. corruppi, &c. 

Costringere , to constrain. Past Part, costretto. Past Def. costrinsi, 

&c. 

*Crescere , to grow. Past Part, cresciuto. Past Def. crebbi , &c. 2 

*Cucire, to sew. Pres. Ind. cucio, cuci , cuce , &c. Imperative, cuci , 

cucia , &c. Pres . Subj. che io cucia , &c. 

** Cuocere, to cook . Past Part. Cotto. Pres. Ind. cuocio, &c. Past 

Def. cossi, &c. 

D 

** Dare, to give. Ger. dando. Past Part. dato. Pres. Ind. do, dai, dà ; 

diamo, date , danno. Past Def. diedi (or detti), desti, diede (dìe or 

dette) ; demmo, deste , diedero (or dettero). Fut. darò, &c. 

Imperative, da, dia ; diamo, date , diano. Pres. Subj. che i o dia, &c. 

Imperf . Subj. che io dessi , &c. 

Decadere , to decay. See " Cadere ." 

EXERCISE XXVII. 

I conducted (Past Def.) them (mas. 193) into the (102) house . I do 

not know my uncle's friend. If (112) I knew that lady, I would 

speak to her (193). The castle contains many good pictures. I 

always cover the bird's cage (in) the evening. I corrected (Past 

Def.) his exercises yesterday, and I shall correct George's 

exercises to- morrow morning. When I met (Past Def.) him he was 

running (179) towards the church. Why did you give him (why 

have you given him) (193, 122) your dictionary ? I gave (Past Def.) 

it (to) him (219) because he asked (domandare a) me for it (218, 

251). Give him (201) a watch. I desire to take (condurre) him 3 to 

school. 

96



3 When personal pronouns are joined to verbs in the infinitive 

(198) ending in rre, the re is omitted . 


** Decidere , to decide . Past Part, deciso. Past Def. decisi , &c. 

*Dedurre , to deduce , to deduct, is contracted from " Deducere ," 

and is, therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. deducendo. Pres. Ind. 

deduce, &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, dedotto. Past Def. dedussi , &c. 

Fut. dedurrò, &c. 

*Deludere , to delude. Past Part, deluso. Past Def. delusi , &c. 

*Deporre, to depose, is contracted from "Deponere ." See " Porre." 

Deprimere , to depress. Past Part, depresso. Past Def. depressi , &c. 

*Deridere , to deride . Past Part, deriso. Past Def. derisi , &c. 

**Descrivere, to describe . Past Part, descritto. Past Def. descrissi, 

&c. 

Detrarre , to detract, is contracted from " Detraere ." See " Trarre ." 

** Difendere , to defend. Past Part, difeso. Past Def. difesi , &c. 

Diffondere , to squander, to spread out. Past Part, diffuse. Past Def. 

diffusi, &c. 

** Dipingere , to paint. Past Part, dipinto. Past Def. dipinsi , &c. 

** Dire , to tell, to say, is contracted from " Dicere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus: Ger. dicendo. Pres. Ind. dico, dici, dice 

; diciamo , dite, dicono. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, detto. Past Def. dissi, dicesti , 

disse ; dicemmo, diceste , dissero. Fut. dirò, &c. Imperative, di', 

dica ; diciamo , dite, dicano. Pres . Subj. che i o dica, &c. 

*Dirigere , to direct . Past Part, diretto. Past Def. diressi , &c. 

*Discendere , to descend. Past Part, disceso . Past Def. discesi , &c. 

*Discorrere , to speak , to discourse . Past Part, discorso. Past Def. 

discorsi , &c. 

*Discutere , to discuss. Past Part, discusso. Past Def. discussi , &c. 

Disdire , (263) to deny, to be unbecoming Conjugated like " Dire ." 

97

Disdirsi , 1 (263) to unsay. 

Dispergere , to disperse . Past Part, disperse . Pret. Ind. dispersi , 

&c. 

** Dispiacere a, (263, 289) to displease. Past Part, dispiaciuto. 

Pres. Ind. dispiaccio, dispiaci, dispiace ; dispiacciamo, dispiacete, 

dispiacciono. Past Def. dispiacqui , &c. Imperative, dispiaci, 

dispiaccia ; dispiacciamo, dispiacete. dispiacciano. Pres. Subj. 

che i o dispiaccia , &c. 



** Disporre, to dispose, is contracted from " Disponere ," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. disponendo. Imp. Ind. disponevo, 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, disposto. Pres. Ind. dispongo, 

disponi, dispone ; disponiamo, disponete , dispongono. Fut. 

disporrò, &c. Past Def. disposi, &c. Imperative, disponi, disponga, 

&c. Pres . Subj. che io disponga, &c. 

Dissolvere , to dissolve . Past Part, dissolto (or dissoluto). 

Dissuadere, to dissuade. Past Part, dissuaso. Past Def. dissuasi, 

&c. 

Distendere, to extend, to stretch out. Past Part, disteso. Past Def. 

distesi , &c. 

*Distinguere, to distinguish. Past Part, distinto. Past Def. distinsi, 

&c. 

Distogliere (contracted into " Distorre ") to divert from . See " 

Togliere ." 

Distrarre , to distract. See " Trarre ." 

*Distruggere , to destroy. Past Part, distrutto. Past Def. distrussi, 

&c. 

** Divenire , to become . Past Part, divenuto. Pres. Ind. divengo, 

divieni, diviene ; diveniamo, divenite, divengono. Past Def. 

divenni, &c. Fut. diverrò, &c. Imperative, divieni, divenga ; 

diveniamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che io divenga , &c. 1 

** Dividere , to divide. Past Part, diviso. Past Def. divisi , &c. 

EXERCISE XXVIII. 

98

I have decided to travel during the winter. They defended (Past 

Def.) me bravely. He described (Past Def.) the town correctly. He 

desired 2 (Past Def.) me to paint (for) him (213) a picture . She 

always tells the truth, and yet nobody believes (to) her (193). I will 

tell it to him (219) again this evening. If I told her what you have 

said, she would get cross (adirarsi ). He disposes of his money 

wisely. Frederick became (Past Def.) rich in three years. Divide 

these strawberries between you and Elizabeth. 

1 The compound tenses of this verb are formed with "Essere ." 

300. 2 When to desire means to wish, it is translated by " 

Desiderare ." Ex. 

Desidera di andare alla campagna . 

He wishes to go into the country. 

301. When to desire means to ask, to beg, it is translated by " 

Pregare " or "Dire ." Ex. 

Mi pregò d' assistere alla ceremonia . 

He desired me to be present at the ceremony . 

302. When to desire means to command, it is translated by " 

Comandare . " Ex. 

Mi comandò di partir subito. 

He desired me to leave at once. 

76 ON' THE IRREGULAR VERBS. 

*Dolere, to ache. Past Part, doluto. Pres. Ind. dolgo, duoli , duole ; 

dogliamo, delete , dolgono. Past Def. dolsi , &c. Fut. doglierò (or 

dorrò), &c. Pres . Subj. che io dolga, &c. 

** Dolersi , to complain, is conjugated like " Dolere," but it is used 

also in the Imperative : du oliti, si dolga ; dogliamoci, doletevi, si 

dolgano. 1 

** Dovere, to owe, to be obliged. Past Part. dovuto. Pres. Ind. Devo 

2 (debbo, or deggio), devi, deve (or dee); dobbiamo, dovete, devono 

(or debbono). Fut. dovrò, &c. Pres. Subj. che i o debba (or deggia), 

che tu debba, ch' egli debba; che dobbiamo, che, dobbiate , che 

debbano (or deggiano ). 

E 

*Eleggere , to elect . Past Part, eletto . Pres . Ind. elessi , &c. 

Emergere , to emerge . Past Part emerso . Past Def. emersi , &c. 

99

Erigere , to erect . Past Part, eretto . Past Def. eressi , &c. 

*Escludere, to exclude . Past Part, escluso . Past Def. esclusi , &c. 

Esigere , to exact . Past Part, esatto . 

Espellere , to expel. Past Part, espulso. Past Def. espulsi , &c. 

** Esporre, to expose, is contracted from " Esponere." 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, esposto. Pres. Ind. espongo, 

esponi , espone ; esponiamo, esponete , espongono. Past Def. 

esposi, &c. Fut. esporrò, &c. Imperative, esponi , esponga, &c. 

Pres . Subj. che i o esponga, &c. 

*Esprimere, to express. Past Part, espresso. Past Def. espressi, 

&c. 

*Estendere , to extend. Past Part, esteso . Past Def. estesi , &c. 

*Estinguere, to extinguish. Past Part, estinto. Past Def. estinsi, 

&c. 

*Estrarre, to extract , is contracted from " Estraere ." See " Trarre ." 

F 

** Fare , to do, to make, is contracted from "Facere ," and is 

therefore conjugated thus : Ger. facendo. Imp. Ind. facevo , &c. 

Its irregular forms are: Past Part, fatto. Pres. Ind. faccio or fo, fai, 

fa ; facciamo, fate, fanno. Past Def. feci, facesti, fece ; facemmo, 

faceste, fecero. Fut. farò, &c. Imperative, fa, faccia ; facciamo, 

fate, facciano. Pres. Subj. che io faccia, &c. Imp. Subj. che i o 

facessi , &c. 


2 " Devo," " devi," " deve ," &c., mean also I must, you must, he 

must, &c. 


Fendere , to split. Past Part, fesso. 

*Fingere , to feign . Past Part, finto. Past Def. finsi , &c. 

*Fondere, to melt . Past Part. fuso. Past Def. fusi, &c. 

Frammettere , to interpose . Past Part, frammesso. Past Def. 

frammisi , &c. 

Frangere , to break . Past Part, franto. Past Def. fransi , &c. 

Friggere , to fry. Past Part, fritto. Past Def. frissi , &c. 

100

G 

Giacere , to lie down. Past Part, giaciuto . Past Def. giacqui , &c. 

** Giungere , to arrive . Past Part, giunto. Past Def. giunsi , &c. 1 

I 

Illudere , to delude. Past Part, illuso. Past Def. illusi , &c. 

Immergere, to immerge. Past Part, immerso. Past Def. immersi, 

&c. 

*Imporre , to impose , is contracted from " Imponere ." See " Porre." 

*Imprimere , to impress. Past Part, impresso. Past Def. impressi , 

&c. 

*Incidere , to engrave . Past Part, inciso . Past Def. incisi , &c. 

*Includere , to include . Past Part, incluso . Past Def. inclusi , &c. 

*Incorrere , to incur . Past Part, incorso . Past Def. incorsi , &c. 

Increscere, to be sorry, to be weary (Impersonal), Past Part, 

incresciuto . Past Def. increbbe , &c. 

** Indurre , to induce , is contracted from " Inducere ," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. inducendo. Pres. Ind. induce , 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, indotto. Past Def. indussi, &c. 

Fut, indurrò, &c. 

Infondere , to infuse . Past Part, infuso. Past Def. infusi , &c. 

Inscrivere, to inscribe. Past Part, inscritto. Past Def. inscrissi, 

&c. 

Insistere , to insist . Past Part, insistito . 

EXERCISE XXIX. 

James complains of your conduct. I am obliged to go to Paris to 

buy some presents for my cousin Margaret. We owe (to) him some 

money for the house he built for us (213). If (112) I were obliged to 

(226) speak before this crowd of people , it would displease me very 

much. What (che cosa) are you doing (179) now, Louisa ? I am 

making a bonnet for Charlotte. Yesterday I made a waistcoat for 

Frederick . I shall induce Charles to go to Scotland. 

1 The compound forms of this verb are formed with " Essere ." 


*Intendere , to understand. Past Part, inteso . Past Def. intesi , &c. 

101

Interporre , to interpose , is contracted from " Interponere." See 

"Porre." 

*Interrompere , to interrupt. Past Part, interrotto. Past Def. 

interruppi , &c. 

*Intraprendere, to undertake. Past Part, intrapreso. Past Def. 

intrapresi , &c. 

** Introdurre , to introduce , is contracted from " Introducere ," and 

is therefore conjugated thus: Ger. introducendo. Pres. Ind. 

introduce , &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, introdotto. Past Def. introdussi, 

&c. Fut. introdurrò, &c. 

*Intrudere , to intrude . Past Part, intruso . Past Def. intrusi , &c. 

*Invadere , to invade . Past Part, invaso . Past Def. invasi , &c. 

*Involgere, to involve , to wrap in. Past Part, involto. Past Def. 

inv olsi, &c. 

Istruire , 1 to instruct . Past Def. istrussi , &c. 

L 

Ledere , to offend. Past Part. leso. Past Def. lesi , &c. 

** Leggere , to read. Past Part, letto. Past Def. lessi , &c. 

M 

Maledire , to curse , is contracted from " Maledicere ." See " Dire ." 

*Mantenere, to maintain. Pres. Ind. mantengo, mantieni, 

mantiene ; manteniamo, mantenete, mantengono. Past Def. 

mantenni, &c. Fut. manterrò, &c. Imperative, mantieni, 

mantenga ; manteniamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che io mantenga , &c. 

** Mettere , to put. Past Part, messo . Past Def. misi (or messi ), &c. 

*Mordere , to bite. Past Part. morso. Past Def. morsi , &c. 

*Morire, to die. Past Part, morto. Pres. Ind. muoio, muori , muore ; 

moriamo, morite, muoiono (or muorono). Fut. morirò (or morrò ), 

&c. Imperative, muori , muoia ; moriamo, morite, muoiano. Pres. 

Subj. che i o muoia , &c. 1 

Mungere , to milk . Past Part, munto. Past Def. munsi , &c. 

Muovere 2 to move . Past Part, mosso. Past Def. mossi, movesti, 

&c. 


102

2 When in the verb " Muovere " the tonic accent does not fall on 

the o, the letter u may be omitted; as "movendo," " moviamo," " 

moverò ," instead of " muovendo,"&c. 


N 

** Nascere , to be bom. Past Part. nato. Past Def. nacqui , 1 &c. 

**Nascondere , to hide . Past Part, nascosto (or nascoso). Past Def. 

nascosi , &c. 

*Negligere , to neglect . Past Part, negletto . Past Def. neglessi , &c. 

Nuocere , 2 to hurt. Past Part, nociuto. Past Def. nocqui, &c. 

O 

Occorrere , to be in need of, to happen (Imper. 286). Past Part, 

occorso. Past Def. occorse . 1 

** Offendere , to offend. Past Part, offeso. Past Def. offesi , &c. 

**Offrire 3 to offer. Past Part, offerto. Past Def. offersi (or offrii ), &c. 

*Ommettere , to omit . Past Part, ommesso . Past Def. ommisi , &c. 

**Opporre , to oppose , is contracted from " Opponere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. opponendo. Imp. Ind. opponevo, 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part. opposto. Pres. Ind. oppongo, 

opponi, oppone ; opponiamo, opponete , oppongono. Past Def. opposi , 

&c. Fut. opporrò, &c. Imperative, opponi, opponga ; &c. Pres. Subj. 

che i o opponga, &c. 

VOCABULARY. 

Una satira , a satire Questa elezione , this election 

Una cornice , a frame La mia patria, my native land 

EXERCISE XXX. 

Has your brother read " La Gerusalemme Liberata ? " Yes, he has 

(208) ; and he is now reading (179) " L' Orlando Furioso." Do not 

read satires, you will learn little from (in) them (238). Louisa 

always (181) puts her books on my table . Here is the picture ; put 

a frame to it (238). Charles was born in England. Dante was born 

4 in Florence in the (103) year 1265. Do not offend Henry ; he will 

not pardon you. I oppose his election because he does not love his 

native land. 


103

2 When in the verb "Nuocere " the tonic accent does not fall on 

the o, the letter u maybe omitted ; as " nocendo," " nociamo," " 

nocerò," instead of " nuocendo," &c. 


303. 4 I was born , thou wast born , &c., must be translated by " 

sono nato,"" sei nato," &c. , when we speak of persons still living; 

but by "nacque ," " nacquero ," when speaking of persons dead. 


Opporsi, to oppose, is conjugated like " Opporre." 1 

*Opprimere , to oppress. Past Part. oppresso. Past Def. oppressi, &c. 

** Ottenere , to obtain. Pres. Ind. ottengo, ottieni, ottiene ; 

otteniamo, ottenete , ottengono. Past Def. ottenni, &c. Fut. otterrò, 

&c. Imperative, ottieni, ottenga ; otteniamo, &c. Pres. Subj. che i o 

ottenga , &c. 

P 

** Parere, to appear. Past Part, parso. Pres. Ind. paio, pari , pare ; 

paiamo, parete , paiono. Past Def. parsi (or parvi ), &c. Fut. parrò, 

&c. Imperative, pari , paia ; paiamo, parete , paiano. Pres. Subj. 

che i o paia, &c. 1 

Pendere , to hang up, to incline . Past Part. peso. Past Def. pesi, &c. 

Percorrere , to go over. Past Part, percorso. Past Def. percorsi , &c. 

*Percuotere 2 to strike. Past Part. percosso. Past Def. percossi, 

&c. 

** Permettere, to permit. Past Part, permesso. Past Def. permisi, 

&c. 

Persistere , to persist . Past Part, persistito . 

*Persuadere , to persuade. Past Part, persuaso. Past Def. 

persuasi ,&c. 

**Piacere a, to please . Past Part, piaciuto. Pres. Ind. piaccio, piaci , 

piace ; piacciamo, piacete, piacciono. Past Def. piacqui, &c. 

Imperative, piaci , piaccia ; piacciamo, &c. Pres. Subj. che i o 

piaccia , &c. 

** Piangere , to weep. Past Part, pianto. Past Def. piansi , &c. 

Pingere , 3 to paint. Past Part, pinto. Past Def. pinsi , &c. 

*Piovere , to rain (Imper . 291). Past Part. piovuto. Past Def. 

104

*Porgere , to present , to hand. Past Part, porto. Past Def. Porsi, &c. 

** Porre, to put, is contracted from " Ponere ," and is therefore 

conjugated thus : Ger. ponendo. Imp. Ind. ponevo, &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, posto. Pres. Ind. pongo, poni, 

pone ; poniamo, ponete, pongono. Past Def. posi , &c. Fut. porrò, &c. 

Imperative , poni, ponga, &c. Pres . Subj. che i o ponga, &c. 

Posporre , to postpone, is contracted from " Posponere ." See " 

Porre." 


2 When in the verb " Percuotere " the tonic accent does not fall on 

the o, the letter u may be omitted ; as " percotendo," " 

percotiamo ," " percoterò ," instead of " percuotendo," &c. 

3 In verbs ending in " angere," " engere," " ingere," and " ungere," 

the n is sometimes placed after the g. Ex. " Egli piagne ," he 

weeps, instead of " Egli piange ." 


*Possedere , to possess. Past Part, posseduto. Pres. Ind. possiedo 

(or posseggo), possiedi, possiede ; possediamo, possedete , 

possiedono (or posseggono). Imperative , possiedi, 

possegga, &c. Pres . Subj. che io possegga, &c. 

** Potere, to be able . Pres. Ind. posso, puoi , può ; possiamo, potete, 

possono. Fut. Potrò, &c. Pres . Subj. che i o possa, &c. 

Precorrete , to forerun . Past Part, precorso. Past Def. precorsi , &c. 

*Predire , to predict, is contracted from " Predicere ." See " Dire ." 

Prefiggere , to prefix. Past Part, prefisso. Past Def. prefissi , &c. 

Premettere , to place before. See " Mettere ." 

** Prendere , to take . Past Part, preso. Past Def. presi , &c. 

Preporre , to prefer , is contracted from " Preponere ." See " Porre." 

*Prescrivere, to prescribe. Past Part, prescritto. Past Def. 

prescrissi , &c. 

Presumere, to presume . Past Part, presunto. Past Def. presunsi, 

&c. 

*Pretendere , to claim . Past Part, preteso . Past Def. pretesi , &c. 

*Prevalere , to prevail . See " Valere ." 

105

Prevedere , to foresee . See " Vedere ." 

** Pr odurre , to produce , is contracted from " Producere ," and is 

therefore conjugated thus : Ger. producendo. Pres. Ind. produce , 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, prodotto. Past Def. produssi , &c. 

Fut. produrrò, &c. Imperative, produci produca, &c. Pres. Subj. che 

io produca, &c. 

EXERCISE XXXI. 

My brother always obtains what (ciò che) he desires (300). 

They appear rich, but they are very poor. The king permitted 

(Past Def.) (to) us to enter (183) the city. When they heard (Past 

Def.) the news, they wept. I put ( Past Def.) the ring on your table . 

If (112) I could 1 induce William to go 2 with us, I should be 

happy. He could (potere ) (Past Def.) not answer my question . 3 

304. 1 When "I could" means "I might" it is translated by " Potere ." 

305. 2 When to go is used in the sense of to accompany, it is 

translated not by " Andare," but by " Accompagnare " to 

accompany, or " Venire ," to come . Ex. 

Vuol'ella venire in Italia con me? 

Will you go to Italy with me? 

306.3 When question means argument, it is translated into 

Italian by " Questione ;" when it means dispute , it is translated by 

" Lite"; but when it means inquiry, it is translated by " Domanda," 

" Interrogazione ," " Quesito." 


Profondere, to dissipate . Past Part, profuso. Past Def. profusi, &c. 

** Pr omettere, to promise. Past Part, promesso. Past Def. promisi, 

&c. 

Pr omuovere, 1 to promote . Past Part, promosso. Past Def. 

promossi, &c. 

** Pr oporre, to propose , is contracted from " Proponere ." See " 

Porre." 

Prorompere, to break forth. Past Part, prorotto. Past Def. proruppi, 

&c. 

Pr oscrivere, to proscribe . Past Part, proscritto. Past Def. 

proscrissi , &c. 

106

**Proteggere , to protect. Past Part, protetto. Past Def. protessi , &c. 

*Provvedere , to provide. See " Vedere ." 

Protrarre, to protract, is contracted from " Protraere." See " 

Trarre ." 

Pungere , to prick. Past Part, punto. Past Def. punsi, &c. 

R 

** Raccogliere , to pick up, to collect. Past Part. raccolto. Pres. Ind. 

raccolgo, raccogli, raccoglie ; raccogliamo, raccogliete, raccolgono. 

Past Def. raccolsi, &c. Fut. Raccoglierò, (or raccorrò), &c. 

Imperative , raccogli, raccolga, &c. Pres . Subj. che io raccolga, &c. 

Radere , to shave . Past Part. raso. Past Def. rasi , &c. 

Raggiungere, to overtake . Past Part, raggiunto. Past Def. 

raggiunsi , &c. 

Redimere , to redeem . Past Part, redento . Past Def. redensi , &c. 

Reggere , to rule , to support. Past Part, retto. Past Def. ressi , &c. 

** Rendere , to render, to restore . Past Part. reso. Past Def. resi, 

&c. 

Reprimere , to repress . Past Part, represso . Past Def. repressi , &c. 

Ricomporre , to compose again, is contracted from " Ricomponere." 

See " Porre." 

** Riconoscere , to recognise . See " Conoscere ." 

Ricorrere , to have recourse. Past Part, ricorso. Past Def. ricorsi , 

&c. 

** Ridere , to laugh. Past Part. riso. Past Def. risi , &c. 

Ridire , (264) to repeat , is contracted from " Ridicere ." See " Dire . " 

1 When in the verb " Promuovere" the tonic accent does not fall 

on the o, the letter u may be omitted ; as " promovendo," " 

promoviamo ," "promoverò," instead of " promuovendo," &c. 


** Ridurre , to reduce , is contracted from " Riducere ," and is, 

therefore , conjugated thus: Ger.riducendo. Pres . Ind. riduco, &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, ridotto. Past Def. ridussi , &c. 

Fut. ridurrò, &c. 

** Rimanere , to remain. Past Part, rimasto (or rimaso). Pres. Ind. 

rimango, rimani, rimane ; rimaniamo, rimanete, rimangono. 

107

Past Def. rimasi, &c. Fut. rimarrò, &c. Imperative, rimani, 

rimanga , &c. Pres . Subj. che io rimanga , &c. 1 

Rinchiudere, to shut up. Past Part, rinchiuso. Past Def. rinchiusi , 

&c. 

*Rincrescere , to weary, to vex (as an impersonal verb, to be sorry 

for ; see rule 289). Past Part, rincresciuto . Past Def. rincrebbi , &c. 

Riprendere, to take back , to correct. Past Part, ripreso. Past Def. 

ripresi , &c. 

*Riscuotere , 2 to receive in payment, to exact. Past Part. 

Riscosso. Past Def. riscossi , &c. 

Risorgere , to rise again . Past Part, risorto. Past Def. risorsi , &c. 

** Rispondere , to answer . Past Part, risposto. Past Def. risposi, &c. 

Ritorcere, to twist, to wring. Past Part. ritorto. Past Def. ritorsi, 

&c. 

VOCABULARY. 

La stravaganza , the extravagance Il nemico , the enemy 

Il travestimento , the disguise La povertà, poverty 

Ebbene ! Well ! Contro, incontro , against Indietro , behind 

EXERCISE XXXII. 

Do you not remember that you promised (180) to give me (198) 

your (131) dog ? Yes, and I will give it to you (218-220) on (147) 

Saturday. Man proposes, God disposes. We shall protect him (193) 

against all his enemies. I shall restore to him the paint-brushes 

(260) he lent (Past Def.) (to) me last week. In spite of his disguise 

she recognised (Past Def.) him at once. His extravagance will 

soon reduce him to (the) poverty. Why did you remain (Past Def.) 

behind yesterday ? I remained behind to (225) see if I could 

induce Frederick to go (305) with us. He answered (Past Def.) very 

prudently. 


2 When in the verb " Riscuotere " the tonic accent does not fall on 

the o, the letter u may be omitted; as " riscotendo," " riscotiamo," 

" riscoterò ," instead of " riscuotendo ," &c. 


Ritrarre , to draw out, to portray. See " Trarre ." 

** Riuscire (or Riescire ) to succeed. Past Part, riuscito. Pres. Ind. 

riesco, riesci, riesce ; riusciamo (or riesciamo), riuscite, 

108

iescono. Imperative, riesci, riesca ; riusciamo, riuscite, 

riescano . Pres . Subj. che io riesca , &c.1 

Rivolgere, to turn over, to revolve . Past Part. rivolto. Past Def. 

rivolsi , &c. 

Rivolgersi , to direct one's -self to, is conjugated like " Rivolgere ." 

Rodere, to gnaw. Past Part. roso. Past Def. rosi, &c. 

** Rompere , to break . Past Part, rotto. Past Def. ruppi , &c. 

Rompersi , to get broken, is conjugated like " Rompere ." 1 S 

** Salire, to ascend. Pres. Ind. salgo, sali , sale ; sagliamo, salite , 

salgono. Past Def. salsi (or salii ), &c. Imperative, sali , saiga ; 

sagliamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che io saiga , &c. 

** Sapere, to know (through the mind). Past Part, saputo. Pres. 

Ind. so, sai, sa ; sappiamo, sapete , sanno. Past Def. seppi, &c. Fut. 

saprò, &c. Imperative, sappi , sappia ; sappiamo, sappiate, 2 

sappiano. Pres . Subj. che io sappia, &c. 

Scadere , to decline (in value , health), to come due. Past Part, 

scaduto. Past Def. scaddi, &c. Fut. scadrò, &c. 1 

** Scegliere (or Scerre), to choose. Past Part, scelto. Pres. Ind. 

scelgo, scegli , sceglie ; scegliamo, scegliete, scelgono. Past Def. 

scelsi, &c. Fut. sceglierò (or scerrò), &c. Imperative, scegli , scelga 

; scegliamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che i o scelga , &c. 

*Scendere , to descend. Past Part, sceso . Past Def. scesi , &c. 

Sciogliere (or sciorre ), to untie , to unravel. Past Part. Sci olto. 

Pres. Ind. sciolgo, sciogli, scioglie ; sciogliamo, sciogliete, 

sciolgono. Past Def. sciolsi, &c. Fut. scioglierò (or sciorrò), &c. 

Imperative, sciogli, sciolga ; sagliamo, &c. Pres. Subj. che i o 

sciolga, &c. 

*Scommettere , to bet. Past Part, scommesso. Past Def. scommisi 

(or scommessi ), &c. 

Scomporre, to discompose , is contracted from " Scomponere ." See 

"Porre." 

Sconfiggere , to defeat . Past Part, sconfitto. Past Def. sconfissi , &c. 


2 Notice the irregularity of " Sapere " in the Imperative Mood. 


109

Sconvolgere, to overturn. Past Part, sconvolto. Past Def. sconvolsi, 

&c. 

*Scoprire (263), to discover . 1 Past Part, scoperto. 

*Scorgere , to perceive, to discern, to guide. Past Part. scorto. Past 

Def. scorsi , &c. 

Scorrere, to flow, to glide, to run quickly. Past Part, scorso. Past 

Def. scorsi , &c. 

** Scrivere , to write . Past Part, scritto . Past Def. scrissi , &c. 

Scuotere , 2 ! to shake . Past Part. scosso. Past Def. scossi, &c. 

** Sedere, to sit down. Past Part, seduto. Pres. Ind. seggo, siedi, 

siede ; sediamo, sedete , seggono. Imperative, siedi, segga ; 

sediamo , sedete , seggano . Pres . Subj. che i o segga , &c. 

Sedersi , to sit down, conjugated like " Sedere ."3 

VOCABULARY. 

Una pianura , a plain L' indirizzo , the address 

Una collina , a hill Questo colore, this colour 

Alia moda, in the fashion Benissimo , very well 

EXERCISE XXXIII. 

Well, have you succeeded (258) in your undertaking ? No ; I shall 

never succeed. I ascend the hill every morning. It is necessary 

(bisognare)4 to start at once. If I knew Mr. John's address, I would 

write (to) him a letter. Can 5 he read ? Yes, he can read and write 

very well. Why have you chosen this colour ? I chose (180) it 

because it is in fashion. I would write to him every day, if (i 12) I 

had time . Have you written to the girl's uncle ? Yes, I wrote (Past 

Def.) to him yesterday . 


2 When in the verb " Scuotere " the tonic accent does not fall on 

the o, the letter u may be omitted; as "scotendo," " scotiamo," " 

scotete ," instead of "scuotendo," &c. 


307. 4 The verbs " Bisognare ," to be necessary, " Fare ," to make, " 

Lasciare ," to allow, " Dovere," to be obliged, " Intendere," to hear, " 

Potere," to be able , " Sapere," to know how, " Solere ," to be 

accustomed, " Volere," to be willing, " Sentire," to feel, or to hear, 

110

and " Udire," to hear, do not require any preposition after them, 

when they are followed by a verb in the Infinitive . Ex. 

Bisogna esser forte per lottare con lui. 

One must be strong to wrestle with him. 

Dovreste comprargli un paio di stivali . 

You ought to buy him a pair of boots. 

Voglio sapere se il Conte è arrivato . 

I want to know if the Count has arrived . 

308. 5 When can and could are used in the sense of to know how, 

they are translated into Italian by " Sapere ." 


Sedurre, to seduce , is contracted from " Seducere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. seducendo. Pres. Ind. seduco, 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, sedotto. Past Def. sedussi, &c. 

Fut. sedurrò, &c. 

Seppellire , to bury. Past Part, sepolto or seppellito . 

Smettere, (263) to leave off. Past Part, smesso. Past Def. smisi (or 

smessi ), &c. 

Socchiudere, to half shut. Past Part, socchiuso. Past Def. 

socchiusi , &c. 

*Soccorrere, to succour. Past Part, soccorso. Past Def. soccorsi , 

&c. 

Sodisfare , to satisfy, is contracted from " Sodisfacere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. sodisfacendo. Imp. Ind. 

sodisfacevo , &c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, sodisfatto. Pres. Ind. 

Sodisfaccio (or sodisfo), sodisfi, sodisfa; sodisfacciamo, sodisfate , 

sodisfano. Past Def. sodisfeci, sodisfacesti, sodisfece , &c. Fut. 

sodisfarò, &c. Imperative, sodisfa, sodisfaccia ; sodisfacciamo, 

sodisfate , sodisfano. Pres . Subj. che i o sodisfaccia , &c. 

*Soffrire, to suffer. Past Part, sofferto. Past Def. soffersi (or soffrii), 

&c. 

*Soggiungere, to add. Past Part, soggiunto. Past Def. soggiunsi , 

&c. 

111

Sommergere, to submerge . Past Part, sommerso. Past Def. 

sommersi , &c. 

** Solere (or Esser solito), to be accustomed. Past Part, solito. 

Pres. Ind. Soglio, suoli, suole ; Sogliamo, Solete, sogliono ; or sono 

solito, sei solito, &c. Imp. Ind. solevo, &c., or ero solito, &c. Pres. 

Subj. che io Soglia, &c., or che i o sia solito, &c. Imp. Subj. che io 

Solessi , &c., or che i o fossi solito, &c. 

Sommettere , to submit. See " Mettere ." 

Sopraggiungere , to come unexpectedly . See " Giungere ." 

Soprastare , to be above, to domineer . See " Stare . " 1 

Sopravvivere , to survive . See " Vivere ." 

Sopprimere , to suppress. Past Part, soppresso. Past Def. soppressi , 

&c. 



*Sorgere , to rise . Past Part, sorto, &c. Past Def. sorsi, &c. 

*Sorprendere , to surprise. Past Part, sorpreso. Past Def. sorpresi , 

&c. 

Sorreggere , to support. Past Part, sorretto. Past Def. sorressi , &c. 

Sorridere , to smile . Past Part, sorriso. Past Def. sorrisi , &c. 

Sospendere , to suspend. Past Part, sospeso. Past Def. sospesi , &c. 

Sospingere , to push. Past Part, sospinto. Past Def. sospinsi , &c. 

** Sostenere, to sustain. Pres. Ind. sostengo, sostieni, sostiene ; 

sosteniamo, sostenete, sostengono. Past Def. Sostenni, &c. Fut. 

sosterrò, &c. Imperative, sostieni, sostenga ; sosteniamo, &c. 

Pres . Subj. che io sostenga , &c. 

Sottintendere , to be understood. Past Part, sottinteso. Past Def. 

sottintesi , &c. 

*Sottomettere , to submit. See " Mettere ." 

Sottomettersi , to submit, is conjugated like " Sottomettere ." 1 

Sottoporre, to subdue. Past Part, sottoposto. Past Def. sottoposi,&c. 

*Sottoscrivere , to subscribe. See " Scritto ." 

Sottrarre , to draw away, is contracted from " Sottraere." See " 

Trarre ." 

EXERCISE XXXIV. 

112

My father is accustomed (307) to get up (alzarsi) every morning at 

six o'clock. My uncle spent (Past Def.) too much money in (278) 

building his house . What is the name of 2 that lady ? I do not 

know ; but I believe she is called Mrs. James. You would have 

succeeded (258) in your undertaking, but you have to deal with 3 

a rascal , who cheats (ingannare ) everybody. 


309. 2 The expressions What is the name of? What is called? 

What do you call? are expressed in Italian by the verb " 

Chiamarsi ." Ex. 

Come si chiama ? 

What is his name ? 

Si chiama il colonello Silvestri . 

He is called Colonel Silvestri . 

310. 3 To deal with is translated by " Aver da fare con." When the 

preposition to precedes a verb in the Infinitive Mood, which 

depends on the verbs to have or to be, it is expressed by " da," or 

by " a" ; by "da " when an idea of right or duty is to be indicated, 

and by "a" when no idea of right or duty is to be expressed . Ex. 

Avete da fare con un birbante. 

You have to deal with a rascal . 

È da considerarsi (or considerare ) che... 

It is to be considered that. ... 

Ho da scrivere tre lettere . 

I have three letters to write . 

Non è da negarsi che 

It is not to be denied that 

È facile a capirsi . 

It is easily understood. 

Questi fiori sono belli a vedersi . 

These flowers are beautiful to look at. 


Sovvenire , to help, is conjugated like " Venire ." 

Sovvenirsi , to remember , is conjugated like " Venire . " 1 

Spandere , to spread. Past Part, spanto. Past Def. spansi, &c. 

*Spargere , to scatter . Past Part, sparse. Past Def. sparsi, &c. 

113

** Spendere , to spend. Past Part, speso. Past Def. spesi , &c. 

Spengere (or spegnere), to extinguish. Past Part, spento. Pres. 

Ind. spengo, spegni , spegne ; spegnamo, spegnete, spengono. Past 

Def. spensi, &c. Imperative, spegni , spenga ; spegnamo, spegnete, 

spengano. Pres . Subj. che i o spenga, &c. 

Spingere , to push. Past Part, spinto. Past Def. spinsi , &c. 

Sporgere , to project. Past Part. sporto. Past Def. sporsi, &c. 

** Stare, to be in health (to do], to dwell, to stay. Ger. stando. Pres. 

Ind. sto, stai , sta ; stiamo, state , stanno. Past Def. stetti, stesti , 

stette ; stemmo, steste , stettero. Fut. starò, &c. Imperative, sta, 

stia ; stiamo, state , stiano (orstieno). Pres. Subj. che i o stia, &c. 

Imp. Subj. che i o stessi , che tu stessi , &c. 1 

*Stendere , to extend. Past Part, steso. Past Def. stesi , &c. 

Storcere , to twist. Past Part, storto. Past Def. storsi , &c. 

Stravolgere , (265) to twist, to distort. Past Part. stravolto. Past Def. 

stravolsi, &c. 

*Stringere , to grasp, to tighten. Past Part, stretto. Past Def. 

strinsi , &c. 

Struggere, to melt, to dissolve . Past Part, strutto. Past Def. 

strussi , &c. 

Suddividere, to subdivide . Past Part, suddiviso. Past Def. suddivisi , 

&c. 

Svellere , to pluck up. Past Part, svelto. Past Def. svelsi , &c. 

Svenire and Svenirsi , to faint away. 1 See " Venire ." 

Svolgere , to unfold, to develop, to dissuade. Past Part. svolto. Past 

Def. svolsi, &c. 

*Supporre , to suppose , to guess, is contracted from " Supponere," 

See " Porre." 

T 

** Tacere, to be silent. Past Part, taciuto. Pres. Ind. taccio, taci , 

tace ; tacciamo, tacete, tacciono. Past Def. tacqui, &c. Imperative, 

taci , taccia ; tacciamo , &c. 



114

Tendere, to tend, to incline to, to stretch. Past Part. teso. Past 

Def. tesi , &c. 

** Tenere, to keep, to hold. Pres. Ind. tengo, tieni, tiene ; 

teniamo, tenete, tengono. Past Def. tenni, &c. Fut. terrò, &c. 

Imperative, tieni, tenga; teniamo, &c. Pres. Subj. Che io tenga, 

&c. 

Tergere , to clean , to dry up. Past Part, terso. Past Def. tersi , &c. 

Tingere , to dye. Past Part, tinto. Pret. Ind. tinsi , &c. 

** Togliere (or Torre), to take away. Past Part, tolto. Pres. Ind. 

tolgo, togli , toglie; togliamo, togliete, tolgono. Past Def. tolsi, &c. 

Fut. toglierò (or torrò), &c. Imperative, togli, tolga ; togliamo, &c. 

Pres . Subj. che i o tolga, &c. 

Torcere , to twist. Past Part. torto. Past Def. torsi, &c. 

** Tradurre, to translate, is contracted from " Traducere," and is, 

therefore, conjugated thus : Ger. traducendo. Pres. Indo traduco, 

&c. 

Its irregular forms are : Past Part, tradotto. Past Def. tradussi, &c. 

Fut. tradurrò, &c. Cond. tradurrei , tradurresti , tradurrebbe ; 

tradurremmo , tradurreste , tradurebbero. 3 

VOCABULARY. 

Buon giorno, good morning Come sta ? how do you do ? 

Un villaggio , a village Versi sciolti, blank verse 

Un canto, a canto Il vicinato , the neighbourhood 

EXERCISE XXXV. 

Good morning, sir, how do you do (120) ? I am very well to-day, 

thank (ringraziare) you (122, 193). Where do you live (stare) now ? 

I live in the country ; in a small village near Brighton. Have you 

been (149) to Paris ? No, I have not been there (239). My brother 

is translating " La Divina Commedia," in blank verse . Yesterday 

he translated (Past Def.) two cantos (of it) (240). If I had friends in 

this neighbourhood, I would remain here (239) for 3 a week . 

1 See last note (3) on page 80. 

2 Notice that the initial e of the termination of the 1st and 3rd 

pers. sing, and the 3rd pers. plur. of the Conditional has always 

the broad sound of the a in the word gate . 

311. 3 When for precedes a noun indicating time , it is either not 

translated into Italian , or it is translated by " Durante ." Ex. 

115

Parlo tre ore di seguito . 

He spoke for three hours consecutively . 

Sono stato a Parigi sei giorni . 

I have been to Paris for six days. 


** Trarre, to draw, to lead, to live, is contracted from " Traere." 

Ger. traendo. Past Part, tratto. Pres. Ind. Traggo, trai , trae ; 

traiamo (or traggiamo), traete, traggono. Imp. Ind. traevo, &c. Past 

Def. trassi, traesti, &c. Fut. trarrò, &c. Imperative, trai , tragga ; 

traiamo , traete , traggano. Imp. Subj. che io traessi , &c. 

Trarsi , to betake one's -self. Conjugated like "Trarre ." 1 

Trascendere, to go beyond. Past Part, trasceso. Past Def. trascesi, 

' &c. 

Trascorrere , to elapse , to pass over quickly. Past Part, trascorso. 

Past Def. trascorsi , &c. 

Trasmettere, to transmit. Past Part, trasmesso. Past Def. 

trasmisi (or trasmessi ), &c. 

Trattenere , to stop, to entertain . See " Tenere ." 

U 

*Uccidere , to kill . Past Part, ucciso . Past Def. uccisi , &c. 

** Udire, to hear. Pres. Ind. odo, odi, ode ; udiamo, udite, odono. 

Fut. udrò (or udirò), &c. Imperative, odi, oda ; udiamo, udite, 

odano. Pres . Subj. che i o oda, &c. 

Ungere , to anoint . Past Part. unto. Past Def. unsi , &c. 2 

** Uscire (or Escire ), to go out. Past Part, uscito. Pres. Ind. esco, 

esci, esce ; usciamo, uscite , escono. Imperative, esci, esca; 

usciamo , uscite , escano . Pres . Subj. che i o esca , &c. 1 

** Valere , to be worth. Pres. Ind. valgo, vali , vale ; valghiamo (or 

vagliamo), valete, valgono. Past Def. valsi, &c. Fut. varrò, &c. 

Imperative, vali , valga; valghiamo (or vagliamo), &c. Pres. Subj. 

che i o valga, &c. 

** Vedere , to see. Past Part, visto (or veduto). Pres. Ind. vedo 

(veggo, or veggio), vedi, vede ; vediamo, vedete , vedono (or 

veggono). Past Def. vidi, &c. Fut. vedrò, &c. Imperative, vedi (or 

ve'), veda (or vegga ) ; vediamo , &c. Pres . Subj. che i o vegga , &c. 

116

** Venire , to come . Past Part, venuto. Pres. Ind. vengo, vieni, 

viene ; veniamo, venite, vengono. Past Def. venni, &c. Fut. verrò, 

&c. Imperative, vieni, venga ; veniamo, &c. Pres. Subj. che i o 

venga , &c. 


2 See last note (3) on page 80. 


Vilipendere , to vilify . Past Part, vilipeso . 1 Past Def. vilipesi , &c. 1 

** Vincere, to win, to vanquish. Past Part, vinto. Past Def. vinsi , 

&c. 

** Vivere , to live . Past Part, vissuto (or vivuto). Past Def. vissi , &c. 

** Volere, to be willing. Pres. Ind. voglio (or vo'), vuoi, vuole; 

vogliamo, Volete, vogliono. Past Def. volli, &c. Fut. vorrò, &c. 

Imperative, Vogli, Voglia; 1 Vogliate , vogliano. Pres. Subj. che io 

Voglia , &c. 

*Volgere , to turn. Past Part, volto. Past Def. volsi, &c. 

VOCABULARY. 

La voce, the voice . Una rivista , a mile . 

La colazione , Un miglio , the dinner . a review , 

il pranzo, the breakfast . il mio consiglio , my advice . 

Solamente , only Di vista , by sight A mente , by heart 

EXERCISE XXXVI. 

I hear William's voice ; do you ? (do you hear it ?) My brother is 

gone out ; I do not know when he will return. William will go out 

with me on (147) Saturday morning. I go out every morning before 

(to make) breakfast. Do not go out, (122, 126) Henry ; your father- 

in-law wishes (300) to speak to you. Frederick has got the book , 

but he will (volere) not give it to me. 3 Do you know Mrs.. James ? 

I know her only by sight ; her house is 4 a mile from this village . 

I heard him 5 singing Italian songs. He knows many of them 

(240) by heart. How much is this ring worth ? I could 6 not tell 

you. One must have 7 much money, to (225) buy good rings. Your 

brother always comes to see me when he is in London. If you had 

gone out then, you would have seen the review. He would (224) 

not give me his advice . I like to hear him translating . 5 

117

1 Notice that the s in Past Participles in " eso " and Past Definites 

in " esi " has no dot under it, and is therefore pronounced like the 

s in the English word spirit . 

2 Notice that " Volere " has no first person plural in the 

Imperative . 

312. 3 When the verbs "dovere ," " potere," " sapere"and " volere ," 

followed by another verb in the Infinitive Mood, are used with any 

of the Conjunctive Personal Pronouns ("me lo," " glie la," &c.), 

these may be placed either before or after "dovere ," " potere," 

"sapere" and " volere ," thus: "Non me lo vuol dare ," or " Non vuol 

darmelo." 

313. 4 The Italians say, " My house is at a mile from this village ." 

314. 5 When two or three verbs follow one another, the second 

and third must be in the Infinitive Mood. 

315. 6 When can and could are used in the sense of fa be able 

they are translated by " Potere ." 

316. 7 The expression One must have is translated into Italian by 

" Ci vuole." 

92 POETICAL AND DEFECTIVE FORMS OF VERBS. 

POETICAL AND DEFECTIVE FORMS OF VERBS. 1 

317. Having given on page 17 ( rule in), the poetical forms of " 

Avere ," on page 25 ( rule 150), the poetical forms of " Essere ," on 

page 29 ( rule 169), and on page 30 ( rule 174), some hints 

concerning the poetical forms of Regular Verbs of the First 

Conjugation, on page 47 ( rules 252 and 253), some hints 

concerning the poetical forms of Regular Verbs of the Second 

Conjugation, on page 50 ( rule 261), some hints concerning the 

poetical forms of Regular Verbs of the Third Conjugation, I shall 

now give the most important forms of the Defective Verbs 

arranged in alphabetical order. 

318. Algere , to freeze, is only used in the 2nd and 3rd pers. sing, 

and the 3rd pers. plur. of the Past Def. " alsi ," " alse ; " " alsero ." 

319. Angere, to torment, is only used in the 3rd pers. sing, of the 

Pres . Ind. " ange ." 

320. Colere, to honour, to worship, is only used in the 3rd pers. 

sing , of the Pres . Ind. " Cole." 

118

321. Fiedere (or Fedire), to wound, is only used in the three pers. 

sing, and the 3rd pers. plur. of the Pres. Ind. : " fiedo," " fiedi," " 

fiede ; " " fiedono." 

322. Gire , to go, is used in the Past Part. " gito," in the Imperf. 

Ind. " givo," " givi," &c., in the Past Def. " gii," " gisti," " gi," &c., in 

the Fut. "girò," &c., in the Cond. " girei," and the Imperf. Subj. " 

che or se i o gissi ," &c. 

323. Ire, to go, is only used in the Past Part. " ito," in the Imperf. 

Ind. " ivo," " ivi," &c., in the 2nd pers. sing, and 3rd. Pers. plur. of 

the Past Def. "isti ," " irono." 

324. Licere, to be lawful, is only used in the 3rd pers. sing, of the 

Pres . Ind. " lece " (or " lice "). 

325. Molcere , to soothe, is only used in the Gerund " molcendo," 

in the 2nd and 3rd pers. sing, of the Pres. Ind. " molci ," " molce ; " 

in the Imperf. Ind. " molcevo," &c., and in the 3rd pers. sing, of 

the Imperf . Subj. " che or se molcesse ." 

326. Olire, to be fragrant, is only used in the 2nd and 3rd pers. 

sing, of the Pres. Ind. " olisci," " olisce ," and in the Imperf. Ind. " 

olivo," &c. 

327. Riedere (or Redire), to return, is only used in the Pres. Ind. " 

riedo," " riedi," &c., in the Imperf. Ind. " riedevo," &c., and in the 

Past Def. " redii ," "redisti ," &c. 

1 The student will find the idiomatical forms of " Andare," " Dare," 

"Fare ," " Stare ," " Sapere ," " Tenere ," and " Venire ," further on. 

ON THE USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 93 

LESSON XVIII. 

ON THE USE OF THE DEFINITE AND PARTITIVE 

ARTICLES. 

328. In Italian the Definite Article ("il," "lo," or "la;" "I," " gli," or 

"le") is used before any noun (concrete or abstract) employed in a 

definite sense ; that is to say, employed to express (a) the whole of 

its genus (b) a whole class (c) an individual . Ex. 

Gli animali sono utili all'uomo. 

Animals are useful to men. 

Gli uomini irosi commettono 1 gravi errori 

Hot-tempered men commit grave errors . 

L'oro è più caro che l'argento . 

119

Gold is dearer than silver . 

Persino i cattivi ammirano la virtù 

Virtue is admired even by the . wicked . 

L'amore della verità (69). 

The love of truth. 

329. In Italian the definite article is also used before titles of 

persons. Ex. 

Il dottor Sangrado. 

Doctor Sangrado. 

330. In Italian the definite article is also used before the names 

of countries and provinces . Ex. 

L' Asia è molto grande. 

Asia is very large . 

La Borgogna è molto fertile . 

Burgundy is very fertile . 

331. Notice, however, that if the name of a country or province be 

preceded by the preposition " in," no article is used. Ex. 

Egli è andato in Italia . 

He is gone to Italy. 

332. In Italian the definite article is also used before the names 

of a few towns, the most important of which are : Il Cairo, l'Aia 

(the Hague), la Rochelle , la Mecca , la Mirandola. 

333. In Italian the definite article is also placed before the family 

names of very distinguished persons, who lived since the year 

1200. Ex. Il Petrarca, 2 il Milton, il Moliere, il Tiziano, il Biron, il 

Manzoni , il Darwin . Ex. 

L' Ariosto è il pittore della natura . 

Ariosto is the painter of nature , 

334. Notice, that no article is used before the names of 

distinguished persons, when only their Christian name, or if 

more than one word is used to designate them . Ex. 

Dante mori a Ravenna . 

Dante died in Ravenna . 

Carlo Darwin era modesto. 

Charles Darwin was modest. 

120


darker type. 

335. 2 "Il Petrarca," "Il Tiziano," mean "Il poeta Petrarca," "Il 

pittore Tiziano." The Italians also say " la Saffo," the poetess 

Sappho. 

94 ON THE USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 

336. In Italian the definite article is also placed before Adjectives, 

Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Interjections and Verbs in 

the Infinitive Mood, when they are used as nouns. Ex. 

Carlo ama l'utile . 

Charles is fond of what is useful . 

Il saper ascoltare è utile quanto il saper parlare 

To know how to listen is as useful - as to know how to 

speak . 

337- When several nouns follow one another in the same 

sentence (whether used as subjects or objects), the definite 

article must be repeated in Italian before each of them, when it 

is already expressed before the first. Ex. 

Il ferro, l' oro e l'argento sono metalli utilissimi . 

Iron, gold and silver are very useful metals . 

338. When two adjectives are united by the conjunction " e," and 

one of them is intended to qualify a substantive expressed and 

the other a substantive understood, the article must be repeated, 

in Italian , before each adjective . Ex. 

Conosce la storia antica e la moderna 

He knows ancient and modern . history . 

339. But when the adjectives, united by " e," and, qualify only one 

substantive , the article is not repeated . Ex. 

Anna d'Austria, la bella e altiera regina di Francia . 

Anne of Austria , the proud and beautiful Queen of France . 

The Words Required To Compose This And The Following 

Exercises Are Given In The Vocabulary At The End Of The 

Grammar . 

EXERCISE XXXVII. 

Necessity (328) is the mother of invention. Flowers (328) are very 

dear (in) this season of the year. The Alps separate France (330) 

from Italy. Drawing (328) owes its origin to chance , sculpture to 

121

eligion, and painting to the progress of the other arts. Fear and 

ignorance are the sources of superstition. The love of (328) music 

and poetry is universal in Italy. Captain (329) Bravo wishes to 

speak to your father. Go and 1 tell (to) him (198) that my father is 

in (331) France . Good (328) laws make good men. 

340. 1 The preposition " a " is used in Italian instead of the 

English conjunction and, after a verb expressing motion . Ex. 

Andate a prendere la mia mantellina . 

Go and fetch my mantle . 

ON THE DEFINITE AND PARTITIVE ARTICLES. 95 

ON THE OMISSION OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE. 

341. The definite article is not required in Italian before any 

noun used adverbially, or preceded by " senza," without, " ne," 

neither , nor, or " sia," whether it be. Ex. 

Luigi lavora con perseveranza . 

Louis works with perseverance . 

Il suo socio è un uomo senza merito 

His partner is a man without merit . 

Essa non ha né bellezza, né talento 

She has neither beauty nor . talent . 

Sia superbia, sia timidità , essa non volle parlare . 

Whether through pride or timidity , she would not speak . 

342. The definite article is not required in Italian before nouns 

used in apposition with preceding words. Ex. 

Dublino, capitale dell' Irlanda. 

Dublin, the capital of Ireland . 

Sposò Margherita , figlia di Enrico Il. 

He married Margaret , the daughter of Henry Il. 

343. The definite article is not required in Italian before nouns 

used emphatically . Ex. 

Uomini , donne, fanciulli , tutto peri ! 

Men, women , children , everything perished ! 

344. The definite article is not required in Italian before the 

ordinal numbers " primo," first, " secondo," second, &c., when they 

come after the name of a sovereign, or after the words "libro," 

122

ook , " capo," or " capitolo," chapter, " atto," act, " scena," scene. 

Ex. 

Enrico quarto, re di Francia . 

Henry IV., King of France . 

Atto primo, scena quarta. 

Act the first, scene the fourth. 

ON THE USE OF THE PARTITIVE ARTICLE. 

345. To the rules relating to the Partitive Article " del," " dello," " 

della," " dei," " degli," " delle," which have been given on page 22, 

and which the student should now read over, the following must 

be added. 

346. The preposition " di," only (not "del," "dello," &c.) is required 

before a noun or name used adjectively . Ex. 

Guarda, sorella mia, che bell'anello d' oro. 

Look, sister , what a beautiful gold ring . 

Il regno d' Italia è grande. 

The kingdom of Italy is large . 

347. The preposition " di," only (not "del," "dello," &c.) is required 

before a noun used as a complement to another noun. Ex. 

Caro fratello dammi 1 un quin- Dear brother, give me a quire 

terno di carta da scrivere . of note paper. 

1 Observe that the initial letters of "mi," " ti," " lo," "la,""ci," and " 

vi " is doubled when these words are joined after " va," go (from 

"andare "), "da," give (from "dare ," and in this case the accent is 

not written), " fa," do, make (from " fare "), and " sta," stay (from " 

stare "). 

96 ON THE DEFINITE AND PARTITIVE ARTICLES. 

348. The preposition " di " only (not "del," " dello," &c.) is required 

before an adjective or a past participle expressed or understood. 

Ex. 

La via era adorna di alberi . 

The road was lined with trees . 

Il baule era coperto di polvere . 

The trunk was covered with dust. 

Un canestro (pieno) di fiori . 

A basket of flowers. 

123

349. The preposition " di," only (not "del," " dello," &c.), is required 

after the words " qualità ," "Sorte," " genere ," "specie ," " corso." Ex. 

Egli vende tre qualità di te. 

He sells three kinds of tea. 

350. Notice, however, that a noun must be preceded by the 

partitive article " del," " dello," &c. (and not merely by the 

preposition " di ") when it is taken in a specified sense . Ex. 

Un quinterno della carta che comprai ieri . 

A quire of the paper I bought yesterday . 

La via era adorna degli alberi che ho piantati io stesso . 

The road was lined with the trees I have planted myself . 

Egli vende tre qualità del te che viene da Ceylon . 

He sells three kinds of the tea which comes from Ceylon . 

EXERCISE XXXVIII. 

Glory (328) follows virtue like a shadow. If your brother studied 

with (341) perseverance , he would succeed (258). Eating, (267, 

336) drinking, and sleeping are necessary to man. Last year we 

visited (Past Def.) Cairo, (342) the capital of Egypt. His cousin 

Margaret married William, (342) the son of Colonel Barducci . This 

bronze statue was (Imp. Ind.) formerly in the Municipal Palace of 

Modena. I wish to attend (assistere a) a course of lectures which 

(che) he will begin to- morrow evening. What shall I buy you (for 

you) ? (213, 251) Buy me a box of steel pens (347), a dozen of 

quills, a quire of (347) foreign paper, and three sheets of blotting- 

paper. His apartments were adorned (175) with (266) the pictures 

which (che) he had himself (189) bought at Padova. The question 

is 1 to decide whether we shall meet again (radunarsi) to- morrow 

or on (147, 74) Wednesday next. The theatre was (Imperf. Ind.) full 

of strangers 2 and foreigners. The hall is full (350) of the men 

who have taken part in the strike. It is necessary (bisognare) 

(307) to start at once. 

351 1 The expressions the question is, or was, the matter is, or 

was are translated into Italian by " Si tratta di," " Si trattava di." 

352. 2 Stranger is translated by " forestiere," and foreigner, by " 

straniero ." 

ON THE USE OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 97 

LESSON XIX. 

ON THE USE OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 

124

353. The indefinite article is not required in Italian before nouns 

used in apposition with preceding words. Ex. 

I Rivali , bellissima commedia di Sheridan . 

The Rivals , a very fine comedy by Sheridan . 

354. The indefinite article is not used in Italian before nouns 

expressing nationality, title, profession and condition, used 

adjectively . Ex. 

Sono Scozzese di nascita . 

I am a Scotchman by birth. 

Suo nipote è libraio . 

His nephew is a bookseller . 

Mio nonno era generale . 

My grandfather was a general . 

Egli è stato prigioniero . 1 

He has been a prisoner . 

355. Notice that when nouns expressing nationality, &c., are 

qualified , the indefinite article is required before them . Ex. 

Maria Stuarda era una principessa di sventurata razza. 

Mary Stuart was a princess of an unfortunate race . 

356. The indefinite article is not used in Italian before " cento," a 

(one) hundred, and " mille ," a (one) thousand. Ex. 

Hanno comprato cento quadri per mille lire sterline . 

They bought a hundred pictures for a thousand pounds. 

357. The indefinite article is not used in Italian before the title of 

a book, or the heading of a chapter . Ex. 

Vita di Lord Macaulay . 

A Life of Lord Macaulay . 

358. The indefinite article is not used in Italian after "che," " 

quale," what a, used exclamatively . Ex. 

Guardi, che bel castello ! 

Look, what a beautiful castle ! 

359. In Italian the indefinite article is placed before, and not after 

the adjective " tale ," such, and the adverb " Così," or " si," so. Ex. 

Un tal nomo è odioso. 

Such a man is odious. 

Una così bella opera ! 

125

So beautiful a work 

360. The indefinite article is not used in Italian in the 

expressions " Far regalo di," 2 to make a present of; " Far segno," 

to make a sign ; " Far fortuna," to make a fortune ; " Metter fine," 

to put an end to. 

1 Notice that an e preceded by an i has always the broad sound of 

the a in the word gate . 

361. 2 When the words "regalo," " segno" and " fortuna" are 

qualified, the article is required. Ex. " Fece una gran fortuna," he 

made a large fortune . 

98 ON THE USE OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE. 

ON THE DIFFERENT USE OF THE ARTICLE. 

362. Before the names of measure, weight, number and time , the 

Italians use the definite article instead of the indefinite article 

which is employed by the English. Ex. 

Ho pagato questo panno cinque scellini il braccio. 

I have paid five shillings a yard for this cloth. 

Queste pere costano due Soldi la libbra. 

These pears cost a penny a pound. 

Questi aranci si vendono un franco la dozzina. 

These oranges are sold a franc a dozen. 

Abbiamo lezione di canto tre volte la settimana . 

We have singing lessons three times a week . 

Egli guadagna due scellini l'ora. 

He earns two shillings an hour. 

EXERCISE XXXIX. 

Michelangelo was (355). a sculptor, a painter, an architect, and a 

poet of great celebrity. When I made his acquaintance he was a 

banker (354) ; now he is a poor workman (355). What are you 

reading, Henry ? "I Lombardi alla prima Crociata," a (353) 

splendid poem , by (of) Tommaso Grossi. My father is a captain 

(354) in the French army. We bought (180) a hundred (356) 

Turkish carpets for a thousand (356) guineas. This cloth costs six 

shillings a (362) yard. The best coffee comes from Mocha, a (353) 

town in (of) Arabia. I give four shillings a day to my gardener. 

What is the title of Charles' new book ? "A (357) life of Lord 

Palmerston." What a (358) beautiful morning! shall we go out for a 

walk ? Yes, as soon as (249) I have written my letters. What a 

126

eautiful horse ! where did you buy it ? (193) I bought it from 

Colonel James. This man works by the hour; 1 he earns three 

shillings an (362) hour. Her father knows 2 a great deal ; he 

earns six hundred guineas a year. Captain Cook was a navigator 

of great celebrity (355). 

363. 1 The expressions to work by the hour, by the day, by the - 

week, &c. are translated into Italian by " lavorare all'ora," "al 

giorno," "alla settimana ," &c. 

364. 2 When to know, means to know through the mind, and to 

know how, it is translated by " Sapere ." Ex. 

Mio cugino sa il tedesco . 

My cousin knows German . 

Voi non sapete la vostra lezione . 

You do not know your lessons . 

Suo figlio non sa comportarsi . 

Your son does not know how to behave . 

365. But when to know means to be acquainted with (through the 

senses ), it is translated by " Conoscere ." Ex. 

Conosco il Presidente . 

I know the President (Chairman ). 

ON THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS. 99 

LESSON XX. 

ON THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS. 

366. In Italian, nouns are either of the masculine or of the 

feminine gender there is no neuter and the gender of Italian 

nouns is determined either by their meaning, or by their 

termination . 

DETERMINATION OF THE GENDER OF NOUNS BY THEIR 

MEANING . 

367. Appellations of men, and the names of male animals are 

masculine, whilst appellations of women, and the names of 

female animals are feminine . 1 

ON THIS POINT THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS ARE 

NECESSARY : 

368. The words " Maestà," majesty, " Santità," holiness, " 

Eminenza," Eminence , " Eccellenza," Excellency, and " Signoria," 

127

Lordship or Ladyship, are feminine , and, therefore, the Italians 

call a king " Sua Maestà ," and the pope, " Sua Santità ." 

369. The Italians apply the words " una sentinella," a sentry, " 

una recruta," a recruit, "una guardia," a guard, a keeper, "una 

guida," a guide, "una spia," a spy, "una vittima," a victim, to a 

man as well as to a woman. 

370. The appellations " compatriota," compatriot, " artista," artist, 

" statista," political economist, " moralista," moralist, 

"pessimista," pessimist, " scrittore ," writer, " autore ," author, and 

"testimonio ," witness , are applied to men and women alike . 

371. Nouns which admit of both genders form the feminine by 

changing the final vowel into a. Ex. 

Mio cugino, my cousin , mia cugina , my cousin . 

Mio Cognato, my brother-in-law, mia cognata, my sister -in-law. 

Il mio maestro ,my teacher , la mia maestra , my teacher . 

Un cameriere , a valet , una cameriera , a lady's-maid. 

Un ebreo, a Jew, un' ebrea , a Jewess . 

Un vedovo, a widower, una vedova, a widow. 

372. 1 The names of some animals, as "un coniglio," a rabbit, "un 

cammello," a earned "una balena," a whale , "un' aquila," an 

eagle , serve both for the male and the female, in Italian; so that, 

to be more explicit, the word "maschio," male, or the word 

"femmina ," female , is placed after the name of the animal . Ex. 

" Un coniglio maschio ," 

a buck rabbit, 

"un coniglio femmina ," 

a doe rabbit. 

100 ON THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS. 

373- Words (nouns and adjectives) which are derived from verbs, 

and end in ante and ente , as well as those derived from a country 

or town, ending in ese, are the same for both genders . Ex. 

Il cantante , the singer , la cantante , the singer . 

Il credente , the believer , la credente , the believer . 

Un Inglese , an Englishman , una Inglese , an Englishwoman . 

Un Francese , 1 a Frenchman , una Francese , a Frenchwoman . 

374. Nouns which have the masculine termination in tore, form 

the feminine in trice . Ex. 

L' esecutore , the executor , l' esecutrice , the executrix . 

128

L'imperatore , the emperor , l'imperatrice , the empress . 

Il traditore , the traitor , la traditrice , the traitress . 

375. The following nouns form the feminine in essa : 

Un abate, an abbot, un' abadessa, an abbess. 

Un barone, a baron, una baronessa , a baroness, 

Un conte , a count, una contessa , a countess . 

Un dottore, a doctor, una dottoressa, a lady doctor, 

Un duca, a duke, una duchessa , a duchess, 

Un gigante , a giant , una gigantessa , a giantess . 

Un leone , a lion, una leonessa , a lioness , 

Un oste, a host, un'ostessa , a hostess , 

Un poeta, a poet, una poetessa , a poetess , 

Un pavone, a peacock , una pavonessa , a pea-hen, 

Un principe , a prince , una principessa , a princess , 

Un profeta, a prophet, una profetessa , a prophetess, 

Un sacerdote , a priest , una sacerdotessa , a priestess 

376. Names of Empires, Kingdoms, Provinces, and Rivers ending 

in a are feminine . Ex. 

" La Russia," Russia, " la Spagna," Spain, "la Calabria," Calabria, 

"la Senna," the Seine. When they end with any of the other 

vowels, they are masculine. Ex. " Il Brasile ," Brazil, " il Tamigi," 

the Thames , " il Portogallo," Portugal, "il Perù," Peru. 

377. Names of Towns ending in a or in e are feminine . Ex. 

" La bella Roma," beautiful Rome ; 

" La sapiente Atene ," learned Athens . 

If they end in any other vowel, they are of either gender . 

378. Names of Islands are feminine . Ex. "La Sardegna " Sardinia . 

379. Names of Lakes are mas. Ex. " Il Ladoga," lake Ladoga. 


ON THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS.101 

380. Names of Trees generally end in o, and are masculine . Ex. 

" Un pero," a pear-tree ; " un ciriegio ," a cherry -tree . 

Except " una quercia," an oak; " un' elce," a holm-oak ; " una 

palma," a palm-tree , and " una vite ," a vine . 

381. Names of Fruits generally end in a, and are feminine . Ex. 

129

"Una pesca," a peach ; "una mela," an apple ; "una castagna," a 

chestnut . 

Except " un pomo," an apple ; " un fico," a fig; "un arancio," an 

orange ; " un limone," a lemon; " un cedro," a citron ; " un dattero," 

a date ; "un pistacchio," a pistache nut, which signify the tree as 

well as the fruit. 

382. Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs, and Conjunctions, used as 

nouns, are masculine . Ex. 

" Il bello," the beautiful ; 

"il cantare ," the singing ; 

" il perché ," the reason why. 

383. The following nouns must be noticed : 

Un baleno, a flash of lightning , una balena, a whale . 

Un colpo, a blow, una colpa, a fault. 

Un foglio, a sheet of paper, una foglia , a leaf . 

Il Porto, the harbour, la Porta, the gate , the door. 

Il Soglio, the throne , la Soglia , the threshold. 

Il velo, the veil , la vela , the sail . 

Il volto, the face . la volta, the arched ceiling . 

EXERCISE XL. 

His Holiness (368) Pope Leo the tenth (Leone decimo) was a (353) 

son the celebrated 1 Lorenzo de' Medici. There was (154) a sentry 

at each door of the palace. If he does not act (Pres. Ind.) with 

prudence, he will soon become the victim of his companions. He 

has (149) been (277) a widower (354) these four years. Last year I 

went to Florence with my brother-in-law and my cousin Margaret. 

The two sentries 2 were women. When we go to (207) Italy we 

meet (239) many of our country women. 3 She is French and he 

is English ; they are both good singers. 4 The emperor (374) and 

empress were (Imperf. Ind.) surrounded by princes (375) and 

princesses , baron and baronesses . 

384. 1 When the word celebrated means famous it is translated 

into Italian by " celebre," but when it means solemnized it is 

translated by " celebrato ." 

385. 2 The words " sentinella," " recruta," &c., (rule 369) form 

their plurals by changing the final a into an e, for men and 

women alike . 

130

386. 3 The words " compatriota," " artista," &c., (rule 370) form 

their plurals by changing the final a into an i when they refer to 

men, but by changing the final a into an e when they refer to 

women . 

387. 4 The words " cantante," &c., " inglese," &c. ( rule 373) form 

their plurals by changing the final e into an o, both when they 

refer to men and women . 


DETERMINATION OF THE GENDER OF NOUNS BY THEIR 

VOWEL ENDINGS, AND FORMATION OF THE PLURAL OF 

NOUNS. 

388. As stated already, nearly all the Italian words end with one of 

the five vowels, a, e, i, o, u 1 and the gender and number of nouns 

is generally indicated by the ending vowel. Therefore , along with 

the rules for recognising the gender of nouns, will be given the 

rules for the formation of the plural. 

WORDS ENDING IN A. 

389. All nouns ending in a are feminine , and form their plural by 

changing the a into e. Ex. 

La grida, the edict, le gride, the edicts . 

390. Of course , names of dignities and professions of men, ending 

in a, are of the masculine gender, and form their plurals in 1 '. 

Ex. " Il papa," the pope , " i papi ," the popes; " il monarca," the 

monarch, "I monarchi," the monarchs ; " il duca," the duke, " i 

duchi," the dukes; " il poeta," the poet, "i poeti," the poets. 


NECESSARY : 

391. Feminine nouns ending in ea form their plural by changing 

ea into ee. Ex. 

La mia idea , my idea , le mie idee , my ideas . 

392. Feminine nouns ending in da and già may lose the i in the 

plural. Ex. 

La caccia , the chase , le cacce , the chases . 

La spiaggia , the shore , le spiagge , the shores . 

Except in " le bugie," the lies ; which is the plural of " la bugia," 

the lie, because the accent falls upon the i. 

131

393. Feminine nouns ending in ca and ga, in the singular, take 

an h in the plural, and change the a into e. Ex. 

La bocca, the mouth, le bocche, the mouths. 

La monaca , the nun, le monache , the nuns. 

La Strega , the witch , le streghe , the witches . 

394. Masculine nouns ending in ca and ga, in the singular, 

require an h in the plural, and change the a into i. Ex. 

Il duca, the duke, i duchi, the dukes. 

Il collega , the colleague , i Colleghi , the colleagues . 

395. Un lapis, a pencil, " ribes," currants, " un diesis," a 

semitone, are almost the only nouns ending with a consonant 

used in Italian . They do not change in the plural. 


396. All nouns ending in " tà " (all " parole tronche ") 1 are 

feminine and do not change the form in the plural. Ex. 

La città , the town, city, le città , the towns, cities . 

La carità , charity , la sincerità , sincerity . 

397. The following nouns (derived from the Greek language ), 

ending in a, are masculine, in Italian, and form their plural by 

changing the a into i : 

L' anatema , the anathema , gli anatemi , the 

132 

anathemas , 

L'assioma , the axiom , gli assiomi , the axioms , 

Il clima , the climate , i climi , the climates , 

Il diadema , the diadem, i diademi , the diadems , 

Il diploma, the diploma, i diplomi, the diplomas, 

Il dogma, the dogma, i dogmi, the dogmas, 

Il dramma , the drama, i drammi , the dramas, 

L' emblema , the emblem , gli emblemi , the emblems , 

L' enigma , the enigma , gli enigmi , the enigmas , 

L' epigramma , the epigram , gli epigrammi , the epigrams , 

Il fantasma , the phantom, i fantasmi , the phantoms, 

L'idioma, the idiom , gl'idiomi , the idioms , 

Il pianeta , the planet, i pianeti , the planets.' 

Il poema , the poem, i poemi , the poems, 

Il problema, the problem, i problemi , the problems, 

Lo scisma , the schism , gli scismi , the schisms , 

Il sistema , the system , i sistemi , the systems ,

Il Sofisma , the sophism, I sofismi the sophisms , 

Il telegramma , the telegram , i telegrammi , the telegrams . 

Il tema , the theme , i temi , the themes . 

Il programma , the programme , 

i programmi , the programmes , 

Lo stratagemma , the stratagem , 

gli stratagemmi , the stratagems . 

Lo stemma , the coat of arms , 

gli stemmi , the coats of arms . 

WORDS ENDING IN E. 

398. Nouns ending in e are some masculine and some feminine , 

but for both genders the plural is formed by changing the e into I. 

Ex. 

Il cane , the dog, i cani , the dogs, 

La canzone , the song, le canzoni , the songs. 


NECESSARY : 

399. Words ending in ore ( which are very numerous) are all 

masculine . Ex. 

" Il fiore ," the flower ; " i fiori ," the flowers. 

400. 1 Notice that the following nouns ending in à are 

masculine, and remain unchanged in the plural: " il sofà.," the 

sofa, "i sofà," the sofas; " il falbalà," the "flounce , i falbalà," the 

flounces ; " il taffetà ," the taffety ; " il baccalà," dried cod. 


401. Words ending in ente are masculine . Ex. 

" Il dente ," 1 the tooth ; " i denti ," the teeth . 

Except "la gente ," the people, " le genti ," the nations ; 

"la lente ," the lens , or lentil , " le lenti ," the lenses , or lentils ; 

" la mente ," the mind, " le menti ," the minds; 

"la corrente ," the current , " le correnti ," the currents ; 

"la sorgente ," the source , " le sorgenti ," the sources . 

402. Words ending in me are masculine. Ex. " il fiume ," the river, 

" i fiumi ," the rivers . 

Except " l' arme ," the weapon, " le armi ," the weapons ; 

133

"un'uniforme ," a uniform ; and " la fame ," hunger . 

403. Words ending in one are masculine . Ex. 

" Il balcone," the balcony, " i balconi," the balconies . 

Except " la canzone ," the song, " le canzoni ," the songs, 

" la tenzone ," the combat, " le tenzoni ," the combats. 

404. Concrete nouns (i.e., names of objects) ending in ione (about 

twenty) are masculine . Ex. 

L'arcione , the saddle-bow, gli arcioni , the saddle-bows. 

Il battaglione , the battalion, i battaglioni , the battalions. 

Il bastione , the bastion, i bastioni , the bastions. 

Il padiglione , the pavilion , i padiglioni , the pavilions . 

405. Abstract nouns (i.e., names of things that have no 

substance ) ending in ione (about three hundred) are feminine . 

Ex. 

L' azione , the action , le azioni , the actions . 

La conversazione , the conversation, le conversazioni , the 

conversations . 

La discussione , the discussion , le discussioni , the discussions . 

406. Nouns ending in udine (about twenty) are feminine . Ex. 

L'abitudine , habit, la solitudine , solitude. 

La mansuetudine , meekness , l'incudine , the anvil . 

WORDS ENDING IN I. 

407. Nouns ending in i are masculine, and do not change form in 

the plural. Ex. "Il brindisi," the toast, "i brindisi," the toasts; " il 

dì," the day, "i dì," the days; " il lunedì," the Monday, " i lunedì," 

the Mondays ; " un barbagianni ," an owl. 

Except a few words (about twelve) derived from the Greek, which 

are feminine . Ex. 

La metropoli , the metropolis , le metropoli , the metropolis . 

L' analisi , 2 the analysis , le analisi , the analysis . 

La crisi ,' the crisis , le crisi , the crises . 

La diocesi , the diocese , le diocesi , the diocese . 


gate . 


ON THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS. 105 

134

WORDS ENDING IN O. 

408. All words ending in o are of the masculine gender, and form 

their plural by changing the o into i. Ex. 

Il tempo, the time , i tempi , the times . 

Il trono, the throne , i troni, the thrones . 

Il palazzo, the palace, i palazzi, the palaces . 

Except "la mano," the hand, "le mani," the hands, and " eco," 1 the 

echo. 


NECESSARY : 

409. Nouns ending in co and go take an h in the plural. Ex. 

Il bosco, the wood, i boschi, the woods. 

Il fuoco, the fire , i fuochi, the fires . 

Il manico , the handle, i manichi , the handles -. 

Il castigo , the punishment , i castighi , the punishments . 

410. Notice however that the following words do not require any h 

in their plural form. Ex. 

Il Greco, the Greek , i Greci , the Greeks . 

Il porco, the pig, i Porci, the pigs. 

L' amico , the friend , gli amici , the friends . 

Il nemico , the enemy , i nemici , the enemies . 

Il medico , the doctor, i medici , the doctors. 

Il portico, the portico, i portici, the porticoes. 

Il mosaico , the mosaic , i mosaici , the mosaics . 

411. As a general rule nouns ending in io form their plural by 

merely cutting off the final o. Ex. 

L' occhio, the eye, gli occhi , the eyes . 

Il viaggio , the voyage, i viaggi , the voyages . 

Il fornaio, the baker , i fornai , 2 the bakers . 

412. Notice, however, that the following words end with two ii in 

the plural to distinguish them from similar words ending with 

one i only in the plural, and having quite a different meaning : I 

tempii , the churches , to distinguish it from i tempi , the times . 

I principii , the principles , i principi , the princes . 

I giudicii , the judgments , i giudici , the judges. 

Gli omicidii , the murders , gli omicidi , the murderers . 

I beneficii , the benefices , benifici , benevolent (plur.). 

Gli atrii , the porches, atri , black (plur.). 

135

413. 1 " Eco" was originally the name of a girl. Some writers 

make " eco " masculine ; in the plural, however, it is always "gli 

echi ," the echoes . 

414. 2 Formerly the words ending in aio in the singular were 

made to end in the plural in aj, as farnaj. 


415. Nouns that have an accent over the ì (ìo) in the singular, 

form their plural by changing the ìo into ii. Ex. 

Lo zio, the uncle , gli zii, the uncles . 

Il rio, the brook, i rii, the brooks. 

Il pendio, the slope, i pendii , the slopes. 

Il leggio , the reading -desk, i leggii , the reading -desks. 

WORDS ENDING IN U. 

416. There are only a few words in Italian ending in u ; they are 

feminine and do not change form in the plural. Ex. 

La virtù , virtue . le virtù , virtues . 

Except " il ragù," stewed meat, which is masculine, and has for 

plural " i ragù," stewed meats . 

417. The following nouns, indicating parts of the human body, 

may end in the plural either in i, and be masculine, or in a, and 

be feminine . 1 

Il ciglio , the eyebrow, i cigli or le ciglia , the eyebrows. 

Il labbro, the lip, i labbri or le labbra, the lips. 

Il braccio, the arm, i bracci or le braccia , the arms . 

Il gomito, the elbow, i gomiti or le gomita , the elbows. 

Il dito, the finger , i diti or le dita, the fingers . 

Il ginocchio , the knee , i ginocchi or le ginocchia , the knees . 

Il calcagno, the heel , i calcagni or le calcagna , the heels . 

EXERCISE XLI. 

Chronology (328) and (337) geography are the eyes 2 (411) of 

history (328). Spain produces lemons, oranges, and olives in great 

abundance. Poets (328) compare cheeks (392) to roses, eyes to 

stars, hands (408) to lilies, and teeth to pearls. One must (307) 

know (364) mathematics 3 (225) to understand astronomy 

thoroughly. I admire the theatres (408), fountains, statues, 

galleries, and gardens of this beautiful city. History proves that 

(che) philosophers (328) have always been preceded by (269, 270) 

poets, and (by the) painters. The rose is the queen of flowers, and 

136

the emblem of (328) beauty. We have visited the principal cities 

(396) of Italy. The earth presents on its surface, heights, (137, 

389) hollows, precipices, (411) volcanoes, seas, marshes, rivers, 

(402) forests, and fields. These men are not (125) French ; they 

are German (409) ; three are sailors (411), the others are 

workmen . 

418. 1 The words "anello," ring, " castello," castle, " filo," thread, " 

urlo," howling, and a few others, may end in the plural either in i 

or in a. 

2 The student is advised to look for the translations of the words 

in the vocabulary at the end of this grammar before applying the 

rules bearing on them in the exercises . 

419. 3 Mathematics, statistics, politics, are generally translated 

into Italian by " La matematica , la statistica , la politica ." 


IRREGULARITIES IN THE GENDER AND NUMBER OF NOUNS. 

420. The following nouns have two meanings, and for each 

meaning there is a different plural : 

IL MEMBRO, the member . 

I MEMBRI, the members (of a society) ; and LE MEMBRA, the 

limbs of the body. 

IL GESTO, the gesture . 

I GESTI, the gestures of an orator, of an actor ; and LE GESTA, the 

exploits of a hero . 

IL FRUTTO, the fruit, the result . I 

I FRUTTI, the results ; also the fruits of the same plants ; and LE 

FRUTTA, fruits of various kinds (dessert ). 

IL MURO, the wall. 

I MURI, the walls of a house , of a garden, of a park ; and LE MURA, 

the walls of a town. 

IL CARRO, the chariot , the cart. 

I CARRI, the chariots ; and LE CARRA, the carts, cart-loads. 

L' osso, the bone. 

GLI ossi, the bones (any bones) ; and LE OSSA, the human bones. 

IL CORNO, the horn. 

I CORNI, the horns (wind instruments) ; and LE CORNA, the 

horns of an animal . 

137

IL RISO, the rice , the laugh. 

I Risi ,the rice (an Italian dish); and LE RISA, the plural of laugh. 

IL LEGNO, the wood, the carriage , the ship. 

I LEGNI , the woods, the carriages, the ships ; and LE LEGNA, 

firewood. 

IL MAGO, the magician , or the wise man (of the East). 

I MAGHI, the magicians ; and I MAGI,the wise men (of the East) . 

421. The following nouns in the singular end in o, and are 

masculine , in the plural end in a, and are feminine . 

L' uovo, 1 the egg, le uova, the eggs. 

Il miglio , the mile , le miglia , the miles . 

Il paio, the pair, le paia, the pairs. 

Lo staio, the bushel, le staia , the bushels. 

Il grido, the cry, le grida, the cries . 

Il centinaio , the hundred, le centinaia , the hundreds. 

Il migliaio , the thousand, le migliaia , the thousands, 




422. Words ending in ie 1 are feminine , and do not change form 

in the plural. Ex. 

La specie , the species , kind, le specie , the species , kinds . 

La superficie , the surface , le superficie , the surfaces . 

Except " la moglie ," the wife , which makes in the plural " le 

mogli ." 

423. The following nouns are irregular in the plural : 

Dio, God, gli dei, the gods. 

L'uomo, the man, gli uomini , the men. 

Il bue, the ox, i buoi, the oxen. 

424. The following words have two meanings , and two genders : 

"il tema ," means the exercise ; " la tema ," means fear . 

" Il fine ," means the aim, scope ; " la fine ," means the end. 

" Un margine ," means a margin ; " una margine ," means a scar. 

" Un dramma," means a drama ; " una dramma," means a 

drachm. [dram] 

138

" Un pianeta," means a planet ; " una pianeta," means a priest's 

cope. 

425. Observe that the words "la fame," hunger; "la sete," thirst; 

"la gioventù," youth ; "la servitù," servants, slavery; " l'udito," the 

hearing; " il miele," honey; " il fieno," hay; "la stirpe ," race , 

family, and the names of virtues, vices, and metals are only used 

in the singular. Ex. "La probità," probity, "la modestia," modesty, 

"la superbia," pride , "L' oro," gold, " l' acciaio," steel, &c., are only 

used in the singular . 

426. The following words are only employed in the plural : 

Gli annali , the annals . Le molle , the tongs. 

Le forbici, | , scissors Le stoviglie , the crockery -ware . 

Le cesoie , | Le spezie , the spices . 

Le nozze, the wedding. L' esequie , the obsequies . 

EXERCISE XLII. 

The fruit (420) for dessert is (are) on the side-board. The Jupiter 

of Homer was the first among the gods (88, 423) of mythology. The 

games (409) and exercises practised by the Greeks, were good for 

the health of the body, and (for) the strength of the limbs (420). I 

have bought two pairs (421) of boots, one for Mary, and one for my 

sister Elizabeth. A friend has sent me (193) a basket of eggs (421). 

Climate (328, 397) has great influence on the character of (328) 

men. I have corrected your exercises . 

427. 1 Notice that words ending with an accented vowel (see rules 

396, 400, and 416), words ending in i (see rule 407), and words 

ending in ie (see rule 422) do not, asa rule , change form in the 

plural. Also that " re," king (which was formerly accented) has the 

same form in the singular and in the plural. 

ON COMPOUND NOUNS.109. 

LESSON XXI. 

ON ITALIAN AND ENGLISH COMPOUND NOUNS. 

ON ITALIAN COMPOUND NOUNS. 

428. The number of Italian compound words is very limited, and 

the order of the words in them is seldom reversed. Most of them 

are of the masculine gender, and form the plural of the words of 

which they are composed according to the sense . Ex. 

SINGULAR. PLURAL . 

Un capolavoro, 1 a masterpiece , dei capilavori . 

139

Un capocaccia , a chief hunter , dei capicaccia . 

Una ferrovia , a railway , delle ferrovie . 

Un bassorilievo , a bas-relief , dei bassirilievi . 

Un capogiro, a fit of giddiness , dei capogiri . 

Un arcobaleno, a rainbow, degli archibaleno . 

Uno spazzacamino , a chimney -sweeper , degli spazzacamini . 

Madreperla , mother -of-pearl, delle madriperle . 

429. When the first of the two words in a compound noun is 

Greek or Latin, or has lost the vowel ending, the second word 

alone is inflected . Ex. 


Un monosillabo, a monosyllabic word, dei monosillabi . 

Un viceconsolo , a vice -consul, dei viceconsoli . 

Un cavolfiore , a cauliflower , dei cavolfiori , 

ON ENGLISH COMPOUND NOUNS. 

430. English Compound Nouns belong to three classes : 

The first class contains such nouns as straw hat, schoolmaster, 

moonlight, in which one of the two words qualifies the other, with 

which it has affinity or connection. In translating these 

compound nouns into Italian, the order of words must be reversed 

and the preposition "di," only, or (if the article is required, see 

pages 22, 93) "del," " dello," &c., is placed between the words. Ex. 

Un maestro di scuola, a schoolmaster . 

Una casa di campagna , a country-house . 

Un mercante di vino, a wine -merchant . 

I raggi del sole, the sunbeams . 

Le stelle della mattina , the morning -stars. 


orphan. 

110 ON COMPOUND NOUNS. 

431. The second class of English compound nouns includes such 

nouns as writing-paper, dining-room , in which the first noun 

expresses the use or destination of the second noun. In 

translating these compound nouns into Italian, the order of the 

words must be reversed, and the preposition " da " must be placed 

between the two words. Ex. 

Carta da scrivere , writing -paper. 

Una sala da pranzo, a dining -room. 

140

Una spazzola da panni, a cloth-brush. 

Una bottiglia da vino, a wine -bottle. 

Una vesta da camera , a dressing -gown. 

432. The third class of English compound nouns includes such 

nouns as steam-boat, wind-mill, in which the first noun denotes 

the means by which the object expressed by the first noun acts. 

In translating these compound nouns, the order of the words is 

inverted, and the preposition " a " placed between the two words. 

Ex. 

Un batello a vapore, a steam -boat. 

Un mulino a vento , a wind-mill . 

Un bastimento a vela , a sailing -vessel . 

433. No positive rule can be given for the formation of the 

following expressions , and the like : 

L' Ufficio della Posta, the post-office . 

Il mercato del fieno , the hay- market . 

Bei campi a frumento , beautiful corn-fields. 

EXERCISE XLIII. 

Do you (122) like my brother's works ? I look upon them as 

master-pieces (428). Give me pen and ink (inkstand), a sheet of 

writing paper (431), and an envelope . I want (volere) (307) to write 

to the director of this railway. Last night I met (Past Def.) William 

at my brother's ; 1 he seemed (Imperf. Ind.) satisfied with (266) 

the result of his examination. How do you like your new house ? I 

do not like it much ; the dining-room (431) is very dark , the bed- 

rooms are small, and the ground-floor is gloomy. Where did you 

buy (have you bought) this chimney-piece ? (430) I bought it (180, 

193) at Johnstone's. 1 Where have you been ? (149, 123) I have 

been to (the) market, to buy three cart-loads (420) of firewood. 

Where is the pincushion ? It is on the work table , (431) near my 

sister's leather bag (430). We went to (207) America in a steam- 

boat (432), and came back in a sailing -vessel . 

434. 1 The expressions at my brother's, at Charles', meaning at 

the house of, are translated into Italian "da mio fratello," " da 

Carlo," or " a casa di mio fratello," &c. But expressions such as at 

Johnstone's, are translated into Italian by " nel negozio, or nella 

bottega di Johnstone," when 3 . keeps a shop for selling goods 

(linen, furniture, &c.), and by " all'Albergo," or " al caffé 

Johnstone ," when 3 . keeps a hotel, or a cafe . 

141

ON THE ITALIAN SUFFIXES . 111 

LESSON XXII. 

ON THE ALTERATION IN THE MEANING OF WORDS BY MEANS 

OF SUFFIXES . 

435. The Italians give the names of " Accrescitivi," 

(augmentatives), " Diminutivi," ( diminutives), and " Peggiorativi," 

(depreciatives), to certain suffixes, which, like the English ish, 

alter or modify the meaning of nouns, adjectives, and even 

adverbs. The Italian language is very rich in suffixes, which 

modify in a variety of ways the idea expressed by the primitive 

term, and are of great use in adding expression to words. Only the 

principal suffixes will be given here . 

" ACCRESCITIVI." 

436. The principal Italian " accrescitivi " are "one,""ona," " otto " 

and " otta." 

437. The suffixes " one" and " ona" denote bigness, as well as 

stoutness . Ex. 

Un libro, a book, un librone , a big book. 

Un Uomo, a man, un omone , 1 a tall, stout man. 

Un cane , a dog, un cagnone , 2 a large dog. 

438. On this point it is to be observed that when a feminine noun 

takes the suffix one it becomes masculine . Ex. 

Una strada, a street , uno stradone, a large road. 

Una donna, a woman, un donnone , a big, stout woman. 

439. But adjectives take both the forms of the suffix, otherwise 

they might be ambiguous. Ex. 

Una vecchia , an old woman, una vecchiona , a big, old woman. 

440. The suffixes " otto," " otta," indicate somewhat of an increase 

in the ordinary size , as well as vigour. Ex. 

Un ragazzo, a boy, un ragazzotto, a fine strong lad. 

441. The Italian " diminutivi " are divided into two classes : the " 

diminutivi -vezzeggiativi," ( endearing), and the " diminutivi - 

dispregiativi " (depreciating ). 

" DIMINUTIVI-VEZZEGGIATIVI." 

442. The principal "diminutivi -vezzeggiativi" are " ino," "ina," 

"olino," " olina," " etto," " etta," " ello," " ella," " erello," " erella," " 

142

icello," " icella," " oncino," and " oncina," 3 which indicate 

affection , endearment , as well as smallness . Ex. 

Un fiume , a river , un fiumicello , a nice little river . 

Un pesce , a fish, un pesciolino , a nice little fish. 

Un vecchio , an old man, un vecchierello , a dear little old man. 

443. 1 The word " uomo " loses its first letter, , when it takes a 

suffix. 

444. 2 The word " cane " takes an euphonic g before the n when it 

takes a suffix, except before "ino," when the g is not inserted, as " 

un canino ," a nice little dog. 

3 Discrimination and taste must be had in using the " 

vezzeggiativi . " 

112 ON THE ITALIAN SUFFIXES . 

445. On this point it is to be observed that many feminine nouns 

become masculine when they take the suffix " ino." Ex. 

Una tavola, a table, un tavolino, a nice little table. 

446. The suffixes in the following words are often used but cannot 

be easily classified . 

Arboscello 1 (from " albero," tree ), a little tree , a shrub. 

" DlMINUTIVI -DISPREGIATIVI." 

447. The principal " diminutivi -dispregiativi " are " uccio," 

" uccia," " uzzo," " uzza," " onzolo," " onzola," which indicate 

despicable pettiness . Ex. 

Una stanza, a room, una stanzuccia , a small dirty room. 

448. On this point it is to be observed that the suffixes " uccio," " 

uccia," appended to Christian names signify endearment, and not 

contempt. Ex. 

Carluccio mio ! My dear little Charley ! 

" PEGGIORATIVI." 

449. The principal Italian " peggiorativi " are " accio," " accia," " 

azzo," "azza," which signify contempt for worthlessness . Ex. 

Uno cappello, a hat, un cappellaccio , an ugly, dirty hat. 

450. The suffixes " aglia " and "ame," signify plenty but of no 

value . Ex. 

La canaglia (from " cane ," dog), the rabble. 

143

Gentaglia (from "gente ," people), vulgar people. 

Ossame (from " osso," bone), a heap of bones. 

451. The suffixes in the following words are often used but cannot 

be easily classified . 

Un poetastro (from " poeta," poet), a bad poet. 

Una casipola (from " casa," house ), a hovel . 

Un liberc olo (from "libro," book), a paltry little book. 

Una fieruc ola (from " fiera ," fair ), an insignificant fair . 

452. Sometimes two suffixes are added to one noun. Ex. 

Un librettino , a nice little book, Un violoncello , a violoncello . 

Un ruscellettino , a streamlet , Un omaccione , a big, nasty man. 

453. Some of the above -mentioned suffixes can be added to 

adjectives . Ex. 

Ricco, rich , riccone , very rich . 

Fresco, fresh , freschetto , rather fresh . 

Rosso, red, rossiccio , reddish. 

Amaro, bitter , amarastro , bitterish . 

454. Some of the above -mentioned suffixes can be added to 

adverbs. Ex. 

Bene , well, benone , very well. 

Bene , well, benino , pretty well. 


gate . 

ON THE ITALIAN SUFFIXES , AND COLLECTIVE NOUNS. 113 

ON COLLECTIVE NOUNS. 

455. There are two sorts of collective nouns, the collective 

general , and the collective partitive . 

456. The collective general represents the whole collection, as " il 

popolo," the people , " l'armata," the army, "la flotta," the fleet, "la 

famiglia," the family, &c., and verbs, adjectives, and pronouns 

referring to it are inflected as if they were used with a noun in 

the singular . Ex. 

Il popolo 1 inglese mantiene i suoi diritti politici . 

The English people maintain their political rights . 

457. The collective partitive represents only a portion of the 

collection, as " un'armata," an army, " una moltitudine," a 

multitude, &c., and, as a rule , verbs, adjectives, and pronouns 

144

used in the sentence are inflected according to the noun which 

follows the collective partitive . 2 Ex. 

Una piccola armata di soldati eur opei conquistarono le 

Indie . 

A small army of European soldiers conquered India. 

EXERCISE XLIV. 

Where did you buy ( have you bought) that (152) huge book ? (437) I 

bought it at Hachette's (434). I caught (180) this pretty little bird 

in its nest, in the trunk of a large tree, (437) near your uncle's 

farm. I am astonished to see you (122, 198) wearing (314) that 

horrid Spanish hat (177, 449). I wear it because it is light and 

comfortable. Take 3 (122) these pretty little books, and put them 

(201) on Elizabeth's little table . This morning we walked (Past 

Indef.) four miles (421) ; we went as far as the beautiful little 

bridge (442) near the village inn. Take away this cur ; (444, 447) I 

hate it. Every evening we take a walk 3 along a small stream, in 

which a thousand pretty little fishes swim about. How do you do 

(see page 89) to-day? Very well! (454) I thank you. The committee 

(456) made a report of the case , and sent it to the king. Under his 

despotic government the people (456) suffered (Past Def.) many 

hardships. 


darker type. 

458. 2 Notice, however, that when the Italians employ a collective 

noun, and want to express the action of the collection, as a whole, 

all words must be inflected as if they were used with a noun in 

the singular . Ex. 

Una folia, di nemici ci apparve all'improvviso , 

A crowd of enemies appeared suddenly before us. 

459 3 To take is translated into Italian by " Prendere." But to 

take, in the sense of to lead, is translated by " condurre," " 

menare." To take away, is translated by " Portar via," "monar via," 

and to take off, by "levare." To take a portrait is " Fare un 

ritratto ." To take a walk, " Fare una passeggiata ." 

114 POETICAL FORMS OF NOUNS. 

IMPORTANT POETICAL FORMS OF NOUNS. 1 

( Arranged Alphabetically . ) 

145

"Acciaro" is used in poetry for " acciaio," steel; " aëre " for " aria," 

air; "aura" and " auretta " for " venticello," breeze; " agone " for " 

combattimento," combat; " aita " for " aiuto," help; " angue " for " 

serpente," serpent; " albore " for " alba," dawn; " albore " and " 

arbore " for " albero," tree ; " alma " for " anima," soul ; " amista " 

for " amicizia," friendship ; " aquilone " for " vento settentrionale," 

north-wind ; " ara" for " altare," altar; " augei " for " uccelli," birds; 

" austro " for " vento del sud," south-wind; " avello" for " sepoltura," 

tomb ; " avolo " for " nonno," grand-father; " belva " for " fiera," wild 

beast; " belta " for " bellezza," beauty; " borea " for " vento 

settentrionale," north-wind; " brando" for " spada," sword ; " bufera 

" for " turbine ," hurricane ; " calle " for " sentiero," path ; " capei " 

" chiome " and " crine " for " capelli," hair ; " cittade " for " città," 

city ; " clade " for " strage," slaughter; " corsiero " " corridore " " 

destriero " and " palafreno " for " cavallo," horse ; " desio" for " 

desiderio," desire ; " delubro " for " tempio," church ; "die" for " di," 

day; "diva" for " dea," goddess; " dritto " for " diritto," right; " dumi " 

for " spini ," thorns; " etere" and " etra" for " cielo" sky; "euro" for " 

vento dell' est," east-wind; " face " for " fiaccola," torch; " favella " for 

"lingua," language ; " Filomela " for " rosignolo," nightingale ; " 

gaudio " for " allegrezza," joy; " gioventude " for " gioventù," youth; 

"gota" for " guancia," cheek; " guiderdone " for " ricompensa," 

reward; " imago" for " imagine," image; " iri " and " iride," for " 

arcobaleno," rainbow; " labbia " for " labbra," lips; "lai" for " 

lamenti," laments ; " lari " for "dei," gods; " larva" for " spettro," 

spectre ; " lemuri " for " spettri ," hobgoblins; " lena" for " forza," 

strength; " magione" for " casa," house ; " monile " for " Collana," 

necklace ; " motto " for " parola," word ; " nappo " for " tazza," cup ; 

"noto" for " vento del sud," south-wind; " numi " for "dei," gods; 

"occaso"for " sera," evening ; " orto " for " mattina," morning; " 

ostello " for " albergo," abode; " pelago " for " oceano," ocean ; " 

pieta " for " compassione ," pity; " prence" for " principe," prince ; " 

Pr ogne " for " rondine ," swallow; " quadrello " for " freccia," arrow ; 

" rai " for " raggi ," rays ; " rio " for " ruscello," brook ; " salma"for " 

corpo," body; " silva " for " foresta," forest; " speme" for " speranza," 

hope; " spirto " for " spirito," spirit; " stame " for " filo," thread; " 

strale" for " freccia," arrow ; " stelo " for " gambo," stem of a plant; " 

suora " for " Sorella," sister; " talamo " for " letto," bed; " vallo " for " 

fortificazione ," fortification; " veglio " for " vecchio," old man; 

"vespero " for "sera ," evening ; and " vessillo " for " bandiera ," flag. 

1 The poetical forms. of verbs are given on page 92. 

146

115 ON QUALIFICATIVE ADJECTIVES. 

LESSON XXIII. 

ON QUALIFICATIVE ADJECTIVES. 

460. In Italian, qualificative adjectives agree in gender and 

number with the nouns they qualify ; they end either in o or in e. 

1 

461. Adjectives ending in o, become feminine by changing the o 

into a. They form their plural by changing the o into i for the 

masculine , and by changing the a into e for the feminine . 2 Ex. 

Il marito è ricco e generoso , e la moglie e bella è modesta. 

The husband is rich and generous , and the wife beautiful 

and modest. 

Questi uomini sono ricchi e generosi , e le loro mogli sono 

belle e modeste . 

These men are rich and generous , and their wives are 

beautiful and modest. 

462. Adjectives ending in e, serve for both genders. They form 

their plural by changing the e into i. Ex. 

Il principe è illustre e potente , e la principessa è amabile , 

ed oltremodo intelligente . 

The prince is illustrious and powerful, and the princess is 

amiable and exceedingly clever . 

Questi nobili sono illustri e potenti, e le loro spose sono 

amabili , ed eleganti . 

These noblemen are illustrious and powerful, and their 

wives are amiable , and elegant . 

463. In Italian, when an adjective qualifies two or more nouns, it 

is put in the plural form , and when the nouns are of different 

gender , the plural adjective agrees with the masculine . Ex. 

Il padre e il figlio sono cattivi ed orgogliosi , mentrechè la 

madre e la figlia sono buone e cortesi . 

The father and son are wicked and proud, whilst the mother 

and daughter are good and courteous . 

Trovammo i contadini e le loro mogli assai industriosi e 

civili . 

We found the peasants and their wives very industrious and 

civil . 

147

464. 1 "Pari ," equal, " impari," unequal, and " dispari ," unlike, 

uneven, odd, are the only Italian adjectives that end in i, in the 

singular ; they have only one termination for both genders and 

numbers . Ex. 

" Una vostra pari," 

such a person as you are, 

465. 2 Adjectives ending in " co," "go," " ca," "ga," in the singular, 

as a rule , form their plural in "chi," "ghi," "che," "ghe," as "antico," 

"antichi ," "antica ," "antiche ," ancient . 

466. Adjectives ending in " io" form their plural by merely cutting 

off the o ; as "savio," plural " savi ," wise. But when the adjective 

ends in "io" the plural ends in " ii " ; as " rio," plural " rii," wicked . 

116 ON QUALIFICATIVE ADJECTIVES. 

467. In Italian there is no fixed rule for the position of adjectives ; 

they are placed before or after the nouns they qualify, according 

to taste , and euphony. Ex. 

Un nemico potente , / un potente nemico . 

A powerful enemy . 

468. Adjectives denoting colour, shape, taste , physical qualities, 

or derived from verbs, or names of nations, follow the nouns they 

qualify. Ex. 

Paolo porta un cappello bianco. 

Paul wears a white hat. 

Le tavole rotonde sono eleganti . 

Round tables are elegant . 

Mi davano medicine amare . 

They gave me bitter medicine . 

Un uomo cieco ha l' udito acuto. 

A blind man has sharp ears . 

Queste sono cose sorprendenti . 

These are surprising things . 

Leggo un romanzo 1 francese . 

I am reading a French novel . 

469. When two adjectives qualify the same noun, if they are short 

adjectives, they may be placed one before and the other after the 

noun; but if they are long words, they sound better after the noun. 

Ex. 

148

Un bel cavallo nero . 

A beautiful black horse . 

Questa storia è interessante e istruttiva . 

This history is interesting and instructive . 

470. When there are more than two adjectives, they go after the 

noun they qualify. Ex. 

Un uomo ricco, intelligente e generoso . 

A rich , intelligent , and generous man. 

471. When the adjective is modified by an adverb, both the adverb 

and the adjective are placed after the noun. Ex. 

Sono fanciulli molto intelligent !. 

They are very intelligent children . 

472. Some adjectives vary their significance according as they 

come before, or after the nouns they qualify ; the following are 

the most important : 

" Un gentiluomo " means a nobleman . 

" Un Uomo gentile " means a kind man. 

" Un galantu omo " means a worthy man. 

" Un uomo galante " means a polite man. 

" Un grand' Uomo " means a great man. 

" Un uomo grande " means a tall man. 

" Una certa notizia " means certain news . 

" Una notizia certa " means news which is authentic . 

1 A z, dotted thus z, has the soft sound of the z in the word zeal 

(50, 53). 

ON "BELLO," "GRANDE," " BUONO," AND "SANTO." 117 

ON THE ADJECTIVES "BELLO," "GRANDE," "BUONO," AND 

"SANTO." 

473. The adjective " bello," beautiful, pretty, is curtailed of the 

last syllable , before masculine nouns beginning with a 

consonant, except an s "impure" ; before a vowel it loses the final 

letter, and takes an apostrophe . The plural of "bello" is "bei," 

before a word beginning with a consonant, and " begli," before a 

word beginning with a vowel or an s " impure " Ex. 

Un bei quadro, a fine picture , bei quadri, fine pictures . 

Un bello scudo, a fine shield , begli scudi, fine shields . 

Un bell'anello , a fine ring , begli anelli , fine rings . 

149

474. The adjective " grande," great, tall, large , loses the final 

syllable (de), before masculine nouns, beginning with a 

consonant, both in the singular and plural. 1 This elision does 

not take place before an s "impure"; before a vowel, " grande" drops 

the final letter and takes in its stead an apostrophe. Ex. 

Un gran popolo (21), a great people, gran popoli, great nations . 

Un grande scrigno , a large chest , grandi scrigni , large chests . 

Un grand' elogio , a great eulogy, grand' elogi . great eulogies . 

475. The adjective " buono," good, loses the final o, before nouns, 

masculine singular, beginning with a vowel, or any consonant, 

except an s "impure ." Ex. 

Un buon ammiraglio , a good admiral . 

Un buon temperino , a good pen-knife . 

Un buono scrittoio , a good writing -desk. 

476. " Il santo " means the saint , and is a noun. 

477. When "santo" means saint, and precedes a proper noun of 

the masculine gender, beginning with any consonant, except an 

5 " impure," it loses the last syllable (to). This elision does not 

take place when " santo " means holy. Ex. 

Ho veduto la chiesa di San Pietro . 

I have seen Saint Peter's . 

Il martirio di Santo Stefano . 

Saint Stephen's martyrdom. 

Ho visitato il santo sepolcro. 

I visited the holy sepulchre . 

478. 1 Sometimes "grande" is also curtailed before feminine 

nouns, both in the singular and plural ; as " Una gran disgrazia," 

a great misfortune . 

ON QUALIFICATIVE ADJECTIVES. 118 

479. A LIST OF IMPORTANT ADJECTIVES 1 

Fresco, fresh , new. Povero, poor. 

Giovine , young. Attempato, aged. 

Allegro, cheerful . Mesto, sad. 

Glorioso, glorious. Eminente , eminent . 

Bravo, brave, able. Netto, clean . 

Sporco, dirty. Alto, high . 

Corto, short. Pieno , full. 

Vuoto, empty. Stretto , narrow. 

150

Largo, wide, broad. Pigro, lazy. 

Leggero , light , clear . Pesante , heavy . 

Grosso, large , big. Grasso, fat. 

Magro, lean . Abile, clever . 

Sordo, deaf. Muto, dumb. 

Idoneo 2 suitable . Semplice , simple . 

Brutto, ugly. Savio , wise . 

Stolto, foolish. Oscuro, dark. 

Grigio , grey. Spesso, thick . 

Gentile , polite. Rozzo, rude. 

Cattivo , bad, wicked . Forte, strong. 

Temerario , rash. Avido, greedy . 

Rotondo, round. Ovale , oval. 

Vezzoso, pretty, charming . 

Leggiadro , pretty, charming . 

Vago, vague , charming . 

Finto, feigned , artificial . 

EXERCISE XLV. 

Have you seen George's new carriage ? Yes, I have (208) ; it is 

strong and well made. The glorious productions of the eminent 

painter Raphael will ever form the delight of mankind. Napoleon 

I. often wore (Imp. Ind.) a grey (468) coat, and a round hat, with (a) 

a broad brim. General Garibaldi was riding a beautiful (473, 469) 

black horse . A great (474) talker is seldom a great speaker. If we 

had a good (475) telescope we could (304) see the custom-house . A 

tall man (472) is not always a great man. There is (154) a great 

difference between a polite (472) man and an honest man. Go 

(340) and fetch me a jug of warm (468) water. Here it is, (245) on 

the oval table . Where are you going, Bertha ? I am going (179) to 

Simpson's, (434) to buy some white cotton, and some red wool. I do 

not like this stair-case ; it is dark , and not clean. She writes in a 

simple (469) and natural style. My aunt has sent me a basket of 

flowers (348) ; it contains some red and white (465, 468) pinks, 

some pretty roses , and several kinds (422) of ferns . 

1 The above List does not contain the adjectives given on the 

previous pages. 

480. 2 Adjectives ending in eo form their feminine by changing 

the eo into ea, and their plurals end in ei and ee. Ex. 

151

" Idoneo," " idonea ," "idonei ," suitable . 

ON THE WORDS " TUTTO," " MEZZO," AND " OGNI." 119 

ON THE WORD "TUTTO." 

481. " Tutto," preceded by the definite article, means the whole, 

and is a noun. Ex. 

Mi dia il tutto, Signore . 

Give me the whole, Sir. 

482. " Tutto," meaning all, every, whole, is an adjective, variable ; 

it is, in all cases , followed by the definite article . Ex. 

Tutti gli ufficiali ricevettero la medaglia . 

All the officers received the medal. 

Tutto il paese era lieto . 

The whole country was happy. 

483. " Tutto " (or rather " del tutto "), meaning " intieramente," 

altogether , quite , is an adverb. Ex. 

Siamo tutto, or del tutto convinti . 

We are quite convinced . 

484. " Tutti quanti ," means the whole of them . Ex. 

Perirono tutti quanti . 

The whole of them perished . 

ON THE WORD "MEZZO." 1 

485. " Mezzo " means middle, way, means , and is a noun. Ex. 

Nel mezzo del giardino . 

In the middle of the garden. 

Non c'è mezzo di uscire . 

There is no way to get out. 

Non hanno i mezzi . 

They have not the means . 

486. When " mezzo " means half ; it is an adjective, and is 

variable when it precedes a noun, but remains invariable when it 

follows it. Ex. 

Una mezza libbra di te. 

Half a pound of tea. 

Una libbra e mezzo di zucchero . 

A pound and a half of sugar. 

152

487. Half, the half is translated into Italian by " la metà ." Ex. 

Me ne dia la metà ; il tutto sarebbe troppo. 

Give me the half ; the whole of it would be too much. 

Il terremoto distrusse la meta della città . 

The earthquake destroyed half of the city. 

ON THE WORD "OGNI." 

488. The adjective " ogni " means each, every ; it is of both 

genders and can only be used in the singular . Ex. 

Ogni paese ha i suoi Costumi . 

Every country has its own customs. 

Ogni signora aveva dei fiori nei capelli . 

Every lady had flowers in her hair . 

1 Two zz, dotted thus zz, have the soft sound of the zz in the word 

muzzle (52, 53). 

120 ON THE WORDS " ALTRO," " MOLTO," "TANTO," &c. 

ON THE WORD "ALTRO." 

489. " Altro," meaning other, is an adjective, and agrees in 

gender and number with the word to which it relates . Ex. 

Ho un altra sorella in Italia . 

I have another sister in Italy. 

Non ha altri libri che questi ? 

Have you no other books but these ? 

490. When " altro" is used as a noun, it means one thing, 

something else . Ex. 

Altro è il parlar di morte , altro è il morire . 

It is one thing to speak of death, but another to die. 

491. " Non. ..altro che" means nothing else but. Ex. 

Paolo non fa altro che ciarlare . 

Paul does nothing but talk. 

492. When " altri " is repeated it signifies some ... others . Ex. 

Altri andavano, 1 altri venivano . 

Some were going, others were coming . 

493. In the colloquial style " altri " is sometimes used 

pleonastically after " noi " and " voi." Ex. 

Noi altri Italiani amiamo la musica . 

153

We Italians are fond of music . 

ON THE WORDS "MOLTO," "TANTO," "ALTRETTANTO," 

"QUANTO," " TROPPO," AND " POCO." 

494. The words, " molto," much, very; " tanto," so much; " 

altrettanto," as much; " quanto," how much; " troppo," too much; " 

Poco," little; are adjectives, and therefore variable , when they 

precede a noun. Ex. 

V'erano molti uomini e molte donne ,ma pochi fanciulli . 

There were many men and women , but few children . 

495. "Molto," " tanto," " altrettanto," " quanto," " troppo," and " poco," 

are adverbs when they modify an adjective, a verb or another 

adverb. Ex. 

Queste ragazzine sono molto intelligenti . 

These little girls are very intelligent . 

496. The expressions " Da quanto tempo," and " Da quanto in 

qua," mean How long (up till now). Ex. 

Da quanto tempo studia la lingua italiana ? (See rule 277.)' 

How long have you been studying Italian ? 

497. The expression " Un poco di," means A little . Ex. 

Antonio ha un poco di danaro. 

Anthony has a little money . 


darker type. 

POETICAL FORMS OF ADJECTIVES. 121 

EXERCISE XLVI. 

Why do you like the Italian (468) language ? I like it because it is 

sweet and harmonious. The whole (482) country was in a state of 

agitation. When the clergyman's children saw us, they became 

(Past Def.) quite (483) cheerful. Let us go into that shop ; I have 

seen there (239, 243) some pretty (473) ribbons and French lace . 

Here is (245) a pound of good tea ; give (122) half (487) of it (240) to 

your sister. He spent an hour and a half (486) in writing (314) this 

letter. Louisa does nothing else but (491) sew and embroider. 

These chickens are large and fat, but the partridges are very 

lean. My brother has made me a (360) present of some beautiful 

(473) artificial flowers. How long (496) have you been waiting for 

(251) us? I have been waiting half (486) an hour. 

154

William began again to speak 2 of his Italian acquaintances . 

POETICAL FORMS OF ADJECTIVES. 1 

(Arranged AIphabetically .) 

" Algente " is used in poetry for " ghiacciante "freezing; " almo" for 

"che da animo e vita," reviving; " altrice" for " nutrice," fostering; 

"aprico" for " esposto al sole," sunny ; " boreale " for " 

settentrionale," northern; " arto" for " stretto," narrow; " atro" for " 

nero," black ; " baldo " for " coraggioso," courageous; " corrusco" for 

"brillantissimo," very brilliant; " diro" for " empio," impious; " diva" 

for " come una dea," godlike ; " eburneo " for " come d'avorio," like 

ivory ; " edace " for " divoratore ," devourer ; " ermo " for " solitario," 

lonely; " fedo " for " sporco," dirty; " fievole"for " debole ," feeble; " 

flavo " for " giallo," yellow; " flebile " for " lacrimabile," tearful; " 

ferale " for " funesto," baneful; " frale " for " fragile ," fragile ; " 

immane " for " spietato," pitiless; " imo " for " bassissimo," Lowest 

; " inulto " for " non vendicato," unavenged ; " irto " for " irsuto," 

shaggy; " lieve " for " leggiero," light; " olezzante " for " profumato," 

perfumed ; " prisco " for " primitivo," primitive; " protervo" for " 

arrogante ," arrogant; " reduce " for "che è di ritorno," returned from 

; " repente " for " subitaneo," sudden; " reo " and "no" for " 

colpevole," guilty ; " romito " for " solitario," solitary; " rorido" for 

"rugiadoso," dewy; " truce " for " fiero," fierce; " tumido " for " gonfio," 

swollen and bumptious ; " ultrice " for " vendicatrice," avenger; " 

venusto " for " leggiadro," charming; and " vetusto " for " antico," 

ancient . 

1 The poetical forms of verbs and nouns are given on pages 92 

and 114. 

498. 2 The expressions to begin again to speak , to begin again to 

write, &c., are translated into Italian by " tornare a parlare ," " 

tornare a scrivere ," &c. 

122 ON THE FORMATION OF ADVERBS. 

LESSON XXIV. 

ON THE FORMATION OF ADVERBS FROM ADJECTIVES. 

499. Adverbs are invariable and have no fixed place in a 

sentence , in Italian, but they are generally placed after the verb 

with which they are connected ; when adverbs modify adjectives, 

or past participles , they precede them . Ex. 

Andrea scrive bene . 

155

Andrew writes well. 

Matilde parla correttamente . 

Matilda speaks correctly . 

Questi artisti sono molto bravi. 

These artists are very clever . 

Filippo era elegantemente vestito . 

Philip was elegantly dressed. 

Scrive il francese 1 molto bene . 

He writes French very well. . 

500. Some adverbs consist of a single word, as " quando," when, " 

sempre," always; others are formed of two or more words, and are 

commonly called adverbial expressions, 2 as "all'improvviso," 

unexpectedly ; "d'ora in poi," henceforth . 

501. Many adverbs are formed in Italian by adding " mente " 

(which means manner ], to the feminine form of adjectives . Ex. 

Generoso , generous , generosamente , generously . 

Diligente , diligent , diligentemente , diligently . 

Dottissimo , very learned , dottissimamente , very learnedly . 

502. When adjectives end in " le " or " re," the e must be 

suppressed in forming adverbs. Ex. 

Facile , easy , facilmente , easily . 

Partic olare , particular , particolarmente , particularly . 

503. The adjectives "chiaro," clear, " forte ," hard, " felice." happy, 

and a few others , are sometimes used as adverbs. Ex. 

Parlate chiaro . Speak clearly . 

Egli batte forte. He strikes hard. 

Vivete felice ! Live happily ! 

504. Adjectives and adverbs may be used in the Positive degree , 

as " bello," pretty, or in the Comparative degree , as " più bello," 

prettier, or in the Superlative degree , as "il più bello," the 

prettiest . 


2 Further on will be found a list of adverbs and adverbial 

expressions . 

ON THE DEGREES OF COMPARISON . 123 

COMPARISON OF EQUALITY. 

156

505. Comparisons of equality having reference to adjectives, 

participles, and adverbs are formed, in Italian, in the following 

ways : 

FIRST TERM . SECOND TERM . 

Così (or si), as (or so) come , as. 

Tanto (or altrettanto ), as, as much quanto, as. Ex. 

Egli è così ricco come mio nipote . 

He is as rich as my nephew . 

Cesare era tanto valoroso quanto Pompeo. 

Caesar was as brave as Pompey 

Ella scrive così elegantemente come suo fratello . 

You write as elegantly as your brother. 

506. Comparisons of equality having reference to nouns are 

formed, in Italian , in the following ways : 


Tanta (or altrettanta ), as, as much | quanta, as. 

Tanti (or altrettanti ), | as many as. | quanti , | as 

Tante (or altrettante | | quante , | Ex. 

Non ho tanti amici quanti ne ha mio fratello . 

I have not as many friends as my brother has. 

507. Comparisons of equality having reference to verbs are 

formed, in Italian , in the following ways : 


Più (or quanto più), the more più (or tanto più), the more . 

Meno (or quanto meno ), the less meno (or tanto meno ), the less . 

Tale | such | quale | as 

Tali , | | quali, | Ex 

Più Carlo studia, più desidera di studiare . 

The more Charles studies , the more he desires to study. 

Ci descrisse la scena tal quale l' aveva veduta. 

He described the scene to us such as he had seen it. 

508. The first terms " così," " tanto," " tale ," may be omitted . Ex. 

Essa non è bella come sua sorella . 

She is not so pretty as her sister . 

Egli non è sapiente quanto lo credevamo . 

157

He is not as learned as we believed him to be. 

509. " Al pari di," or " al pari che," as much- as, and " non meno 

di," or "non meno che," not less than, may be used instead of 

"così. ..come ;" " tanto. ..quanto." Ex. 

" Egli fu lodato al par di me." 

He -was praised as much as I. 

124 ON THE DEGREES OF COMPARISON . 

COMPARISONS OF SUPERIORITY AND INFERIORITY. 

510. In Italian, the comparative degrees of Superiority and 

Inferiority are formed by translating the adverbs more , by " più" ; 

and less , by " meno " ; and the conjunction than, by " di " or " che." 

511. When move than and less than indicate comparison, and are 

placed before nouns or adjectives, they are translated either by " 

più di " or " più che," and " meno di," or "meno che." Ex. 

Carlo è più educate di (che) Pietro . 

Charles is more educated than Peter . 

Nel decimo quarto secolo l' Italia era più colta di (che) tutte 

le altre nazioni dell' Europa. 

In the fourteenth century Italy was more polished than any 

other nation of Europe. 

512. When more than and less than indicate comparison, and are 

placed before personal pronouns, they must be translated by " più 

di," " meno di," and the personal pronouns must be in the 

objective form (" me," " te," " lui," &c.). Ex. 

Voi siete più ricco di me. 

You are richer than I. 

Ella è di lunga pezza più dotta di lui. 

She is a great deal more learned than he. 

513. Notice, however, that when a personal pronoun is followed by 

a verb (not in the Infinitive ) of which it is the subject, than is 

rendered by " che non," " di quel," or " di quello che," and the 

pronoun is used in the subjective form (" io," "tu," " egli," &c.), as 

in English. Ex. 

Il disegno è più difficile che io n on (di quello che) lo credevo . 

Drawing is more difficult than I thought. 

514. When more than, less than, do not indicate comparison, 

they are expressed by " più di," " meno di." Ex. 

158

Egli possiede più di trenta mila lire sterline . 

He possesses more than thirty thousand pounds sterling . 

515. Than must be translated by " che " when the comparison 

takes place between two verbs in the Infinitive Mood, two nouns, 

two adjectives , or two adverbs. Ex. 

È più difficile saper ascoltare , che saper parlare . 

It is more difficult to know how to listen , than to know how 

to speak . 

A New York s'incontrano più Inglesi che Francesi . 

In New York one meets more English people than French . 

A parer mio, essa è più 1 vezzosa che bella. 

In my opinion, she is rather attractive than beautiful . 

È meglio tardi che mai. 

It is better late than never . 

516. 1 " Piuttosto" (rather ) might be used here instead of " più," 

thus : 

" Essa è piuttosto vezzosa che bella." 

She is attractive rather than beautiful . 


EXERCISE XLVII. 

She is as (505) pretty as her sister, but not so (505) clever. The 

simplicity of nature is more pleasing than (511) the 

embellishments of art. Do not (122, 128) walk so fast, walk slower. 

It is nobler to forgive than (515) to avenge one's self. London has 

as many (506) inhabitants as Belgium. Shall we go to the Crystal 

Palace ? I think so (271) ; it is better to go to-day than (515) to- 

morrow. Give him two guineas; you are richer (512) than I. The 

twilight in the south is much shorter than in the north. In the 

first centuries the Romans were more warlike than (515) 

literary. Wrought iron is much stronger than cast iron ; it is less 

(510) brittle , and much (495) more durable . A feigned peace is 

more dangerous than open war. It is better to acquit a criminal 

than (515) to condemn an innocent person. 

ON THE SUPERLATIVE DEGREES . 

517. Adjectives and adverbs may be raised to the Superlative 

Relative , or to the Superlative Absolute degree . 

ON THE SUPERLATIVE RELATIVE DEGREE. 

159

518. The Superlative Relative is formed by placing " il più," " il, 

meno ," before the adjective , or the adverb. Ex. 

È il più ricco cittadino di 1 Londra. 

He is the richest citizen in London. 

Adolfo è il meno ingegnoso dei tre fratelli . 

Adolphus is the least ingenious of the three brothers. 

La grazia è la più nobil parte della bellezza. 

Grace is the noblest part of beauty. 

519. The article may be omitted when "più" and "meno" follow the 

noun. Ex. 

Egli è l'oratore più eloquente dei nostri tempi . 

He is the most eloquent orator of our day. 

520. The following adjectives form their Comparative, and their 

Comparative Superlative degrees in two ways : 

POSITIVE. COMPARATIVE. SUPERLATIVE RELATIVE. 

Buono, good.| più buono,|better . |Il più buono,| the best. 

|or migliore ,| |or il migliore , 

Cattivo , bad.|Più cattivo ,| worse|Il più cattivo ,| the worst.| 

|or peggiore ,| |or il peggiore ,| 

Grande, great . Più grande | greater .| il più grande | the greatest . 

or maggiore , | or il maggiore ,| 

521. 1 Observe that in Italian after a superlative relative the 

preposition "di," not " in," is used before names of places. 


POSITIVE. COMPARATIVE. SUPERLATIVE 

RELATIVE. 

Piccolo, 

small . 

|Più piccolo, 

or minore , 

Alto, high . Più alto, or 

superiore , 

Basso, low. Più basso, or 

EXAMPLES . 

inferiore , 

|smaller . Il più piccolo, 

160 

or il minore ,1 

|higher . il più alto, or il 

superiore 

| lower. il più basso, or 

il inferiore 

the 

smallest . 


highest . 


lowest. 

Il mio libro è più buono, / migliore di quello di sua sorella . 

My book is better than that of your sister . 

È il peggior romanzo ch' io abbia letto.

It is the worst novel I ever read. 

522. The following adverbs form the Comparative and Superlative 

degrees without the help of " più " or " meno ." 

POSITIVE. COMPARATIVE. SUPERLATIVE . 

Bene , well, meglio , better , il meglio , the best. 

Male , badly, peggio, worse, il peggio, the worst. 

Molto, much, più, more , il più, the most. 

Poco, little , meno , less , il meno , the least . 

ON THE SUPERLATIVE ABSOLUTE DEGREE. 

523. The Superlative Absolute degree is indicated in several ways 

in Italian . 

524. Adjectives and adverbs can be raised to the superlative 

absolute degree by changing their final vowel into " issimo," " 

issima ," " issimi ," " issime ." Ex. 

POSITIVE. SUPERLATIVE ABSOLUTE. 

Buono, good, bonissimo , very good. 

Piccolo, little , piccolissimo , very little . 

Bene , well, benissimo , very well. 

Dottamente , learnedly , dottissimamente , very learnedly . 

525. Adjectives ending in " io " lose these two vowels before the 

superlative termination " issimo," and those ending in " co" and " 

go," " ca " and " ga," which take an h in the plural also take it 

before " issimo ." Ex. 

Savio , wise , savissimo , very wise . 

Ricco, rich , ricchissimo , very rich . 

Largo, wide, larghissimo , very wide. 

526. 1 In speaking of physical size " più grande," " il più grande ; " 

" più piccolo," "il più piccolo," must be used, and not " maggiore," " 

il maggiore ; " " minore ," " il minore ." Ex. 

La mia casa è più grande che la vostra. 

My house is larger than yours. 

527. " Maggiore " and " minore " signify also eldest and youngest. 

Ex. 

Mio fratello maggiore . 

My eldest brother. 

ON THE DEGREES OF COMPARISON . 127 

161

528. A few adjectives form the superlative absolute in " errimo." 

Ex. 

Misero , miserable , miseprimo , very miserable . 

Celebre , celebrated , celebeprimo , very celebrated . 

Acre , bitter , acceprimo , very bitter . 

Integro , honest , integeprimo , very honest . 

Salubre, salubrious, salubeprimo , very salubrious. 

529. Sometimes " ottimo," " pessimo," " massimo," " minimo," " 

sommo," and " infimo," may be employed instead of " bonissimo," " 

cattivissimo ," &c. 

530. Adjectives and adverbs can be raised to the superlative 

absolute degree by translating very, or most, by the adverbs 

"molto," " assai ," or " oltrem odo." Ex. 

Egli è molto, assai ,/ oltremodo generoso . 

He is very generous . 

531. Another way of raising adjectives and adverbs to their 

superlative absolute degree , is to repeat them . Ex. 

Ella divenne rossa rossa. 

She became very red. 

Entrarono pian piano. 

They went very softly. 

EXERCISE XLVIII. 

This tragedy is very interesting, (471) and very well Written. She 

is taller (512) than you by 1 three inches. The mosaics (410) of 

Rome are the most famous (518) in Europe . Write to your brother 

and tell him (201) to call on me 2 as soon as possible. 3 I want to 

go to Paris ; all the more so because 4 my sister Is there also 

(there is (239) also my sister). She is so kind, amiable , and pretty 

that 5 everybody admires her. My uncle's friend is the richest 

man in (521) this village . Gold is the purest, the most precious, 

the most ductile , and after platinum, the heaviest of all metals. 

God's power extends from the lowest (520) abyss of the earth, to 

the highest (520) parts of the heavens. He is the bravest (518) 

and ablest general of his time . 

532. 1 The English expressions taller... by, richer... by, are 

translated into Italian by "più grande...di," "più ricco...di." Ex. 

"È più ricco di me, di due mila lire sterline ." 

He is richer than I am, by two thousand pounds. 

162

533. 2 The expressions to call on, to go to the house of, are 

translated into Italian by " andare da," " passare da." Ex. 

" Andrò da Giovanni ," 

I will call on John. 

534. 3 The expression as quick as possible is rendered in Italian 

by " il più presto possibile." 

535. 4 The expression all the more so because is translated into 

Italian by " tanto più che." 

536. 5 The expressions so kind t)iat, so amiable that, &c., are 

translated into Italian by " così buono che," " talmente buono che," 

"buono a segno tale che," " amabile a tal segno che," &c. Ex. 

È abile a segno tale che fa la meraviglia di tutti. 

He is so exceedingly clever that he excites wonder in 

everybody. 

128 ON NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 

LESSON XXV. 

ON NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 

CARDINAL NUMBERS . ORDINAL NUMBERS . 

Uno 1. Primo 1st. 

Due 2. Secondo 2nd. 

Tre 3. Terzo 3rd. 

Quattro 4. Quarto 4th. 

Cinque 5. Quinto 5th. 

Sei 6. Sesto 6th. 

Sette 7. Settimo 7th. 

Otto 8. Ottavo 8th. 

Nove 9. Nono 9th. 

Dieci 10. Decimo 10th. 

Undici 11. Decimo primo: 3 11th. 

Dodici 12. Decimo secondo 4 12th. 

Tredici 13. Decimo terzo 5 13th. 

Quattordici 14. Decimo quarto 14th. 

Quindici 15. Decimo quinto 15th. 

Sedici 16. Decimo sesto 16th. 

Diciassette 17. Decimo settimo I7th. 

Diciotto 18. Decimo ottavo 18th. 

Diciannove 19. Decimo n ono 19th. 

Venti 20. Ventesimo 20th. 

Ventuno 21. Ventesimo primo 21st. 

163

Trenta 30. Trentesimo 30th. 

Quaranta 40. Quarantesimo 40th. 

Cinquanta 50. Cinquantesimo 50th. 

Sessanta 60. Sessantesimo 60th . 

Settanta 70. Settantesimo 70th. 

Ottanta 80. Ottantesimo 80th. 

Novanta 90. Novantesimo 90th. 

Cento 1 100. Centesimo 100th. 

Centuno 101 . Centesimo primo 101st. 

Mille 2 1,000. Millesimo 1,000th. 

Un Milione 1,000,000. Milionesimo 1,000,000th . 

537. 1 " Cento " does not change in the plural. Ex. 

" Due cento uomini ," 200 men. 

538. 2 " Mille " does not require the indefinite article before it. Ex. 

"Mille soldati ," 1,000 soldiers, and is changed into " mila," in the 

plural. Ex. 

"Tre mila scudi," 3,000 crowns. 

3 Or " undecimo ." 

4 Or " duodecimo." 

5 Or " Tredicesimo ." 

ON NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 129 

ON THE USE OF NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 

539. A nought (0) in Italian is translated by "zero;" plural "zeri ." 

540. The feminine of " uno," one, is " una " ; but the other 

cardinal numbers remain invariable . Ex. 

Ella ha due libri, ed io ne ho uno. 

You have two books, and I have one. 

541. " Uno," " una," used as nouns signify a man, a woman. Ex. 

Ho visto uno che si vanta sempre . 

I have seen a man who is always boasting. 

542. When the noun is placed after "ventuno," " trentuno," &c., it 

must be in the singular, as it agrees with "uno;" but when it 

comes before, it agrees with "venti ," and is therefore in the 

plural. Ex. 

"Ventuno 1 cavallo," or "Cavalli ventuno ," twenty-one horses . 

164

543. In stating the order in which sovereigns, volumes and 

chapters of books, acts and scenes of plays, follow one another, 

the ordinal numbers (which are variable ) are used in Italian as 

in English, but the article is omitted ; and they must agree in 

gender and number with the noun to which they relate . Ex. 

Vittorio Emanuele secondo fu il primo re d' Italia . 

Victor Emanuel the second was the first king of Italy. 

Scena prima, atto secondo. 

Scene the first, act the second. 

544. The dates of the month, except the first day, are expressed 

in Italian by the cardinal numbers, preceded by the definite 

article in the singular or plural; the first is expressed by the 

ordinal number. The preposition " di" may be put before the day of 

the month. Ex. 

Quanti ne abbiamo del mese ? 

What is the day of the month ? 

Oggi è il primo (di) marzo. 

To-day is the first of March. 

Colombo scopri l' America i 2 dodici (di) ottobre, nell'anno or 

simply nel mille (e) 3 quattro cento 4 novantadue . 

Columbus discovered America on (147) the twelfth of 

October, in the year fourteen hundred and ninety -two. 

545. 1 The transposition of the units after the tens is not 

admissible in Italian ; for instance , we never say "due e venti ," 

but " venti due." 

546. 2 On the second, &c., are translated into Italian by " i due," 

or " ai due," or " addì due " (at the day two), &c. Ex. 

" Londra, addì 20 febbraio, 1892." 

3 The Italians do not usually put the conjunction " e," and, 

between "mille " and " milione " and another number . 

547. 4 Eleven hundred, twelve hundred, &c., are rendered in 

Italian by " mille e cento," " mille e due cento." and not by " undici 

cento ," &c. 

130 ON NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 

EXERCISE XLIX. 

In the year one (356) thousand and sixty-six, England (330) was 

conquered by (270) William of Normandy, an (353; event of the 

165

greatest (520) importance . I have been reading (179) the " 

Aristodemo," of Monti, and have learnt by heart scene (543) the 

fourth, act the first. How old 1 is your nephew ? He will be 

seventeen on (147) the 5th of next month. How long 2 will you 

remain in this city ? I shall leave Rome on the 15th (546). 

Sardinia is (313) one hundred (356) and fifty miles (421) from 

Italy. Your letter of 3 the 25th of February (74) reached me on the 

1st instant (544). Frederick the second (543) king of Prussia, was 

a great warrior (474). What is the day (544) of the month ? It is 

the 9th (546). 

548. Expressions having reference to the hour of the day are 

rendered in Italian as follows : 

Che ora è ? / che ora abbiamo ? 

What o'clock is it ? 

È un'ora, / il tocco. 

It is one o'clock. 

Sono le due e mezzo. 

It is half-past two. 

Saranno presto le tre. 

It will soon be three o'clock. 

A che ora è partito suo fratello ? 

At what o'clock did your brother leave ? 

Quando parti erano le undici antimeridiane , ma il suo 

bastimento non fece vela che alle due pomeridiane . 

When he left it was eleven o'clock a.m., but his ship did not 

set sail before two p.m. 

Ora sono le sei meno un quarto, o meno dieci minuti . 

Now it wants a quarter , or ten minutes to six. 

549. Ago is rendered in Italian by "fa; " this day week, by " oggi a 

otto ; " a fortnight, " quindici giorni ; " this day fortnight, " oggi a 

quindici : " in a month, " fra un mese ," or " da qui a un mese ." Ex. 

Mio fratello lascio Londra dieci giorni fa, e sarà di ritorno 

oggi a otto. 

My brother left London ten days ago, and will return this day 

week . 

Credo che le elezioni avranno luogo fra un mese . 

I think that the elections will take place in a month. 

166

550. 1 The expression how old is? is translated into Italian by " 

quanti anni ha?" or " che età ha?" ; and I am twenty, &c., by "ho 

vent' anni ," &c. 

551. 2 In speaking of time , how long is translated by " quanto 

tempo." 

552. 3 Expressions like your letter of the 15th instant, &c., are 

translated by "La sua (or vostra) lettera del quindici corrente ." 

ON NUMERAL ADJECTIVES. 131 

DISTRIBUTIVE AND COLLECTIVE NUMBERS . 

553. Un terzo, one third. Un trimestre , three months . 

La meta , the half. Un lustro, five years . 

Il doppio, the double. Una volta, once. 

Una coppia, a couple. Due Volte, twice . 

Una dozzina, 1 a dozen. Ad uno ad uno, one by one. 

Una ventina , 1 a score . A due a due, two by two. 

554. Both is translated by " tutti e due," " tutt'e due," " ambo," " 

ambidue," or " ambedue ," " entrambo," or " entrambi ; " and all 

three, all four, &c., are translated by " tutti e tre." " tutti e 

quattro," &c. ; and the substantive which follows them takes the 

article . Ex. 

Tutti e due i fratelli . 

Both brothers. 

Tutt' e tre le Sorelle . 

The three sisters . 

EXERCISE L. 

Send me (201) two dozen (555) of oranges (411), and three dozen of 

lemons. Neptune, the most (518) distant of the planets (397) 

takes 164 2/3 (164 years and 2/3) (553) years to make its 

revolution round the sun ; Uranus, 84 years and a few (494) days ; 

Saturn, 29 1/2 (486) years ; Jupiter, nearly 12 years ; Mars, 1 

year, 10 months, and 21 days ; (542) the Earth, 1 year ; Venus, 7 

months, and 13 days; Mercury, 2 months, and 27 days. I have just 

(299) sold my horse for (251) thirty pounds, and ten shillings. 

What is the height 2 of this room ? It is about twelve feet high, 2 

and seventeen feet long. Out of 3 fifteen thousand inhabitants, 

there were two thousand (538) killed. We generally breakfast at 

eight (548), have luncheon at one, and dine at six o'clock. Dante 

167

(334), Petrarca (333) and Boccaccio, lived in the fourteenth 

century , 4 they are the most celebrated Italian trecentisti . 

555- 1 When the words "dozzina," " ventina," " centinaio," " 

migliaio " (see rule 421), are used in the plural, they are variable . 

Ex. 

" Sei dozzine di bicchieri ." 

Six dozen glasses . 

556. 2 The expressions -what is the size, height? &c., are 

rendered in Italian by " qual' è la grandezza, l'altezza," &c. ; and it 

is twelve feet high, long, &c., are translated into " ha dodici piedi 

di altezza , lunghezza ," &c. 

557- 3 Out of 15,000 men, &c., is translated by " Di quindici mila 

uomini ," &c. 

558. Instead of "Il decimo quarto," "Il decimo quinto," " Il decimo 

sesto secolo," the 14th, 15h, 16th centuries, the Italians often 

use the expressions " Il trecento," "il quattrocento," "il 

cinquecento ; " so that a personage who lived in the fourteenth, 

fifteenth centuries, &c., is called " Un trecentista," " un 

quattrocentista ," &c. 

132 ON POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES. 

LESSON XXVI. 

ON POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES. 

559. In Italian the words " mio," " tuo," " suo," " nostro," " vostro," 

and " loro," are used both as Possessive Adjectives, and as 

Possessive Pronouns ; they are possessive adjectives when they 

are used with, and possessive pronouns when they stand for, a 

noun . 

560. In Italian, possessive adjectives agree with the thing 

possessed, and not with the possessor, and are generally preceded 

by the definite article , as follows : 


MAS. FEM. MAS. FEM. 

il mio, la mia, i miei , 1 le mie, my. 

il tuo, la tua, i tuoi 2 le tue, thy. 

il suo, la sua, i suoi, le sue, his, her, its 

il nostro, la nostra, i nostri , le nostre , our. 

il vostro, la vostra, i Vostri , le vostre , your. 

il loro, la loro, i loro, le loro, their . 

168

EXAMPLES . 

Il mio amico vuol vendere la sua casa. 

My friend wants to sell his house . 

I miei vicini hanno perduto il loro cane . 

My neighbours have lost their dog. 

561. When several nouns follow one another in the same 

sentence (whether used as subjects or objects), the possessive 

adjective, as well as the preposition which may accompany it, 

must be repeated, in Italian, before each of the nouns, if they are 

already expressed before the first. Ex. 

Paolo ha preso i miei colori ed i miei pennelli . 3 

Paul has taken my colours and brushes. 

Parliamo sempre di voi e delle Vostre Sorelle . 

We always speak of you and your sisters . 

1 Notice that an e preceded by an i has always the broad sound of 

the a in the word gate . 



3 Notice that the e in the syllable ello, ending nouns and 

qualificative adjectives, has always the broad sound of the a in 



562. When his, her, do not refer to the subject of the verb, or 

when there are two nouns of different genders in the same 

sentence , in order to avoid ambiguity, the pronouns " dilui," of 

him, " dilei," of her, of you, replace the adjectives " il suo," " la 

sua." Ex. 

Ella bruciò tutte le di lui lettere . 

She burnt all his letters . 

Egli condusse seco sua Sorella e i di lei figli . 

He took with him his sister , and her sons. 

563. The article is omitted before " mio," "tuo," " suo," (" nostro," " 

Vostro," (not " loro ") when they immediately precede nouns of 

kindred, and rank, in the singular. But when the noun of kindred 

is in the plural or is preceded by an adjective, or modified by a 

suffix, the article is prefixed to the possessive adjective . Ex. 

Mia madre e le mie Sorelle partiranno per Venezia domani. 

169

My mother and sisters will leave for Venice to-morrow. 

Furono presentati a Sua Eccellenza 1 dal Principe . 

They were introduced to His Excellency by the Prince . 

Il loro padre è in villa . 

Their father is in the country. 

Fui cortesemente ricevuto dal suo ottimo padre. 

I was courteously received by your most excellent father . 

Ho dato una cassettina di dolci al vostro fratellino . 

I have given a box of sweets to your little brother. 

564. The possessive adjectives require the article when they 

precede the following nouns of kindred : 

Il mio genitore , used instead of mio padre, my father. 

La mia genitrice, " " mia madre, my mother. 

Il mio fanciullo, |" " mio figlio, my son. 

Il mio ragazzo, |" " . 

La mia fanciulla, |" " mia figlia, my daughter. 

La mia ragazza, |" " . 

Il tuo germane, " " tuo fratello, your brother. 

La tua germana, " " tua Sorella, your sister. 

Il suo sposo, |" " suo marito, her husband. 

Il suo consorte, |" " . 

La vostra sposa, |" " Vostra moglie, your wife. 

La vostra consorte, |" " . 

1 Notice that the e in the termination enza has always the broad 

sound cf the a in the word gate . 


565. The possessive adjectives may be placed after the noun, and 

in this case the article is placed before the noun. Ex. 

Se così piace all' Eccellenza Vostra. 

If it is agreeable to your Excellency . 

L'onor mio non permette cio. 

My honour does not permit this . 

566. The expressions, a friend of mine, a sister of yours, &c., are 

rendered by " un mio amico," " una vostra Sorella," &c., or " uno 

dei miei amici ," " una delle vostre Sorelle ," &c. Ex. 

Ho incontrato un Vostro amico , sul ponte di Londra. 

170

I met a friend of yours on London Bridge. 

567. The relation expressed by the possessive adjectives is 

elegantly conveyed in Italian by means of the conjunctive 

pronouns " mi," to me, " ti," to thee , " gli," to him, " le," to her, or 

to you. Ex. 

Egli mi è padre (instead of He is my father . 

Egli è mio padre). 

lo non gli sono amico (instead of io non sono suo amico ). 

I am not his friend . 

Io le son figlio (instead of io son suo figlio ). 

I am her son. 

568. When the possessive adjectives its and their relate to 

things, and are in the same clause of a sentence with the 

possessor (noun or pronoun, used as subject), and when they are 

preceded by any preposition, they are translated into Italian by " il 

suo," " la sua," "i suoi," "le sue," "il loro," "la loro," "i loro," " le loro." 

Ex. 

Parigi ha le sue bellezze ; ammiro lo stile dei suoi pubblici 

edifizi . 

Paris has its beauties ; I admire the style of its public 

edifices 

569. When the possessive adjectives its and their are not in the 

same clause of a sentence with the possessor, and are not 

preceded by a preposition, they are expressed in Italian by " ne," 

before the verb, and the article, "il," "lo," " la," &c., before the 

noun. Ex. 

Comprerò questi cavalli , quantunque io non ne conosca la 

razza, / complessione . 1 

I shall buy these horses , although I do not know their breed 

(real constitution ). 

570. 1 " Complessione " means constitution, physique, 

temperament. Complexion is translated into Italian by " 

carnagione ." 

ON POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES. 135 

EXERCISE LI. 

The rose has its (560) beauty, its freshness and its fragrance ; 

but it has also its thorns. The lustre of our ancestors' glory 

reflects on us, to (225) inspire us (198) to imitate their (560) 

171

virtues. One of our horses is so lame (536) that we cannot drive 

him to-day. That lady is a relation of mine (566). One of my 

favourite studies is botany. She showed him her (562) splendid 

picture -gallery, and costly jewels. Cornelia, the mother of the 

Gracchi, said to her (562) friends as she ( mentre ) showed them 

(211) her sons, " These are (245) my jewels." He is a friend of 

mine, (566) and has just married one of my cousins. I do not like 

to hear cats mewing 1 (314) at night. Your sister is prettier (510) 

than my cousin Jane ; she has 2 fair hair, blue eyes, and a 

beautiful complexion (570). 

571. The Italians make use of the definite article, and not of the 

possessive adjective, when the sense clearly points out who is 

the possessor. Ex. 

Oggi mi duole il capo. 

My head aches to-day. 

Diresse le parole alla moltitudine irritata . 

He directed his words to the angry multitude . 

572. Before a noun indicating mental or physical qualities, or any 

part of the dress or body, if the action expressed by the verb falls 

on its subject, the Italians make use of the definite article, and 

not the possessive adjective ; and the verb is used reflectively . Ex. 

573. 1 

Mi lavo le mani con sapone. 

I am washing my hands with soap. 

Si è fatto male alla mano destra. 

He has hurt his right hand. 

Essa si levo subito i guanti . 

She took off her gloves at once. 

Gaddo mi si getto piangendo a piedi. (Dante .) 

Gaddo threw himself at my feet weeping . 

To mew, like a cat (gatto), is translated by " Miagolare ." 

To bark, like a dog (cane ) " Abbaiare." 

To growl, like a dog (cane ) " Latrare ." 

To neigh , like a horse (cavallo) " Nitrire ." 

To bray, like an ass (asino ) " Ragliare ." 

lo bellow, like an ox (bue) " Muggire ." 

To grunt, like a pig (porcello) " Grugnire ." 

To bleat, like a sheep (pecora) " Belare ." 

172

To roar, like a lion (leone ) " Ruggire ." 

To howl, like a wolf (lupo) " Urlare ." 

To crow, like a cock (gallo) " Cantare ." 

To sing , like a nightingale (rosignuolo) " Cantare ." 

To chirp, like a sparrow (passero) " Garrire ." 

To talk, like a parrot (pappagallo) " Parlare ." 

To squeak , like a mouse (sorcio) " Squittire ." 

574. 2 After the verb " Avere " when particular qualities of the 

body are mentioned, the definite article is used in Italian. " Ha i 

capelli biondi." She has fair hair . 

136 ON POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS. 

575. But when the action of the verb is not directed to its subject, 

the English possessive adjective is replaced in Italian by the 

conjunctive pronouns " mi," to me, " ti," to thee , " gli," to him, " 

le," to her, or to you, &c. Ex. 

Mi fate sempre male alla mano. 

You always hurt my hand. 

Il chirurgo gli rimise il braccio, in poco tempo. 

The surgeon set his arm, in a very short time . 

576. The expression one's own is rendered in Italian by " il 

proprio," "la propria," &c., or " il mio proprio," " la mia propria," &c. 

Ex. 

L'ho veduto coi propri, / co' miei propri occhi . 1 

or I saw him with my own eyes , 

577. In the following cases the definite article is not required 

before the possessive adjectives " mio," " tuo," " suo," &c. 

I. In addressing a person. Ex. 

" Mio caro." My dear. 

II. In exclamations . Ex. 

"Oh! miei Signori ! " Oh gentlemen ! 

III. In many idiomatic expressions , like the following : 

Ho incontrato una persona di mia conoscenza . 

I have met an acquaintance of mine . 

Faccio a mio capriccio (voglia / senno ). 

I act according to my whim , (will, or mind). 

L'ho salutata da parte Vostra. 

173

I gave her your compliments . 

È colpa Vostra. 

It is your fault. 

Fabbrico a mie spese . 

I am building at my own expense . 

ON POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. 

578. The Possessive Pronouns, mine, thine, his, hers, ours, 

yours, theirs, are translated into Italian by the Possessive 

Pronouns " il mio," "il tuo," &c., " i miei," "i tuoi ," &c., which agree 

in gender and number with the noun to which they relate . Ex. 

Mi dia il suo libro, e prenda il mio. 

Give me your book, and take mine . 

La nostra casa è più grande che la loro. 

Our house is larger than theirs . 

579. When possessive pronouns are used simply to indicate 

possession, without limiting the number of persons, or objects, 

possessed, the article is not required before them . Ex. 

Questo cavallo è suo. 

This horse is his. 

Dichi è questo sigillo ? È mio. 

Whose seal is this ? It is mine . 

Aspetto Vostre lettere . 

I expect letters from you. 

580. 1 The expressions to write with one's own hand, to think 

with one's own mind, are rendered by " scrivere di propria mano," 

" pensare di proprio senno ." 

ON POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS. 137 

581. When, in speaking of several persons, animals, or objects, 

reference is made to something of which each person, animal, or 

object has only one, the Italians always use the name of that 

thing or object in the singular . Ex. 

S'invigoriscono la mente collo studio della filosofia . 

They strengthen their minds with the study of philosophy. 

Sacrificarono la vita in un'inpresa inutile . 

They sacrificed their lives in a useless undertaking . 

174

582. The possessive pronouns " il mio," " il tuo," &c., used as 

nouns, signify my property, my share, &c. ; and " i miei," " i tuoi ," 

&c., mean my friends , relations , supporters, followers, &c. Ex. 

Spendete il vostro, se vi piace . 

Spend your own, if you like . 

Ho veduto i miei un mese fa. 

I have seen my people a month ago. 

Lascio il paese con molti de' suoi. 

He left the country with many followers. 

EXERCISE LII. 

Do you like my (560) books ? Yes, I like them (193) ; they are 

better (520) than mine. Instead of giving the money to his father, 

he put (mettersi) it (218) in (572) his own pocket. Your garden is 

prettier than ours, but our orchard is larger, and better (522) 

stocked than yours. Henry IV. (543) of France used to play 1 with 

his (560) children, carrying them on his (571) back round his 

royal apartments. Do you buy your clothes ready made ? 2 No ; I 

have them made to order 3 at Johnson's (434). The unfortunate 

Charles VI. of France passed his (571) time in (278) playing at 

cards with his attendants. The customs of our ancestors were 

simpler and healthier than ours (578). The books you have sent 

to the bookbinder are mine (578) and not yours. He spoils his 

(572) health by studying too much at night . 

583. 1 To play (to amuse one's-self) is translated by " Giuocare ," or 

" Divertirsi ." 

To play a game at, by " Giuocare una partita a," or " Giuocare a." 

To play upon the violin , &c., by " Suonare il violino ," &c. 

To play the part, by " Fare ", or "rappresentare la parte. " 

To play upon (with guns, &c.), by " Far fuoco su or sopra. " 

To play (speaking of a fountain ), by " Zampillare ," or " Gettare ." 

To play the fool, by " Fare il pazzo," or " Ruzzare." 

To play a trick , by " Fare una burla," or " celia ." 

To play onone, by " Prendersi giuoco di." 

To play false , by " Ingannare ." 

584. 2 The expressions ready-made, already written, &c., are 

translated into Italian by " bello e fatto," " belli e fatti," " bello e 

scritto ," &c. 

175

585. 3 To have a thing; done (to order], to have a thing written, 

&c., are translated into Italian by " farsi fare ," " farsi scrivere," 

&c. 

138 ON DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES. 

LESSON XXVII. 

ON DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES. 

586. In Italian the words " questo," " cotesto," and " quello," are 

used both as Demonstrative Adjectives, and Demonstrative 

Pronouns ; they are demonstrative adjectives when they are used 

with a noun, and demonstrative pronouns when they stand for a 

noun. 

587. The Demonstrative Adjectives agree in gender and number 

with the noun with which they are used. They are : 


Mas. Questo, | this | Questi, | these 

Fem. Questa, | | Queste, | 

Mas. Cotesto, | | Cotesti , | 

Fem. Cotesta , | |Coteste , | 

Mas. | Quello, |that. |Quegli |those . 

|Quel, | |Quei or que | 

Fem. |Quella, | | Quelle, ; | 

588. " Questo," " questa," 1 " questi," and " queste, " 2 precede a 

noun indicating a person or a thing near the speaker, either with 

regard to place or time . Ex. 

Questo signore e questa signora . 

This gentleman and this lady. 

Questi scrigni e queste cassette . 

These chests and these boxes. 

589. " Cotesto," " cotesta," that, " cotesti," and " coteste ," those , 3 

precede a noun indicating a person, or an object, near the person 

spoken to, and distant from the speaker . Ex. 

Dove ha ella comprato cotesto bei quadro ? 

Where have you bought that beautiful picture ? 

Di chi sono cotesti bei fanciulli ? 

Whose are those beautiful children ? 

176

590. 1 In the colloquial style " stamattina," " stasera," " stanotte," 

are frequently used instead of "questa mattina," " questa sera," 

"questa notte." 

591. 2 The poets often use "esto." " esta," " esti," " este," instead of 

"questo," &c. 

"Maestro , esti tormenti cresceranno ei dopo la gran 

sentenza ?" (Dante ). 

Master , will these torments increase after the great 

judgment ? 

592. 3 "Cotesto," " cotesta, "&c., are frequently spelt " codesto," 

"codesta," '&c. 

ON DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES. 139 

593. " Quello " and " quel," that, are used before a noun indicating 

a person or thing distant from the person who speaks, and also 

from the person addressed. " Quello " is used before nouns 

beginning with a vowel, 1 or an 5 followed by another consonant, 

and " quel " before nouns beginning with a consonant . Ex. 

Quello specchio è rotto in due posti. 

That looking -glass is broken in two places. 

Quel signore canta bene . 

That gentleman sings well. 

A quel tempo c' era vino in abbondanza. 

At that time wine was plentiful . 

594. " Quegli " and " quei " (or " que ") those , are used before a 

noun indicating a person or thing distant from the person who 

speaks, and also from the person addressed. " Quegli " is used 

before nouns beginning with a vowel, or an 5 followed by another 

consonant, and " quei " before nouns beginning with a consonant. 

Ex. 

Quegli uccelli sono di rara belezza. 

Those birds are very beautiful . 

Quegli schioppi si fabbricano a Woolwich. 

Those guns are manufactured at Woolwich. 

Quei ragazzi giuocano tutto il giorno. 

Those boys are playing all day long. 

177

595 " Quella " and " quelle " are used before feminine nouns 

beginning with a consonant ; before a vowel they are very often 

changed into " quell'." Ex. 

Quella tela si fabbrica in Irlanda. 

That cloth is manufactured in Ireland . 

Dove si comprano quelle belle cornici ? 

Where are those beautiful frames bought ? 

596. Sometimes the word which ought to follow "questo," " 

questa," "quello," " quella," is understood. Ex. 

In questo (momento ) egli arrive . 

At this moment he arrived . 

In quella (ora) essa mori . 

At that hour she died. 

597. Sometimes "questo" and " quello " means this thing, that 

thing , and are nouns. Ex. 

Fate questo, vi dico. 

Do this , I tell you. 

598. 1 Before a vowel, " quello" is very often changed into " quell'." 

Ex. 

Quell' arcobaleno è stupendo. 

That rainbow is magnificent . 

140 ON DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

599. When several nouns follow one another, in the same 

sentence (whether used as subjects or objects), the 

Demonstrative Adjective must be repeated before each of them, 

when it is expressed before the first. Ex. 

Comprerò questi pettini e queste spazzole da capelli . 

I will buy these combs and hair -brushes. 

EXERCISE LIII. 

These (588) cherries and (599) strawberries are ripe, but those 

(595) pears are not. 1 Go and (340) fetch me that (593) looking- 

glass. How much time 2 did you spend (have you spent) in (to) 

painting (314) your sister's portrait ? I could (sapere) not tell (it) 

you (198, 218). This money is his (579), and not yours. Give me 

that (593) thimble, those (594) needles, and that thread. Take off 

those (589) ugly boots of yours (449, 572) ; they will lame your feet 

178

(572). Have you paid much for (251) these jewels ? Yes, I have ; I 

paid (180) two pounds ten shillings for this necklace . 

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

600. "Questo," 3 " cotesto," " quello," " questi," " cotesti," " quelli " 

(not " quegli ," nor " quei " 4 , are demonstrative pronouns when 

they are used instead of nouns, and, of course , they agree in 

gender and number with the noun to which they relate . Ex. 

Non voglio il Vostro cavallo ; voglio questo. 

I don't want your horse ; I want this one. 

Se io fossi in Lei, non comprerei queste carte geografiche ; 

comprerei quelle . 

If I were in your place, I would not buy these maps ; I would 

buy those . 

601. 1 When the word so is understood in English, it must be 

translated into Italian by the pronoun lo, which always remains 

invariable . 

602. 2 Time, is translated by " tempo." Time (of the day), is 

translated by " ora ; " as " A che ora arriva il treno ? " At what 

time does the train arrive ? Time, meaning epoch, is translated 

by " allora ; " as, " Allora era ricco." Then he was rich. Time, 

meaning season, is translated by " stagione ;" as, "In questa 

stagione dell'anno." In this season of the year. Time, meaning 

occasion, is translated by " volta ; " as, " L'ho visto due volte." I 

saw him twice . 

603. 3 The adverbs "qui " and "la" are sometimes put after the 

demonstrative pronouns, to indicate more forcibly the person or 

thing referred to. Ex. 

Compri questo qui, e non quello la. 

Buy this one, and not that one. 

604. 4 " Quei " is however used as a pronoun in expressions like " 

Quei di Milano." The men (people ] of Milan. Dante often uses " 

quei " instead of " colui." Ex. 

E come quei , che con lena affannata . 

And even as he, who, with panting breath. 

ON DEMONSTRATIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 141 

605 " Questo " and " quello," " questa " and " quella," " questi " and 

"quegli ," are also used as relative pronouns, meaning the latter, 

and the former ; " questo " and " quello " should be used with 

179

eference to things ; in speaking of persons " questi " and " quegli 

" are used, but only as subjects, in the masculine singular . Ex. 

Ho comprato una grammatica francese e un dizionario 

tedesco ; quella per Filippo, questo per Guglielmo . 

I have bought a French grammar and a German dictionary ; 

the former for Philip, the latter for William . 

I due più grandi oratori dell' antichità furono Demostene e 

Cicerone ; quegli era greco, questi romano. 

The two greatest orators of antiquity were Demosthenes 

and Cicero ; the former was a Greek , the latter a Roman. 

ON DEMONSTRATIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 

606. THE ITALIAN DEMONSTRATIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS 

ARE: 

Costui , this man. 

Costei , this woman. 

Costoro, | these men 

| these women . 

Cotestui , 1 | that man 

Cotestei , |that woman 

Cotestoro, |those men. 

Colui, | Colei , | Coloro, | those women . 

607. The above pronouns are used for persons only, and do not 

refer to any antecedent. When they are used in prose, especially 

in the colloquial style, they often express contempt towards the 

person or persons alluded to ; whilst in poetry they are often used 

in the sense of highest admiration , and even reverence . Ex. 

Dimmi , chi è costui ? 

Tell me who is this man (fellow)? 

Sa ella che costoro sono ladri ? (Pellico ). 

Do you know that these fellows are thieves ? 

" Quando vidi costui (Virgilio ) nel gran diserto." (Dante ). 

When I beheld him ( Virgil ] in the great desert . 

ON THE INDEFINITE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

608. The demonstrative indefinite pronouns that and this 

(meaning that thing, this thing], are translated into Italian by 

"ciò." Ex. 

Ciò (69) non mi va a genio . 

180

I do not like that. 

Non parliam più di ciò. 

Let us speak of that no more . 

Da ciò capisco il resto. 

From that I understand the rest . 

609. 1 There is the same difference in meaning between 

"costui," " cotestui ," and " colui," as there is between "questo," " 

cotesto," and " quello." (See 587-595). 

142 ON INDEFINITE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. 

610. The indefinite pronouns that, that which, what, are 

translated into " ciò che," " quel che," or " quello che." Ex. 

Ciò che sorprende tutti è l' arrivo del principe . 

What surprises everybody is the arrival of the prince . 

Quel che dice è vero. 

What he says is true . 

Tutto quello che 1 risplende non è oro. 

All is not gold that glitters , 

611. The indefinite pronoun what, meaning which thing, is 

translated into " che," or " che Cosa." Ex. 

Che Cosa volete , Francesco ? 

What do you want, Francis ? 

A che pensa, Signore ? 

What are you thinking of, Sir ? 

EXERCISE LIV. 

What (611) do you think of this country ? 2 I like it almost as 

much as (505, 508) my native country. Of these three horses, 

this is the one (which) 3 I should prefer. Modesty (328) is to merit, 

what (610) shadows are to the figures in (di) a painting. We are 

body and mind ; the former (605) should (224, 397) obey, the latter 

command. That which (610) is superfluous often costs more than 

that which is necessary. That man, by (con) his (560) 

extravagance, has not only squandered all his own property, (582) 

but also that (600) of his wife . I am influenced by (270) love (328) 

and (by) anger ; the former (605) pleads that I should forgive him, 

the latter that I should punish him. Dante (334) and Shakespeare 

(333) were two great poets ; the former (605) was (Imp. Ind.) an 

(354) Italian, and the latter an Englishman. I will do all that 

181

which (610, 612) depends upon (from ) me to obtain that (593) post 

for you (198). Your sister has just (299) made me a (360) present 

of this beautiful bunch 4 of grapes. That (593) clock is fast, 5 and 

my (560) watch is ten minutes slow. 

612. 1 " Quanto " is often used instead of " tutto quello che." Ex. 

Fa quanto dipende da lui. 

He does all he can. 

613. 2 Country is translated into Italian by " paese " when it 

means a territory occupied by a people. Ex. 

" L' Italia è un bel paese ." 

Italy is a fine country. 

614. Country is translated into Italian by " campagna," when it 

means the country, the fields. Ex. 

" Va a passare l' estate alla campagna ." 

He is going to spend the summer in the country. 

615. Country is translated into Italian by " patria," when it means 

the fatherland . Ex. 

" Amo la mia patria." 

I love my native country. 

616. 3 The one (which), is translated by " quello che," and " quella 

che." 

617.4 A bunch of grapes is translated by " Un grappolo d'uva ; " 

a bunch of keys , by " Un mazzo di chiavi ; " 

a bunch of flowers, by " Un mazzo di fiori ." 

618. 5 In speaking of a clock, or watch, to be fast is rendered by " 

Avanzare ," and to be slow, by " Star indietro ," or " Ritardare ." 

ON RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 

LESSON XXV 143. 

ON RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 

619. THE ITALIAN RELATIVE PRONOUNS ARE : 

|il quale, m. s.| 

Subject. Che or |la quale, f. S.| who, which , that. 

|i quali, m. p|. 

|le quali, f. p.| 

Dir. Obj. Cui, |or il quale, &c. |whom, which . 

182

whose 

|Di cui, 1 or del quale, &c. |of whom, of which, 

|A cui, or al quale, &c. |to whom, to which , 

Ind. Obj. |Da cui, or dal quale, &c. |from whom, from which . 

|Per cui, or pel quale, &c. |for whom, for which , 

|Con cui, or col quale, &c. |with whom, with which , 

|In cui, 2 or nel quale, &c. |.in whom, in which . 

620. Both the pronouns "che" (" cui," " di cui," &c.), and " il quale" 

("del quale," &c.), are used with reference to persons, animals, 

and things ; but still, when referring to animals or things, "il 

quale," " del quale," &c., is generally used. Ex. 

Il giovine che (or il quale) parla. 

The young man who is speaking . 

Ecco l'albero il quale (or che) produsse tanti fiori l'anno 

passato. 

There is the tree which produced so much blossom last 

year . 

Il signore di cui (or del quale) le ho parlato. 

The gentleman of whom I have spoken to you. 

Le farò vedere il fiume dal quale (or da cui) tutta questa 

valle è irrigata . 

I will show you the river by which all this valley is watered . 

621. 1 When reference is made to things, " di che," "a che," &c., 

may be used instead of " di cui," "a cui," &c. Ex. 

La materia di che parlar dobbiamo è importantissima . 

The matter about which we have to speak is most 

important . 

622. 2 When referring to time " che," instead of " in che," or " in 

cui," is used. Ex. 

" Lo di che (in cui) hanno detto ai dolci amici addio." 

(Dante ). 

On the day they said good-bye to their dearest friends . 

144 ON RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 

623. The relative pronoun must always be expressed in Italian, 

even when it is omitted in English. Ex. 

Il ragazzo che vidi non era così grande come mio fratello . 

183

The boy I saw was not so tall as my brother. 

624. " Che " as well as " cui " may be used in the accusative ; but 

when there may be ambiguity between the subject and the object 

of the phrase, " cui " (which is never used as subject) should be 

used, and not " che." Ex. 

L'individuo cui maltrattò Vostro fratello . 

The individual whom your brother ill-treated . 

L'eroe , 1 cui tutto il mondo onora. 

The hero who is honoured by the whole world. 

625. When " di cui " corresponds to whose, it is generally placed 

between the article and the noun with which it is used, and the 

preposition " di " is omitted . Ex. 

La Fiammetta , i cui capelli Fiammetta , erano crespi , 

lunghi ed oro. (Boccaccio). 

whose hair was crisp, long, and like gold. 

626. In poetry, and in the higher style, " onde" is used instead of " 

di cui," " del quale," &c., "da cui," " dal quale," &c. Ex. 

" Amor depose la faretra e l'arco, 

Onde (di cui) sempre va carco." (Tasso). 

Love laid down the bow and quiver , 

With which he is always armed . 

" Que' begli occhi ond'escon saette ." (Petrarca ). 

Those beautiful eyes whence arrows dart. 

627. When referring to persons the " a," of " a cui," is often 

omitted . Ex. 

" Voi, cui (a cui) fortuna ha posto in mano il freno 

Delle belle contrade..." (Petrarca ). 

You , in whose hands fortune has placed the control 

Of the beautiful lands... 

628. When which, of which, to which, &c., have for antecedent a 

clause, or the whole of a foregoing sentence , they are translated 

by " il che," " del che," " al che," &c. Ex. 

Il povero vecchio piangeva amaramente , il che mi 

commosse oltrem odo. 

The poor old man was weeping bitterly , which moved me 

very much. 

184

Lo hanno maltrattato , di che si lagna sempre . 

They ill-treated him, of which he always complains . 


gale . 

ON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. 145 

629. The pronouns he who, she who, the one who, those who, the 

one that, the one which, those which, having reference to an 

antecedent, are relative pronouns, and are expressed by " quello 

che," " quella che," " quelli che," or " quelle che." Ex. 

Ammiro questi giovinetti , specie quello che ha recitato " Il 

Cinque Maggio " del Manzoni . 1 

I admire these youths, particularly the one who recited 

"The Fifth of May" by Manzoni . 

630. But when the words he who, she who, those who, do not refer 

to any antecedent, they are Indefinite Personal Pronouns, and 

are translated by " colui che" (or "il quale"), "colei che" (or "la 

quale"), " coloro che " (" i quali," or " le quali "). Ex. 

Colui che le ha detto ciò, si è fatto beffe di Lei. 

He who said that, was making fun of you. 

Coloro che si somigliano si amano . 

Birds of a feather flock together . 

631. "Che," "quale," and " quali" are also used as interrogative 

pronouns ; " che " then means what, and " quale," and " quali " 

mean which (of two, or several persons or things ). Ex. 

Che lavoro c' è da fare ? 

What work is there to do ? 

Quale preferite di queste case ? 

Which of these houses do you prefer ? 

632. The exclamations what ! what a! are translated by "che!" or " 

quale ! " Ex. 

Che bel palazzo ! che peccato che n on sia abitato. 

What a beautiful palace ! what a pity it is not inhabited . 

633. The expressions " un non so che," " alcun che," mean a 

something or other (indescribable ). Ex. 

Ha " un certo non so che," che mi va a genio . 

There is something or other in him that I like . 

185

634. " Quale " (or " quali ")..." quale" (or " quali"), mean 

one...another , some ... others . Ex. 

Quali andavano, quali venivano , tutti erano affaccendati . 

Some were going, some were returning , all were busy. 

635. " Quale " is sometimes used in the sense of such as. Ex. 

" E quale è quei che volentieri acquista ." (Dante ). 

And as he is who willingly acquires . 

1 A z, dotted thus z, has the soft sound of the z in the word zeal. 

146 ON THE WORD " CHE." 

636. When "che" means that, it is a conjunction, and is always 

expressed in Italian , even when it is omitted in English. Ex. 

Non credo che abbia alcun diritto di parlare . 

I do not think he has any right to speak . 

637. " Chè " (whether the accent is marked or not) is often used 

instead of " perchè ," for, because . Ex. 

" ......... che, poder ch'egli abbia, 

Non ti torrà lo scender questa roccia ." (Dante ). 

for, any power that he may have , 

Shall not prevent thy going down this crag. 

638. " Che," preceded by a verb used negatively, means nothing, 

nothing but, only. Ex. 

Luigi non ha che fare . 

Louis has nothing to do. 

Non ricevette che lodi ; neppure un Soldo. 

He received nothing but praises ; not so much as a half- 

penny. 

639. " Non che," followed by a verb in the Infinitive , is equivalent 

to the English expression , not only... but. Ex. 

Non che scrivermi , venne a vedermi due Volte. 

Not only did he write to me, but he came twice to see me. 

640. " Che " is sometimes used instead of " quando," when . Ex. 

Pietro venne che avevo già finite . 

Peter came when I had already finished . 

641. " Chè ! " or " ma chè ! " mean the same as nonsense ! Ex. 

Ma che ! n on sa neanche leggere . 

186

Nonsense ! he cannot even read. 

EXERCISE LV. 

Which (631) do you like best of those (594) three books ? The one 

that (629) has the illustrations, and is bound in parchment. That 

lady is Mrs. Trivelli, of whom (619) I spoke (Past Def.) to you 

yesterday. My sister learns music from the gentleman whom 

(624) your brother recommended (180) to me (193). The young 

lady (623) we met last night at Mrs. Jones' (434) has just (299) 

entered (183) the drawing-room . Which one ? (631). The one who 

(629) spoke French to you. The watch (623) you bought me is 

broken (rompersi). Not only (639) did he send us the tickets, but 

he took us to the theatre in his carriage . Historians represent 

.men such as (635) they are poets depict them such as they 

should be (224). 

1? The straight reading of this sentence is " Non dico che spero 

trovar perdono ; dico che spero trovar anche pietà." I do not say 

that I hope to find pardon ; I say that I hope to find also pity 

(sympathy). 


LESSON XXIX. 

ON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. 

642. THE PRONOUN "CHI." 

Chi, who, whom, he who, him who. 

Di chi, of whom, whose, of him who. 

A chi, to whom, to him who. 

Da chi, from whom, from him who. 

Per chi, for whom, from him who. 

&c. &c. &c. 

643. The pronoun " chi " is both an indefinite and an 

interrogative pronoun ; it is used for persons only, is invariable, 

and serves for both genders and numbers, it has no need of any 

antecedent . 

Verbs employed with "chi" are used in the singular only, except " 

essere " 1 which is used in both numbers . Ex. 

Chi le ha fatto questo regalo ? 

Who made you this present ? 

Chi sono i di lei corrispondenti ? 

187

Who are your correspondents ? 

Sappiamo di chi volete parlare . 

We know whom you allude to. 

A chi ha dato il biglietto ? 

To whom did you give the ticket ? 

Da chi ha ricevuto quest buona 2 notizia ? 

From whom did you receive this good news ? 

Per chi dipinge questo bellissimo quadro ? 

For whom do you paint this beautiful picture ? 

644. " Chi "..." chi" mean one... another , some ... others . Ex. 

Chi accorre , chi sguizza tra Uomo e Uomo, e se la batte. 

(Manzoni ). 

One runs up, another sneaks away between man and man, 

and takes to his heels . 

645. " Chi " is often used instead of " colui che," " colei che," 

"coloro che," especially in proverbial expressions . Ex. 

Chi legge , regge . 

Knowledge is power. 

Chi è in difetto, è in sospetto, 

He who is in fault, is in suspicion . 

Chi si scusa, 3 si accusa . 

He who excuses himself , accuses himself . 


darker type, 

2 Notice that an o, preceded by a u has always the broad sound of 



148 ON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. 

"CHIUNQUE," AND "CHICCHESSIA." 

646. The Indefinite Pronouns, " chiunque ," and " chicchessia " 

(plural " chicchessiano ") mean whoever, and can only refer to 

persons ; " chicchessia " is followed by the conjunction " che," and 

a verb in the Subjunctive Mood. Ex. 

Chiunque desiderava parlarle , doveva ottenerne il 

permesso dal magistrate . 

188

Whoever desired to speak to her, was obliged to get 

permission from the magistrate . 

Ditelo pure a chicchessia che vi piaccia . 

Tell it to whomsoever you like , 

"CHECCHESSIA." 

647. The pronoun " checchessia ," means anything whatever . Ex. 

Datemi checchessia . 

Give me anything whatever . 

648. "Qualunque ," " qualsisia," " qualsivoglia," and their plural 

forms " qualsisiano," and " qualsivogliano," mean whatever, 

whatsoever ; they may refer to things or persons, and are 

adjectives or pronouns, according as they precede , or stand for a 

noun. Where they are adjectives they are followed by a verb in 

the Subjunctive Mood preceded by the conjunction "che." Ex. 

Dategli un vestito qualunque. 

Give him any coat you like . 

Qualunque raccomandazione ch' egli abbia, non 1 sarà 

eletto . 

Whatever recommendation he may have , he will not be 

elected . 

" ALCUNO." 

649. " Alcuno," " alcuna," " alcuni," " alcune," " qualcuno," " 

qualcheduno," mean some , any, someone, some people ; " 

alcuno," &c., are adjectives when they precede a noun, and 

pronouns when they stand for a noun ; " qualcuno " and " 

qualcheduno " are only pronouns. Ex. 

Alcuni poemi italiani sono difficili a tradursi. 

Some Italian poems are difficult to translate . 

Non ho ancor visto alcuno. 

I have not seen anybody yet. 

"TALE," AND " COTALE." 

650. " Tale " and " tali ," " cotale " and " cotali " mean such a, some 

one. These words are adjectives or pronouns, according as they 

precede or stand for a noun. Ex. 

Un tal Uomo non è da compiangersi . 

Such a man is not to be pitied, 

189


orphan. 


"CERTO." 

651. " Certo," 1 " certa," " certi ," and " certe " mean certain. These 

words are adjectives or pronouns, according as they precede or 

stand for a noun. Ex. 

Ho sentito una certa notizia . 

I have heard certain news . 

652. " Tale," " tali ," and " cotale ," " cotali " are also used to begin 

the second part of a simile , and mean such, even so. Ex. 

" Quale colui, che grande inganno ascolta 

Che gli sia fatto, e poi se ne rammarca , 

Tal si fe' Flegias nell' ira accolta." (Dante ). 

As one who listens to some great deceit 

Which has been done to him, and then sore resents it, 

Such grew Phegyas in his gathered rage . 

" Cotali uscir dalla schiera ov' è Dido." (Dante ). 

So came they from the band where Dido is. 

"TALUNO" AND "CERTUNI." 

653. "Taluno" and " certuni" are indefinite pronouns; " taluno" 

means some one, and is only used in the singular; " certuni " 

means some people, and is only used in the plural. Ex. 

C'è taluno la che n on mi va molto a genio . 

There is some one there I do not much like . 

Certuni hanno idee curiose . 

Some people have odd ideas . 

EXERCISE LVI. 

Who (643) is knocking at the door ? My little brother James. To 

whom (643) have you told the news ? To my sister-in-law. The 

road through which (619) we passed was (Imp. Ind.) very lonely. 

From whom (643) do you expect a letter ? From that lady who (619) 

spoke to you at my brother's house . Children (328) who (619) obey 

(to) their parents 2 deserve to be praised. What (631) is the weight 

of this shield ? It is about ten pounds. 3 For whom are you 

painting that vase ? For my mother-in-law. The pencil with which 

(619) I was writing (179) is broken. Whose hat is this ? It belongs 

190

to that little girl (442). What (611) are you thinking of ? I was 

thinking of the advice 4 you gave (180) to me. 

654. 1 " Un certo tale ," " una certa tale " mean a certain person. 

Ex. 

Ho incontrato un certo tale . 

I have met a certain person. 

655. 2 Parents is translated into Italian by " genitori ; " " parenti" 

means relations. The word acquaintances is translated by " 

conoscenti ,"and " conoscenze ." 

656. 3 Pound, weight, is translated by " libbra ," pound sterling, by 

" lira sterlina ." " Lira ," alone , means tenpence . 

657.4 The advice of a friend is translated by " il consiglio di un 

amico ; " advice , in the sense of opinion, is rendered by " parere ." 

150 ON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. 

"OGNUNO." 

658. " Ognuno," " ognuna," mean any man, any woman, any one ; 

they are used with or without an antecedent . Ex. 

Ognuno che Voglia esser membro di quella società deve 

pagare una ghinea . 

Any one who wishes to be a member of that society , must 

pay one guinea . 

"CIASCUNO" AND "CIASCHEDUNO." 

659. " Ciascuno," " ciascheduno," and their feminine forms, 

mean every, everyone, each, and are adjectives or pronouns ; 

they are adjectives when they precede a noun, and pronouns 

when they stand instead of a noun. Ex. 

"ALTRI." 2 

Ciascuno degli official ! ebbe a subire un esame . 

Every officer had to pass an examination . 

Ricevettero una lira sterlina ciascheduno . 1 

Each of them received a pound sterling . 

660. The indefinite pronoun " altri " means others , Ex. 

Gli altri non parleranno . 

The others will not speak . 

Altri non agirebbe così. 

Another (i) would not act thus. 

191

661. The pronoun " altri " is sometimes used in Italian, when in 

English the verb may be used in the passive form. Ex. 

" ALTRUI." 

" Venite a noi parlar, s' altri nol niega ." (Dante ). 

Come and speak to us if it is not forbidden. 

662. " Altrui " means other, others, and only refers to persons ; it 

is employed both in the singular and plural numbers, as the 

direct or indirect object of a verb, but never as its subject. The 

prepositions " di," and " a," before " altrui ," are often omitted . Ex. 

Egli brama l' altrui . 

He covets other people's property. 

Vuol sempre aver notizia dei fatti altrui (/ di altrui ). 

He always wants to know other people's business . 

" La mia vita che è celata altrui ." (Petrarca ). 

My life which is hidden to others . 

1 Instead of "ciascheduno" one could say "per uno," or "a testa." 

Ex. 

Dateci una ghinea a testa . 

Give us a guinea each . 

663. 2 " Altri "..." altri " mean one... another , some ... others . Ex. 

Altri veniva , altri andava via, &c. 

One came , another went away ; &c. 

ON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS 151 

"L'UN L'ALTRO." 

664. The reciprocal pronouns "l'un l'altro," ("l'una l'altra," " gli uni 

gli altri ," &c.) mean one another ; the second term of these 

pronouns (" l'altro," " l'altra," &c.) may be preceded by a 

preposition . Ex. 

Si aiutano l'un l'altro. 1 

They aid one another . 

Sparlano l'una dell'altra . 

They speak ill of one another . 

"L'UNO E L'ALTRO," &c., " AMBO," &c. 

665. The collective pronouns " l' uno e l' altro," " l' una e l' altra," 

"tutti e due," "tutt'e due," "ambo," " ambidue," " entrambi," &c., 

mean both ; " gli uni e gli altri ," " le une e le altre ," mean all of 

192

them. They are followed by the definite article, when they 

precede a noun ; before a verb the article is omitted . Ex. 

L' uno e l' altro de' miei fratelli erano fuori di casa. 

Both my brothers were out of doors. 

" Ambo le mani per dolor mi morsi ." (Dante ). 

Both my hands in agony I bit. 

Gli uni e gli altri furono puniti . 

All of them were punished. 

"O L'UNO, L'ALTRO," &c. 

666. The pronouns "o l'uno, o l'altro," " o l' una, o l'altra, " 2 &c., 

mean either one, or the other , (or others ,) either . Ex. 

Mi mandi l' uno, o l' altro. 

Send me either one or the other . 

"NÈ L'UNO NÈ L'ALTRO," &c. 

667. The relative pronouns " nè l'uno nè l'altro," " nè l'una nè l' 

altra," &c., mean neither the one nor the other. The verb used 

with these pronouns must be accompanied by the negation " 

non," and be in the singular or in the plural number, according as 

the action it expresses may be done by one, or both the persons 

spoken of, or alluded to. Ex. 

Non comprerò nè l'uno nè altro. 

I shall not buy either of them . 

Nè Foscolo nè Monti non è l' autore di questo poema, 

Neither Foscolo nor Monti is the author of this poem. 

Nè l'una nè l'altra non verranno . 

Neither the one nor the other will come . 

668. 1 Instead of the reciprocal pronouns "l'un l'altro," &c., the 

Italians sometimes use the adverbs "scambievolmente," 

mutually , " reciprocamente ," reciprocally . 

669. 2 The other disjunctives used in Italian instead of "o" are " 

ovvero," "ossia ," "oppure," " odanche." 

152 ON "NIUNO," " NIENTE ," "NULLA ," "QUANTO," &c. 

"NIUNO," "NESSUNO ," "VERUNO." 

670. " Niuno," " Nessuno," " Veruno," and their feminine forms 

mean nobody, no one, and are adjectives, or pronouns, according 

as they precede or stand for a noun. When they follow the verb, 

193

they must be preceded by the negation " non," but when they 

precede it, they do not require any negation before them . Ex. 

Niun uomo è senza difetti . 

No man is without his defects . 

Non ho parlato a nessuno . 

I have not spoken to anyone . 

Nessuno è profeta nel proprio paese . 

No one is a prophet in his own country. 

ON THE WORDS "NIENTE ," AND "NULLA ." 

671. "Niente" and " nulla" used as nouns (preceded by an article) 

mean nothing , the slightest thing , a trifle , Ex. 

Rientrerà presto nel nulla dond' è sortito. 

He will soon re-enter into the insignificance from whence 

he arose . 

Per un niente si arrabbia. 

A trifle makes him enraged . 

672. "Niente" and " nulla" are also used as indefinite pronouns, in 

the sense of nothing ; when they follow a verb, that verb must be 

preceded by the negation " non." Ex. 

Pareva che nulla si potesse far senza di lui. 

It seemed as if they could do nothing without him. 

Questi ragazzi non sanno niente . 

These boys do not know anything . 

673. " Niente " and " nulla " often have the meaning of " qualche 

cosa," something , anything . Ex. 

Non vuol nulla oggi ? 

Do you want anything to-day ? 

ON THE WORDS " QUANTO," " QUANTUNQUE." 

674. " Quanto " is also (494) an adverb, and means how much ; it 

is always used with a verb in the subjunctive mood. Ex. 

S' ella sapesse quanto io la stimi ! 

If you knew how much I esteem you ! 

675. " Quantunque " 1 is an indefinite pronoun and means all 

that which . Ex. 

" Chi vuol veder quantunque può natura ." (Petrarca ). 

Whoever wishes to see all what nature can do. 

194

1 "Quantunque " is also a conjunction, meaning although. See 

rule 740. 

ON "PER QUANTO" AND "PER QUANTI." 153 

ON THE WORDS " PER QUANTO," AND " PER QUANTI." 

676. "Per quanto" is an adverb, and means however, however 

much; it is used with a verb in the subjunctive mood. Ex. 

Per quanto abili siano , non riesciranno nell' impresa . 

However able they may be, they will not succeed in the 

undertaking . 

677. Instead of " per quanto," " per," followed by the conjunction " 

che " may be used. Ex. 

Per vantaggiose che fossero le sue offerte , non volli 

accettarle . 

However advantageous his proposals might have been , I 

would not accept them . 

678. " Per quanti " and " per quante " are adjectives and mean 

whatever ; they are employed with a verb in the subjunctive 

mood. Ex. 

Per quante ragioni adducessimo , non ci fu dato di con 

vincerlo . 

Whatever reasons we adduced, we were not able to convince 

him. 

EXERCISE LVII. 

They were both (665) students at the University of Oxford. Every 

one (659) of the pupils of the Royal College of Music and of the 

Royal Academy of Music received (Past Def.) a ticket of admission 

to the International Concert. Charity rejoices at the good fortune 

of others (662). Neither my grandfather nor my aunt (275, 667) 

have arrived. Neither of them (667) is the owner of the house 

(623) we have seen. Rich as they are 1 they will not be admitted 

to that society. Let them be ever so clever (however clever they 

may be) (676), they will never succeed (258) in such an 

undertaking. Some people (649) are never satisfied, however 

(676) prosperous they may be. I shall buy either (666) this box 2 or 

that trunk . How much capital 3 have you entrusted to him ? I 

have entrusted to him about five hundred (537) pounds. 

195

679. 1 The expressions rich as they are, determined as they 

were, &c., maybe rendered in Italian by " ricchi quali sono," " 

risoluti quali erano ," &c. 

680. 2 Box, if of a good size, is translated into Italian by " cassa ; " 

if a small one, by " cassetta ;" and if a very small one, by " 

scatola." 

Snuff-box is translated by " scatola da tabacco." 

A box, at the theatre, is translated by " un palco," or " un 

palchetto." 

The box of a carriage , is translated by " il sedile d'una carrozza." 

A cartridge -box, is translated by " una giberna ." 

Box-wood, is translated by "bosso." 

A box on the ear, is translated by " uno schiaffo ." 

To box, is translated by " fare a pugni." 

681. 3 The capital, meaning the funds, money , is translated by " 

il capitale ." 

The capital, meaning the chief town, is translated by " la 

capitale ." 

The capital of a column, is translated by " il capitello di una 

colonna." 

154 ON THE INFINITIVE MOOD. 

LESSON XXX. 

ON THE INFINITIVE MOOD. 

ON THE USE OF THE PRESENT . 

682. The Present of the Infinitive is used in Italian, as in 

English, to express an action in an indefinite manner, without 

any reference to time or person. Ex. 

Cantare , / il cantar troppo a digiuno guasta la voce. 

To sing too much before breakfast spoils the voice . 

683. The Present of the Infinitive is used in Italian as a noun, 

both as subject, and object in the sentence , and is generally 

translated into English by a present participle , or by a noun. Ex. 

Lo scrivermi ella così spesso, mi fa molto piacere . 

Your writing to me so often, gives me much pleasure . 

Non mi piace quel suo parlare enigmatico . 1 

I do not like his (or her) enigmatic way of speaking . 

" Non era l'andar suo cosa mortale ." (Petrarca ). 

196

Her gait was not like that of a mortal being . 


darker type. 

684. As already stated in rule 126, the Present of the Infinitive is 

used in Italian, instead of the second person singular of the 

Imperative used negatively . Ex. 

Non andar giù, Carlino . 

Don't go down, Charlie . 

ON THE USE OF THE PAST. 

685. The Past of the Infinitive is used in Italian as a noun, both 

as subject, and object in the sentence , and is generally translated 

into English by the Past Gerund. Ex. 

L'avermi ella parlato, è causa di tutta questa gelosia . 

Your having spoken to me, is the cause of all this jealousy . 

ON THE USE OF THE GERUND. 

686. The English Present Participle, preceded by the prepositions 

by, through, with, on, is translated into Italian by the Gerund, 

without any preposition before it. Ex. 

Scrivendogli ogni giorno, lo forzai a rispondermi . 

By writing to him every day, I compelled him to reply. 

687. Instead of the gerund, the present of the infinitive, preceded 

by the preposition " con," with, and the definite article, may be 

used. Ex. 

Con lo scrivergli ogni giorno lo forzai a rispondermi . 

By writing to him every day, I compelled him to reply. 

ON THE INFINITIVE MOOD. 155 

688. The English Present Participle, preceded by the preposition 

in, should be translated into Italian, by the Present of the 

Infinitive , preceded by " nel " or " nello." Ex. 

Nello scriverle , potete palesarle il Vostro progetto. 

In writing to her, you can inform her of your plan. 

689. As already stated in rule 200, the Compound of the Gerund 

is used in Italian as in English ; except that in Italian the 

auxiliary "avendo," or " essendo," is omitted, and the past 

participle alone is expressed, and is variable , according to the 

object in the sentence (when "avendo" is omitted), or the subject 

(when "essendo " is omitted ). Ex. 

197

Datoci (avendoci dato) il dispaccio, partì a gambe. 

Having given us the despatch, he ran off. 

Sedutasi (essendosi seduta) per terra , si mise a cucire . 

Having seated herself on the ground, she began to sew. 

EXERCISE LVIII. 

He kept us waiting (683) in the rain till two o'clock (548) in the 

afternoon. Your having told (685) him frankly that we would wait 

no longer offended him. Having conducted me (689) into the room 

destined for (to) me, he wished me a (the) good-night, and went 

away. Princes (328) who (620) in governing (688) their subjects, 

are not guided by (270) principles of justice , excite disaffection. 

Having seated herself (689) on a comfortable arm-chair, she 

began to narrate the scene (623) she had witnessed. I admire 

those (594) artists, I saw them painting 1 some very fine 

pictures. I should like to have one of those pictures; I saw them 

being painted. 1 I often heard him speaking (690) against you, but 

I never thought! (636) he would dare to cause you any loss. Young 

as he is (679) he knows how to make himself feared. 3 I like Miss 

Williams' voice, I heard her singing (690) last night. The song 

(623) you have composed is very pretty ; I have heard it sung (690) 

several times. Having dressed (689) themselves in their best 

clothes, they went out for a walk. I came earlier (510) this 

morning, because I thought (691) I should have found 4 you at 

home . I do not like to see horses running (683) so fast. 

690. 1 Both the English expressions "I saw them painting," and "I 

saw them painted" (being painted), are translated into Italian by " 

Gli ho veduti dipingere ." 

691. 2 To think, meaning to believe , is translated into Italian by 

"Credere." The meanings of " Pensare a," and " Pensare di," are 

given in rule 248. 

692. 3 The expressions to make himself, or herself loved, 

respected, feared by, are translated into Italian by " farsi amare , 

rispettare , temere da." 

693. 4 Notice that in Italian the latter of two verbs is generally 

put in the Present of the Infinitive , when both verbs have the 

same subject. Ex. 

Vorrei poter partire subito pel continente . 

I wish I could start at once for the continent . 

198

156 ON THE INDICATIVE MOOD. 

LESSON XXXI. 

ON THE INDICATIVE MOOD. 

ON THE USE OF THE PRESENT . 

694. The Present of the Indicative is used in Italian, as in 

English, to express an action which always happens, or which is 

happening at the present time . Ex. 

Non lavoriamo per lui. 

We do not work for him. 

Disegno 1 un ricamo per mia sorella . 

I am making 3 a design which my sister will embroider . 

Carolina coglie 2 fragole per la Colazione . 

Caroline is gathering strawberries for breakfast . 

ON THE USE OF THE IMPERFECT . 

695. In Italian the Imperfect of the Indicative is used when the 

verb expresses an action which was still in progress when 

another action was done. Ex. 

Leggevo 1 quando Giorgio entrò nella mia camera . 

When George entered my room, I was reading . 3 

Le mie cugine Coglievano 2 fiori nel giardino . 

My cousins were gathering 3 flowers in the garden. 

696. A verb is also used in the Imperfect of the Indicative when it 

describes the state or condition of persons and things at a past 

time , specified or alluded to. Ex. 

Quando entrammo , lo specchio era già rotto. 

When we entered , the looking -glass was already broken. 

A quell' epoca gli Spagnuoli erano un gran popolo. 

At that time the Spaniards were a great people. 

697. In Italian, the Imperfect Indicative is also used when the 

verb expresses an action often repeated at a past time . Ex. 

Quand'ero a Milano , andavo al teatro tutte le sere . 

When I was at Milan , I used to go to the theatre every night . 

698. 1 Expressions like these may also be rendered in Italian by 

the verb " Stare," when the principal verb in the sentence , whilst 

describing a progressive action , denotes repose , rest . Ex. 

Sto disegnando un ricamo per mia sorella . 

199

I am making a design which my sister will embroider . 

Stavo leggendo, quando Carlo entrò nella mia camera . 

I was reading , when Charles entered my room. 

699. 2 Expressions like these may also be rendered in Italian by 

the verb " Andare " when the principal verb in the sentence 

expresses motion and progression . Ex. 

La Carolina va cogliendo fragole per la colazione . 

Caroline is gathering strawberries for breakfast . 

Le mie cugine andavano cogliendo fiori nel giardino . 

My cousins were gathering flowers in the garden. 

700.3 As already stated, the English expressions I am making, I 

was reading, they were gathering, &c. , are translated into Italian 

as if they were I make , I read, they gathered , &c. 

ON THE INDICATIVE MOOD. 157 


verb denotes the qualities (physical or moral), habits, and 

customs of persons and nations no longer existing . Ex. 

Cesare Borgia aveva il (574) viso , pallido, colle guance 

imfossate , con baffi e barba rossetta . (D'Azeglio .) 

Caesar Borgia had a pale face sunken cheeks , and a 

moustache and beard of a reddish colour. 

Francesco primo amava la gloria e il potere . 

Francis the First loved glory and power. 

I Greci coronavano i loro famosi poeti di alloro e di edera . 

The Greeks used to crown their famous poets with laurel 

and ivy. 


verb denotes the qualities (physical or moral), habits, and 

customs possessed or practised at a past time by persons and 

nations still existing . Ex. 

Quand'era giovine amava lo studio delle scienze . 

When he was young he loved the study of sciences . 

Altrevolte i Greci coltivavano le arti e le scienze con 

grandissimo amore . 

Formerly the Greeks cultivated the arts and sciences with 

very great ardour. 

200

703. Notice that if the time during which the qualities were 

possessed, the habits and customs were practised, is specified, 

the verb is put in the Past Definite . Ex. 

Francesco primo amò la gloria durante tutta la sua vita . 

Francis the First loved glory during the whole of his life . 

Gl'italiani fecero gran progress durante il decimo -terzo 

secolo / il trecento . 

The Italians made great progress during the fourteenth 

century . 

ON THE USE OF THE PAST DEFINITE. 

704. The Past Definite is used whenever the verb expresses an 

action which was begun and entirely completed at a time entirely 

past, and specified . Ex. 

Napoleone entrò in Mosca il 24 agosto, 1812. 

Napoleon entered Moscow on the 24th of August, 1812. 

705. The Past Definite is also used when the verb expresses an 

action which was done to a person or thing at a past specified 

time . 1 Ex. 

Furono sconfitti una seconda Volta, ai venti luglio, dello 

stesso anno. 

They were defeated a second time , on the 20th July, of the 

same year . 

706. 1 Italian poets often use the Past Definite, instead of the 

Past Indefinite . Ex. 

Ah ! caro Tito , io fui teco ingiusta . (METASTASIO .) 

Ah ! dear Titus , I have been unjust towards you. 

158 ON THE INDICATIVE MOOD. 

ON THE USE OF THE PAST INDEFINITE. 

707. The Past Indefinite is used when the verb expresses an 

action which happened at a time past, but not specified . Ex. 

Carlo ha trovato questo libro sulla tavola di mio zio. 

Charles found this book on my uncle's table. 

Abbiamo viaggiato molto. 

We have travelled a great deal. 

Ho scritto i miei temi . 

I have written my exercises . 

201

708. The Past Indefinite is used when the verb expresses an 

action which happened at a period of time not entirely past, as " 

questa mattina," this morning, " oggi ," to-day, " questa 

settimana ," this week , &c. Ex. 

L'ho incontrato stamattina . 

I met him this morning . 

ON THE USE OF THE PLUPERFECT INDICATIVE. 

709. The Pluperfect is used to express an action which had 

happened, at a time not specified, before another action occurred. 

Ex. 

Avevano già distrutto le mura quando arrivai . 

They had already destroyed the walls before I arrived . 

ON THE USE OF THE PAST ANTERIOR. 

710. The Past Anterior is used to express an action which has 

been done immediately before another action occurred. Ex. 

Tosto che avemmo scritto 1 i nostri temi , uscimmo . 

As soon as we had written our exercises , we went out. 

711. Notice, however, that if the two actions were habitual, the 

Pluperfect should be used. Ex. 

Tosto che avevamo preso il tè, andavamo a fare un giro. 

As soon as we had taken tea, we used to go for a walk. 

EXERCISE LIX. 

When I was (696) in Paris I often met (697) your American friend. 

Thomas a Becket was kneeling! 2 (696) before the altar when the 

knights struck (704) him. At two clock we were (696) far from the 

batteries, and had escaped (709) a great danger. The general 

assured us that the enemy were (696) not sufficiently numerous 

to (225) attack us. What (611) did you do (697) in the evening 

when you were in the country ? (614). My brother and I read, and 

my sisters either sewed, or played upon (583) the piano. 

Frederick the Great always wore (701) a dark blue uniform. When 

he entered (183, 704) the room , all the servants were asleep 

(696). Spain had (696) formerly immense possessions in America . 

712. 1 Notice that the Past Anterior is only used after the 

expressions "tosto che," " appena." " quando," "quanto prima." 

713 2 Was kneeling must be translated by "era inginocchiato. " " 

S'inginocchiava " would mean was in the action of kneeling . 

202

ON THE INDICATIVE AND CONDITIONAL MOODS. 159 

FURTHER REMARKS ON MOODS AND TENSES . 

ON THE USE OF THE PRESENT INDICATIVE. 

714. When the verb expresses an action or a state which has 

lasted for some time past, and is still lasting, it must be put in 

the Present Indicative in one of the two following ways : 

Son in questa casa da cinque anni . Or 

Sono cinque anni che son in questa casa. 

I have been living in this house these five years . 

ON THE USE OF THE IMPERFECT INDICATIVE. 

715. When the verb expresses an action or a state which had 

lasted for some time , and was still lasting when a past action 

occurred, it must be put in the Imperfect Indicative in one of the 

two following ways : 

Quando Giorgio venne , io lavoravo già da due ore. Or 

Erano 1 due ore che lavoravo, quando Giorgio venne . 

I had already been working for two hours when George 

came . 

Quando Giacomo disse la nuova, io non ne sapevo nulla. 

When James told the news , I knew nothing about it. 

ON THE USE OF THE FUTURE. 

716. A verb preceded by the adverbs as soon as, when, &c., 

indicates a future time , and therefore the future , and not the 

present tense , must be used in Italian . Ex. 

Scriverò quando avrò tempo. 

I will write when I have time . 

717. Sometimes in Italian a verb is used in the Future when it 

expresses a present action accompanied by an idea of doubt. Ex. 

Crederà che sia per indifferenza sui dolori altrui . (Pellico .) 

Perhaps you think it is through indifference concerning 

other people's misfortune . 

ON THE USE OF THE CONDITIONAL. 

718. In Italian the Conditional is sometimes used instead of the 

English Present of the Indicative . Ex. 

Saprebbe dirmi dove stia di casa il console inglese ? 

Can you tell me where the English consul lives ? 

No, non saprei dirglielo . 

203

No, I can't tell you. 

Vorrei ch'ella venisse meco . 

I wish you would go with me. 

719. The Past Conditional is often used in Italian instead of the 

English Present Conditional . Ex. 

Promise che m' avrebbe dato da vivere . 

He promised that he would give me wherewith to live . 


gate . 

160 ON THE INDICATIVE AND CONDITIONAL MOODS 

720. The Conditional, instead of the Present Indicative, and the 

Conditional Past, instead of the Imperfect Indicative, are often 

used in Italian to express a fact the reality of which depends upon 

a statement contained in a previous sentence . Ex. 

I giornali dicono che una battaglia ha avuto luogo fra le 

truppe reali ed i ribelli . Aggiungono che mille di questi 

sarebbero stati uccisi , e due mila sarebbero prigionieri . 

The newspapers say that a battle has been fought between 

the royal troops and the rebels , They add that a thousand of 

the latter were killed , and two thousand are prisoners . 

EXERCISE LX. 

Her father was (701) a handsome man, but very proud. Man 

formerly lived (701) in forests ; the meadows were (696) his walks 

; he had for his food the fruits of the earth, and the chirping (683) 

of birds delighted (701) his (575) ears. When Croesus showed (704) 

to Solon his vast treasures, the latter (605) said : " Sire , if anyone 

(649) come with better iron than yours, he will be master (146) of 

this gold." According to the statement of the governor, they 

escaped (720). My servant behaved (703) very well for the first five 

years, but afterwards he became (704) very rude , and dishonest. I 

speak of the Normans, because they were (696) then at the 

height of their glory. Napoleon commanded (704) the artillery at 

the siege of Toulon, and gained (704) brilliant victories in Italy, as 

general-in-chief of the French republic. We met (704) last year at 

Paris. I had never seen (709) him before. Louis XIV. lived (703) 

seventy-eight years, and reigned seventy-two. I wrote (708) to 

him this morning, immediately after breakfast. Dante was born 

(704) in 1265, and died in exile in 1321 (544). When Tasso was 

204

(550, 696) twelve years old he composed (701) very good Greek 

verses. If (112) I were you, I would not lend him any money. He 

was (701) very odd ; he used to tell the same story so many times, 

until it was (696) positively painful to hear him. As soon as they 

reached (710) the top of the mountain, they were killed (705). 

Ferdinand and Isabella reigned (696) in Spain when Columbus 

discovered (704) America. In crossing (688) the moor, I saw a 

flight 1 of ravens , flying (292) towards the mountains . 

721. 1 A flight of birds is translated by " uno stormo d'uccelli ." 

A flock of sheep " un gregge di pecore ." 

A herd of cattle " una mandra di bestiame . " 

A herd of stags " un branco di cervi . " 

A pack of hounds " una muta di cani ." 

A swarm of bees "uno sciame di api. " 

A gang of thieves "una banda di ladri." 

ON THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 161 

LESSON XXXII. 

ON THE USE OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 

722. The Main Rule is this: A VERB SHOULD BE USED IN THE 

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD WHENEVER THE ACTION IT EXPRESSES is 

NOT POSITIVE ; therefore a verb is used in the Subjunctive Mood 

in the following cases : 

723. A verb is used in the Subjunctive Mood, when it is governed 

by another verb expressing doubt, fear, wish, command, 

exhortation , &c. Ex. 

Dubito ch'ella possa riuscire . 

I doubt whether you will succeed . 

Temiamo che non 1 piova. 

We are afraid it will rain . 

Amo credere ch'ella stia bene . 

I hope that you are well. 

Voglio che facciate ciò. 

I want you to do this . 

Ella desidera ch' egli venga . 

She desires that he should come . 

Mi sorprende che ciò l'adiri . 

I am surprised that this should make you angry. 

205

724. A verb is also used in the Subjunctive Mood when it is 

governed by a verb used interrogatively, negatively, 2 or 

interrogatively with a negation . 3 Ex. 

Cred' ella ch' egli sia uscito ? 

Do you think that he has gone out? 

Si spera che egli sia eletto ? 

Do they hope that he will be elected ? 

Non credo che sia ammalato . 

I do not think he is ill. 

Non crede che sia arrivato ? 

Do you not think he has arrived ? 

1 The negation in cases like this is explained on pages 174 and 

175. 

725. Notice that " Dimenticare," to forget, " Dissimulare," to 

dissimulate, and " Ignorare ," to ignore, used negatively, govern a 

verb in the Indicative, because the two negatives (one inherent, 

and the other added to the verb) amount to an affirmative . Ex. 

Non dimentico che mi ha parlato. 

I do not forget that he has spoken to me. 

Non ignoro ch'ella ha talento . 

I am aware that you have talent . 

726. 2 Notice that a verb may be used negatively, without being 

accompanied by any negative particle . Ex. 

È impossible che siamo attaccati in questa posizione . 

It is impossible that we should be attacked in this position. 

727 3 Notice that a verb may have an interrogative form or be 

used interrogatively with a negation, without expressing a real 

interrogation, and, in that case , it is followed by a verb in the 

Indicative . Ex. 

Dimentica che siamo qui per vegliare agl'interressi della 

nostra patria ? 

Do you forget that we are here to watch over the interests of 

our country ? 

Non crede che è arrivato ? 

You do not believe (the fact) that he has arrived ? 

162 ON THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 

206

728. Notice that in many cases instead of the Subjunctive , the 

Present Infinitive may be elegantly employed, so long as the 

sense of the sentence remains clear . Ex. 

Mi permise di andare a vedere l' Abbazia di Westminster . 1 

He consented that I should go to see Westminster Abbey. 

729. A verb is in the Subjunctive Mood when it is governed by the 

Impersonal verbs " Sembrare," " Parere," " Essere probabile ," " 

Bisognare ," " Essere mestieri ," 2 &c. Ex. 

Sembra ch'egli abbia ragione . 

It seems that he is in the right . 

Bisogna che me ne vada subito. 

I must go away at once. 

730. A verb is used in the Subjunctive Mood when it is preceded 

by one of the following conjunctions, which imply condition, or 

uncertainty : 

Perché , | 

Affinchè , | so that 

Acciochè , | in order that. 

Purchè , | provided that, 

A patto che, | on condition that. 

A condizione che, | 

Anzi che, | 

Innanziche , | before that. 

Prima che, | 

Avanti che, | 

Dato che, | 

Posto che, | supposing that. 

Supposto che, | 

Posto il caso che, | 

Quand' anche , | even if. 

Solo che, | if but. 

Se mai, | if ever . 

Nel caso che, | in case that. 

Come se, | as if. 

A meno che, 3 | unless . 

Senza che, | without. 

Per tema che, | for fear that, 

Checche , | whatever . 

207

Per paura che, | lest . 

EXAMPLES . 

Gli parli prima che egli parta. 

Speak before he departs. 

Purchè agisca a modo mio. 

Provided he acts as I like . 

731. "Che," when used instead of " perchè," " affinchè," and " 

acci ochè ," is followed by a verb in the Subjunctive Mood. Ex. 

Venga che ( affinchè ) parliamo della nostre faccende . 

Come so that we may talk about our business . 

1 Instead of " Permise ch'io andassi a vedere l'Abbazia di 

Westminster ." 

732. 2 But such Impersonal verbs as " Essere certo," " Essere 

evidente," &c., are followed by a verb in the Indicative Mood, 

because the latter expresses an action in a positive manner . Ex. 

È certo ch'egli è stato eletto . 

It is certain that he has been elected . 

733 3 Notice that the conjunctions " a meno che," " per tema 

che," " per paura che," and " che," used instead of " senza che," 

are followed by the Subjunctive , preceded by "non." Ex. 

A meno che Lei non gli parli, egli non lavorerà mai. 

Unless you speak to him he will never work. 

Si tenea chiuso in castello , per paura che non 

l'attaccassero . 

He kept himself shut up in the castle , for fear of being 

attacked . 

Non fa mai viaggio , che non sia ammalato . 

He never travels without getting ill. 


734. As stated in rules 674, 676, 677, the Subjunctive Mood is 

also used after the adverbs " quanto," how much, and " per 

quanto," or " per," however much. Ex. 

L'opera umana , per buona che sia, trova sempre critici . 

Human work, be it ever so good, always finds critics . 

735. The conjunctions " in maniera che," " in modo che," " 

talmente che," in such a manner that, " finchè," " sinchè," " sino 

208

a che," " fintantochè ," until (in keeping with THE MAIN RULE), 

are followed by a verb in the Indicative, when the action it 

expresses is positive, and that is when the tense used is past or 

present . Ex. 

Parlo in maniera che fu udito da tutta l'adunanza. 

He spoke in such a manner that he was heard by the whole 

meeting . 

736. But the above conjunctions are followed by the verb in the 

Subjunctive Mood, when the verb does not express a positive 

action , and that is when it has reference to a future time . Ex. 

La prego di parlare in modo tale che sia intesa e capita da 

tutta l'assemblea 1 (l'adunanza). 

I beg of you to speak in such a manner that you may be 

heard and understood by the whole assembly . 

1 Notice that the e in ea, etc., has always the broad sound of a in 


737. Notice that in many sentences a verb may be in the 

Indicative or in the Subjunctive Mood, according as the action it 

expresses is certain or doubtful. Ex. 

Andrò in un sito dove sarò quieto . 

I shall go to a place where I shall be quiet (I know I shall). 

Andrò in un sito ove io sia quieto . 

I will go to a place where I shall be quiet (I hope I shall). 

Cerco un uomo che sa la lingua Chinese . 

I am looking for a man who knows the Chinese language (I 

know he does). 

Cerco un uomo che sappia la lingua Chinese . 

I am looking for a man who knows the Chinese language (I 

hope to find one who knows it). 

738. Notice that in many sentences it is necessary to supply the 

words left out in them, to appreciate correctly the use of the 

Subjunctive . Ex. 

Voglia il cielo ch' ella sia felice ! 

Heaven grant that you may be happy. 

Which means : " Bramo che il cielo voglia ch'ella sia felice ! " 

739. Notice that in all the cases hitherto mentioned, the verbs 

are logically used in the Subjunctive Mood because they do not 

209

express a positive fact ; but the Italians indiscriminately employ 

the Subjunctive Mood, also, in the following cases : 

1 Notice that the e in ea &c. , has always the broad sound of the a 

in the word gate . 

164 ON THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 

740. The Italians put a verb in the Subjunctive Mood, also, when 

it is preceded by the conjunctions " benchè," 1 " ancorchè ," " 

sebbene," " contuttochè," " quantunque ," " avvegnachè," and " 

nonostantechè ," although. Ex. 

Voglio andare a ballare, quantunque non mi senta bene . 

I want to go to dance, although I do not feel well. 

"Italia mia, benchè 'l parlar sia indarno." (PETRARCA). 

My Italy, although speaking may be in vain . 

741. The verb is put in the Subjunctive Mood, also, when it is 

preceded by the indefinite pronoun " niente," nothing, or the 

adjectives "solo," 2 only, " primo," first, " ultimo," last, " unico," 

only one, " pochi " "poche ," few, or any adjective in the 

superlative -relative degree ; as " il più grande," the greatest, " il 

migliore ," the best, &c., followed by a relative pronoun. Ex. 

Non c'è niente che mi spiaccia come l'ipocrisia . 

There is nothing I dislike so much as hypocrisy. 

Il cane è il solo animale la cui fedeltà sia provata. 

The dog is the only animal whose fidelity has been proved. 

742. But when " solo," " il più grande," &c., are followed by an 

indirect object, the verb is used in the Indicative . Ex. 

Londra è la più grande delle città che ho vedute . 

London is the largest of the towns I have seen . 

EXERCISE LXI. 

Do you hope that he will be elected (724) a (354) member of 

Parliament ? I wish he may succeed (723) in his undertaking. It 

is possible that I may have been (729) imprudent, but I have not 

been criminal. I do not like you to go out (724) with that good-for- 

nothing fellow. I do not think you have acted (724, 636) prudently. 

I take so much care with (of) your education, in the hope that you 

will profit (723) by it (240). I do not forget that you have invested 

(,725) much capital (681) in that speculation. Tell the servant to 

210

awake (723, 728) me early to- morrow morning. Stop with me until 

I receive (730) assistance , I beg of you. 

743. 1 Notice that, according to THE MAIN RULE, as stated at the 

beginning of this lesson, the verb which follows " benchè," " 

ancorchè ," &c., should be used in the Subjunctive Mood only 

when the action it expresses is not positive ; so in the first 

example given above Petrarca rightly uses " essere " in the 

Subjunctive Mood, because its action is not positive, but in the 

second example the Subjunctive is illogically used, because the 

verb " sentire" expresses a most positive fact. There are, 

however, many examples of the Indicative Mood being used by the 

best Italian authors, after the above -mentioned conjunction. For 

instance , Tasso in the second canto (stanza xxv.) of the " 

Gerusalemme Liberata , " says : 

" Benchè nè furto è il mio, nè ladra sono." 

Although my deed is not a theft, nor am I a thief . 

744. 2 The above remark holds good with regard to " solo," " il più 

grande, "&c. 


RULES FOR THE CONCORD BETWEEN THE TENSES OF THE 

GOVERNING VERB AND THE GOVERNED VERB. 

745. The use of the four tenses of the Subjunctive Mood depends 

upon the tense of the governing verb in the Indicative Mood. 

746. When the governing verb is in the Present or in the Future 

(Indicative), the governed verb is put in the Present of the 

Subjunctive , to express a present or a future action, or state , and 

in the Imperfect, or in the Past Subjunctive , to express a past 

action, or state ; in the Imperfect, if the action or state is alluded 

to as having been incomplete at a past time ; in the Past, if it is 

alluded to as complete . Ex. 

Non credo che Giuseppe lavori adesso. 

I do not think that Joseph is working now. 

Pagherò ,purchè io abbia danaro. 

I will pay, if I have money . 

Non credo che lavorasse quando siamo venuti . 

I do not think that he was working when we came . 

Dubito che abbia ricevuto la lettera di suo padre. 

I doubt whether he has received his father's letter . 

211

747. Notice that the Imperfect, instead of the Present 

Subjunctive , and the Pluperfect, instead of the Past Subjunctive 

are used when some conditional expression follows the verb in 

the subjunctive . Ex. 

Dubito ch' ella studiasse , se non ci fosse costretta . 

I doubt that you would study, if you were not compelled to do 

so. 

748. When the governing verb is in one of the past tenses 

(Indicative), or in the Conditional, the governed verb is put in the 

Imperfect Subjunctive to express a present action, or state , but in 

the Pluperfect Subjunctive to express a past action , or state . Ex. 

Non sapevo che Carlo dimorasse qui. 

I did not know that Charles was living here . 

Vorrei ch'ella venisse da me domani. 

I wish you would call on me to-morrow. 

749. Notice that when the governing verb is in the Past 

Indefinite, followed by " perchè," " affinchè" " benchè," " 

quantunque ," &c., the governed verb is put in the Present 

Subjunctive , to express a present , or a future action , or state . Ex. 

Vi ho dato il denaro perchè possiate andare a vedere i 

vostri . 

I gave you the money so that you may go to see your 

friends . 

750. Notice finally that when the governing verb is in the Past 

Indefinite, it is customary to use the Past, instead of the 

Pluperfect Subjunctive . Ex. 

Non ho mai conosciuto un uomo che abbia tanto lavorato. 

I have never known a man who has worked so hard. 

166 ON THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD AND " SE." 

ON THE CONJUNCTION " SE," IF. 

751. When " se " is a real Conditional Conjunction, it is followed 

in Italian either by a verb in the Indicative or in the Subjunctive 

Mood, according to the following rules : 

752. " Se" is followed by a verb in the Present Indicative, if the 

condition refers to a future time , not far off. Ex. 

Se mio zio viene ditegli di aspettarmi . 

If my uncle comes tell him to wait for me. 

212

Se fa bel tempo domani, andremo alla campagna . 

If it is fine to-morrow, we shall go into the country. 

753. " Se " is followed by a verb in the Future, if the condition 

refers to a future time , far off. Ex. 

Se mi pagheranno alla fine dell'anno, vi darò una ghinea . 

If they pay me at the end of the year , I will give you a 

guinea . 

754. " Se " is followed by a verb in the Imperfect Subjunctive , if 

the condition refers to the present time . Ex. 

Se avessi denaro comprerei questo oriuolo. 

If I had money I would buy this watch. 

Se io fossi in Lei non gli scriverei questa sera . 

If I were you I would not write to him this evening 

755 " Se " 1 is followed by a verb in the Pluperfect Subjunctive , if 

the condition refers to a time past. Ex. 

Se avessi conosciuto le sue intenzioni , non gli avrei 

parlato. 

Had I known his intentions , I should not have spoken to 

him . 

756. But when " se" is not a real Conditional Conjunction, when 

it means, in fact, whether, as, or when, it requires after it the 

verb in the same mood and tense as the English conjunction if. 

Ex. 

Essi non sanno se ritorneremo qui, o no. 

They do not know if (whether ) we shall return here , or not. 

Se aveva bisogno di me, era amabilissimo . 

If (when ) he needed my help, he was very amiable . 

757. A verb is used in the Subjunctive Mood after " quando," " 

ove," and " qualora," when these words are used instead of " se," 

meaning in case that. Ex. 

Quando (or ove) le piaccia , andremo al teatro questa sera . 

If you like we will go to the theatre this evening . 

758. A verb is put in the Subjunctive Mood after " che " used 

instead of repeating " se." Ex. 

Se è ricca e che voglia aver amici , sia buona e generosa . 

213

If you are rich and wish to have friends , be good and 

generous . 

759. 1 In poetry, by a turn of the phrase, "se," if, is often omitted. 

Ex. 

" Almeno Tito trovar potessi." (METASTASIO ). 

If, at least , I could find Titus . 


EXERCISE LXII. 

Unless you invite (733) him yourself, he will not come . The 

elephant never attacks, unless he is provoked. I do not think he 

was working (724, 746) when I rang the bell. It was necessary 

(704) that two of our squadrons 1 should advance (729), and force 

the enemy's line. Learn your lessons for to-morrow, lest your 

master punish (733) you. If Mr. John comes (752) before dinner, 

tell him to wait for (251, 728) me, until I come back (736). I wish 

(718) you would (748) play this piece of music slowly and with 

expression. 2 He wishes (desiderare ) that I should reflect (723) on 

that proposal. I wrote (707) to him by post, so that (730) he might 

learn the news in time . That man has given me a fearful blow 

with a stick. 3 If (754) I had some paper, I would write to him. 

Whatever he undertakes (730) to do, he does it diligently. Your 

father will pay all your debts, on condition that (730) you will 

execute his orders faithfully. I do not know where little William is 

(724). There are few men whose character is (741) better known 

(365) than his. It is the most interesting book I ever read (741). 

However ingenious the Greeks and Romans were (734), still they 

did not discover the art of printing books. It seems as if (che) 

nothing could (729, 746) save him. I find it 4 difficult to learn 

poetry by heart (imparare a mente ). 

760. 1 A squadron (of cavalry ), is translated by " uno squadrone." 

A squadron (of ships), is translated by "una squadra." 

761. 2 " Adagio " is the technical expression for slow and with 

expression . 

Ad libitum — at the performer's pleasure . 

Affettuoso — with tenderness . 

Al segno — return to the sign . 

Allegretto — not so quick as Allegro. 

Allegro — quick , lively . 

Amoroso — -softty, tenderly . 

214

Andante — .slow; and distinct . 

Andantino — not so slow as Andante . 

Bis — twice . 

Calando — gradually slower and softer. 

Con brio — with spirit and brilliancy . 

Crescendo — gradually louder. 

Da capo — repeat from the beginning . 

Decrescendo or Diminuendo — gradually softer 

Dolce — soft ; dolcissimo — very soft 

Forte — loud ; fortissimo — very loud. 

Gorgheggi — trills 

Legato — smoothly. 

Maestoso — majestic . 

Moderato — moderately quick . 

Piano — soft ; pianissimo — very soft. 

Presto — quick , prestissimo — very quick . 

Sostenuto — sustain the sound. 

Vivace or Con vivacità — with vivacity . 

Volti subito — turn over quickly . 

762. 3 The suffix " ata " signifies a blow from , &c. ; hence " una 

bastonata," means a blow from a stick, "una boccata," a mouthful, 

or a bite, " un'occhiata ," a glance of the eye. 

763. 4 The pronoun it is not translated into Italian in sentences 

like this . 

168 ON THE FORM AND USE OF PASSIVE VERBS. 

LESSON XXXIII. 

ON THE FORM AND USE OF PASSIVE VERBS. 

764. There are three ways of expressing the Passive Form of 

verbs, in Italian . 

765. The first way is to use the verb " Essere " as an auxiliary, 

followed by the Past Participle of any active transitive verb. Ex. 

Egli è stimato da tutti. 

He is esteemed by everybody. 

Ed io dico che gli Egiziani furono sconfitti dai Francesi alla 

battaglia delle Piramidi . 

And I say that the Egyptians were defeated by the French at 

the battle of the Pyramids . 

215

766. A verb is rendered passive in the way indicated above only 

when one desires to lay a stress on the result of the action . 

767. Many English sentences are best rendered into Italian by 

giving them an active turn, and this is done by changing the 

indirect object in the sentence into the subject, and the subject 

into the direct object Ex. 

Ognuno desidera le ricchezze . 

Riches are desired by everybody. 

La sua cattiva condotta mi ruinò 

I was ruined by his bad conduct. 

Gli fecero regalo di un anello . 

They presented him with a ring . 

I Francesi sconfissero gli Egiziani alla battaglia delle 

Piramidi . 

The Egyptians were defeated by the French at the battle of 

the Pyramids . 

768. The second way is by using the verb " Venire ," 1 instead of " 

Essere " as an auxiliary . Ex. 

Venni chiamato agli esami . 

I was called to the examination . 

Vennero dichiarati innocenti . 

They were declared innocent . 

Sono sicuro che verrà eletto deputato. 

I am sure he will be elected a deputy. 

769. 1 Notice that the verb "Venire " is used instead of " Essere " 

only in the simple tenses of passive verbs ; for instance , it would 

be wrong to say, " Erano venuti dichiarati innocenti." They had 

been declared innocent. The right form is " Erano stati dichiarati 

innocenti ." 

770. The verb "andare " is also used in some cases instead of " 

essere " in the passive forms of verbs. Ex. 

La cosa va fatta così. 

The thing is done in this way. 

Il vero merito va sempre congiunto alla modestia . 

True merit is always accompanied by modesty. 

ON THE FORM AND USE OF PASSIVE VERBS. 169 

216

771. The third way of forming a Passive Verb the way most 

congenial to the Italian language is to employ the word " si," 1 

followed by a verb in the third person singular, or plural, 

according as the noun in the sentence is in the singular, or 

plural. Ex. 

Si dice che la Regina partirà domani . 

It is said that the Queen will depart to-morrow. 

Il buon vino si vende a caro prezzo in Inghilterra . 

Good wine is sold very dear in England. 

I libri si stampano a buon mercato in Germania . 

Books are printed cheaply in Germany . 

Vi si parlano tutte le lingue europee . 

All the European languages are spoken there . 

Se ne parla dapertutto. 

It is talked of everywhere . 

772. The expressions, I am asked, He is promised, They are 

ordered, &c., are translated by " Mi si 2 dice," or " Mi si domanda," 

" Gli si promette ," " Si Comandò loro," &c. Ex. 

Mi si disse di parlare . 

I was told to speak . 

Si permise loro di uscire . 

They were allowed to go out. 

773. Sometimes, and more especially when the verb is in the 

reflective form , " l'uomo," " uno," " alcuni," or "la gente ," is used, 

instead of " si," before the verb. Ex. 

Uno si avvezza facilmente alla pigrizia . 

We easily accustom ourselves to idleness . 

774. Whenever "si "would cause any ambiguity in the sense of 

the phrase, the passive verb must be formed with "essere," or " 

venire ," as explained above. Ex. 

Gli uomini virtuosi sono ammirati (not | 

si ammirano , which might mean they |Wise men are admired . 

admire themselves) | 

775. 1 Notice that the word "si," which translates the English 

words one, they, we, people , has all the appearance of always 

being an indefinite pronoun, the same as the French word " on," 

but it is not so ; the proof of this assertion is that the verb used 

217

with " si " must agree in number with the noun in the sentence . 

Nor is " si," as it has often been wrongly stated, a mere reflective 

pronoun ; for it would be a very weak way of expressing, to say, for 

instance , It says itself that the Queen will start to- morrow. " Si 

dice che la Regina, &c.," " I libri si stampano, &c.," are really 

passive sentences, in which the word "uomo" (which does the 

action expressed by the verb) is understood ; thus " Si dice (dall' 

uomo) che la Regina partirà domani." 

" I libri si stampano (dall' uomo) a buon mercato in Germania." 

This shows that verbs in the passive form are used nearly as 

often in Italian as in English. 

776.2 In this case , when " si " is used with an indirect 

complement (see rule 196), it is an indefinite pronoun, like the 

French word " on." 

170 ON THE FORM AND USE OF PASSIVE VERBS. 

EXERCISE LXIII. 

He is greatly loved (765) by (270) his parents. He has been long 

considered (714, 765) the best poet of the age. They were ordered 

(772) to keep themselves ready, in case of a sudden attack. The 

Austrians were defeated (767) by the Prussians at the battle of 

Sadowa. We went (699, 704) wandering all night through the 

forest. It is generally believed (771) that Rome was founded (723, 

765) by Romulus, though there are no proofs in support of the 

tradition. Is it true that your cousin John has married (727) a 

Spanish lady ? I think so (271) ; they speak of it (771) everywhere 

in town. I have heard 1 the report of a gun. I am requested (772) 

to tell you not to go away without leave. They were allowed (772) 

to enter the church after Divine Service. These pictures have 

been admired (765), but I am sure (636) they will not be sold (771). 

It is reported 2 that he will be made (769) Minister for Foreign 

Affairs. I have heard it said 3 that lions can be trained (771) to 

perform like dogs. I have not heard from 4 my brother-in-law 

since the 15th (546) of January. At country fairs 5 one sees very 

curious people . 6 It is said (771) that popular songs reveal (723) 

the character of a people . They were advised (767) by the judge to 

confess their crime. The barbarous sport of the bull fight was 

introduced (765) into Spain by the Arabs, amongst whom it was 

celebrated (771) with great pomp. They were promised (772) two 

pounds each (659). 

218

777. 1 To hear is translated into Italian either by " Udire," or by " 

Sentire ." Ex. 

Ho udito / sentito la voce di mio fratello . 

I have heard my brother's voice . 

778. " Sentire " means also to feel . Ex. 

" Non mi sento bene ." 

I do not feel well. 

779. 2 It is said that, it is reported that, people will have it that, 

are elegantly translated into " corre la voce che," " corre fama 

che," "si vuole che." 

780. 3 I have heard it said that, is translated into " ho sentito dire 

che." 

781. 4 To hear from , in the sense of to receive news from , is 

translated into " ricevere lettere da," " ricevere notizie da." 

782. 5 A fair, meaning a market, is translated into Italian by 

"una fiera ." 

A fair lady, is translated by " una bella signora ." 

A fair complexion , is translated by " una carnagione 

bianca." 

A fair price , is translated by " un prezzo giusto." 

783. 6 The people , meaning the inhabitants of a country, is 

translated by " il popolo." (21). People , meaning persons, is 

translated by "la gente ." Ex. 

" È che gent'è che par nel duol si vinta ?" (Dante ). 

What folk is this which seems by pain so vanquished ? 

ON " VOLERE," " DOVERE," " POTERE," AND " SAPERE."171 

LESSON XXXIV. 

ON "VOLERE," "DOVERE," "POTERE," AND " SAPERE." 

784. When do, did, will, shall, would, should, may, might, can, 

could, and let, are employed as auxiliary verbs, they are not 

translated into Italian ; but when they are used as distinct verbs 

of them -selves , each of them has its corresponding Italian verb. 

785. When do and did are not mere auxiliaries, they are 

translated by " Fare ." Ex. 

Io 1 fatto il mio lavoro. 

I have done my work. 

219

786. When will, would, and shall are not mere auxiliaries, they 

are translated by " Volere" or " Dovere," according as will or duty 

is to be expressed . Ex. 

Voglio parlargli io stesso . 

I will speak to him myself , 

Dovrà lavorare . 

He shall (he will have to) work. 

Voleva sempre parlare . 

He would always speak , 

787. The expressions will you have ? will he have ? &c., meaning 

do you wish? do you like? or do you choose to have? &c., are 

translated by the corresponding tenses of the verb " Volere ." Ex. 

Vuole un biglietto per il concerto di mia sorella ? 

Would you like to have a ticket for my sister's concert ? 

Quale vuole dei due ? 

Which do you choose of the two ? 

788. The expressions will you have the kindness ? will you have 

the goodness ? will you do me the favour to ? are translated into 

Italian by " Vuol'avere la bontà di," or " Vuol farmi il piacere di." 

Ex. 

Vuol' avere la bontà di tradurmi questa lettera in italiano ? 

Will you have the kindness to translate this letter into 

Italian for me ? 

789. The expressions I will have him, you would have me, I want 

him, are translated into Italian by " volere," followed by "che," and 

the verb in the Subjunctive Mood. Ex. 

voglio che stia a casa finche sia guarito . 

I will have him stay at home until he is quite well. 

vorrebbe che lavorassimo dalla mattina alla sera . 

He would have us work from morning till night . 


orphan. 

172 ON "VOLERE," " DOVERE," " POTERE," AND " SAPERE." 

790. The verb to have to (to be obliged to, to think it right to), is 

translated into Italian by " Dovere ." Ex. 

Debbo essere al mio posto a mezzogiorno. 1 

220

I am to be at my post at noon. 

791. The verbs I ought, you ought, I ought to have, &c., I should, 

you should, I should have, &c., are also translated by the 

Conditional , or the Conditional Past, of " Dovere ." Ex. 

Dovrei andare da mio cognato. 

I ought to call on my brother-in-law. 

Dovrebbe scrivere a suo padre. 

You ought to write to your father . 

Avrebbero dovuto pagarmi prima di lasciar Londra. 

They ought to have paid me before they left London. 

792. The verb I must, you must, &c. (I am expected to, I am to, 

&c.), is also translated by " Dovere ." Ex. 

Debbo parlare al presidente del comitato . 

I must speak to the chairman of the committee . 

793. The verb " Dovere " is sometimes used to express probability 

that the action expressed by the chief verb in the sentence will 

happen (is expected). Ex. 

Il mio viaggio deve durare cinque giorni . 

My journey is to last five days. 

Si sapeva che doveva un giorno governare la Francia . 

It was known that he was likely one day to govern France . 

794. When the verbs can and could, may and might, are not mere 

auxiliaries , they are translated by " Potere ." Ex. 

Posso rendervi questo servizio . 

I can render you this service . 

Potrei andare a Parigi . 

I could go to Paris . 

Potete venir meco . 

You may come with me. 

Avreste potuto venir prima d'ora. 

You might have come before now. 

795. When can and could are used in the sense of to know how, 

they are translated into Italian by " Sapere ." Ex. 

Sa ella parlar francese ? 

Can you speak French ? 

Sapeva disegnare , ma non sapeva dipingere . 

221

He could draw, but he could not paint. 

Sapreste insegnarmi la via che conduce al ponte di Londra 

? 

Could you tell me the way to London Bridge ? 

796. When to let is a verb by itself it is translated by " Lasciare ." 

Ex. 

Lasciatemi andar fuori. 

Let me go out. 

1 Two zz, dotted thus zz, have the soft sound of the zz in the word 

muzzle (52, 53). 

ON " VOLERE," "DOVERE," ETC., AND THE NEGATION. 173 

EXERCISE LXIV. 

I would like (718, 786) to speak to you on (298) a matter of 

importance . They are to be (790) here this afternoon at three 

o'clock. I ought to (791) write to my mother. My essay must be 

(792) ready for the next issue of the magazine . Will you have (787) 

a steel pen, or a quill ? I prefer a quill, if you have one (144). Will 

you be so good as (788) to tell me where you buy your gloves ? 

With the greatest (520) pleasure; I buy them at Johnstone's (434). 

Our cousin Charles is expected (793) to visit us to-morrow, or the 

day after to- morrow. The Queen is expected (793) to leave London 

this week. We should (791) encourage the beautiful, (336) 

because the useful is sure to be sought after. They say (771) that 

the procession is (792) to pass through Piccadilly. It ought to have 

passed (791) through Oxford Street. Am I to do (792) all this work 

for nothing ? No, you will be paid. She is to write (792) to him 

three times a (the) week. Will you go (305) with me, or not ? I 

want you (789) to make up your mind. 1 I am sorry, but I cannot ; 

I have to be at my father's office before five o'clock (548). You 

should have told me (786) that last night ; I could have asked 

Charles to come . Do not let (796) him bring those (594) flowers in 

your bedroom (431). 

LESSON XXXV. 

ON THE NEGATION. 

797. The Italian negatives are " No," " Non," " Nè." 

798. " No " has the same meaning in Italian as in English. 

799. " non " means not, and always precedes the verb. Ex. 

Egli non parla bene . 

222

He does not speak well. 

800. "Nè...nè" mean neither. ..nor, and are used when there is no 

verb before neither ... nor. Ex. 

Nè leggo, nè scrivo . 

I neither read nor write . 

801. But when there is a verb before neither... nor, they are 

translated by " non...nè...nè." (See rule 667). Ex. 

Non ha nè danaro nè amici . 

He has neither money nor friends . 

802. "non...che," "n on...altro che," mean nothing but, only. Ex. 

Paolo non fa che parlare . 

Paul does nothing but talk. 

Non avevo che un cavallo. 

I had but one horse . 

803. 1 The expression to make up one's mind is translated into 

Italian by " prendere il suo partito." Ex. 

Ha preso il suo partito. 

He has made up his mind. 

174 ON THE NEGATION. 

804. "No, mai " and " non...mai" (in answer to a question), mean 

never . Ex. 

L'ha mai veduto ? No, mai. 

Have you ever seen him? Never . 

Non l'io mai veduto. 

I have never seen him. 

805. The words " mica," " punto," " neppure ," and " già," add 

strength to the negation " non." Ex. 

Non io mica danaro. 

I have no money at all. 

Non credo punto quel che dice. 

I do not believe a word that he says. 

non ho neppure un soldo. 

I have not even a half-penny, 

crediate già ch'io voglia sapere i vostri affari . 

You must not think that I care to know your affairs . 

223

806. The negation " non " is always required after the verbs " 

impedire," to prevent, " evitare," to avoid, " badare" (followed by a 

verb in the Subjunctive Mood), mind lest, " guardarsi di," to 

beware of. Ex. 

La neve impedi che n on venisse . 

The snow prevented his coming . 

Badi 1 che il cane non le scappi. 

Mind the dog does not escape you. 

Gli dica che si guardi di non credere la notizia . 

Tell him to beware of believing the news . 

807. The negation " non " is always required after the compound 

conjunctions " a meno che," unless, " per paura che," " per tema 

che," for fear that, lest, and " che," used instead of " senza che." 

Ex. 

Verrà per certo, a meno che n on sia partito. 

He will certainly come unless he has departed. 

Me ne vado per paura che n on m'insulti . 

I go away for fear that he should insult me. 

808. The verbs "temere" and " aver paura," to fear, to apprehend, 

require after them the negation " non " when they are used 

affirmatively, and the realisation of the action expressed by the 

verbs they govern is feared . Ex. 

Temo 2 che Carlo non venga . 

I fear that Charles will come . 

" E temo che non sia già sì smarrito ." (Dante ). 

And I fear that he is already so far bewildered . 

809. 1 Observe that "bada che," " badi che," and " badate che," 

followed by a verb in the Indicative Mood, means notice that. Ex. 

Badate che non ha fatto il suo dovere . 

Notice that he has not done his duty. 

810. 2 The use of the negation in all the cases mentioned in this 

lesson can be justified on the ground that the "non " does not 

negative the verb expressed, but a verb left out ( because of the 

excited state of the mind under fear, &c.), whose meaning is the 

reverse of the meaning of the verb expressed. For instance , in 

the example cited above , " Temo che Carlo non venga," the full 

meaning of the sentence is 

224

" Temo che Carlo non (rimanga dov'è, ma che) venga ," 

I fear that Charles will not remain -where he is, but that he 

will come . 

ON THE NEGATION. 175 

811. The verbs " temere," and " aver paura," to fear, to apprehend 

require "non...mica" " non...punto " when they are used 

affirmatively, and we fear the non-realisation of the action 

expressed by the verbs they govern . Ex. 

Temo ch' ei non venga mica . 

I fear that he will not come . 

812. But when "temere," and " aver paura," are used negatively, 

they do not require the negative after them . Ex. 

Non temo che vengano . 

I do not fear they will come . 

813. The negation " non " is also required after the noun "altro," 

another thing, the adjectives " migliore," better, " peggiore," 

worse, " più grande," greater, &c., and the adverbs " altrimenti," 

otherwise , " meglio," better, " peggio," worse, " meno," less, and " 

più," more , when the verb which precedes them is used 

affirmatively . Ex. 

Questo terreno è migliore ch'io non lo credev o- . 

This soil is better than I thought 

Egli era più ricco che voi non siete . 

He was richer than you are now. 

Parlano altrimenti che non agiscono . 

They speak otherwise than they act. 

814. But when the verbs preceding the above -mentioned 

adjectives and adverbs are used negatively, no negative is 

required after them . Ex. 

Non parlano altrimenti che agiscono . 

They do not speak otherwise than they act. 

815. Many authors put the negation "non" after the verbs " 

negare," to deny, and " dubitare ," to doubt, when they are used 

negatively , or interrogatively with a negation . Ex. 

Non nego che non 1 sia un uomo abile . 

I do not deny his being an able man. 

EXERCISE LXV. 

225

Can (795) that boy write ? No, he can neither (801) write nor read. 

My brother has (802) only one horse , but it is a good one. They 

could (794) not deny the accusation we brought against them. 

Mind (806) they do not come here ; if (752) they do, I shall never 

come to see you again. 2 I recognised him, although (740) I had 

never (804) seen him before. He can (802) only do mathematics 

(419). It was they who prevented us from writing (to write.) Unless 

you speak to them, they will always prevent us coming. I 

apprehend (808) that he will succeed ; I wish (748) he would not. 3 

I do not deny (815) his being extremely clever, but he is too 

conceited. I am afraid (808) that Frederick will not succeed (258) ; 

I wish he would. 3 I have no fear (812) of her speaking . 

816. 1 It would be very difficult to justify the negation in such 

cases as this . 

817. 2 Any more , never (verb) again, are translated into " non 

(verb) più." 

3 Add succeed . 

ON THE PAST PARTICIPLE. 176 

LESSON XXXVI. 

ON THE PAST PARTICIPLE. 

818. The Past Participle is a word which partakes of the nature of 

a verb and an adjective ; it is conjugated either with " Avere ," 1 or 

" Essere ," 2 used as auxiliaries. When a Participle is conjugated 

with "Avere ," it is a verb; but when it is conjugated with " Essere ," 

it may be regarded as an adjective . 

819. The following rules are adhered to by most Italians at the 

present time . 

ON THE PARTICIPLE PRECEDED BY "AVERE." 

820. The Past Participle of an Active Transitive verb (see rule 

159) is conjugated with " Avere ," and remains invariable, that is 

to say ends in o, when the Direct Object (see rule 195) in the 

sentence follows it. 3 Ex. 

Abbiamo comprato tre libri. 

We have bought three books. 

821. But when the Direct Object precedes the Past Participle, the 

latter is variable . Ex. 

Ecco qui i libri che ho comprati questa mattina . 

226

Here are the books I bought this morning . 

Li ho comprati a buon mercato . 

I bought them cheap. 

Le io vedute ballare. 

I have seen them dancing. 

Ho scritto a mia madre , e l' ho pregata di venir qui. 

I have written to my mother , and asked her to come here . 

822. The Past Participles " potuto," " creduto," " dovuto," and " 

desiderato," are often invariable because the Direct Object in the 

sentence , which ought to follow them , is left understood. Ex. 

Gli ho reso tutti i servizi che ho potuto (rendergli ). 

I did him all the services I was able to. 

823. 1 All the Active Verbs both Transitive and Intransitive (see 

rules 159 and 160) and most Neuter verbs (see rule 274), are 

conjugated with "Avere ." 

824. 2 " Essere " is used to form the compound tenses (a) of 

Passive Verb (see rule 765) (b) of eighteen Neuter Verbs, (see rule 

275) (c) of Reflective Verbs (see rule 280). 

825. 3 There are cases when the Past Participle, conjugated with 

" Avere ," does not express an action, but expresses a quality of 

the Object in the sentence ; when this is the case the Participle 

agrees with the noun it qualifies . Ex. 

" Un altro, che forata avea la gola." (Dante ). 

Another one, who had his throat pierced through. 

ON THE PAST PARTICIPLE. 177 

826. The Past Participle of Active Intransitive Verbs (see rule 

160) always remains invariable . Ex. 

Ci hanno parlato stamattina . 

They spoke to us this morning . 

827. The Past Participle of most Neuter Verbs is preceded by " 

Avere " (see rule 274), and remains invariable . Ex. 

Abbiamo passeggiato tutta la mattina . 

We have been walking about all the morning . 

828. With regard to the Impersonal Verbs, the Past Participle of 

those which, like " Piovere," 1 can be conjugated either with " 

227

Essere " or " Avere " (see rule 283), always remains invariable. 

Ex., 

È / ha piovuto tutta la notte. 

It rained all night . 

829. But the Past Participle of those Impersonal Verbs which are 

conjugated like " Bastare " (see rule 283), and have " Essere " for 

an auxiliary , is variable . Ex. 

I suoi libri gli sono bastati. 

His books have been sufficient for him. 

ON THE PARTICIPLE PRECEDED BY "ESSERE ." 

830. The Participle conjugated with " Essere " (or " Venire ," (see 

rule 768) always agrees with the Subject in the sentence , 

whether it belongs to an active verb, used passively, or to one of 

the eighteen neuter verbs conjugated with " Essere ," as explained 

in rule 275. Ex. 

Ella è stimata da tutti. 

She is esteemed by everybody. 

Essi sono caduti nella rete . 

They have fallen into the trap. 

831. Notice that sometimes the auxiliary is not expressed, but 

understood, in that case the ellipsis must be supplied, and then 

the participle will be found to follow the rules given above. Ex. 

Oh! quante case (sono state ) distrutte ! 

Oh! how many houses (have been ) destroyed ! 

Le battaglie (che sono state ) vinte dagl' Inglesi . 

The battles (which have been ) won by the English. 

832. Instead of " Quand' ebbi veduto," when, or as soon as I had 

seen, " Quand' ebbe sentito," when, or as soon as he had heard, " 

Quando fui arrivato," when, or as soon as I had arrived, " Quando 

fu scoperto," when, or as soon as he was discovered, &c., the more 

elegant expressions " Veduto che ebbe," " Sentito che ebbe," " 

Arrivato che fu," " Scoperti che furono," &c., are used. Ex. 

Veduto che ebbi il palazzo, mi venne l'idea di comprarlo. 

As soon as I saw the palace, I had the idea of buying it. 


darker type. 

178 ON THE PAST PARTICIPLE. 

228

833. In the following cases, and in scores of a similar nature, the 

Past Participle in Italian is illogically inflected for the sake of 

euphony : 

Egli ci ha mandati 1 a cercare . 

He sent for us. 

Questi quadri mi vanno a genio li io veduti 2 dipingere . 

I like these pictures very much ; I saw them being painted. 

Figliuoli , vi siete dimenticate 3 le mie parole. 

Children , you have forgotten my words. 

Non mi date più fragole ; ne ho mangiate 4 abbastanza. 

Do not give me any more strawberries ; I have eaten 

enough . 

EXERCISE LXVI. 

Have you finished (820) the letter (636) I gave you to (310) write ? 

The heavy rains, which we had (704) in the spring, have been the 

cause of many diseases. We have not slept (827) for the last forty- 

eight hours. The painter Caracci having been plundered by some 

robbers, drew their likenesses so well that they were discovered 

(704, 830). The hostile army being routed (689), their camp 

plundered, their baggage carried away, their ammunition taken, 

the French re-entered triumphant. A noble but confused thought 

is a diamond covered with (831, 348) dust. The high mountains of 

(330) Switzerland are always covered with snow and ice. King 

Harold and his two brothers were killed (704, 830) at the battle of 

Hastings. Demetrius, on hearing 5 that the Athenians had 

overturned (833) his statues, remarked, " They have not 

overturned the virtues which erected (821) them to me." (218). 

Look , I have bought this box (680) to put my clothes in (198, 238) ; 

do you think it is large enough ? Yes, I think so (271). As soon as 

he had received (832) his money, he started for America. Before 

(730) men possessed the art of writing, all deeds worthy of being 

preserved were transmitted (701, 769, 830) to posterity in verse 

(verses ). 

1 " Mandati " should be " mandate," because "ci," is governed by " 

cercare ," and not by " mandati ; " but " mandate," near to " ci," 

would sound inharmonious . 

229

2 "Veduti" should be " veduto," because "li," is governed by 

"dipingere ," and not by " veduti ;" but " veduto," near to " li," would 

sound inharmonious . 

3 " Dimenticate " should be " dimenticato " because" le mie 

parole " is the direct object of " dimenticato ; " but " dimenticato " 

would make the sentence sound inharmonious . 

4 " Mangiate " should be " mangiato," because this participle is 

not preceded by a direct object ; but "mangiato" would make the 

sentence sound inharmonious . 

834. 5 In English when there are two or more verbs, in the same 

sentence , denoting actions done by the same subject, the verb 

expressing the action which was done first, is often employed in 

the Present Participle, but in Italian it must be used in the 

compound of the Gerund (as explained in rule 689) thus : 

"Demetrio , udito che gli Ateniesi avevano ," &c. 

ON THE VERB " AVERE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 179 

LESSON XXXVII. 

ON THE VERB "AVERE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

835. "Avere " is used idiomatically to translate the English 

expressions, What is the matter with you ? What is the matter 

with him ? &c. Ex. 

Non so che cosa abbiano questi fanciulli ; sembrano , molto 

addolorati. 

I do not know what is the matter with these children ; they 

seem very grieved . 

836. " Avere ," followed by a noun, is used in Italian in the 

following idiomatical expressions, instead of the verb to lie, 

followed by an adjective , as in English : 

(a) Aver caldo to be warm. 

(b) Aver freddo to be cold. 

(c) Aver fame to be hungry. 

(d) Aver sete to be thirsty . 

(e) Aver sonno to be sleepy . 

(f) Aver ragione to be in the right . 

(g) Aver torto to be in the wrong. 

(h) Aver paura to be afraid. 

(i) Aver fretta to be in a hurry. 

(j) Aver piacere caro to be glad. 

230

(k) Aver cura di to be careful of. 

(l) Aver giudizio to act sensibly . 

EXERCISE LXVII. 

Are you (122) warm, (a) Charles ? Yes. I thank you ; when I came 

in I was very cold (b). When these men came in (705) they were 

(695) very hungry (c) and thirsty (d). The children are very sleepy 

(e). Do you think (691) that Margaret is in the right (f) (724) ? Yes, 

and that you are in the wrong (g). I never thought (691) that you 

would be so wicked as 1 to offend her. These little children (442) 

are afraid (h) of that big dog (437). Do (126, 128) not detain me, 

because I am in a hurry (i). I am very glad (j) to hear that your 

brother is going to Florence . Shut that window ; I feel very cold (b). 

Those who (630) think they are always in the right (f) are often 

wrong. They were very happy (j) to be again with us. I think you 

should be (791) more careful of (k) your health. If (754) he would 

act sensibly, (l) he would be liked by (270) everybody. If he were 

wise , (l) he would be rich . 

837. 1 The expressions to be so good as, to be so wicked as, &c. , 

are translated into Italian by " essere abbastanza buono per," " 

essere abbastanza cattivo per." 

180 ON THE VERB " AVERE " USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

ON THE VERB " AVERE " USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

838. " AVERE " is USED IDIOMATICALLY IN THE FOLLOWING 

EXPRESSIONS : 

(a) Aver buona cera , to look well. 

(b) Aver cattiva cera , to look ill. 

(c) Aver male a, to feel a pain in. 

(d) Avere a mano, / in pronto, to have a thing ready. 

(e) Aver bisogno di, to need . 

(f) Aver l' intenzione di, to intend . 

(g) Aver voglia di, to have a wish, 

(h) Aver vaghezza di, to have a great desire to. 

(i) Aver di mira , to aim at. 

(j) Aver luogo, to take place. 

(k) Aver un bel dire, un bel fare , &c., to speak in vain, to act in. 

vain , &c. 

(l) Aver voce in capitolo, to have much influence . 

(m) Aver il capo ai grilli , to be out of temper . 

(n) Aver della ruggine con, to bear a grudge to. 

231

(o) Averla con, 1 to be angry with. 

(p) Aversela a 2 male , to take offence . 

EXERCISE LXVIII. 

Your brother looked very well (a) when I saw him a few days ago. 

You do not look well (b) ; what (611) is the matter with you (835) ? 

I feel a pain in (c) my head, and in my right arm. She has the 

money ready (d) to pay him if (752) he comes. I intend (f) to buy a 

copy of Tennyson's poems for you (213). He has a wish (g) to eat 

some French strawberries. She had a great desire to (h) see the 

Tower of London. They aim at (i) making money. Now I will tell 

you what took place (j) at my brother's house (434). He may say 

what he likes (k), he may do what he likes (k), he will not 

succeed (258). Do not pay attention to (216) what (610) he says ; 

he has no influence (l). Your brother Louis is always out of temper 

(m). I am afraid (808) he bears you a grudge (n) ; I do not know 

why. He is angry with (o) me because I sold (707) the horse 

without telling him anything. Charles is easily offended (p). It is 

true that 3 I intend (f) to go to Florence and remain there (239) for 

(311) five or six months, but I cannot make up my mind (803) 

thus in a moment . 

839. 1 "Averla con" is conjugated as follows : 

L' ho con, I am angry with. 

L' hai con, thou art angry with. 

L' ha con, he is angry with. 

2 "Aversela a male " is conjugated as follows : 

Me l' ho a male , I am offended. 

Te l' hai a male , thou art offended. 

Se l'ha a male , he is offended. 

840. 3 The expression "It is true that" is rendered in Italian by 

putting "ben" or " bensi " after the first verb in the sentence . Ex. 

Ho ben l' intenzione di viaggiare ma non adesso. 

It is true that I intend to travel , but not now. 

841. The expressions in a moment, on the spur of the moment, 

are rendered in Italian by " su due piedi," or " in quel subito." 

ON THE VERB " ESSERE " USED IDIOMATICALLY. 181 

ON THE VERB "ESSERE " USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

842. " ESSERE " IS USED IDIOMATICALLY IN THE FOLLOWING 

EXPRESSIONS : 

232

(a) Essere necessario di, essere d' uopo di, essere mestieri di, 

esser forza di, 1 to be necessary or I, you, one, we, they must, or I 

have to, &c. 

(b) Essere prezzo dell'opera, to be worth while . 

(c) Essere in grado di, to have it in one's power. 

(d) Esser pago, or soddisfatto di, to be satisfied with. 

(e) Essere all'ordine , or pronto, to be ready. 

(f) Essere in ritardo, to be late . 

(g) Essere d' accordo, to agree . 

(h) Essere un poco di buono, to be a good for nothing . 

(i) Essere da poco, to be worth necessary , little . 

(j) Essere da più di, to be worth more than. 

(k) Essere a mal termine , to be in a critical position. 

(l) Essere sul punto di, essere in procinto di, essere per,essere lì lì 

per, to be on the point of. 

(m) Essere in buon concetto , to bear a good character . 

(n) Essere vago di, to desire . 

EXERCISE LXIX. 

It is necessary (a) to make all (482) preparations for the Prince of 

Wales, who will arrive at two o'clock, with the Princess of Wales 

and the Prince of Naples. I must (a) make a speech on behalf of 

our College. It is worth while (b) to go to (make) some expense on 

(650) such an occasion. They have it in their power (c) to do a 

great deal of good to the institution. I hope our director will be 

satisfied with (d) our endeavours. I am sure he will (208). Well, 

boys, are you ready (e) ? Yes, we are quite ready, except Mary ; 

she is always late (f). Those two boys never agree (g). To (225) say 

the truth, that little fellow there, is a good for nothing (h). When I 

caught hold of him, he was (695) on the point of (l) throwing a 

stone at my window. Does that man (606) bear a good character? 

(m). No, he does not (208). I should be very glad (n) to know who 

that lady is. I have had ( dovere ) 2 to grant him all (610) he asked 

me. I have had ( dovere ) 2 to come alone . He has not been able 

(potere) 3 to sleep. He has not been able (potere) 3 to succeed. 

They would (volere) 2 (707) not walk. They would (volere ) 3 (707) 

not live in (with) dishonour. 

1 Rule 287 holds good with these verbs. 

843. 2 When the verbs "dovere ," " potere," and " volere " are 

followed by verbs, which, in their compound tenses, are 

233

conjugated with " avere," they (" dovere ," " potere," and " volere ") 

are also conjugated with " avere ." 

844. 3 When the verbs "dovere ," " potere," and " volere " are followed 

by verbs, which, in their compound tenses are conjugated with 

"essere," they ("dovere ," " potere," and " volere ") are conjugated 

with " essere ." 

182 ON THE VERB " ANDARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

ON THE VERB " ANDARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

845. " Andare " is used Idiomatically in the following expressions : 

(a) Andare a genio a to like . 

(b) Andare a piede to go on foot. 

(c) Andare in carrozza / in legno to ride in a carriage . 

(d) Andare a cavallo to ride. 

(e) Andare in collera to get into a passion. 

(f) Andare in estasi to fall into ecstasies . 

(g) Andare altiero di to be proud of. 

(h) Andare a vele gonfie to prosper. 

(i) Andar di bene in meglio to get better and better . 

(j) Andar di male in peggio to get worse and worse. 

(k) Andare a vuoto to fail. 

(l) Andare a fondo to sink . 

(m) Andar dietro a to follow. 

(n) Andar per la mente to be in one's mind. 

(o) Andare alle corte to come to a decision . 

(p) Andare alla lunga to go on slowly. 

(q) Andar di mezzo to suffer from. 

(r) Andarsene 1 to go away. 

(s) Andare a prova, a gara to vie. 

EXERCISE LXX. 

I do not like (a) to go on foot (b). My sisters are very fond of riding 

in a carriage (c) ; they very seldom walk (b). Elizabeth rides (d) 

every morning to the top 2 of the hill with her brother. Why do you 

get into a passion (e) for nothing ? The sound of this instrument 

is so (536) melodious that it makes me fall into ecstasies (f). He 

is very proud of (g) his (560) riches ; and she is very proud of her 

beauty. His affairs are very prosperous (h). His business is getting 

better and better (i). Their condition is getting worse and worse 

(j). The scheme has failed (k) ; I am afraid (808) he is ruined. I do 

not think so (271). The ship sank (l) near the harbour, at three 

234

o'clock p.m. (548). His dog followed him (m) (697) wherever he 

went. Some of his verses are really beautiful, they are always in 

my mind (n). Let us come to a decision (o) at once ; I am tired of 

arguing (683). He was so slow (p) in making up his mind (803) 

that I lost my patience. I do not want to suffer from it (q) (240). I 

am going (r) now ; goodbye. 

846. 1 "Andarsene " is conjugated thus: 

"me ne vo," 

" te ne vai," 

" se ne va," &c. 

847. 2 Top (of a mountain, hill) is translated by " sommità," 

"sommo." 

Top (of a house , wall), "comignolo ," "vetta ." 

Top (of a tree ), "cima ." 

Top (of a table), " coperchio ." 

A top, " un paleo." 

ON THE VERB " DARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 183 

ON THE VERB "DARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

848. " Dare " 1 is used idiomatically in the following expressions : 

(a) Dare ad intendere a, to make believe . 

(b) Dar fede a, to believe . 

(c) Dar retta a, to mind, to listen . 

(d) Dar del (or di) tu a, to address one in the second person 

singular , 

(e) Dar del (or di) voi a, to address one in the second person plural, 

(f ) Dar del (or di) lei a, to address one in the third per. sing , (Fem.) 

(g) Dar parola a, to promise . 

(h) Dar fuoco a, to set on fire to 

(i) Dar mano a, to begin . 

(j) Dar una mano a, to give some help, to give a, coat of (paint, 

varnish , &c.). 

(k) Dar conto di, to account for. 

(l) Dar nel rosso, to border on red. 

(m) Dar del furfante a, to call one a rascal . 

(n) Dare sfogo a, to give vent to. 

(o) Dar d'occhio a, to look at. 

(p) Dare udienza a, to receive . 

(q) Dar di piglio a, to seize . 

(r) Dar ragione a, to agree that someone is in the right . 

235

(s) Dar torto a, to say that someone is in the wrong. 

(t) Dar lo sfratto a, to expel. 

(u) Dar volta, to turn back. 

(v) Dar carico a, to accuse . 

(w) Dar bene (a pen), to write well. 

EXERCISE LXXI. 

He would make me believe (a) that he was rich. I never believe 

(b) flatterers. He does (784) not repent of (184) having listened to 

(c) his bad companions. He always addresses everybody in the 

second person singular (d). Italian ladies and gentlemen address 

their inferiors in the second person plural (e). I always address 

him in the third person singular (f ), respectfully. He gave me his 

word (g) that he would be here again in a week (549). It is said 

(771) that he set fire to (h) his house . Why do you not begin (i) 

your poem ? You had better help me a little (j). They were obliged 

to account for (k) their (560) conduct. This cloth borders on red (l). 

I wish I could 2 give vent to (n) my feelings. They looked at me (o) 

two or three times. The President received him (p) this morning. 

He seized (q) a stick, and began to strike me. He agrees that you 

are in the right (r). This pen writes well (w). 

849. 1 The verb "Dare," used unipersonally, with the pronoun "si," 

means to be probable. Ex. 

Può darsi che non vengano . 

It is probable that they will not come . 

850. 2 The expressions I wish I could speak , I wish I could have 

written, &c. , are translated into Italian by " Vorrei poter parlare ," 

"Vorrei aver potuto scrivere ," &c. 

184 ON THE VERB "DARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

ON THE VERB "DARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

851. "Dare" is used Idiomatically in the following expressions : 

(a) Dare alla luce , to publish. 

(b) Dar nella rete , to fall into a snare . 

(c) Dar l' animo a di, to be bold enough to. 

(d) Dar luogo a, to give rise to. 

(e) Dar la burla, or la baia, to make fun of. 

(f) Dar la colpa a, to throw the blame on. 

(g) Dare in ismanie , to show a great deal of irritation . 

(h) Dare in uno scoppio di risa , to burst out laughing . 

(i) Dare in uno scoppio di lagrime , to burst out crying . 

236

(j) Dare in prestito a, to lend. 

(k) Dar di naso da per tutto, to meddle with everything . 

(l) Darsi la mano to wed. 

(m) Darsi vanto di, to boast. 

(n) Darsi allo studio, to apply one self to study. 

(o) Darsi bel tempo, or Darsi al dolce far niente, to live in 

idleness . 

(p) Darsi a conoscere per, to make one's -self known as. 

(q) Darsi briga di, to meddle with. 

(r) Darsi pensiero di, to worry one 's-self about. 

(s) Darsi pace, to be contented . 

(t) Darsela a gambe, 1 :to run away 

(u) Poter darsi, to be possible. 

EXERCISE LXXII. 

He has published (a) a good translation of Moliere's Comedies. He 

fell (704) into the snare (b) like an idiot. I am bold enough (c) to 

send him a challenge . His election gave rise to (d) (704) a very 

warm discussion. They are making fun of you (e). Mary always 

throws the blame on (f) her sister. When we accused him, he 

showed a great deal of irritation (g). When I told him the news, he 

burst out laughing (h). I advise you not to lend her (j) your parasol. 

That busybody meddles with everything (k). They are leading a 

life of idleness (o). He would not make himself known as (p) the 

author of the comedy. I wish that she would not (723) meddle with 

(q) my affairs. My dear friend, do not worry yourself about (r) 

trifles, be contented (s). The thief ran away (t) directly. It is 

possible (u) that Frederick and his friends will arrive (Pres. Subj.) 

this afternoon . 

852. 1 The verb " Darsela a gambe " is conjugated as follows : 

Me la do a gambe, I run away. 

Te la dai a gambe, thou runnest away. 

Se la da a gambe, he runs away. 

Ve la date a gambe, you run away. 

Se la danno a gambe, they run away. 

ON THE VERB " FARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 185 

ON THE VERB "FARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

853. " Fare " is used Idiomatically in the following expressions :-- 

(l) Fare il grugno a, to sulk. 

(a) Far bel tempo, to be fine weather . 

237

(b) Far cattiv o tempo, to be bad weather . 

(c) Far freddo, to be cold. 

(d) Far caldo, to be warm. 

(e) Far umido, to be damp. 

(f) Far colazione , to breakfast . 

(g) Far merenda , to have luncheon , 

(h) Far animo , to encourage , 

(i) Far pompa di, to boast. 

(j) Far ala a, to make room for. 

(k) Far alto, to halt. 

(m)Far mestieri di, or far d'uopo di, to be necessary . 

(n) Far vela , to set sail . 

(o) Far naufragio , to be shipwrecked . 

(p) Far vista , or mostra di, to pretend. 

(q) Far piacere a, to please . 

(r) Far le veci di, | 

(s) Far le parti di, | to act as. 

(t) Far da, | 

(u) Far brindisi a, to drink the health of. 

(v) Far il dottore, to lay down the law. 

EXERCISE LXXIII. 

It was fine weather (a) (704) during the whole month we 

remained at Brighton. The weather is very bad (b) just now ; we 

cannot go out. Sometimes it is very cold (c) in (207) Paris, I 

assure you. In summer it is very warm (d) in Italy ; perhaps too 

warm. In the western part of Ireland the weather is very damp (e). 

At home we breakfast (f) at seven o'clock (548) in (328) summer, 

and eight o'clock in winter. We shall have luncheon (g) before we 

go out. I encouraged him (h) by promising (686) that I would take 

him with me. He was always boasting (i) (701) of his ancestors. 

The crowd made room for (j) her. They halted (k) during the night. 

He is sulking (l) with me, because I would not lend him my horse . 

The ship set sail (n) for America three days ago ; she had three 

hundred passengers on board. They were shipwrecked (o) off the 

coast of Cornwall. He pretended (p) to give the money to his 

father, but instead of that, he put it in his pocket (572). He played 

another tune to please (q) the officers of the staff. 1 On (298) that 

occasion he acted as (r) chaplain. He acted as (s) a father to her. 

They drank the chairman's health (u). He is always laying down 

the law (v). 

238

854. 1 Staff (military), is translated by " Stato Maggiore ." Staff (of a 

newspaper), " redazione ." Staff (stick), " bastone ." Pilgrim's staff, 

"bordone." 

186 ON THE WORD "FARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

ON THE VERB " FARE," USED IDIOMATICALLY 

855. " Fare " is used Idiomatically in the following expressions : 

(a) Fare i conti di, to intend . 

(b) Fare una visita , to pay a visit . 

(c) Fare una passeggiata , to take a walk. 

(d) Fare un bagno, to take a bath. 

(e) Far l' orecchio del mercante , to turn a deaf ear. 

(f) Far vedere a, to show. 

(g) Far male a, to hurt. 

(h) Fare attenzione , to pay attention , 

(i) Far parola di, to mention . 

(j) Far prova di coraggio, to give proofs of courage . 

(k) Far capolino, to peep in. 

(l) Far fare , to have made. 

(m) Far risaltare , to fetch out. 

(n) Farsi fare , to have made for one's -self. 

(o) Farsi animo , to take courage . 

(p) Farsi nuovo di, to pretend to be ignorant of. 

(q) Farsi beffe di, to ridicule . 

(r) Farsi innanzi , to put one's -self forward. 

(s) Farsi in qua, to draw near . 

(t) Farsi in là, or indietro , to draw back. 

(u) Far tanto di cappello a, to bow most respectfully to. 

(v) Sul far del giorno, at the break of day. 

(w) Sul far della notte, at sunset . 

EXERCISE LXXIV. 

I intend (a) to pay him a visit (b). We shall take a walk (c) this 

evening after tea. I take a bath (d) every morning before 

breakfast. I asked him to lend me his gun, but he turned a deaf 

ear (e). I want to show him (f) that I am not easily frightened. Do 

not (126) hurt him (g) with that big stick. You never pay attention 

(h) to what I tell you. Remember that you have promised me not 

to mention it (i) to my brother. He gave proofs of great courage (j) 

in the last war. We were busy preparing the exhibition 1 when 

my father peeped in (k). I have had two tables made (l) for the 

garden. He had a letter written (l) to me by his secretary. This 

239

dark tint fetches out (m) the colours of the flowers. Take courage , 

(o) my dear friend. He pretended to be ignorant of (p) all that (610) 

had happened. They ridicule (q) everybody. You should not be 

afraid ; you should put yourself forward (r). If you draw near (s), 

you will see the effect. Draw back (t) a little ; I cannot see the 

game. When they meet, they bow to one another most 

respectfully (u). He always gets up to work (225) at the break of 

day (v), and comes home at sunset (w). 

856. 1 Exhibition is translated by " esposizione. " " Un'esibizione " 

means an offer. 

ON THE VERB "FARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY 187 

ON THE VERB "FARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

857. "FARE" is USED IDIOMATICALLY IN THE FOLLOWING 

EXPRESSIONS : 

(a) Far caso di, to value . 

(b) Far specie a, to be astonished . 

(c) Far meno di, far a meno di, to help it, or to do without. 

(d) Far senno , to become serious . 

(e) Fare spalla, to back. 

(f) Fare una domanda, to ask a question . 

(g) Far l'indiano, to look as if butter would not melt in one's 

mouth, 

(h) Fare il bell' umore , fare il gallo, to be impertinent . 

(i) Fare il bravo, to brag. 

(j) Far rigar dritto, far stare a segno, to take down a peg or two. 

(k) Fare il sarto, to be a tailor . 

(l) Far crocchio , to form groups. 

(m) Far festa a, to greet . 

(n) Farsi mallevadore , to stand guaranty 

(o) Non fa niente , never mind. 

(p) Come si fa ? what will you do ? 

(q) È un uomo così fatto, that is his character . 

(r) C' è un bel da fare , there is plenty to do. 

EXERCISE LXXV. 

He does not value (a) your friendship ; so much the worse 1 for 

him. I was astonished (b) to see him dressed in mufti . I could not 

help it (c). He promised to become serious (d), and I backed him 

(e) with all my means. I asked his parents (655) some questions 

(f). When I caught the pickpocket, at first he looked as if butter 

240

would not melt in his mouth (g), and then he began to be 

impertinent (h). The policeman told him that it was useless to 

brag (i), and that he would take him down a peg or two (j). What do 

these men do ? This one is a tailor (k) and that one a carpenter. 

The procession broke up (704) and the people began to form 

groups (l). They greeted us (m) warmly. He has promised my 

father to stand guaranty (m) for me. Never mind (o), he will be 

compelled to speak . What will you do (p) ? I know him ; that is his 

character (q). There is plenty to do (r), the members of the 

Commission are coming here to dine . This time the secretary 

will have something to do for his salary. 2 

858. 1 The expressions so much the better, so much the worse, 

are translated into Italian by " tanto meglio ," " tanto peggio." 

859. 2 The salary of a secretary is translated by " lo stipendio di 

un secretario ." 

The wages of a servant " il salario di un servo ." 

The wages of a workman "la paga di un operaio." 

188 ON THE VERB "STARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

ON THE VERB "STARE" USED IDIOMATICALLY. 

860. "Stare " is used idiomatically in the following expressions : 

(a) Stare (di salute ), to be (in health ), 

(b) Stare di casa, to reside . 

(c) Stare a sedere , to be seated . 

(d) Stare in piedi, to stand. 

(e) Stare a sentire , to listen . 

(f) Stare all'erta ., to be on one's guard, 

(g) Stare in orecchi , to prick up one's ears . 

(h) Star per, to be on the point of. 

(i) Star in agguato, to lie in wait. 

(j) Star sull' avviso , to be prepared, 

(k) Star in forse, or Star tra il si e il n o, to hesitate . 

(l) Star quieto , fermo , to be quiet . 

(m) Star allegro , to be merry . 

(n) Stare zitto, cheto , to be silent . 

(o) Sta a me di, 1 it is my turn. 

(p) Stare a galla, to float. 

(q) Star con le mani a cintola , to stand idle. 

(r) Star fresco, to be in a pickle . 

(s) Non istar bene , to be wrong. 

241

EXERCISE LXXVI. 

How are (a) you to-day ? I am very well, I thank you. Do you reside 

(b) in this neighbourhood ? No, I am staying 2 with my sister. The 

ladies were allowed to sit down (c), but the gentlemen had (790) to 

stand (d) all the time . When you came in I was listening (e) to 

(698) a very interesting conversation. Be on your guard (f) ; for he 

might (794) escape. I saw that the stranger was pricking up his 

ears (g) when you were speaking to my partner. Lions and tigers 

lie in wait (i) for their prey near streams and brooks. He wanted 

to (786, 307) surprise us, but we were prepared (j). I hesitated (k) 

whether I was to go (756) to Paris. Be quiet (l), John. Let us be 

merry, (m) children ; to-day it is little Charlie's (448) birthday. His 

being (683) silent (n) gave great advantage to his enemies. Now it 

is his turn (o) to speak . Light substances float (q) on water. Write 

this exercise, instead of standing idle (q). Elizabeth, we have 

missed our train ; we are in a pickle (r) now. It is wrong (s) to 

gamble. 

861. 1 The expressions " tocca a me di," "a voi di," &c., are 

frequently used instead of " sta a me di," Sec. ; but " tocca a me 

di," &c., has more force; it often means it is my duty, it is my 

right . 

862. 2 The Italian for to stay with, is " essere in visita da." 

863. 3? In speaking of dresses, " Star bene " means to suit, to 

become , and " Star male ," to be unsuitable , to be unbecoming . Ex. 

Cotest'abito non le sta bene . 

That coat does not suit you. 

IDIOMS WITH " SAPERE," " TENERE," " VOLERE," " VENIRE." 

189 IDIOMS FORMED WITH "SAPERE," "TENERE," "VOLERE," 

AND "VENIRE." 

864. IDIOMS WITH " SAPERE." 

(a) Sapere a mente , or a memoria , to know by heart . 

(b) Saper male , to be sorry for. 

(c) Saper di buono, to have a good taste , or smell . 

(d) Saper di cattivo , to have a bad taste , or smell . 

(e) Saper di poco, to have little taste , or smell . 

(f) Saper di niente , to have not any taste , or smell . 

(g) Saper di muschio , to smell of musk . 

(h) Saper di pesce , to smell of fish. 

865. IDIOMS WITH "TENERE ." 

242

(i) Tenere a bada, to trifle with. 

(j) Tenere a battesimo , to be god-father , or god-mother . 

(k) Tenere da uno, to side with one. 

(l) Tener le lagrime , or le risa , to keep from weeping , or laughing , 

(m) Tener uno per galantuomo , to believe one an honest man. 

866. IDIOMS WITH " VOLERE." 

(n) Voler bene a, to be fond of. 

(o) Voler dire, to mean . 

867. IDIOMS WITH " VENIRE." 

(p) Venir meno , to faint . 

(q) Venire in mente a, to remember , 

(r) Venir voglia a, to take a fancy. 

(s) Venir fatto a, to succeed . 

EXERCISE LXXVII. 

My brother knows by heart (a) many Italian sonnets. I am sorry 

(b) to see you afflicted ; I hope that 1 you have not received any 

bad news. These apples have a good smell (c). I am sure that he is 

trifling with (i) you. She has been godmother (j) to all my children. 

I side with (k) you because you are in the right (836, f). Camelias 

are very beautiful flowers, but they have not any smell (f). All her 

clothes smell of musk (g). We could not help weeping (l). I always 

believed (707) him to be (m) an honest man. William is very fond 

of (n) your cousin Elizabeth. If I had known what he meant (o), I 

should have spoken to him. When she heard the news, she 

fainted (p) in her mother's arms. I remember (q) that I promised 

to meet her at my mother's house , at three o'clock this 

afternoon. I took a fancy (r) to go and (340) see the exhibition 

(856). He succeeded (s) (693) in obtaining the post. 

868. 1 The expressions I hope that, -we hope that, &c., when 

referring to a present or past time , are translated by " Amo 

credere che," " ci piace credere che," &c. (followed by a verb in the 

Subjunctive ). To hope for a thing that is, or has been , is illogical . 

190 ON ADVERBS. 

LESSON XXXVIII. 

ADVERBS. 

869. The rules for the formation of adverbs from adjectives, and 

the mode of forming the degrees of comparison are given in pages 

122, and following. 

243

870. Adverbs are divided into classes, according to their 

signification . 

871. THE PRINCIPAL ADVERBS OF AFFIRMATION. 

Si, yes. 

Certo , certainly . 

Sicuramente , surely . 

Indubitatamente , | 

Senza dubbio, | undoubtedly. 

Senz' altro, | 

Già, | 

Appunto, | 

Per l'appunto, | exactly so. 

Infatti , | 

Davvero , really . 

Sia così, be it so. 

872. In giving an answer containing the verbs " credere ," 

"sperare," " dubitare ," and " temere," the idioms "di si," and "di io," 

are used instead of " si " and " ho." Ex. 

È in casa mio zio ? Credo di si. 

Is my uncle at home ? I think so. 

873. THE PRINCIPAL ADVERBS OF NEGATION. 

No, |no. Niente affatto, | by no means . 

Non (verb), |not, no. In nessun modo | 

Non (verb) mica , | not at all Non (verb) mai, | never 

Non (verb) punto| Non (verb) giammai , | 

874. The negation not is translated into Italian by " non," and is 

always placed before the verb. Ex. 

Non vi io chiamato , Enrico. 

I did not call you, Henry. 

875. THE PRINCIPAL ADVERBS OF ORDER. 

Dopo, |after . 

Poi, 1 poscia, | then . 

Indi, quindi, | next, 

Gradualmente , | gradually. 

Prima , | first. 

244

In prima, | firstly. 

Dapprima, | to begin with. 

Primieramente , | 

Secondariamente , secondly. 

Successivamente , successively . 

In terzo luogo, in the third place. 

Finalmente , finally . 

876. 1 " Poi," also means besides. Ex. "Aveva poi un modo di 

vestire tutto suo." Besides , he had a very peculiar way of 

dressing himself . 


877. THE PRINCIPAL ADVERBS OF PLACE . 

Qui, qua, ci, here , In su, upwards. 

Costì, costà | In giù, downwards. 

Lì, là, colà, |there. Su e giù, up and down 

vi, ivi, ' |. Vicino, 1 near. 

Ove, dove, where. Lontano far. 

Onde, donde, | whence Altrove, elsewhere. 

di dove, | Da banda, |aside. 

Quassù, up here, Da parte, | 

Quaggiù, down here, A mano destra, |On the right 

Lassù, up there, A destra, diritta, | 

Laggiù, down there, A sinistra, manca, on the left, 

Di sopra, |above, Avanti 1 innanzi 1 forward. 

|upstairs Da per tutto, |. 

Di sotto, |below, Ovunque, |everywhere 

Da basso, |downstairs Ognidove, |. 

878. " Qui," " qua," and " ci " (here ), are used to indicate the place 

in which the speaker is ; " Costì " " costà " (there), the place 

occupied by the person addressed ; " Lì," "là," " colà," " ivi," and " vi 

" (there), mark a place distant alike from the speaker and the 

person addressed. " Qui " and " costì " are generally used with 

verbs expressing state , whereas " qua " and " costa " are always 

connected with verbs expressing movement . 

879. " Ci," " vi," and " ivi," can only be used when the place to 

which these adverbs refer has been already mentioned in the 

sentence . Ex. 

245

Ora che sono in questo posto ci voglio rimanere . 

Now that I am in this place I will remain in it. 

880. ADVERBS WHICH CAN BE USED INTERROGATIVELY. 

Quando ? when ? Ove? where ? 

Quanto ? how much ? Dove ? where ? 

Mai? 2 ever ? Donde ? whence ? 

Giammai ? ever ? Perché ? why? 

Come ? how ? Fin dove ? how far ? 

Da quando in qua ? since when ? Fino a quando ? until when ? 

881. " Mai " and " giammai," employed without being preceded by " 

non," have the signification of ever ; but when they are employed 

with " non," or " no," they mean never . Ex. 

Ha ella mai visto il duomo di Milano ? No, mai. 

Have you ever seen the cathedral of Milan ? No, I have not. 

1 "Vicino," " lontano," " avanti," and " innanzi " can also be used as 

prepositions . 

882. 2 " Unqua " is often used in poetry instead of " mai." 


883. SENTENCES CONTAINING ADVERBS OF TIME . 

(To be learnt by heart .) 

Giuseppe andò al passeggio ieri , ed io v'andrò oggi e domani 

Joseph went for a walk yesterday , and I shall go to-day, and 

tomorrow. 

Vidi i miei avantieri (a), e li vedrò ancora fra poco (b). 

I saw my family the day before yesterday , and I shall see 

them again very soon. 

È difficile di fare utili scoperte al giorno d'oggi (c). 

Now-a-days it is difficult to make useful discoveries . 

Che faremo ora? (D). Non faremo niente fino a posdomani 

(e). 

What shall we do now ? We shall do nothing till the day after 

to-morrow. 

Pel momento (f) non posso dar risposta, ma deciderò al più 

presto possibile . 

For the present I cannot give an answer , but I will decide as 

soon as possible. 

Finora (g) egli ha fatto a modo suo ; ormai mi obbedirà. 

246

Hitherto he has done what he likes ; now he will obey me. 

L'ho visto due ore fa, e lo rivedrò oggi a otto. 

I saw him two hours ago, and I shall see him again to-day 

week . 

È ancora (i) prigioniero , ma sarà liberato fra (j) un mese . 

He is still a prisoner , but he will be liberated in a month. 

Incontrai Carlo poc'anzi (k). 

I have just met Charles . 

Non l'ho veduto da due mesi in qua. 

I have not seen him for the last two months . 

Pel passato lo vedevo raramente , (l) ma d' ora in avanti (m) 

lo vedrò sovente (n). 

In past time I seldom saw him, but henceforth I shall see 

him often. 

Quando partiremo ? Subito 1 (o) ; ho già preparato i miei 

bauli. 

When shall we start ? At once; I have already prepared my 

trunks . 

Egli si decise su due piedi (p). 

He made up his mind in a moment . 

Per l' avvenire verrò a trovarla di quando in quando (q). 

For the future I shall come to see you now and then . 

Non mancherò di scrivergli subito che (r) arriverò a Parigi . 

I shall not fail to write to him as soon as I arrive in Paris . 

(a) Or ieri l'altro. 

(b) Or tosto, fra breve , quanto prima. 

(c) Or oggidi, oggimai . 

(d) Or adesso. 

(e) Or domani l'altro. 

(f) Or per ora, per adesso. 

(g) Or infino ad ora. 

(i) Or tuttora, tuttavia . 

(j) Or da qui a un mese . (o) 

(k) Or pur dianzi , pur mo, pur ora, pocofa, teste . (p) 

(l) Or di rado. 

(m) Or d' ora innanzi, da qui in avanti, da qui (q) innanzi, d' ora in 

poi, d'oggi in poi. (r) 

(n) Or spesso. 

247

(o) Or a momenti , immediatamente . 

(p) Or in un attimo , in un batter d' occhio, in menche non si dice. 

(q) Or di tempo in tempo, di tratto in tratto. 

(r) Or tosto che, appena, come prima. 

884. Ratto " is sometimes used in poetry instead of subito." 


Non l'ho vista d'allora in poi (a). 

I have never seen her since then . 

Altre volte era ricca , ma in questi ultimi tempi (b) divenne 

povera. 

Formerly she was rich , but of late she became poor. 

Vi prego di venire per tempo, (c) allorquando (d) volete 

parlarmi . 

I beg of you to come early , whenever you wish to speak to 

me. 

Roberto viene sempre (e) a seccarmi , ora (f) per una cosa, 

ora per l' altra. 

Robert always comes to bother me, now for one thing , then 

for another . 

Allora Carlo arrivava per lo più prima di me. 

Then Charles generally arrived before me. 

Andiamo,si fa tardi; siamo sempre in ritardo ; ciò non va 

bene . 

Let us go, it is getting late ; we are always late ; that is not 

right . 

Era fin d'allora all'apice della sua gloria . 

He was even then at the very height of his glory. 

Lo vidi circa sei giorni fa. 

I saw him about six days ago. 

Qualche volta (g) restava per molto tempo scioperato. 

Sometimes he remained for a long while idle. 

All'indomani era di gran lunga innanzi dei suoi competitor !. 

On the morrow he was far ahead of his competitors . 

Verrete da me qualora vi piaccia (h). 

You will come to me whenever you like . 

Agguantò l'agnello addirittura , e, senz' altro, se lo divoro. 

He seized the lamb, and without more ado, devoured it. 

248

EXERCISE LXXVIII. 

What are you doing here , Mrs. Vincenzi ? I am spending an hour 

in the fresh air ; I come here almost every morning. Where have 

you been? (123) I do not know from whence I came; we lost our 

way after (185) crossing the little green bridge, near Mr. Prati's 

house . We went up and down I do not know for how long ; but at 

last we have arrived here safe and sound. Will you go with me to 

see the pictures in the National Gallery ? Yes, if you will permit 

me to take my sister with me. With the greatest pleasure. No 

doubt you have seen Mascagni's new opera ? No, not yet ; I have 

no time at all, just now. Now we will begin this work ; we shall 

finish it before midnight. If I were in your place , I would remain 

in Nice during the winter. I often meet your cousin, Mrs. Alberti ; 

sometimes in the park , sometimes in the Reading Room of the 

British Museum . 

(a) Or d'allora in qua. 

(b) Or recentemente , non ha guari . 

(c) Or di buon ora. 

(d) Or ogniqualvolta . 

(e) Or ognora. 

(f) Or quando...quando. 

(g) Or talora. 

(h) Or quando che sia. 

194 

ON ADVERBS. 

885. SENTENCES CONTAINING ADVERBS OF QUALITY AND 

MANNER . 


Ella parla bene , ma parlerebbe meglio (a) se parlasse più 

adagio. 

You speak well, but you would speak better if you spoke 

slower. 

Il suo sarto lavora male (b) perché lavora in fretta . 

Your tailor works badly because he works in a hurry. 

Credo di no ; il fatto sta che lavora malvolentieri (c). 

I do not think so ; the fact is he works unwillingly . 

Davvero lavora alla carlona (d) ; di male in peggio (a) ogni 

giorno. 

249

Really he works carelessly , worse and worse every day. 

Si direbbe che lo fa apposta (e), o per burla (f), per mettervi 

in collera . 

One would say that he does it on purpose, or for fun, to 

make you cross. 

Vorrei parlarle a quattr' occhi (g) ; io qualcosa da dirle a 

bocca (h). 

I would like to see you privately ; I have something to tell 

you by word of mouth. 

Volentieri (i), ecc omi qui, dite presto, sotto voce ma senz' 

ambagi . 

Willingly , here I am, be quick , in a whisper but to the point. 

Tutta la casa è a soqquadro (j) e sua moglie piange 

dirrottamente (k). 

The whole house is in confusion ; and your wife is weeping 

bitterly . 

Parlate sul serio (l) ; non son cose da dirsi alla pazza. 

Speak seriously ; they are not things to be said wantonly. 

Vendeva i suoi quadri di mano in mano che li finiva . 

He sold his pictures as fast as he finished them . 

Lo passò da parte a parte (m), ad onta della (n) maglia che 

portava. 

He pierced him through and through, in spite of the coat of 

mail he wore. 

Tutt'a un tratto (o) si rimisero a lavorare con amore . 

All at once they began again to work in good earnest . 

Me ne vivo quietamente in questo castello , mercé la bontà 

del governatore . 

I live quietly in this castle , thanks to the kindness of the 

governor . 

Agirò comunque ei voglia. 

I shall act just as he wishes . 

(a) The adverbs "meglio" and " peggio" are the comparative forms 

of "bene " and " male." Their superlative forms are " ottimamente," 

" pessimamente ." 

(b) Or malamente . 

(c) Or a malincuore . 

(d) Or alla buona. 

250

(e) Or a bello studio. 

(f) Or per ischerzo . 

(g) Or da solo a solo. 

(h) Or a voce, viva voce. 

(i) Or buona voglia. 

(j) Or sottosopra. 

(k) Or a dirotte lagrime . repente . 

(l) or da senno . 

(m) Or da banda a banda. 

(n) Or malgrado. 

(o) Or all'improvviso , di 


Lavorarono siffattamente (a), che dappoi il terreno produce 

fromento a dovizie (b). 

They worked in such a manner that since then the soil has 

produced corn in abundance. 

In somma (c) volete leggere ad alta voce (or voce alta) o no ? 

In short, will you or will you not read louder ? 

Sicuro , comincerò da capo. 

Certainly , I shall begin over again . 

Dove debbo cominciare ? a capo di riga ? Sicuro (d). 

Where shall I begin from ? at the head of .the line ? 

Certainly . 

Mi chiamo da parte (h) e mi raccontò tutto sotto voce. 

He called me aside and whispered to me all that had 

happened. 

La tratto alla buona (i) cioè (j) come vorrei ch'ella trattasse 

me. 

I treat you without compliments , that is as I would like you 

to treat me. 

Usci diverse volte al buio (k) è di soppiatto,(l)ma coll' andar 

del tempo fu acchiappato. 

He went out several times in the dark and by stealth , but at 

length he was caught. 

Guadagna più vendendo all' ingr osso che vendendo a 

minuto . 

He gains more by selling wholesale than by retail . 

Io sto sempre alla larga (h) quando veggo barruffe. 

251

I always keep aloof when I see disturbances . 

Egli si veste sempre alla moda, per lo più all'inglese . 

He always dresses in the fashion , generally in the English 

style. 

Fa sempre al rovescio di quel che gli si dice. 

He always does the reverse of what he is told. 

Egli va sempre a zonzo, scioperato. 

He is always sauntering about, wasting his time . 

Invece di (m) lì colle mani a cintola , venite ad aiutarmi . 

Instead of staying there idle, come and help me. 

Vorrei morire , piuttosto (n) che servire un tal tiranno . 

I would sooner die than serve such a tyrant. 

Inoltre , non agi bene . 

Besides , he did not act well. 

Forse arriveranno questa sera , ma non si sa per certo. 

Perhaps they will arrive this evening , but it is not certain . 

A che ora arriva il treno ? non saprei precisamente ; forse 

alle cinque . 

At what time does the train arrive ? I could not tell you 

exactly ; at about five o'clock. 

È così bravo che, per poco che studiasse , farebbe facilmente 

il suo esame . 

He is so clever that, if he studied ever so little , he would 

easily pass his examination . 

(a) Or per modo che. 

(b) Or a bizzeffe . 

(c) Or in fine , in breve . 

(d) Or sicuramente , già. 

(h) Or in disparte. 

(i) Or senza complimenti . 

(j) Or cioè a dire, vale a dire, 

(k) Or all'oscuro. 

(I) Or di nascosto. 

(m) Or in luogo di. 

(n) Or prima che, avanti che, innanzi che. 


REMARKS ON "ONDE," 1 " BENE," AND "PURE." 

252

886. The adverb " Onde " is used especially in the higher style 

and in poetry instead of " di cui," "del quale," &c., "da cui," " dal 

quale," &c., "per cui," " pel quale," &c. Ex. 

" Di quei sospiri ond'io nutriva il core." (Petrarca ). 

Of those sighs with which I nourished my heart . 

887. " Onde " and " donde " have also the meaning of good reason 

for. Ex. 

" Oimè , bene il conosco ed ho ben donde." (Tasso). 

Alas, I know him well and I have good reasons for it. 

888. " Onde " has also the meaning of therefore . Ex. 

Si fa buio, onde è meglio andarsene . 

It is getting dark, therefore we had better go. 

889. " Onde " has also the meaning of in order to. Ex. 

Egli riparò qui, onde salvarsi . 

He repaired here , to save himself . 

890. " Onde " has also the meaning of from whence . Ex. 

Onde venite , così tardi ? 

Whence do you come so late ? 

891. " Bensì " (" bene si ") means it is true . Ex. 

Sempre mi prometteva bene 2 (or bensì) del danaro, ma non 

ne dava mai. 

It is true that he always promises me money , but he never 

me gives me any. 

892. " Ben altro " means quite another matter . Ex. 

Ben altro udrai fra poco. 

You will soon hear more important news . 

893. " Pure " is sometimes used for " solamente ," only. Ex. 

Cio accadde non pure una volta, ma cento . 

That happened not only once, but a hundred times . 

894. " Pure " is sometimes used to give strength to an expression. 

Ex. 

A che pur pensa ? 

What are you still thinking of ? 

Dite pure quel che volete . 

You may say what you like . 

253

895. " E pure," or "eppure," means and yet. Ex. 

" E pur si move ! " (Galileo ). 

It moves though ! 

896. " Ne pure," or " neppure " means not even . Ex. 

Non avevo neppure un soldo. 

I had not even a half-penny. 

897. " Pur troppo " means alas too well, alas too true . Ex. 

È vero che Carlo è fuggito ? 

Is it true that Charles has fled ? 

Pur troppo! 

It is but too true ! 

1 The word " onde," as a noun, means waves . 

898. 2 " Bene " and "bensì" may be put before the verb. Ex. 

"Bene (or Bensi ) mi prometteva sempre del danaro, ma," etc. 

ON ADVERBS. 197 

899. SENTENCES CONTAINING ADVERBS OF QUANTITY. 


Ho speso abbastanza (a) denaro ; più (b)di voi; non voglio 

spender di più. 

I have spent enough money ; more than you; I will not 

spend any more . 

Studiano poco; meno (b) di noi ; non più di tre ore ogni 

giorno. 

They study little ; less than we do ; not more than three 

hours a day. 

Io veduto solamente (c) tre elefanti in vita mia. 

I have only seen three elephants in my life . 

Non avevo che (d) cento lire sterline , eppure furono 

abbastanza. 

I had only a hundred pounds, and yet it was enough , 

Era alquanto (e) spiacente di non essere stato eletto , ma 

non molto. 

He was somewhat displeased at not having been elected , 

but not much. 

Fu quasi (f) ucciso in quella zuffa ; erano tre contr' uno. 

254

He was almost killed in that quarrel ; they were three to 

one. 

Non penso guari , è poi mi comando un poco (g) di danaro in 

prestito . 

He did not think much, and then asked me for a little 

money as a loan. 

Vi erano molti soldati alla rivista ? 

Were there many soldiers at the review ? 

A un dipresso (h) ventimila . 

About twenty thousand. 

EXERCISE LXXIX. 

At what o'clock must they depart ? At half past seven. Then, I 

shall lay the cloth at once. The dinner will be ready in half an 

hour. Walk slowly, my daughter, I have a pain in my foot ; I 

cannot walk quickly. Do what I tell you, otherwise I shall dismiss 

you. Do you speak in earnest ? Certainly. Why did you break my 

penknife ? I did not do it (209) on purpose ; it was a mere 

accident. I tell you frankly that you ought to apologise to him, at 

once. He started up suddenly (885, o) and gave Francis a fearful 

blow. The most beautiful flowers last but (802) a short time . The 

compass was not invented (799) by a mariner, nor (800) the 

telescope by an astronomer, nor the microscope by a philosopher, 

nor printing by a man of letters, nor gunpowder by a soldier. The 

loadstone always points towards the north. 

(a) Or a sufficienza . 

(b) The adverbs " più " and " meno " are the comparative forms of 

"molto " and " poco." 

(c) Or soltanto. 

(d) When only means but, it is translated into Italian by "non verb 

che." 

(e) Or un tantino . 

(f) Or presso che. 

(g) " Poco " is the only ad(verb) followed by "di." 

(h) Or presso a poco. 

198 

ON PREPOSITIONS. 

LESSON XXXIX. 

ON PREPOSITIONS. 

255

900. THE PRINCIPAL PREPOSITIONS ARE : 

Di, of. Accanto a, beside . 

A, after . Ad onta di, | near. 

In in within. Presso a, | 

Per |for, through, Intorno a, |about, 

|in order to. D'intorno a, |- around, 

Con with. Attorno a, |near. 

Fra, or tra, | Lontano da, |- far. 

Infra, or intra, | between. Lungi da, | 

In mezzo a, | Lungo, | along, 

Entro, | Lunghesso, | alongside. 

Su, or |on, upon. Stante, | 

Sopra, | Secondo, |- according to. 

Sotto, under, A seconda di, | 

Di sotto di, underneath. Durante, during. 

Dentro, in, Eccetto, | except. 

Di dentro di, , within. Salvo, | 

Fuori di, outside. Mediante, |by means of, 

Di fuori di, | Rispetto a, |concerning. 

Prima di, | Tranne, excepting. 

Avanti di, 1 | Senza, without. 

Davanti a, before. Contro, | against. 

Innanzi di, 1 | Contra, | 

Dinanzi di, ; | In vece di, instead of. 

Dietro a, - behind. Oltre, beyond. 

Di dietro a, | Verso, | towards. 

In faccia a, | Alla volta di, | 

Rimpetto a, |- opposite, Malgrado, in spite of, 

Di rimpetto a, | Nonostante, |notwithstanding 

Dopo, after. Ad onta di, | 

1 " Avanti," " innanzi," " vicino," and " lontano " can also be used 

as adverbs. 

199 ON PREPOSITIONS. 

THE PREPOSITION "DI," OF. 

901. The preposition " di " is used to denote relation of property, 

affinity , and connection between one word and another . Ex. 

Il padrone di questa casa. 

The master of this house . 

Una casa di campagna . 

256

A country-house . 

Il libro di mio fratello . 

My brother's book. 

La Divina Commedia di Dante . 

Dante's Divine Comedy. 

Il regno di Spagna. 

The kingdom of Spain. 

Il duomo di Milano . 

The cathedral of Milan . 

Un abito d'inverno 

A winter coat. 

Questo signore è di Napoli. 

This gentleman is from Naples. 

902. The Preposition " di " is also used to connect two nouns 

when the second of them is the name of the material which the 

object indicated by the first noun is "made of," " full of," or "deals 

in." Ex. 

Un cappello di paglia. 

A straw hat. 

Un bicchiere di vino. 

A glass of wine . 

Mercanti di te. 

Tea merchants . 

903. The Preposition " di " is also used after an adjective, or a 

past participle preceded by a verb, expressing any idea of rest, or 

state . Ex. 

Il mio cavallo era coperto fango. 

My horse was covered with mud 

Egli era carico di onori. 

He was loaded with honours. 

Ella è dotata di bonissimo ingegno .' 

She is endowed with very great intelligence . 

Parve contento di vedermi . 

He appeared pleased at seeing me. 

Sono felice di proporle cosa di tanta utilità 

I am happy to propose to you a thing so useful . 

257

Mio padre mi ha promesso di condurmi a Milano . 

My father has promised to take me to Milan . 

Ho dimenticato di mandare queste lettere alla posta. 

I have forgotten to send these letters to the post. 

904. The Preposition " di " is also used in the phrases : 

Viaggiar di giorno, 1 ; di notte, to travel by day, by night . 

Vivere di frutti, di legumi , &c., to live on fruit, on vegetables , &c. 

1 That is to say " in tempo di giorno." 


THE PREPOSITION "A" TO, AT. 

905. The preposition " a " is used to indicate the end or object to 

which the action of the verb is directed . Ex. 

Ho parlato a Carlo. 

I have spoken to Charles . 

Vado sovente a Parigi . 

I often go to Paris . 

906. The preposition " a " is also used to denote a state . Ex. 

Mia sorella è a scuola. 

My sister is at school. 

Mio padre è a casa di Paolo. 

My father is at Paul's. 

Mio fratello è ancora a Venezia . 

My brother is still in Venice . 

907. The preposition " a " is also used to connect two nouns, the 

first of which denotes the means by which the object expressed by 

the first noun acts. Ex. 

Un battello a vapore. 

A steam -boat. 

Un mulino a vento . 

A windmill . 

Un bastimento a vela . 

A sailing -vessel . 

908. The preposition " a " is also used to indicate the form in 

which an object is made. Ex. 

Un abito a coda di rondine . 

258

A swallow'-tail coat. 

909. The preposition " a " is also used in the sense of " with." Ex. 

Un campo a luppoli. 

A hop-field. 

Un cappello a larghe falde. 

A hat with a broad brim. 

Lucia portava un bel busto di broccato a fiori . 

Lucy wore a pretty bodice of flowered brocade. 

910. The preposition " a " is also used in the following phrases : 

Tagliare a fette . 

To cut in slices . 

Stare a bocca aperta. 

To remain open-mouthed. 

Stare a occhi bassi. 

To remain with downcast eyes ,. 

Cantare a meraviglia . 

To sing wonderfully well. 

Darsi a conoscere . 

To make one's -self known. 

Morire a centinaia . 

To die by hundreds. 

Andare a due a due, &c. 

To go two by two, &c. 

Un cannone carico a mitraglia . 1 

A cannon loaded with grapeshot. 

1 Besides the phrases given above , the preposition " a " is used in 

the verbal expressions " andare a gara," to vie, "stare a galla," to 

float, " tener a bada," (o trifle with, &c. , which have been already 

given . 

ON PREPOSITIONS. 201 

911. The preposition " a " is also used in the adverbial 

expressions "alla francese ," in the French fashion , " alla rinfusa ," 

in a confusion , &c., already given , rule 885. 

912. The preposition "a" is also used before a verb in the 

Infinitive mood, preceded by another verb expressing motion . Ex. 

Venga a trovarmi domani. 

259

Come to see me to- morrow. 

Andate ad impostare queste lettere . 

Go to post these letters . 

Venga a pranzo con me. 

Come and 1 dine with me. 

THE PREPOSITION "DA," FROM, BY, &c. 

913. The preposition " da " is used in the sense of " from." Ex. 

Arrivai ieri da Vienna . 

I arrived yesterday from Vienna . 

IO ricevuto regali da lui. 

I have received presents from him. 

Rafaello da Urbino mori all' eta di trentasette anni . 

Raphael (from) Urbino died at the age of thirty -seven . 

Rimase prigioniero da maggio fino a novembre . 

He remained a prisoner from May to November . 

914. The preposition "da " is also used in the sense of " by," " 

near ," "in the direction of," " through." Ex. 

Andando a Costantinopoli passai da Atene . 

In going to Constantinople I passed by Athens . 

Nell' andare a scuola passai da Strada della Croce . 

In going to school I went through Cross Street . 

915. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of "by" when 

preceded by a past participle . Ex. 

Egli è stimato da tutti. 

He is esteemed by everybody. 

Ho comprato un bellissimo quadro dipinto da Landseer . 

I have bought a beautiful picture painted by Landseer . 

916. The preposition " da " sometimes means "by myself," " by my 

own will," &c., " by yourself," " by your own will," &c. Ex. 

L'ha fatto da se. 

He did it by himself . 

Da me non venni . 

I did not come by my own will. 

260

1 As already stated, the preposition " a" is used in Italian instead 

of the English conjunction and, after a verb expressing motion. 

Ex. 

Andate a prendermi il mio cappello. 

Go and fetch my hat. 


917. The preposition " da " 1 is also used to connect two nouns, 

the first of which expresses the use or destination of the second. 

Ex. 

Carta da scrivere . 

Writing paper. 

Una bottiglia da vino. 

A wine bottle. 

Una veste da camera . 

A dressing -gown. 

Un istrumento da fiato. 

A wind instrument . 

Un cavallo da corsa. 

A race -horse . 

918. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of " to," 

"towards." Ex. 

Ecco là i vostri amici , andate da loro. 

There are your friends , go to them . 

919. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of " at the 

house of." Ex. 

Passerò da Lei domani, o posdomani . 

I will call on you to-morrow, or the day after to-morrow. 

920. The preposition " da " is also used in the sense of " where - 

with." Ex. 

Questo povero vecchio non ha da mangiare . 

This poor old man has nothing to eat. 

Datemi da scrivere ; voglio scrivere a mio fratello . 

Give me something to write with ; I want to write to my 

brother. 

921. The preposition "da" is also used in the sense of " fit for." Ex. 

Vi assicuro che non è cosa da ridere . 

261

I assure you it is no laughing matter . 

Mi ha fatto un azione da mariuolo . 

He played me a knavish trick . 

922. The preposition "da" is also used in the sense of "like a." Ex. 

Egli combatte da eroe , e mori da Cristiano . 

He fought like a hero , and died like a Christian . 

L' io sempre trattato da amico . 

I always treated him as a friend . 

Vi parlo da padrone, e voi dovreste ubbidirmi da servo . 

I speak to you as a master , and you should obey me as a 

servant . 

923. The preposition "da" is also used in the sense of " on." Ex. 

Da una parte c' era un bel praticello , dall' altra un vigneto. 

On one side there was a little meadow, on the other a pretty 

vineyard . 

924. 1 The expressions " da me," " da te," &c., must not be used 

instead of " a casa mia," &c., when ambiguity may be incurred ; 

for instance , I am going home , must be translated by " vado a 

casa," and not " vado da me." 

ON PREPOSITIONS. 203 

THE PREPOSITION " IN," IN, INTO. 

925. The Italian preposition "in" has generally the same meaning 

as the English preposition in, into. Ex. 

Sua moglie è in Svizzera . 

His wife is in Switzerland . 

L'ho tradotto in francese . 

I translated it into French . 

926. In Italian the preposition " in " does not require the definite 

article after it in sentences like the following : 

Era in giardino con Giovanni . 

He was in the garden with John, 

non vado mai in cucina . 

I never go into the kitchen . 

Carlo è in cantina a mettere vino in bottiglia. 

Charles is in the cellar bottling some wine . 

Aveva un bastone in mano. 

262

He had a stick in his hand. 

Essi discutono in istrada. 

They are discussing in the street . 

927. In sentences like the following the preposition " in " is not 

translated literally into English : 

Non posso stare in piedi. 

I cannot stand on my feet . 

Tiene il cappello in testa . 

He keeps his hat on his head. 

Aveva in dito un anello d'oro. 

He had a gold ring on his finger . 

Il pranzo era già in tavola. 

The dinner was already served . 

Lingua toscana in bocca romana . 

The Tuscan language as it is spoken by the Romans. 

Mi piace molto andare in barca. 

I am very fond of rowing on the river . 

Va in chiesa ogni Domenica . 

She goes to church every Sunday. 

Ando in Austria un mese fa. 

He went to Austria a month ago. 

Scriverò la mia lettera in un'ora. 

It will take me an hour to write my letter . 

THE PREPOSITION "PER," FOR, THROUGH, IN ORDER TO. 

928. The preposition " per " is also used in the sense of " for." Ex. 

L'io dipinto apposta per Lei. 

I painted it on purpose for you. 

929. The preposition "per" is also used in the sense of "in order 

to." Ex. 

Ritornerò presto per compiacervi . 

I will return soon to please you. 

930. The preposition " per " 1 is also used in the sense of 

because , on account of. Ex. 

Fu espulso per aver osato mettere in caricatura il suo, 

maestro . 

263

He was expelled because he caricatured his master 

1 In this case "per " is used instead of " per causa di," because, on 

account of. 


931. The preposition "per" is also used in the expressions " per 

uno," each , and " per tempo," early . Ex. 

Ricevettero uno scellino per uno, perché vennero per tempo 

They received a shilling each , because they came early . 

932. The prepositions " su per" are used together to express 

graphically an upward progress. Ex. 

Andammo su per la collina . 

We went up the hill . 

THE PREPOSITION "CON," WITH. 

933. The preposition " con " has generally the same meaning as 

the English preposition with. Ex. 

Oggi ho pranzato con un vecchio amico di scuola. 

To-day I dined with an old schoolfellow. 

Dipingo sempre con colori francesi . 

I always paint with French colours. 

"FRA," AND "TRA," BETWEEN , AMONGST. 

934. " Fra " and " tra," besides meaning "between," " amongst," " 

in the midst of," are used in the sense of " after the space of," " 

hence ." Ex. 

Scriverò la mia lettera fra un'ora. 

I shall write my letter in an hour (in an hour hence ). 

Carlo ritornerà fra (or da qui a) due mesi . 

Charles will return in two months (two months hence ). 

935. " Parlare tra se" means to speak to one's self. Ex. 

Egli soleva passeggiar soletto e parlare tra se ad alta voce. 

He used to walk alone speaking aloud to himself . 

THE PREPOSITIONS " SU," " SOPRA," "SOVRA," 1 ON, UPON. 

936. The prepositions " su," and " sopra," have generally the same 

meaning and are used in the same way as the English 

preposition on, upon. In the following sentences, however, " su " 

and " sopra " are translated by other prepositions than on or upon 

264

: Egli abitava una villa a venti He inhabited a villa twenty miglia 

sopra Firenze . miles beyond Florence . 

Partimmo in sull' alba, e ritornammo sulla sera . 

We started at break of day, and returned at dusk. 

Ordinarono un grandissimo esercito per andare sopra 

nemici . (Boccaccio). 

They organised a very numerous army to go against the 

enemy . 

1 The other prepositions given on page 198 do not require any 

explanation . 

ON THE COMPLEMENTS OF VERBS. 205 

LESSON XL. 

ON THE COMPLEMENTS OF VERBS. 

One of the most difficult things for English people learning 

Italian, is the proper use of the complements of verbs, that is to 

say, the proper use of the prepositions which ought to follow verbs 

to complete their meaning. In some cases the English and Italian 

languages agree on this point, but in many instances there is a 

remarkable difference between them, as will be shown in the 

seven following exercises . 

937. VERBS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE ANY PREPOSITION IN 

ITALIAN, ALTHOUGH THEY REQUIRE ONE AFTER THEM IN 

ENGLISH. 

EXERCISE LXXX. 

Do not listen to (a) him ; if he begins to 1 talk, he will not stop all 

day. I am waiting for (b) (251) my brother. I have been looking 

(714) for (c) some red ink this half hour. I have bought (to buy for) 

(d) these steel pens for sixpence a dozen. Charles is well 

acquainted with (e) our affairs. We look upon (f) him as your best 

friend. She wished for (g) her mother's return. He puts off (h) his 

decision from (di) day to day ; I do not like that (608). I have asked 

(to ask for) (i) him for some matches 2 several times (602). They 

were (695) ignorant of (j) what we intended to do. I never met with 

(I have never met with) (k) a man so witty. Martial music 

inspires (inspire with) (I) soldiers with courage and confidence. 

She set off (m) yesterday morning by (per) the first train. I cannot 

bear with (n) his nonsense any longer (817). He sold (to sell for) (o) 

his house for two hundred pounds (656). 

(a) Ascoltare . 

265

(b) Aspettare . 

(c) Cercare . 

(d) Comprare . 

(e) Conoscere . 

(f) Considerare . 

(g) Desiderate , 

(h) Differire . 

(i) Domandare a. 

(j) Ignorare . 

(k) Incontrare . 

(l) Inspirare a. 

(m)Partire . 

(n) Soffrire . 

(o) Vendere . 

938. 1 The expressions to begin to, to set about to, are rendered 

in Italian by " Mettersi a," " Cominciare a." 

939. 2 Match, "zolfanello." 

Match (in artillery ), " miccia ." 

Match (marriage ), " matrimonio ." 

To match , "assortire ." 

206 ON THE COMPLEMENTS OF VERBS. 

940. VERBS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE ANY PREPOSITION IN 

ENGLISH, ALTHOUGH THEY REQUIRE ONE AFTER THEM IN 

ITALIAN. 

EXERCISE LXXXI. 

He wants (a) money to (225) furnish his house . He was told to 

mind (b) the horses while we were dining. They mocked (c) him, 

because he was poor. I ordered (d) him to leave the house , but he 

would not. I distrust (e) him. They displease (f) everybody. You will 

be punished, because you disobeyed (707) (g) your father. We 

asked (h) him to take (459) us to the opera. She doubted (i) the 

truth of his assertion. Every time (636) he entered (j) (697) the 

drawing-room , he bowed to the company. For many years we 

enjoyed (k) (704) the advantages of his friendship. She taught us 

(707) (I) the art of painting upon china. She understands (m) the 

fine arts. He would not hurt (n) my reputation . 

EXERCISE LXXXII. 

He was punished, because he would not obey (o) the king's order. 

I am sure (636) she will never pardon him for (p) (184) having 

broken her (562) watch. They permitted (q) him to make sketches 

266

of the castle. I persuaded (r) him to buy the pictures. It pleased (s) 

them to make me a (360) present of this pencil-case . He resisted 

(t) all the entreaties of his poor parents. Those who are not able to 

resist (t) temptations, ought (791) to avoid them. He had to (790) 

renounce (u) his bad companions. They used (707) (v) cement for 

the foundation of that building. I am sure that he will outlive (w) 

his nephew. He slanders (x) everybody. He ordered (d) the waiter 

to bring him a glass of wine, and a bottle of soda -water. The 

rivulet entered (j) a dark cavern on the western side of the hill . 

(a) Abbisognare di. 

(b) Aver cura di. 

(c) Burlarsi di. 

(d) Commandarea ...di. 

(e) Diffidarsi di. 

(f) Dispiacere a. 

(g) Disubbidire a. . 

(h) Domandare a...di. 

(i) Dubitare di. 

(I) Insegnare a. 

(j) Entrare in. 

(k) Godere di. 

(m)Intendersi di. 

(n) Nuocere a. 

(o) Obbedire a. 

(p) Perdonare a...di 

(q) Permettere a...di. 

(r) Persuadere a...di. 

(s) Piacere a. 

(t) Resist ere a. 

(u) Rinunciare a. 

(v) Servirsi di. 

(w) Sopravvivere a. 

(x) Sparlare di. 

ON THE COMPLEMENTS OF VERBS. 207 

941. VERBS WHICH REQUIRE ONE PREPOSITION IN ITALIAN, 

AND A DIFFERENT ONE IN ENGLISH. 

EXERCISE LXXXIII. 

The garden was embellished with (a) beautiful marble statues. 

This country abounds with (b) corn. His sword was adorned with 

(c) jewels. He grieved at (d) the loss of his property. He was 

267

satisfied with (e) (696) the little he had earned. They were 

burning with (f) indignation. When his deceit was (768) 

discovered, he blushed with (g) shame . I blame him for (h) having 

fled (685). The ship was laden with (i) provisions for the besieged 

fortress. All the guns were loaded with (j) balls. They loaded him 

with (k) kindness. He could (767, 695) not be consoled for (I) the 

loss of his child. They all agree (842 , g) that it is a poem to be 

(921) greatly admired . 

EXERCISE LXXXIV. 

They could (704) not agree about (m) the price . All the furniture 

was (696) covered with (n) dust. I took possession of the room 

destined for (o) me. Everything depends upon (p) what he is going 

to say. He parted with (q) (704) his vicious horse as soon as he 

could. He was (702) endowed with (r) the finest (518) gifts that 

nature can give. They had filled (with) (s) the rooms with the old 

furniture they had taken from the castle. He was presented with 

(t) a beautiful gold watch (346). I congratulated him upon (u) the 

success he has obtained. He glories in (v) the mischief he does. 

She wore a beautiful white satin dress trimmed with (w) pearls. 

He seized upon (x) our goods. 

(a) Abbellire di. 1 

(i) Caricare di. 

(q) Disfarsi di. 

(b) Abbondare cii. 

(j) Caricare a. 

(r) Dotare di. 

(c) Adornare di. 

(k) Colmare di. 

(s) Empire di. 1 

(d) Affliggersi di. 

(I) Consolare di. 

(t) Far regalo a...di. 

(e) Appagarsi di. 

(m) Convenire di. 2 

(u) Felicitare di. 

(f) Ardere di. 

(n) Coprire di. 3 

(v) Glorificarsi di. 

(g) Arrossire di. 1 

(o) Destinare a. 

268

(w) Guarnire di. 1 

(h) Biasimare di. 

(p) Dipendere da. 

(x) Impadronirsi di. 1 

1 This verb is conjugated like " Finire ." 

942. 2 " Convenire " (irregular) besides the above meaning of to 

agree on, or about, and the meaning of to be obliged, or compelled, 

explained in rule 136, it has also the meaning of to meet by 

appointment . Ex. 

Convennero nel Teatro della Scala . 

They met in the Teatro della Scala . 

3 This verb is conjugated like " Servire ." 

208 ON THE COMPLEMENTS OF VERBS. 

943. VERBS WHICH REQUIRE ONE PREPOSITION IN ITALIAN, 

AND A DIFFERENT ONE IN ENGLISH. 

EXERCISE LXXXV. 

He was inflamed with (a) rage , on hearing (686) the losses he had 

sustained. .He inquired about (b) the state of the country. The 

table was (696) covered with (c) books and papers. He fell in love 

with (d) my cousin. He languished from (703) (e) hunger for (311) 

three days, and then died. He praised them for (f) their honesty. 

She wondered at (g) the sudden return of my brother. He was 

threatened with (h) (767) death if he would not confess the truth. 

He meddles with (i) everybody's business. His mind was stored 

with (j) useful knowledge. The theft was concealed a long time 

from (k) everybody. He was fed on (I) (703) fish and fruit for three 

weeks. They were oppressed with (m) taxes. I shall call upon (n) 

you this evening . 

EXERCISE LXXXVI. 

What were you thinking of (o) when I met you ? They wept for (p) 

joy when they heard that their father had arrived. They profited 

by (q) the ruin of their friend. He was punished for (r) the crime 

he had committed. They were speaking about (of) politics (419) till 

midnight. They rejoiced at (s) the good news. He laughed at (t) the 

misfortune of my brother. He returned thanks for (u) the favour 

he had received. He will have (790) to answer for (v) his bad 

conduct. They were surfeited with (w) food. In consequence of his 

behaviour at the last election he has (is) decreased in (x) 

popularity. He used (697) to take (y) the money from his sister. He 

269

triumphed over (z) his enemies at last. He lives upon (aa) a 

pension granted to him by the king . 

(a) Infiammare di. 

(b) Informarsi di. 

(c) Ingombrare di. 

(d) Innamorarsi di. 

(e) Languire di. 1 

(f) Lodare di. 

(g) Maravigliarsi di. 

(h) Minacciare di. 

(i) Ingerirsi in. 1 

(I) Nutrire di. 

(j) Munire di. 1 

(k) Nascondere a. 

(m) Opprimere di. 

(n) Passare da. 

(o) Pensare a. 

(p) Piangere di. 

(q) Profittare di. 

(r) Punire di. 1 

(s) Rallegrarsi di. 

(t) Ridersi di. 

(u) Ringraziare di. 

(v) Rispondere di. 

(w) Satollarsi di. 

(x) Scemare di. 

(y) Togliere a. 

(z) Trionfare di. 

(aa)Vivere di. 

1 This verb is conjugated like " Finire ." 

ON CONJUNCTIONS AND INTERJECTIONS . 209 

LESSON XLI. 

ON CONJUNCTIONS AND INTERJECTIONS . 

1. ON CONJUNCTIONS . 

944. The Italian conjunctions are followed by verbs either in the 

Indicative , the Subjunctive , or the Infinitive Mood. 

945. THE FOLLOWING CONJUNCTIONS GOVERN THE VERB IN 

THE INDICATIVE Mood. 

E, and. Pure, | 

270

E pure, eppure 1 and yet. Tuttavia , | 

O, or. Tuttavolta , |yet, 

O . . .o, ) | Nonostante , |for all that, 

Ovvero...ovvero, |either ... or. Nondimeno, |nevertheless. 

Ossia...ossia, I | Nulladimeno, | 

Non (verb) 

ne...ne, 

nor. 

neither... 

271 

Ciononpertanto | 

Ma, but. Con tutto ciò, | 

Però, |however . Anche , |also, 

Pertanto , | Altresi , |moreover . 

Perché , | Eziandio, | 

Perocché , | In fine , |in fact. 

Perciocché , |because , In somma , | 

Conciossiaché , |since , in as Se non che, | 

Poiché , |much as. Salvo che, |except that, 

Giacché , | Eccetto che, | 

Stanteché , | Tranne che, | 

Quindi, | Secondo che, according as. 

Laonde, |therefore. Cioé 

Così, | Cioè a dire, |that is to say. 

Anzi, |nay, more, Vale a dire, | 

Che dico, |on the 

contrary. 

Stante, referring to. 

Di più, | Tanto più che, |so much the 

Inoltre, | |more so that 

D' altronde, |Besides. Quand' è così, in that case. 

Oltracché, | Quand' ecco, when, behold. 

Oltracciò, | Ecco perché, that is why. 

946. The conjunction "anzi " is very expressive, it means on the 

contrary, further , nay, rather . Ex. 

Egli venne a vederci , anzi pranza con noi. 

He came to see us, nay more , he dined with us. 

" Anzi impediva tanto 'l mio cammino ." (Dante ). 

Nay, rather did impede so much my way. 

1 " E pure " has been illustrated in rule 894. 

210 ON CONJUNCTIONS AND INTERJECTIONS .

947. NOTE. As the Conjunctions which govern verbs in the 

Subjunctive Mood were given in rule 730 ( page 162) and rule 740 

(page 164), they will not be repeated here . 

948. THE FOLLOWING CONJUNCTIONS GOVERN THE VERB IN 

THE INFINITIVE MOOD : 

A fine di, in order to. Per tema di, for fear of 

Avanti di before. Per paura di, for fear of 

A condizione di, On condition of, A meno di, unless. 

Con patto di, On condition of, Lungi dal, far from. 

2. ON INTERJECTIONS . 1 

949. Besides the interjections ah ! oh ! which in Italian, as in 

most languages, indicate almost any sudden emotion of the mind, 

the following are the principal Italian interjections : 

950. ADMIRATION. 

Buono! good! 

Capperi! Affe ! I say ! 

Bene ! Bravo! well done! 

Bis! encore ! 

Viva ! Evviva ! hurrah ! 

951. ENCOURAGEMENT . 

Su ! Via ! Suvvia ! come now ! 

Animo ! Coraggio ! courage ! 

952. ENTREATY. 

Deh ! Di grazia ! pray ! 

Mercè ! mercy ! 

953. WARNING . 

Guai a voi ! woe to you ! 

Badate ! take care ! 

Piano ! Adagio! softly! 

954. GRIEF AND SURPRISE . 

Ahi! Ahi lasso! ay! oh dear! 

Aime ! Oime ! oh me! 

Lasso! Lasso me! alas! 

272

Che peccato ! what a pity ! 

Povero me! poor me! 

O cielo ! O heavens ! 

955. AVERSION AND INDIGNATION. 

Ma che! nonsense ! 

Le zucche ! twice ! not I ! 

Via! Oibò! pshaw! fie! 

Vergogna ! for shame ! 

956. CALLING AND SILENCING . 

Ehi! Olà! St! oh hey! st! 

Silenzio ! silence ! 

Zitto ! Cheto ! hush ! be still ! 

Basta! Basta così! enough ! 

957. 1 The interjection "O...! " is only used, before a noun, in the 

lofty style : it expresses different emotions of the mind. Ex. 

O crudel destino ! O cruel destiny ! O patria mia ! O my country ! 

ON PREPOSITIONS, INTERJECTIONS , ETC. 211 

EXERCISE LXXXVII. 

The eagle rises above the clouds. The wise man acts according to 

(900) the dictates of reason. He has gone to America in spite of 

(900) the advice of his best friends. The fleet cannot sail on 

account of (930) contrary winds. On (298) that occasion he acted 

like a (925) hero. You were playing, instead of (900) studying. 

When I went out, I saw : 1 her leaning against the window. Here 

is Mrs. Pettegola ; she comes to propose an arrangement between 

us two. What a bore ! Why does she not mind her own affairs ; she 

has nothing to do with this matter. 2 Margaret wrote me a line 3 

the day before yesterday, informing me of her intended departure 

for Venice , in a week (549), or ten days. 

EXERCISE LXXXVIII. 

"About that time I walked out into the fields towards Bow. Here 4 I 

met a poor man walking on the bank of the river." " On the 

fifteenth of May they were ten miles from Pekin. They had now 5 

been travelling for six months." The immediate loss of 

Constantinople may be ascribed (771) to the bullet, or arrow, 

which pierced the gauntlet of John Giustiniani. " Into the 

273

ecclesiastic federation our Saxon ancestors were admitted. 5 A 

regular communication was opened between our shores and that 

part of Europe in which the traces of ancient power and policy 

were yet discernible ." Courage ! (951) soldiers, fear nothing (672). 

For shame ! (955) said he, to insult a poor old man. Softly (953), do 

not fly into a passion. Pray ! (952) do not make such a noise. We 

have arrived at the end of the grammar . Hurrah ! 

958. 1 After the verbs " vedere ," to see, and "scorgere ," to 

perceive, the Past Participle is employed to describe a person or 

thing in a state . Ex. 

L'ho veduta appoggiata alla finestra . 

I saw her leaning against the window. 

959. 2 The expressions to concern, to have something to do with 

the matter, are translated into Italian by the verb "entrare " and 

the adverb " ci," thus: " Io c'entro," " tu c'entri," " egli c'entra," "noi 

c'entriamo ," &c. It concerns me, &c. 

960. 3 A line in writing is translated by " una riga ; " a line made 

with a pencil, or a pen, by " una linea ; " and a line of poetry, by " 

un verso ." 

961. 4 When here is used in English instead of there, it must be 

translated into Italian by "là," there . 

962. 5 When now is used in English instead of then, it must be 

translated into Italian by " allora" then . 

963. 6 In a case like this, when, in English there are several 

sentences containing verbs in the passive form , in Italian, each 

sentence should be given a different turn. 

In this particular case the first phrase should be translated as if 

it was, " Our Saxon ancestors were admitted into," &c. The 

second should be translated as if it was, "One opened (or 

established) a regular communication," &c. The third must be 

translated so as to introduce "si," followed by the verb in the 

singular , or plural, according to rule 771. 

212 TRANSPOSITION OF WORDS IN ITALIAN SENTENCES . 

TRANSPOSITION OF WORDS IN ITALIAN SENTENCES . 

964. In Italian poetry, words are constantly transposed so as to 

add force, and impart harmony to the verses, but in modern 

Italian prose the words in sentences preserve, as a rule , the most 

simple and direct order, and are arranged in accordance with the 

274

ules explained in this grammar. 1 In some cases, however, 

clearness, force, and fluency of diction are obtained by inverting 

the order of words. 2 The following examples may be interesting 

and instructive to the student : 

I. " Salirono la scala Don Michele e Boscherino, è vennero alla 

camera dov'era il duca," ( D'AzEGLio) instead of " Don Michele e 

Boscherino salirono la scala, &c.," 

Don Michele and Boscherino mounted the stairs, and entered the 

room where the duke was. 

II. " Ventitré o ventiquattro giorni stettero i vostri fuggitivi nel 

castello, in mezzo a un movimento continue," ( MANZONI) instead 

of " I vostri fuggitivi stettero nel castello ventitré o ventiquattro 

giorni , in mezzo a un movimento continue , " 

Our fugitives remained twenty-three or twenty -four days in the 

castle , in the midst of a general movement . 

III. " Egli solo delle vostre ragioni è della mia fede potrà esser 

giudice ," (MONTI) instead of " Egli solo potrà esser giudice , &c.," 

He alone can be the judge of your reasons , and of my fidelity . 

IV. " Alle premure reiterate ed autorevoli , Caterina rispose 

sempre con un rifiuto," ( TOMMASEO) instead of " Caterina 

rispose sempre con un rifiuto alle premure reiterate ed 

autorevoli ," 

Catherine always answered with a refusal to the often repeated 

and authoritative entreaties . 

V. " Ma a nessuno (dei forni) la gente accorse in numero tale da 

poter intraprender tutto," ( MANZONI) instead of " Ma la gente non 

accorse a nessuno , &c.," 

But to none (of the bakers' shops) did the people rush in sufficient 

numbers to be able to undertake everything . 

VI. " Fin qui può correre il mio servigio," ( MONTI) instead of " Il 

mio servigio può correre fin qui," 

Thus far my services may extend. 

VII. " La fantasia si rifugio fredda nella mia memoria," ( FoscoLo) 

instead of " La fredda fantasia si rifugio nella mia mem oria ," 

My fancy (imagination ] shrank cold into my memory . 

275

1 In Manzoni's celebrated novel " I Promessi Sposi," which is the 

best written book in modern Italian, upwards of ninety sentences 

out of every hundred are written in direct syntax, entirely in 

harmony with modern thoughts and feelings . 

2 This matter belongs rather to rhetoric than to grammar, 

nevertheless it may be acceptable not to leave it wholly unnoticed 

here . 

213 IDIOMS AND SAYINGS. 

IDIOMS AND SAYINGS. 

1 Non veggo l' ora di parlargli . 

I long to speak to him. 

I do not see the hour of speaking to him. 

2 Costui è nato vestito . 

That fellow was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. 

That fellow was born dressed. 

3 Egli vuol salvar la capra e i cavoli . 

He wants to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. 

He wishes to save the goat and the cabbages. 

4 Sfido io! sa ben condurre la sua barca. 

I rather think so ; he can paddle his own canoe . 

I challenge (any one to do better) ; he knows how to steer his 

boat. 

5 Oramai siamo a buon porto. 

We are now out of danger. 

Now we are in a good harbour. 

6 Non si può fare un buco nell' acqua. 

There's no washing the black-a-moor white . 

One cannot make a hole in the water . 

7 Questo ragazzo ha il cuore in bocca. 

This boy is very sincere . 

This boy has his heart in his mouth. 

8 Suo fratello non ha sale in zucca. 

His brother is weak -minded. 

His brother has no salt in his pumpkin (head). 

9 Gli è venuto il grillo di viaggiare . 

He has taken a fancy to travel . 

The grasshopper (whim ) has come to him to travel . 

276

10 È come portar acqua al mare . 

It is like carrying coals to Newcastle . 

11 Egli ha perduto la tramontana (/ la bussola). 

He is quite bewildered (or at his wit's end). 

He has lost the point marking north (or the mariner's compass). 

12 Ei cerca sempre il pelo nell' ovo. 

He is always very particular . 

He always looks for a hair in the egg. 

13 Costui si compra brighe a denari contanti . 

This man wants to get into trouble. 

This man buys troubles with cash. 

14 Parlate sul serio o per ischerzo ? 

Do you speak in earnest or in jest ? 

15 Fare un viaggio e due servizi . 

To kill two birds with one stone . 

16 Questo c'entra come il cavolo a merenda . 

This is entirely beside the question . 

This enters in it like the cabbage in a picnic . 

LITERAL TRANSLATION. 

214 IDIOMS AND SAYINGS. 

IDIOMS AND SAYINGS. 

1 Ma sapete che ne va la vita ? 

But do you know that life is at stake ? 

But do you know that for it goes life (life is risked ). 

2 Colui fa la gatta morta, ma è molto astuto. 

That fellow looks as if butter would not melt in his mouth, but he 

is very astute . 

That fellow shams the dead cat, but he is very astute . 

3 Promette mari e monti , per tenermi a bocca dolce. 

He is very prodigal of promises with me, in order to keep me 

quiet . 

He promises seas and mountains to keep my mouth sweet . 

4 Egli vuol vendere lucciole per lanterne . 

He wants to make one believe that the moon is made of green 

cheese . 

He wishes to sell glow-worms for lanterns . 

5 Non posso trovare il bandolo della matassa . 

277

I cannot find the proper way. 

I cannot find the end of the skein . 

6 I paperi vogliono menar a ber le oche. 

The goslings try to teach the ganders how to swim . 

The goslings wish to lead the ganders to drink . 

7 Camminavano a braccetto. 

They were walking arm-in-arm. 

8 Non so cosa. abbia nome . 

I don't know what his name is. 

9 La mia finestra da sur un belli ssimo giardino . 

My window looks upon a beautiful garden. 

10 La collera ha la meglio della sua ragione . 

Passion prevails over his reason . 

Anger has the better over his reason 

11 Non li posso soffrire perché lavorano sempre sott'acqua. 

I cannot bear them because they always act in an underhand 

manner . 

"Sott'acqua" literally means under water . 

12 Essa rende sempre pane per focaccia . 

She always gives tit for tat. 

She always gives bread for bun. 

13 Il bosco si estende oltre il tiro dell'occhio . 

The wood extends further than the eye can see. 

The wood extends beyond the reach of the eye. 

14 Egli s'intende di libri. 

He is a good judge of books. 

He understands books. 

15 Ma perché la prende con me ? 

Why do you find fault with me ? 

But why do you take (up) the matter with me ? 

16 Auguro a tutti felicissime feste è buon capo d' anno. 

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year . 

I wish to all very happy feasts , and a good head of the year . 


215 PROVERBS. 

ITALIAN PROVERBS. 

1 Volere , e potere. 

278

Where there's a will, there's a way. 

2 A chi ha testa , cappello. 

A good head is never in want of a hat. 

He who has a ( good) head, is never short of a hat. 

3 Acqua cheta rovina i ponti. 

Still waters run deep. 

Quiet water ruins bridges. 

4 Batti il ferro quand' è caldo. 

Make hay while the sun shines . 

5 Buon principio è la meta dell' Opera. 

Well begun is half-done. 

6 Chi è in difetto, è in sospetto. 

He that is in fault, is in suspicion . 

7 Chi la dura, la vince . 

A mouse in time may cut a cable. 

He who persists , conquers . 

8 Chi parla, semina , chi tace , raccoglie . 

The talker sows, the listener reaps. 

He who speaks , sows, he who listens , reaps. 

9 Chi troppo abbraccia, nulla stringe . 

Grasp all, lose all. 

9- He who embraces (grasps) too much, grasps nothing . 

10 Chi va piano, va sano. 

Slow and sure wins the race . 

He who goes slow, goes safe . 

11 Dal detto al fatto vi è gran tratto. 

Easier said than done. 

From the said to the done there is a great distance . 

12 Dimmi con chi vai, e ti dirò chi sei. 

Birds of a feather flock together . 

Tell me whom you go with, and I will tell you who you are. 

13 È meglio piegare che rompere . 

Better bend than break . 

14 Meglio è fringuello in man, che tordo in frasca. 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 

It is better a chaffinch in the hand, than a thrush on the branch. 

15 L'abito non fa il monaco. 

279

It is not the cowl that makes the friar . 

16 La bella gabbia non nutre l'uccello . 

The fine cage won't feed the bird. 

17 Oro non è tutto quel che risplende . 

All is not gold that glitters . 

18 Non v'è cosa senza spina. 

No rose without a thorn. 

19 Pietra mossa non fa musco. 

A rolling stone gathers no moss. 

20 Povertà non ha parenti . 

Poverty has no kin. 

21 Pattì chiari , amici cari . 

Short reckonings make long friends . 

Clear arrangements , dear friends . 

22 La fine corona l' opera. 

All's well that ends well. 


216 ENGLISH-ITALIAN DIALOGUES. 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN DIALOGUES. 


Buon giorno, come sta? 1 

Good morning , how do you do ? 

Benissimo , signora , a' suoi comandi , è come sta lei ? 

Very well, thank you, madam, and how are you ? 

Benino ; ho avuto una lieve infreddatura di petto, ma oggi sto 

meglio . 

Pretty well ; I have had a slight cold in my chest, but I am better 

now. 

Godo di vederla ristabilita in salute . 

I am glad to see you well again . 

Come sta il suo signer fratello ? 

How is your brother ? 

Da qualche giorno è ammalato ; deve rimanere in camera . 

He has been ill for some days ; he has to keep his room. 

Me ne rincresce assai ; amo cre dere che non sia cosa seria . 

I am very sorry for that ; I hope it is not anything serious . 

280

Credo di no, la a una leggera indisposizione . 

I do not think so ; it is only a slight illness . 

S'accomodi , la prego, non ha fretta , è vero ? 

Pray take a seat ; you are not in a hurry, are you ? 

Oh no ; non ho altra occupazione oggi che da fare alcune visite . 

Oh no; I have nothing to do to-day, but to make a few calls. 

Quand' è così, farà meglio di rimanere a fare una seconda 

colazione con me. 

Then you had better stay and have luncheon with me. 

Non son solito di fare una seconda colazione così per tempo ; però 

per farle compagnia , mangerò un boccone. 

I do not usually take luncheon so early ; however to keep you 

company, I will eat a little . 

Andiamo nella sala da pranzo. 

Let us go into the dining room. 

Si segga qui, la prego. 

Pray be seated . 

Posso offrirle delle ostriche ? 

May I offer you some oysters ? 

Ne accetterò qualcuna. 

I will trouble you for a few. 

Lasci che le mesca un bicchiere di vino bianco. 

Allow me to pour you out a glass of white wine . 

Me ne dia ben poco non ho l'abitudine di ber vino. 

Give me very little , I am not accustomed to drink wine . 

Preferisce una costoletta di castrato o del pollo ? 

Will you take a mutton chop, or some fowl ? 

La ringrazio , mi favorisca un' ala od una coscia di pollo. 

Thank you, I will take the wing or the leg of a fowl. 

1 These Dialogues are intended as a beginning to speak Italian. 

They are all in the third person singular, because, as explained 

in rule 120 ( page 19), of this grammar, that is the mode of 

address between people not intimately acquainted, wishing to 

show respect to each other . 


Vuoi prendere un po' di frutta ? 

281

Will you have any fruit ? 

No, la ringrazio ; preferirei un bocconcino di formaggio (or cacio ). 

No, thank you; I would rather have a small piece of cheese . 

Beve te o caffe ? 

Do you take tea or coffee ? 

Non bevo ne dell'uno ne dell' altro durante la giornata . 

I do not take either in the middle of the day. 

Well do as you like . 

Ebbene faccia a suo genio . 

Adesso se vuole usciremo insieme . Benissimo , usciamo . 

Now if you like we will go out together .Very well, let us go. 

Andremo a piedi o in vettura ? 

Shall we go on foot or drive ? 

Amerei camminare un pochino e poi prendere un calessino . 

I should like to walk a little way, and then take a cab. 

Ebbene si farà così. 

We can do that. 

Fa freddo oggi, non è vero ? 

It is cold to-day, is it not ? 

Anzi che n o, ma però il cielo è sereno . 

Yes, it is rather cold, but the sky is clear . 

Preferisco un freddo secco ad un tempo umido e malsano . 

I prefer dry cold to damp unhealthy weather .So do I ; 

Ed io pure ; detesto la pioggia, la neve e la nebbia. 

I hate rain , snow, and fog. 

Amo quando c' è ghiaccio sull' acqua, perché mi piace molto 

pattinare . 

I like when there is a hard frost, because I am very fond of 

skating . 

A che ora deve ritornare al suo albergo ? 

At what time must you be back to your hotel ? 

M'aggradirebbe d'esser di ritorno un po' prima dell' ora del pranzo, 

per aver tempo di cambiar vestito . 

I should like to be in a little before dinner, so as to have time to 

dress. 

In questo caso sarà meglio di prendere un cabriolet. 

282

Then we had better take a cab. 

Ehi ! cocchiere siete impegnato ? 

I say, cabman, are you engaged ? 

No, signore . 

No, sir. 

Va bene ; guidate (portateci ) Via San Giovanni , No. 43. 

Very well, then ; drive us to 43, St. John's Street . 

Come parla bene l' italiano, Signorina Field ; è molto tempo che lo 

studia ? 

How well you speak Italian , Miss Field; have you studied it long ? 

Non me ne rammento precisamente ; da circa due anni . 

I do not know exactly , I think about two years . 


È ella mai stata in Italia ? 

Have you ever been to Italy ? 

No, non vi sono mai stata. 

No, I have never been there . 

Davvero ? io vi sono stata tre volte, eppure non so parlare italiano 

così correttamente come lei. 

Really? I have been there three times, and yet I cannot speak 

Italian as correctly as you do. 

Ciò è perché non lo studia ; non si può imparare una lingua 

straniera senza studiarla sul serio . 

That is because you do not study it ; you cannot learn a foreign 

language without studying it. 

Ha prese molte lezioni ? 

Have you taken many lessons ? 

Si, ho lezione regolarmente due volte la settimana . 

Yes, I take two lessons regularly every week . 

Ha ella letti molti libri italiani ? 

Have you read many Italian books ? 

Si ; io letto tre romanzi, la meta della " Divina Commedia," anche 

" il Saul," dell' Alfieri, parecchie commedie , e le liriche del 

Leopardi. 

Yes ; I have read three novels, about half of the " Divina 

Commedia," also " Saul," by Alfieri, several comedies, and the 

lyrics of Leopardi. 

283

Qual'è il più interessante dei libri italiani che ha letti ? 

Which is the most interesting of the Italian books you have read 

? 

Dante , non occorre dirlo ; e dei libri moderni preferisco " I 

Promessi Sposi " a tutti gli altri . 

Dante , of course ; and of modern books, " I Promessi Sposi " is the 

one I care most for. 

Ha l' intenzione di veder l' Italia ? 

Do you intend to visit Italy ? 

Altrochè ! faccio i conti di andarvi la primavera prossima . 

Indeed I do; I intend to go there next spring. 

Vorrei ch'ella mi permettesse d' accompagnarvela . 

I wish you would allow me to accompany you. 

Ne sarò contentissima ; partiremo insieme il prossimo marzo, se 

non accadon disgrazie . 

I shall be very pleased ; we will start together next March, if all 

goes well. 

Benissimo , siamo d'accordo; addio. 

Very well, that is settled ; goodbye. 

Ebbene, andò ella al concerto del Signor Well, ieri sera ? 

Well, did you go to Mr. Well's concert , last night ? 

Si, v'andai ; e mi piacque assai . 

Yes, I did ; and I liked it very much. 

C'erano molte persone ? 

Were there many people ? 

Si ; un vero formic olaio. 

Yes ; the place was crowded. 

Chi vi si produsse? 

Who were the performers ? 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN DIALOGUES. 219 

C'erano molti virtuosi ; ma il più distinto era il celebre pianista 

Brook. 

There were many artistes, but the most distinguished was the 

celebrated pianist Brook. 

Or bene , questo virtuoso merita veramente la grande riputazione 

che gode ? 

Well, is the artiste really deserving of his great reputation ? 

284

Credo di si. Egli sa cavare dal pianoforte suoni tali che incantano, 

e la sua esecuzione è oltre modo espressiva e graziosa . 

Yes, I think so. He can draw from the piano the most exquisite 

sounds, and his execution is full of expression and grace . 

Fu eseguita soltanto musica strumentale ? 

Did the performance consist of instrumental music only ? 

Oh no ; la musica vocale non venne dimenticata . 

Oh no ; there was plenty of vocal music . 

La Signorina Moretti canto un bel duetto col Signer Barnott. 

Miss Moretti sang a beautiful duet with Mr. Barnott. 

Che voce hanno ? 

What sort of voices have they ? 

La Signorina Moretti ha tma voce di soprano, forte e vibrata, e sa 

renderla dolcissima ed armoniosa . 

Miss Moretti has a powerful and thrilling soprano voice, and she 

can make it very soft and melodious . 

Il Signer Barnott ha una bellissima voce di tenore ; l'ho sentito 

cantare parecchie volte, è il miglior tenore che abbiamo. 

Mr. Barnott has a fine tenor voice, I have heard him several 

times ; he is our best tenor . 

La sua voce non è molto forte, ma è chiara e assai simpatica . 

His voice is not very powerful, but it is clear and very sympathic . 

Era ben condotta l'orchestra ? 

Was the orchestra well managed ? 

Non si poteva meglio ; basti dire che ne era conduttore il Signer 

Warbling. 

As well as it could be ; let it suffice to say that it was conducted by 

Mr. Warbling. 

Veggo che lei, al par di me, è amantissima della musica . 

I see that you are, like myself , passionately fond of music . 

Lo sono davvero ; credo che sia il miglior divertimento che ci sia 

dato di godere . 

I am indeed ; I think it the best recreation we can enjoy. 

Che ora è, Signer Trench ? 

What o'clock is it, Mr. Trench ? 

Sono le otto e un quarto. 

It is a quarter past eight . 

285

Ha fatto colazione ? 

Have you had your breakfast ? 

No ; mi sono appena alzato. 

No ; I have only just got up. 

A che ora fa i suoi pasti ? 

When do you take your meals ? 


Facciamo colazione alle nove, la seconda colazione a un'ora e 

mezzo, e pranziamo alle sei. 

We breakfast at nine , luncheon at half past one, and dine at six 

o'clock. 

Di che cosa si occuperà prima di far colazione ? 

What are you going to do before breakfast ? 

Voglio scrivere una lettera a mio zio. 

I am going to write a letter to my uncle . 

Scrive con penne metalliche , o con penne d' oca ? 

Do you write with steel pens or quills ? 

Scrivo sempre con penne metalliche, ho tant'abitudine di 

servirmene , che con altre penne non so quasi più scrivere . 

I always write with steel pens, I am so accustomed to write with 

them that I can scarcely write with any others . 

Avrebbe un foglio di carta sugante da prestarmi ? 

Have you got a sheet of blotting paper to lend me ? 

Si ; ecc ogliene , ma non è di eccellente qualità . 

Yes, here is some , but it is not of very good quality. 

Perché le sia vieppiù obbligato, mi venda un francobollo. 

To complete my obligation to you, sell me a postage-stamp. 

Eccogliene uno, glielo do, ma non voglio venderglielo . 

Here it is, I give it to you, but will not sell it to you. 

Garzone, correte presto ad impostare questa lettera . 

Waiter , run and take this letter to the post Mrs. 

Ella disegna , Signorina Barretti ? 

Do you draw, Miss Barretti ? 

Si, un pochino ; sono una principiante sa ; ma mi piace tanto. 

Yes, a little ; I am only a beginner ; but I am very fond of it. 

Copia da modelli o dalla natura ? 

286

Do you draw from copies or from nature ? 

Finora copio soltanto da modelli ; ma non veggo l' ora di poter 

ritrarre dalla natura . 

As yet I only draw from copies, but I long to copy from nature . 

È ella stata a vedere I'esposizione dei quadri all' Accademia 

Reale , quest' anno ? 

Have you been to the Royal Academy , this year ? 

Si, v' andai lunedì scorso. 

Yes, I went there last Monday. 

Ebbene, che gliene pare ? 

Well, what do you think of it ? 

È una bellissima esposizione ; molto più interessante che quella 

dell' anno scorso. 

It is a very fine exhibition ; much more interesting than that of 

last year . 

Ha visitata la Galleria Nuova nella strada del Reggente ? 

Have you seen the New Gallery in Regent Street ? 

Si, l'ho visitata ; mi pare eccellente . 

Yes, I have ; I think it excellent . 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN DIALOGUES. 221 

Siccome ella si occupa di belle arti , mi permetta, Signorina 

Barretti , di presentarle un mio intimo amico , il Signer Trivelli . 

As you take an interest in art, allow me, Miss Barretti , to 

introduce to you an intimate friend of mine , Mr. Trivelli . 

La riverisco , ho molto caro di fare la sua conoscenza . 

How do you do, I am very happy to make your acquaintance . 

Ella è molto cortese . 

You are very kind. 

È questa la prima volta che viene in Inghilterra ? 

Is this the first time you have been in England ? 

No; ci venni nel 1891, per vedere l' Esposizione Navale . 

No; I came here in 1891, to see the Naval Exhibition. 

Come le piace l' Inghilterra ? 

How do you like England ? 

Mi piace moltissimo, ma non il clima, però, che qualche volta è 

veramente cattivo . 

287

I like it very much, except the climate however, which at times 

is really very bad. 

Oh come sono lieta di vederla Signorina Vestri ; dov' è ella stata 

dacchè non l' ho veduta ? 

How happy I am to see you, Miss Vestri ; where have you been all 

this time ? 

Sono stata fuori di citta con tutti i miei ; siamo stati ai bagni di 

mare . 

I have been out of town with my family ; we have been to the sea- 

side. 

Che bella cera ha ; è come stanno tutti i suoi ? 

You look very well ; and how are you all ? 

Stiamo tutti in ottima salute, la ringrazio, tranne Maria che si è 

slogato un piede, appunto quando si lasciava Folkestone . 

We are all very well, thank you, except Mary ; she sprained her 

ankle , just before we left Folkestone . 

Oh sono stati la ; è un bel sito, non è vero ? 

Oh that is where you have been ; it is a pretty place, is it not ? 

Bellissimo; l'aria è saluberrima, è quel paese non è ancora 

divenuto volgare . 

Beautiful ; the air is very good, and the place has not become 

common yet. 

Son ben contenta d'udir cio, perché noi abbiamo l'intenzione 

d'andarvi il mese prossimo. 

I am very glad to hear that, because we ourselves intend to go 

there next month. 

Oh, quand' è così venga da me qualche giorno della settimana 

prossima , e allora le dirò quanto mi sappia del luogo. 

Oh, if that is the case , you had better call on me one day next 

week , and then I will tell you all about the place. 

Benissimo non mancherò di venirci ; sia deciso per giovedì. 

Very well, I will ; let us say on Thursday. Goodbye, for the present . 

Per ora, Addio. 

222 TITLES AND EXPRESSIONS USED IN ITALIAN LETTERS . 

TITLES AND EXPRESSIONS USED IN WRITING LETTERS IN 

ITALIAN. 

IN WRITING TO MINISTERS, (MINISTRI DI STATO) 

AMBASSADORS, (AMBASCIATORI) GENERALS, (GENERALI 

288

D'ARMATA) AND CHIEF MAGISTRATES : Commence 

Illustrissimo ed Eccellentissimo Signore , or Eccellenza . 

In the body Of the letter Illustrissimo ed Eccellentissimo Signore , 

or Vostra Eccellenza , 

Conclude Coi sensi del più profondo ossequio sono 

Or Desiderando occasioni per poterle dar prova della mia 

devozione , ho l'onore di protestarmi 

Or Pregandola di conservarmi la di Lei grazia, mi dico, Di Vostra 

Eccellenza , 

umilissimo e devotissimo servitore 1 

Address All' Illustrissimo ed Eccellentissimo Signore , il Signor, 

&c. 

IN WRITING TO MARQUESSES, (MARCHESI) COUNTS, (CONTI) 

BARONS, (BARONI), KNIGHTS OF ALL ORDERS, (CAVALIERI) 

AND JUDGES : 

Commence Illustrissimo Signore . 

In the body Of the letter Illustrissimo Signore , or Vossignoria 

illustrissima . 

Conclude Colla massima stima ho l 'onore di segnarmi 

Or Ossequiandola distintamente , ho l 'onore d' essere , 

Di Vossignoria illustrissima , 

umilissimo e devotissimo servo 

Address All' Illustrissimo Signore , 

il Signor Marchese , &c. 

IN WRITING TO DOCTORS, (DOTTORI, MEDICI) PROFESSORS, 

(PROFESSORI) AND ESQUIRES (SIGNORI) : 

Commence Pregiatissimo, or Stimatissimo, or Ornatissimo 

Signore . 

In the body Of the letter Pregiatissimo, or Stimatissimo, or 

Ornatissimo Signore . 

Conclude Sono e sarò sempre, con tutto l' animo, suo devotissimo 

ed obbligatissimo servitore 

Or Coi sensi del più profondo rispetto (or della più profonda stima) 

sono di Lei devotissimo servo 

289

Or Mi creda sempre, come sono e sarò di cuore , suo 

affezionatissiino amico 

Or Mi offro a servirla e mi ripeto di tutto cuore suo 

affezionatissimo servitore ed amico 

Or Gradisca i miei affetuosi saluti e mi creda suo devotissimo 

servo 

Or Facendole i miei cordiale saluti, me Le dico devotissimo servo 

ed amico 

Address Al Riveritissimo , or Pregiatissimo Signor , &c. 

1 In Italian, the address of the writer and the date of a letter were 

formerly always written at the end of a letter, except in 

commercial letters, and sometimes in letters to familiar friends ; 

but now-a-days many people write address and date at the top or 

at the end of letters , as they like . 

TITLES AND EXPRESSIONS USED IN ITALIAN LETTERS . 223 

IN WRITING TO FRIENDS OF ALL RANKS : 

Commence Caro, or Carissimo amico (or the name of the person, 

or his title ). 

In the body of the letter Ella, voi, or tu. 

Conclude salutandola affettuosamente con sincera stima, sono 

suo devotissimo amico 

Or Vogliatemi bene e credetemi il vostro affezionatissimo amico 

Or Salutatemi caramente N. N. ; e se mi volete bene , abbiate 

cara sopra tutto alla vostra salute . Addio, addio di tutto cuore 

Or Salutandoti di cuore sono tuo vero amico . 

Address Allo Stimatissimo , or Ornatissimo Signor , &c. 1 

N.B. In writing to ladies the same regard must be paid to rank as 

is paid towards gentlemen . 

ECCLESIASTICAL DIGNITARIES. 

IN WRITING TO ARCHBISHOPS (ARCIVESCOVI), AND BISHOPS 

(VESCOVI) : 

Commence Monsignore Illustrissimo e Reverendissimo . 2 

In the body Of the letter Monsignore Illustrissimo e 

Reverendissimo . 

Conclude Ossequiandola rispettosamente , Le bacio la mano. 

290

Di Vossignoria Illustrissima e Reverendissima, umilissimo e 

devotissimo servitore - 

Address- - All' Illustrissimo e Reverendissimo Signore , or 

Monsignore , IN WRITING TO DEANS (DECANI), AND 

ARCHDEACONS (ARCIPRETI). 

Commence Reverendissimo Signore . 

In the body Of the letter Vossignoria Reverendissima . 

Conclude Sono colla massima stima , 

Di Vossignoria Reverendissima , 

ubbidientissimo servitore' 

Address Al Reverendissimo signore , &c. 

To CLERGYMEN . 

Commence Molto Reverendo Signore . 

In the body Of the letter Vossignoria Reverenda, or Molto 

Referenda . 

Conclude Sono col più profondo rispetto , 

Di Vossignoria Reverenda , 

ubbidientissimo servitore , &c. 

Address Al Molto Reverendo Padre, or Signore il Signor , &c. 

1 In addressing persons who have distinguished themselves in 

their professions or arts, often instead of Pregiatissitno, 

Stimabilissimo, &c., the titles, Egregio, Esimio, Chiarissimo are 

used. 

2 Ilmo, Illuma, Revmo, Revma, V.S., Pregiatmo, Stimatmo, 

Ornatmo, Umilmo, Devmo, Obbligmo, Sig. Sign, are written 

instead of Illustrissimo, Reverendissimo, Pregiatissimo, 

Vossignoria, or Vostra Signoria, &c. ; but to write the title in full 

is an additional mark of respect . 

224 A GUIDE TO ITALIAN COMPOSITION . 

A GUIDE TO ITALIAN COMPOSITION . 

Note. The translations of the words occurring in these extracts, 

not given in the foot notes, are to be found in the English-Italian 

Vocabulary, beginning at page 246 of this grammar . 

THE CONJUGATING DUTCHMAN . 1 

291

Two Italian (468) gentlemen once stepped (entered) into a coffee - 

house in (di) Paris, where they observed a tall, odd-looking (a) 

man, who appeared not to be a native (b), sitting (seated) at one of 

the tables, and looking around with the most stone -like gravity of 

countenance upon every object (c). Soon after the two Italians had 

entered (832), one of them told the other that a celebrated dwarf 

had arrived in (207) Paris. At this (d), the grave -looking personage 

above mentioned (e) opened his mouth (705) and said : 

" I arrive, thou arrivest, he arrives ; we arrive, you arrive, they 

arrive ." 

The Italian, whose (625) remark (word) seemed to have suggested 

this mysterious speech, stepped up to (f) the stranger and asked, " 

Did you speak (do you speak ) to me (210), sir ? " 

" I speak ," replied the stranger, " thou speakest, he speaks ; we 

speak , you speak , they speak ." 

" How is this ? " (g) said the Italian much astonished ; " do you 

mean (h) to insult me ? " 

The other replied, " I insult, thou insultest, he insults ; we insult, 

you insult , they insult ." 

1 "L'Olandese smanioso di coniugare ." 

(a) di strano aspetto. 

(b) che pareva straniero . 

(c) "and looking ..." e che guardava ogni oggetto colla massima 

impassibilità . 

(d) All'udir ciò. 

(e) prefato 

(f) si mosse verso 

(g) "Che vuol dir ciò?" 

(h) " avreste l' intenzione " (rule 119). 

A GUIDE TO ITALIAN COMPOSITION . 225 

"This is too much ! " (a) said the enraged Italian. " I will have 

satisfaction ! (b). If you have any spirit with your rudeness (c), 

come along (come ) with me." 

To this defiance the stranger replied, "I come , thou comest, he 

comes; we come , you come , they come ;" and thereupon (d) he 

rose with great coolness (calm), and followed his challenger (e). 

In those days, when every gentleman wore (the) a sword, duels 

were speedily despatched (771) (f). They went into a neighbouring 

292

alley, and the Italian, unsheathing (834) his weapon, said to his 

antagonist , "Now, sir, you must fight me" (g). 

"I fight," replied the other, " thou fightest, he fights; we fight (here 

he made a thrust) (h), you fight, they fight" (and here he disarmed 

his antagonist ). 

"Well," said the Italian, "you have the best of it (i), and I hope 

(868, 636) you are satisfied ." 

"I am satisfied," said the original, " thou art satisfied, he is 

satisfied ; we are satisfied , you are satisfied , they are satisfied ." 

" I am glad (836, j) everybody is satisfied," said the Italian ; " but 

pray leave off quizzing me (j) in this strange manner, and tell me 

what is your object, if you have any, in doing it " (k). 

The grave gentleman now, for the first time , became intelligible . 

"I am a (354) Dutchman," said he, "and am learning your 

language . I find it (763) very difficult to remember the 

peculiarities of the verbs; and my tutor has advised me, in order 

to fix them in my mind (l), to conjugate every Italian verb that I 

hear spoken (m). This I have made it a rule to do (n). I don't like 

to have my plans broken in upon (o) while they are in operation, 

or I would have told you this before." 

(a) " Cio è troppo." 

(b) "Me ne darete ragione ." 

(c) " Se avete cuore che basti alla vostra rozzezza." 

(d) cost dicendo. 

(e) colui che l'avea sfidato. 

(f ) si decidevano presto. 

(g) " bisogna battersi in duello meco ." 

(h) lanciò una botta. 

(i) "mi do per vinto." 

(j) " non si faccia più beffe di me, la prego." (rule 120). 

(k) " what is your..." " a quale scopo, se pur ne ha uno, agisce 

così." 

(l) se voglio fissarmeli bene in mente . 

(m) che sento pronunciare (rule 690) 

(n) "a questa regola aderisco sempre ." 

(o) Non amo che si contravenga ai miei disegni . 

(p) The Italians laughed ..."Sentito lo schiarimento, gl' Italiani 

scoppiarono nelle risa ." 

(q) Il che fecero . 

293

(r) " it," in cases like this , is not translated . 

(s) "whether the Dutchman ate or conjugated..." se l'Olandese 

fosse più perseverante nel coniugare o nel Mangiare . 


The Italians laughed heartily at this explanation (p) and invited 

the conjugating Dutchman to dine with them . 

" I will dine ," replied he, " thou wilt dine , he will dine ; we will 

dine , you will dine , they will dine , we will all dine together ." 

This they accordingly did (q), and it (r) was difficult to say whether 

the Dutchman ate or conjugated with more perseverance (s). (* * 

*) 

A CLEVER RETORT. 1 

A friend of Dean Swift one day sent him (193) a turbot, as a 

present (a), by a servant lad (b) who had frequently been on 

similar errands (c), but who had never received the most trifling 

mark (d) of the Dean's generosity. Having gained admission (e), 

he opened (704) the door of the study, and abruptly putting down 

the fish, cried, very rudely, " Master has sent you ( sends you) 

(120) a turbot." " Young man," said the Dean, rising from his easy 

chair, " is that the way you deliver your message ? (f). Let me 

teach you better manners (g) : sit down in my chair ; we will 

change situations (character), and I will show you (118, 197) how 

to behave in future " (h). The boy sat down, and the Dean, going 

(834) to the door, came up to the table at a respectful pace , and 

making a low bow (i), said, " Sir, my master (146) presents his 

kind compliments (j), hopes (868) you are well, and requests your 

acceptance of (k) a small present." " Does he ?" (l) replied the boy ; 

" return him my best (m) thanks, and there's (n) half-a-crown for 

yourself." 

The Dean, thus drawn (o) into an act of generosity, laughed 

heartily , and gave the boy a crown for his wit. (* *) 

1 "Arguta Risposta." come si agisce meno villanamente . 

(a) "as a present ," in regalo . 

(b) ragazzotto. 

(c) che aveva sovente eseguito simili ordini. 

(d) la minima prova. 

(e) Tosto che si trovò nella casa. 

(f) è cosi che eseguisci gli ordini che ti son dati? 

294

(g) Ti fo veder subito 

(h) come dovresti comportarti all'avvenire . 

(i) profondo inchino . 

(j) "presents his..." la saluta caramente . 

(k) la prega di accettare . 

(l) " Davvero ? " 

(m) ringrazialo pure da parte mia. 

(n) ecco. 

(o) spinto. 


THE DERVIS. 1 

A Dervis, travelling through (a) Tartary, having arrived (689) at 

the town of Balk , went (704) into the king's palace by mistake, 

thinking it to be (b) a public inn or caravansary. Having looked 

about him for (311) some time , he entered into (c) a long gallery, 

where he laid down his wallet and spread his carpet, in order to 

(932) repose himself upon it (d), after the manner of (e) the 

Eastern nations (468). He had not been long (f) in this posture 

before he was (g) discovered by some of the guards, who asked 

him what was his business (h) in that place ? The Dervis told 

them (636) he intended (838, f) to take up his night's lodging (i) in 

that caravansary. The guards let him know (j), in a very angry 

manner (k), that the house he was in (l) was not a caravansary, 

but (m) the king's palace. It happened (n) that the king himself 

passed through the gallery during this debate (o), and smiling at 

(p) the mistake of the Dervis, asked him how he could possibly be 

so dull as (q) not to distinguish a palace from a caravansary ? 

"Sire ," said the Dervis, " give me leave to ask your majesty (r) a 

question (306) or two. Who were the persons that lodged in this 

house when it was first built ? " The king replied " My ancestors ." 

" And who," said the Dervis, " was the last person that lodged here 

? " (s) The king replied, " My father." " And who is it," said the 

Dervis, " that lodges here at present ? " The king told him that it 

was he himself (t). " And who," said the Dervis, " will be here after 

you ( your Majesty) (563) ? " The king answered, " The young 

prince , my son." " Ah! Sire ," said the Dervis, "a house that 

changes its inhabitants so often (u) and receives such a 

perpetual succession of guests, is not a palace, but (m) a 

caravansary ." ADDISON. 

295

1 "il Dervigio ." 

(a) che viaggiava in. 

(b) credendolo. 

(c) infilò . 

(d) " upon it" is not translated . 

(e) alla moda di. 

(f) Non era stato guari . 

(g) "before he was," allorquando fu. 

(h) ciò che venisse fare . 

(i) d' alloggiarsi per la notte. 

(j) gli fecero sapere . 

(k) con gran collera . 

(l) in cui si trovava. 

(M) ma bensi . 

(n) il caso voile . 

(o) discussione . 

(p) See p. 208, note (t). 

(q) abbastanza stupido per. 

(r) mi sia permesso difare a Vostra Maestà . 

(s) " E chi fu l' ultimo che vi ebbe alloggio ? " 

(t) che vi alloggiava egli stesso . 

(u) che cambia così spesso di abitanti . 


RABELAIS A TRAITOR. 1 

This celebrated wit (a) was once at a great distance from Paris, 

and without money to bear his expenses thither (b). The 

ingenious author being sharp set (c), got together (d) a convenient 

quantity of brickdust, and having disposed of it (e) into several 

papers (f), wrote upon one, Poison for Monsieur (g) ; upon a 

second, Poison for the Dauphin (h) ; and on a third, Poison for the 

King. 

Having made this provision for (i) the royal family of France, he 

laid his papers so that (j) the landlord, who was an inquisitive 

man and a good (faithful) subject, might get a sight of them (k). 

The plot succeeded as he desired (l) ; the host gave immediate 

intelligence to (m) the secretary of state . The secretary presently 

sent down (n) a special messenger, who brought up the traitor to 

court, and provided him, at the king's expense , with proper 

accommodation on the road (o). As soon as he appeared, he was 

known to be (p) the celebrated Rabelais, and his powder, upon 

296

examination, (q) being found very innocent, the jest was only 

laughed at (r) ; for which a less eminent droll would have been 

sent to the galleys . 

BUDGELL . 

THE CUNNING CUTLER . 2 

There is (154) in London, at a place called Charing Cross, a very 

fine statue in bronze of Charles the First (543) on horseback (a). 

After the revolution and the decapitation of that monarch, the 

statue was taken down (b) and sold to a cutler who undertook to 

demolish it. He immediately manufactured great numbers 

1 " Rabelais Colpevole di Lesa Maestà ." 

(a) bell'ingegno . 

(b) "to bear his..."pagar le sue spese , fin là. 

(c) ridotto all' ultima risorsa . 

(d) raccolse . 

(e) messala (rule 689). 

(f) " papers," involtini . 

(g) A title given to the eldest of the brothers of the kings o France . 

(h) A title given to the eldest son of the king of France . 

(i) Avendo provveduto cosi a' bisogni di. 

(j) in modo tale che. 

(k) potesse vederli . 

(l) come lo desiderava (notice the pronoun "lo " referring to plot). 

(m) ne avverti immediatamente . 

(n) spedì subito. 

(o) "and provided him..." facendogli dare sulla via, a spese del re, 

alloggio e vitto. 

(p) riconobbero esser lui. 

(q) analisi fatta. 

(r) non si fece che ridere della burla. 

2 "Il Sagace Coltellinaio ." 

(a) a cavallo. 

(b) si tirò giù la statua. 

(c) li mise in mostra nella bottega dicendoli fatti col bronzo. 

(d) ebbero tale smercio . 

(e)" by" is translated by "e." 

(f ) stante che la vecchia . 

(g) posta di bel nuovo. 

(h) si vede tuttora. 

297


(quantity) of knives and forks with bronze handles, and exposed 

them (c) in his shop as the produce of the statue which was 

supposed (771) to have been melted. They were so rapidly bought, 

(d) both by (e) the friends and the enemies of the late monarch, 

that the cutler soon made a (360) fortune and retired from 

business . 

Soon after the restoration it was proposed (771) to erect a new 

statue to the memory of the unfortunate king ; the cutler hearing 

of this, (834) informed the government that he could spare them 

(456) the trouble and expense of casting a statue , as the old one 

(f) was yet in his possession, and that he would sell it to them 

(456) at a moderate price . The bargain (affair) was concluded 

(771), and the statue , which he had secretly preserved, was re- 

elevated (705) (g) on the pedestal at Charing Cross, where it now 

stands (h). (* * *) 

THE MONKEY AND THE TWO CATS. 1 

Two cats, having stolen some cheese, could not agree (842, g) 

about dividing their prize (a). In order, therefore, to settle the 

dispute (b), they consented to refer the matter (c) to a monkey . 

The proposed arbitrator very readily (d) accepted the office , and, 

producing (taking ) a balance , put a part (bit) into each scale . 

" Let me see," said he, " ay ! this lump outweighs (e) the other ; " 

and immediately he bit off a considerable piece (f) "in order to 

reduce it," he observed, "to an equilibrium" (g). The opposite scale 

had now become the heavier, which (628) afforded our 

conscientious judge an additional (other) reason for a second 

mouthful. " Hold ! hold ! " (h) said the two cats, who began to be 

alarmed for the result (i), " give us our respective shares (j) and" 

1 "La Scimia è i due Gratti." 

(a) quanto nl modo di dividere il bottino. 

(b) "In order..." Quindi per decidere la lite . 

(c) sottomettere il caso. 

(d) con gran premura . 

(e) pesa più che. sua 

(f) ne levò co'denti un buon boccone. 

(g) "in order... "per istabilire , disse , l'equilibrio . 

(h) basta ! basta ! 

(i) temerne il risultato . 

298

(j) dacci la nostra parte. 

(j) rispose . 

(k) non lo è. 

(l) "by no..." punto. 

(m) Detto cio. 

(n) non meno che. 

(o) si ficco il resto. 

(p) finì l' udienza . 


we are satisfied." " If you are satisfied," returned (j) the monkey, 

justice is not (k) ; a case of this intricate nature is by no means 

(l) so soon determined." Upon this (m) he continued to nibble first 

at one piece and then the other, till the poor cats, seeing (834) 

their cheese gradually diminishing (314), entreated him to give 

himself no further trouble, but deliver (restore ) to them what 

remained. " Not so fast, I beseech you, friends," replied the 

monkey ; " we owe justice to ourselves as well as (n) to you : what 

remains is due to me in right of my office ." Upon which (m) he 

crammed the whole into his mouth, (o) (572) and with great 

gravity dismissed the court (p). DODSLEY. 

CURIOUS EXPEDIENT . 1 

Two Irishmen , blacksmiths by trade (857, k) went to Jamaica . 

Finding soon after their arrival, that they could do nothing 

without money to begin with (a), but that, with sixty or seventy 

pounds and industry, they might be able to do some business, 

they hit upon (b) the following ingenious expedient . 

One of them made the other black (blackened) from head to foot. 

This being done (c), he took him to one of the negro-dealers, who, 

after viewing (834) and approving his stout, athletic appearance , 

made a bargain (d) to pay eighty pounds for (251) him and prided 

himself on (845, g) the purchase , supposing him to be (e) one of 

the finest negroes on the island. The same evening this newly 

manufactured negro (f) made off to (g) his countryman, washed 

himself clean, and resumed his former appearance . Rewards 

were in vain offered in hand bills (h), pursuit was eluded, and 

discovery , by care and caution , was made impossible (i). 

1 "Curioso Spediente ." 

(a) per cominciare . 

299

(b) immaginarono . 

(c) Ciò fatto. 

(d) convenne . 

(e) credendo che fosse. 

(f) negro improvvisato . 

(g) scappò e andò dal. 

(h) avvisi al pubblico. 

(i) Turn "pursuit..."" they eluded pursuit, and with care and 

caution made it impossible that any one should discover them ." 

(j) si misero a negoziare . ..." 

(k) "Previous..." "Però prima di lasciar l'isola .". 

(l) "recalled..." " gli rammentarono l'affare del negro ." 

(m) Turn " made amends "thanked him, paying him capital and 

interest . 


The two Irishmen with the money commenced business (j), and 

succeeded (258) so well, that they returned to England with a 

fortune of several thousand (migliaia di) pounds (656). Previous 

however to their departure from the island (k), they went to the 

gentleman from whom they had received the money, recalled the 

circumstances of the negro to his recollection (l), and made 

amends , both for principal and interest , with thanks (m). (* * *) 

NAPOLEON AND THE BRITISH SAILOR. 1 

Whilst the French troops were encamped at Boulogne , public 

attention was much excited by (270) the daring attempt at escape 

(a) made by an English sailor. This person (man) having escaped 

(689) from the depot and gained (b) the borders of the sea, the 

woods near which served him for concealment (c), constructed, 

(704), with no other instrument than a knife, a boat entirely of 

the bark of trees. When the weather was fair (853), he mounted 

(d) (697) a tree and looked out for (e) the English flag ; and having 

at last observed (discovered) (689) a British cruiser, he ran to the 

shore with his boat on his back , and was about (842, p) to trust 

himself in his frail vessel to the waves, when he was (705) 

pursued, arrested, and loaded with chains. Everybody in the army 

was anxious (desired) (300) to see the boat ; and Napoleon, having 

at length heard of the affair (f), sent for (g) the sailor and 

interrogated him. "You must" (h), said Napoleon, " have had a 

great desire 

300

1 " Napoleone è il Marinaro Inglese ." 

(a) audace tentativo di evadersi . 

(b) pervenuto . 

(c) servivano di nascondiglio . 

(d) Add " su di." 

(e) guardava se potesse Vedere . 

(f) "having..." sentito parlare dell'accaduto. 

(g) mandò a chiamare . 

(h) Dovete , ne son certo. 

(i) v'è bastato il cuore . 

(j) metterlo in. 

(k) e di dargli. 


to see your country again, since you could resolve (i) to trust 

yourself on the open (full) sea in so frail a bark . I suppose you 

have left a sweetheart there ? " (239) " No," said the sailor, " but a 

poor infirm mother , whom I was (695) anxious (I desired ) to see." 

" And you shall see her," said Napoleon, giving at the same time 

orders to set him at (j) liberty, and to bestow upon him (k) a 

considerable sum of money for his mother, observing that " she 

must be a good mother who had so good a (such a) son." (* *) 

DESCRIPTION OF ENGLAND. 1 

Few countries exhibit a greater variety of surface than England, 

or have been more highly favoured by (270) nature . " Although," 

says Dr. Aikin, "its features are moulded on a comparatively 

minute scale (a), they are marked with all the agreeable 

interchange (varieties) which constitute picturesque beauty. In 

some parts, plains clothed in (covered of) the richest verdure, 

watered by copious streams, and pasturing innumerable cattle , 

extend as far as the eye can reach (b) ; in others (c) gently rising 

hills (d) and bending vales (e), fertile in corn (f), waving with 

woods (g), and interspersed with (266) flowery meadows, offer the 

most delightful landscapes of rural opulence and beauty. Some 

tracts furnish (offer) prospects of the more romantic and 

impressive kind ; lofty mountains, craggy rocks, deep dells, 

narrow ravines, and tumbling (precipitous) torrents : nor are 

there wanting, as a contrast to (h) those scenes in which every 

variety of nature is a different charm, the vicissitude of (i) black 

barren moors and wide inanimated heaths." Such is (j) a vivid 

301

description of the general appearance of England. But the beauty 

and fertility of the country are not the only things to excite 

(which excite ) admiration . The mildness 

1 " Descrizione dell' Inghilterra ." 

(a) " its features.. " le sue prospettive non siano relativamente 

che di piccola proporzione. 

(b) fin dove può giunger l' occhio. 

(c) altrove . 

(d) collinette a dolce clivo. 

(e) valloncelli tortuosi. 

(f) che producono frumento in abbondanza. 

(g) coperti di boschi on deggianti . 

(h) "nor are there..." ne mancavi , come per far risaltare . 

(i) l'aspetto vicendevole di. 

(j) Ecco. 

(j) "removed alike..." ne troppo freddo, ne troppo caldo. 

(k) che il suolo nasconde . 

(l) grandezza. 

(m) tutto ciò dà. 

(n) "that are not..." di cui nessun altra nazione gode al medesimo 

grado. 

A GUIDE TO ITALIAN COMPOSITION 233 

of the climate , removed alike from the extremes of heat and cold 

(j) ; the multitude of rivers ; their (560) depth, and the facility 

they afford to internal navigation ; the vast beds of coal and other 

valuable minerals hid under the surface (k) ; the abundance and 

excellence of the fish in the rivers and surrounding seas ; the 

extent of sea-coast ; the number, capaciousness (l), and safety of 

the ports and bays ; and the favourable situation of the country for 

commerce ; give (m) England (330) advantages that are not 

enjoyed in an equal degree by any other nation (n). Dr. AIKEN and 

J. R. M'CULLOCH. 

CHARACTER OF RICHARD I. 

This renowned prince was (701) tall, strong, straight and well- 

proportioned. His arms were remarkably long, (574) his eyes blue, 

and full of vivacity ; his hair was of a yellowish colour ; his 

complexion fair (782), his countenance comely, and his air 

majestic . 

302

He was endowed with good natural understanding ; his 

penetration was uncommon ; he possessed a fund of manly 

eloquence ; his conversation was spirited, and he was admired for 

his talents of repartee (a) ; as for his courage and ability in war, 

both Europe and Asia resound with his praise. The Saracens 

stilled their children with the terror of his name ; and Saladine , 

who was an accomplished prince , admired his valour to such a 

degree of enthusiasm, that immediately after Richard had 

defeated (710) him on the plains of Joppa , he sent him a couple of 

fine Arabian horses, in token of his esteem ; a (342) polite 

compliment, which Richard returned with magnificent presents. 

These are the shining parts (b) of his character, which, however, 

cannot dazzle the judicious observer so much, but that he may 

perceive a number of blemishes, which no historian has been 

able (c) to efface from the memory of this celebrated monarch. His 

ingratitude and want of filial affection are unpardonable . He was 

proud, haughty, ambitious, choleric, cruel, vindictive, and vicious 

; nothing could (794) 

(a) " for his talents of repartee ," per la sua arguzia . 

(b) qualità ammirabili . 

(c) "the judicious observer ..." un osservatore di senno al punto di 

nascondergli i tanti difetti , che niuno storico ha saputo. 

(d) verso . 

(e) come pure. 

(f) a segno tale che. 


equal his rapaciousness but his profusion, and, indeed, the one 

was the effect of the other ; he was a tyrant to (d) his wife , as well 

as (e) to his people (456), who groaned under his taxations to such 

a degree , that (f) even the glory of his victories did not exempt 

him from their execrations : in a word, he has been aptly 

compared to a lion, a species of animal which he resembled not 

only in courage , but likewise in ferocity . SMOLLETT. 

WILLIAM PITT, EARL OF CHATHAM. 

On the stage , Pitt would have been the finest Brutus or 

Coriolanus ever seen (a)... His figure when (b) he first appeared 

in Parliament, was strikingly graceful and commanding ; (c) his 

features high and noble ; his eye full of fire. His voice, even when 

it sank to a whisper (d), was heard (771) to the remotest benches ; 

and when he strained it to his full extent (e), the sound rose like 

303

the swell of the organ (f) of a great cathedral shook the house 

with its peal (g) and was heard through lobbies (h) and down 

staircases, to the Court of Requests and the precincts (i) of 

Westminster Hall. 

He cultivated all these eminent advantages with the most 

assiduous care . His action is described by a very malignant 

observer (j) as equal to that of Garrick . His play of countenance 

(k) was wonderful ; he frequently disconcerted a hostile orator by 

a single glance of indignation or scorn. Every tone, from the 

impassioned cry (l) to the thrilling aside , was perfectly at his 

command. It is by no means improbable (m) that the pains which 

he took to improve his great personal advantages had in some 

respects a prejudicial operation, and tended to nourish in him 

that passion for theatrical effect which, as we have already 

remarked (n), was one of the most conspicuous blemishes 

(defects ) in his character . MACAULAY. 

(a) che si vedesse mai. 

(b) Turn , "When he first appeared...his..." 

(c) imponente . 

(d) " even " persino quando parlava sotto voce. 

(e) "he strained it..." quando se ne serviva a più non posso. 

(f) "like the swell of the organ," come quello dell'organo. 

(g) ne faceva tremare la sala del senato . 

(h) gallerie . 

(i)circuito . 

(j) critico ostile . 

(k) l'espressione del suo volto. 

(l) " Every tone..." Tenevo in freno completo ogni emozione dell' 

animo ; dal grido della passione , fino all' aparte commovente . 

(m) Egli è probabile. 

(n) Come si è già fatto osservare . 

ITALIAN POETRY. 235 

ITALIAN POETRY. 

VERSES 1 AND SYLLABLES . 

Italian " versi " 1 consist of a fixed number of syllables ; and their 

expression and harmony depend on the words they contain, and 

the manner in which these words are arranged . 

In Italian a syllable in poetry is not exactly the same as a syllable 

in prose ; often a syllable in a verse consists of two prose syllables 

304

pronounced together so as to require but one emission of the 

voice ; for instance , the following verse , which contains seven 

prose syllables, is counted as a verse of five syllables : 

Metrical Syllables 1 2 3 4 5 

"Già il cielo indora" 2 (ZENO). 

Prose Syllables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Italian verses have different names given them, according to the 

number of the syllables they contain . 

VERSI QUINARI. 

Verses of five (metrical ) syllables 3 are called "versi quinari ." 

They have generally two rhythmical accents ; one on the first, or 

second, and one (essential ) on the fourth syllable. 

LA MELANCONIA . 

FONTI e colline 4 

Chiesi agli dei : 

M'udiro al fine , 5 

Pago io vivrò : 

Ne mai quel fonte 

Co' desir miei , 

Ne mai quel monte 

Trapasserò . 

Gli onor che sono ? 

Che val ricchezza ? 

Di miglior dono 

Vommene altier : 6 

D'un' alma pura, 

Che la bellezza 

Delia Natura 

Gusta è del Ver. 

1 In these pages the word verses is used in the sense of lines in 

poetry. In Italian the word " versi " means lines of poetry. 

2 " It (the dawn) already gilds the sky." 

3 There are Italian verses of four syllables, called " versi 

quadrisillabi," which, though not musical, when used alone , have 

a very pretty effect when they are judiciously mixed with verses 

of eight syllables. (See " Riso di Bella Donna," page 241.) There 

are also verses of three, or even two syllables, but these are very 

305

seldom used, except to versify short trifles ; they are utterly 

unmusical . 

4 For translation see Italian -English Vocabulary (page 260). 

5 " Udiro," poetical form for " udirono," they heard me (see rule 

261). 

6 Vommene =" me ne vo," I am (see rule 194, and rules 218 and 

845 r) 

236 ITALIAN POETRY. 

Ne può di tempre 1 

Cangiar mio fato ; 

Dipinto sempre 

Il ciel sarà ; 

Ritorneranno 

I fior nel prato 

Sin che a me l'anno 

Ritornerà . 

Melanconia , 

Ninfa gentile 

La vita mia 

Consegno a te : 

I tuoi piaceri 

Chi tiene a vile 

Ai piacer veri 

Nato non è. 

PINDEMONTE (1753-1828). 

VERSI SENARI. 

Verses of six syllables are called "versi senari." They have two 

rhythmical accents ; one on the second and the other (essential) 

on the fifth syllable. 

A IMELDA . 

Nell'ora pietosa 

Che assonna ogni cura, 

L'affanno sol dura 

Che amore destò. 

Solingo, scorato, 

Disotto al verone 

D' Imelda si pone 

Sprezzato amator . 

306

Mentr' ella tornata 

Nell'erma stanzetta 

Le vesti s' affretta 

Del ballo a spogliar . 

È a lei che disdegna 

D'amor la parola 

Al suon di mandola 

Ei dice così : 

Nell'ora pietosa 

Che addorme ogni cura, 

La pena sol dura 

Che amore destò. 

La notte serena 

Che al sonno ti chiama , 

Delgiovin che t'ama 

Raddoppia il sospir. 

Ah ! solo un istante 

M'ascolta, ben mio, 

Alonzo son io 

Che il core perde. 

È tu che il rapivi , 

Ò Imelda crudele , 

D' Alonzo fedele 

Non senti pieta ! 

I. RICCIARDA CAPECELATRO (1800 -1860?). 

1 The student is again desired to read over rules 5, 9, 48, 53, and 

63, in order to thoroughly understand the directions for the 

double pronunciation of the letters " E," " O," " S " and " Z," and the 

meaning of the letters in darker type. 


VERSI SETTENARI. 

Verses of seven syllables are called " versi settenari ." They have 

two or three rhythmical accents. When they have two accents, 

the first can be on any of the first four syllables, and the other 

(essential) on the sixth syllable ; when they have three accents, 

one is on the first or second syllable , the other on the fourth, and 

the last (essential ) on the sixth syllable. 

IL CINQUE MAGGIO. 1 

Ei fu. Siccome immobile , 2 

307

Dato il mortal sospiro, 

Stette la spoglia immemore 

Orba di tanto spiro, 

Così percossa, attonita , 

La terra al nunzio sta, 3 

Muta pensando all' ultima 

O a dell'uom fatale ; 4 

Ne sa quando una simile 

Orma di pie mortale 

La sua cruenta polvere 

A calpestar verra . 

Lui sfolgorante in solio 

Vide il mio genio e tacque ; 

Quando, con vece assidua, 5 

Cadde, risorse e giacque , 

Di mille voci al sonito 

Mista la sua nn ha : 

Vergin di servo enc omio 6 

E di codardo oltraggio, 

Sorge or commosso al subito 

Sparir di tanto raggio ; 

È scioglie all' urna un cantico , 

Che forse non morrà. 

1 This sublime ode, the best Italian lyric of modern times, was 

written by Manzoni in commemoration of the 5th of May, 1821, 

the day on which Napoleon I. died at St. Helena, where he had 

been kept a prisoner for six years. Manzoni , who had always kept 

aloof alike from the detractors and the flatterers of the great 

man, takes a rapid survey of the hero's life, but leaves it to 

posterity to judge ; and, like a true Christian poet, kneels down at 

the death-bed of the dying penitent , and prays. 

2 Notice that this line consists of eight metrical syllables, 

because it ends with a " parola sdrucciola " (see rule 60), but still 

it is reckoned as a " verso settenario," for the reason that the last 

(essential ) rhythmical accent falls upon the sixth syllable. 

3 Notice that this line consists of six metrical syllables only, 

because it ends with a " parola tronca " (see rule 62), but still it is 

reckoned as a " verso settenario," for the reason that the last 

(essential ) rhythmical accent falls upon the sixth syllable. 

4 " Fatale ," marked by fate. 

308

5 " Vece assidua," rapid vicissitudes (changes ). 

6 "Vergin di servo encomio ," pure from servile flattery (praise ). 


Dall' Alpi alle Piramidi , 

Dal Mansanare al Reno, 1 

Di quel secure il fulmine 

Tenea dietro al baleno; 2 

Scoppiò da Scilla al Tanai , 3 

Dall' uno all' altro mar. 

Fu vera gloria ? Ai poster! 

L'ardua sentenza : nui 4 

Chiniam la fronte al Massimo 

Fattor, che voile in lui 

Del creator suo spirto 

Più vasta orma stampar. 

La procellosa è trepida 

Gioia d'un gran disegno , 

L'ansia d'un cor che indocile 

Ferve , pensando al regno , 

È il giunge , e ottiene un premio 

Ch' era follia sperar ; 

Tutto ei provò : la gloria 

Maggior dopo il periglio , 

La fuga è la vittoria , 

La reggia è il tristo esiglio : 

Due volte nella polvere , 5 

Due volte sull' altar. 

Ei si nomò : due sec oli 

L' un contro l' altro armato , 

Sommessi a lui si volsero 

Come aspettando il fato ; 

Ei fe' silenzio , ed arbitro 

S'assise in mezzo a lor. 

Ei sparve, e i di nell' ozio 

Chiuse in si breve sponda, 6 

Segno d'immensa invidia , 

È di pieta profonda, 

D'inestinguibil odio 

È d'indomato amor. 

Come sul capo al naufrago 

309

L' onda s' avvolve e pesa, 

L'onda, su cui del misero , 

Alta pur dianzi e tesa , 

Scorrea la vista a scernere 

Prode remote invan ; 

Tal su quell' alma il cumulo 

Delle mem orie scese ! 

Oh ! quante volte ai posteri 

Narrar se stesso imprese , 

È sull'eterne pagine 

Cadde la stanca man ! 

1 From the Mansanare (a small river near Madrid) to the Rhine . 

2 This bold image means : " The thunderbolt (fulmine) of that 

fearless man (Napoleon) followed quickly its flash (baleno) " ; i.e., 

He no sooner appeared on the battle -field than he smote down his 

enemies . 

3 from Scylla (a famous rock in the Strait of Messina) to the 

River Don. 

4 " Nui " is used, as a poetical licence , instead of " noi." 

5 "Due volte...," an allusion to Napoleon's exile at Elba , and at St. 

Helena . 

6 " In si breve sponda," on so narrow a shore (St. Helena ). 


Oh quante volte al tacito 

Morir di un giorno inerte , 

Chinati i rai fulminei , 

Le braccia al sen conserte , 

Stette , e dei di che furono 

L' assalse il sovvenir ! 

È ripensò le mobili 

Tende , è i percossi valli , 

È il lampo de' manipoli 

È l'onda dei cavalli , 

È il concitato imperio , 

È il celere obbedir. 

Ahi ! forse a tanto strazio 

Cadde lo spirto anelo , 

E disperò ; ma valida 

Venne una man dal cielo , 

310

È in più spirabil acre 

Pietosa il trasportò ; 

È l' avviò pei floridi 

Sender della speranza , 

Ai campi eterni , al premio 

Che i desideri avanza , 1 

Dov' è silenzio e tenebre 

La gloria che passò. 

Bella imm ortal ! benefica 

Fede ai trionfi avvezza ! 

Scrivi ancor questo, allegrati ; 

Che più superba altezza 

Al disonor del Golgota 2 

Giammai nn si chinò . 

Tu dalle stanche ceneri 

Sperdi ogni ria parola : 

Il Dio che atterra e suscita , 

Che affanna e che consola, 

Sulla deserta col trice 

Accanto a lui posò. 

MANZONI (1785-1873 ). 

IL POTERE DI DIO. 

DOVUNQUE il guardo io giro, 

Immense Dio ti vedo : 

Nell' opre tue t'ammiro , 

Ti riconosco in me. 

La terra , il mar, le sfere 

Parian del tuo potere : 

Tu sei per tutto, e noi 

Tutti viviamo in te. 

LA GRATITUDINE. 

Benchè di senso privo, 

Fin l' arboscello è grato 

A quell' amico rivo, 

Da cui riceve umor ; 

Per lui di fronde ornato, 

Bella mercè gli rende , 

Quando dal sol difende 

Il suo benefattor . 

METASTASIO (1698-1782 ). 

311

1 Exceeds all desires . 

2 " Al disonor del Golgota," to the disgrace of Calvary, which by 

Christ's death became a sign of salvation : an allusion to the 

Crucifix which Napoleon held in his hand on his death-bed. 


VERSI OTTONARI. 

Verses of eight syllables are called " versi ottonari." They can 

have only two accents ; one on the third and the other (essential) 

on the seventh syllable. 

LA RONDINELLA. 

RONDINELLA pellegrina 

Che ti posi in sul verone , 

Ricantando ogni mattina 

Quella flebile canzone , 

Che vuoi dirmi in tua favella , 

Pellegrina rondinella ? 

Solitaria nell'oblio, 

Dal tuo sposo abbandonata, 

Piangi forse al pianto mio 

Vedovetta sconsolata ? 

Piangi , piangi in tua favella , 

Pellegrina rondinella . 

Pur di me manco infelice 

Tu alle penne almen t' affidi, 

Scorri il lago e la pendice , 

Empi l'aria de'tuoi gridi, 

Tutto il giorno in tua favella 

Lui chiamando , ò rondinella . 

Oh se anch'io !...Ma lo contende 

Questa bassa, angusta volta, 

Dove sole non risplende , 

Dove l'aria ancor m' è tolta, 

Donde a te la mia favella 

Giunge appena, o rondinella . 

Il settembre innanzi viene , 

È a lasciarmi ti prepari : 

Tu vedrai lontane arene , 

Nuovi monti , nuovi mari 

Salutando in tua favella , 

Pellegrina rondinella : 

312

Ed io tutte le mattine 

Riaprendo gli occhi al pianto, 

Era le nevi e fra le brine 

Crederò d'udir quel canto, 

Onde par che in tua favella 

Mi compianga , o rondinella . 

Una croce a primavera 

Troverai su questo suolo : 

Rondinella , in sulla sera 

Sovra lei raccogli il volo : 

Dimmi pace in tua favella , 

Pellegrina rondinella . 

1 This very pretty song, a masterpiece of harmony and elegance, 

is taken from " Marco Visconti ," a fine novel by Grossi (1800- 

1850). It is very popular in Italy, and has been set to music by 

several celebrated composers. 


RISO DI BELLA DONNA. 

Se bel rio, se bell' auretta 

Tra l'erbetta 

Sul mattin mormorando erra ; 

Se di fiori un praticello 

Si fa bello, 

Noi diciam : ride la terra . 

Quando avvien che un zeffiretto 

Per diletto 

Bagni il pie nell'onde chiare , 

Sicche l'acqua in sull' arena 

Scherzi appena, 

Noi diciam che ride il mare . 

Se giammai tra fior vermigli , 

Se tra gigli 

Veste l' alba un aureo velo, 

È su rote di zaffiro 

Move in giro, 

Noi diciam che ride il cielo . 

Ben e ver, quand'è giocondo 

Ride il mondo ; 

Ride il ciel quand' è gioioso ; 

Ben e ver ; ma n on san poi, 

Coqume voi, 

313

Fare un riso grazioso. 

CHIABRERA (1552-1637). 

VERSI NOVENARI. 

Verses of nine syllables are called " versi novenari ; " but, as they 

are seldom used, they need not be illustrated . 

VERSI DECASILLABI. 

Verses of ten syllables are called "versi decasillabi ." They have 

three rhythmical accents ; one on the third, one on the sixth, and 

the last (essential ) on the ninth syllable. 

LA BATTAGLIA DI MACLODIO. 1 

S' ode a destra uno squillo di tromba ; 

A sinistra risponde uno squillo ; 

D'ambo i lati calpesto rimbomba 

Da cavalli e da fanti il terren . 

Quinci spunta per l' aria un vessillo ; 

Quindi un altro s' avanza spiegato : 

Ecco appare un drappello schierato ; 

Ecco un altro che incontro gli vien . 

1 This masterly lyric is a part of the chorus in " Il Conte di 

Carmagnola, " a fine tragedy by Manzoni . The great poet deplores 

the intestine warfare which desolated Italy in the Middle Ages, 

and, with words breathing the greatest humanity and purest 

patriotism , conjures his countrymen to keep friendly and united . 


Già di mezzo sparito e il terreno ; 

Già le spade respingon le spade ; 

L' un dell' altro le immerge nel seno ; 

Gronda il sangue , raddoppia il ferir . 

Chi son essi ? Alle belle contrade 

Qual ne venne straniero a far guerra ? 

Qual è quei che ha giurato la terra 

Dove nacque far salva, io morir 

D' una terra son tutti ; un linguaggio 

Parian tutti ; fratelli li dice 

Lo straniero : il comune lignaggio 

A ognun d' essi dal volto traspar. 

Questa terra fu a tutti nudrice , 

Questa terra di sangue ora intrisa , 

Che natura dall' altre ha divisa , 

314

È recinta coll' Alpe e col mar. 

Ahi ! qual d' essi il sacrilege brando 

Trasse il primo il fratello a ferire ? 

O terror ! del conflitto esecrando 

La cagione esecranda qual'è? 

Non la sanno : a dar morte , a morire 

Qui senz'ira ognun d'essi è venuto ; 

È venduto ad un duce venduto, 

Con lui pugna, e non chiede il perchè . 

Ahi sventura ! Ma spose non hanno, 

Non han madri gli stolti guerrieri ? 

Perché tutti i lor cari non vanno 

Dall' ignobile campo a strappar ? 

E i vegliardi , che ai casti pensieri 

Della tomba già schiudon la mente , 

Che non tentan la turba furente 

Con prudenti parole placar ? 

MANZONI (1783 -1873 ). 

I very much regret to have no space here to print the whole of 

this splendid chorus, but I intend to republish it, in full, in my " 

Italian Reader." The poetry of Manzoni should be cherished by all 

who value heartfelt, religious, and patriotic sentiments expressed 

by a great poet. 


MESSINA . 

Chi non vide a marina Messina , 

Mai può dir ch' egli vide belta : 

Di Triquetra è la figlia , e conchiglia , 

È la perla che pari non ha ! 

Sei pur vaga supina, ò Messina , 

Sul guancial di tue rose odorose, 

Cinta ognor dal monile d' Aprile , 

Circonfusa d' aroma e fulgor ! 

Mattutina , sei cara, ò Messina , 

Se l' aurora ti bacia e colora, 

Se in te cada, e t' imperil rugiada, 

S'hai nel grembo un bel nembo di fior! 

Sei divina al meriggio , ò Messina , 

Tra palmeti , bei fonti e laureti , 

Tra gli aurati ed olenti cedrati , 

315

Con torrenti di luce e d' ardor ! 

Vespertina sei maga , ò Messina , 

S' hai pacato, sereno stellato : 

Sei portento s' hai luna d' argento , 

Danze, suoni e canzoni d' amor ! 

Sei regina , ò azzurrina Messina , 

Per giardini di fate beate , 

Per convalli sott' onda in coralli , 

Coronata Sirena del mar ! 

Chi non vide a marina Messina , 

Mai può dir ch' egli vide brillar 

Le beltà che rinserra la terra , 

Chiude il flutto, ed il ciel sa versar ! 

Pepoli (1801-1881). 

VERSI ENDECASILLABI . 

Verses of eleven syllables are called "versi endecasillabi," or 

"versi eroici." They are the principal Italian verses and the best 

wherewith to express great and noble thoughts. These verses 

may have two, three, four, and even five (rhythmical) accents, 

arranged in almost every conceivable manner . 


BEATRICE. 

Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare 

La donna mia, quand ella altrui saluta, 

Ch'ogni lingua divien tremando muta, 

E gli occhi non ardiscon di guardare . 

Ella sen va sentendosi laudare , 1 

Benignamente d' umiltà vestuta ; 2 

E par che sia una cosa venuta 

Di cielo in terra a miracol mostrare . 

Mostrasi si piacente a chi la mira , 

Che dà per gli occhi una dolcezza al core, 

Che intender non la può chi non la prova. 

E par che dalle sue labbia si mova 3 

Uno spirto soave e pien d' amore , 

Che va dicendo all' anima : sospira. 

DANTE (1265-1321 ). 

LAURA. 

Erano i capei d'oro all' aura sparsi, 

316

Che 'n mille dolci nodi gli avvolgea ; 

E 'l vago lume oltra misura ardea 

Di quei begli occhi , ch' or ne son si scarsi ; 

E 'l viso di pietosi color farsi , 

Non so se vero o falso mi parea : 

I' che l'esca amorosa al petto avea , 

Qual maraviglia se di subit' arsi ? 

Non era l' andar suo cosa mortale , 

Ma d' angelica forma ; e le parole 

Suonavan altro che pur voce umana . 

Uno spirto celeste , un vivo sole 

Fu quel ch' i' vidi : e se non fosse or tale , 

Piaga per allentar d' arco non sana. 4 

PETRARCA (1304 -1374 ). 

1 In order to understand " sen va," see rule 845, r. 

2 " vestuta ," for " vestita ," clothed, full of. 

3 " labbia," for " labbra," lips. 

4 " Piaga per allentar d'arco non sana," means : " A wound (piaga) 

does not get healed (non sana) when the bow (arco) relaxes." After 

the words "the bow," the words " from which the arrow which 

inflicted the wound came," are understood. This pretty " concetto 

" of Petrarca, one of the earliest in the Italian language , is now 

used as a proverb. 


SOPRA LA MORTE . 

Morte, che se' tu mai ? Primo dei danni 

L' alma vile e la rea ti crede e teme ; 

E vendetta del ciel scendi ai tiranni , 

Che il vigile tuo braccio incalza e preme . 

Ma l' infelice , a cui de' lunghi affanni 

Grave è l'incarco , e morta. in cuor la speme , 

Quel ferro implora troncator degli anni , 

E ride all' appressar dell' ore estreme . 

Fra la polve di Marte e le vicende 

Ti sfida il forte, che ne' rischi indura ; 

È il saggio senza impallidir ti attende . 

Morte, che se' tu dunque ? Un'ombra oscura, 

Un bene , un male , che diversa prende 

Dagli affetti dell' uom forma e natura . 

317

MONTI (1754-1828 ). 

VERSI DODECASILLABI. 

Verses of twelve syllables are called " versi dodecasillabi ." They 

have four accents ; one on the third, one on the fifth, one on the 

eighth , and the other (essential ) on the eleventh syllable. 

UN POPOLO DEGRADATO. 

Dai guardi dubbiosi, dai pavidi volti, 

Qual raggio di sole da nuvoli folti, 

Traluce de'padri la fiera virtù : 

Ne' guardi, ne' volti confuso ed incerto 

Si mesce e discorda lo spregio sofferto 

Col misero orgoglio d'un tempo che fu. 

MANZONI (1785-1873 ). 

Blank verses are called in Italian " versi sciolti ." 

I regret also to have no space here for more than these few lines 

taken from one of the two beautiful choruses in the other 

excellent tragedy by Manzoni , " Adelchi," but this also I intend to 

republish in full in my " Italian Reader ." 

246 VOCABULARY. 

PART I. ENGLISH ITALIAN. 

NOTE. Nouns ending in o are masculine , and those in a, as a rule , 

feminine . 

The gender of nouns ending in e is given . 

A 

Accomplish , v. a. compire . 

A, an, un, uno, una. 

Accomplished , compito. 

Abandon, v. a. abbandonare. 

According, secondo. 

Ability, abilità . 

Accusation , accusa . 

Able, 'bile. 

Accuse , v. a. accusare . 

About, circa . 

Acquaintance , conoscenza , 

Above, al di sopra. 

(friend ), conoscente . 

mentioned , suddetto. 

Acquit, v. a. assolvere . 

Abruptly, bruscamente . 

Act, atto. 

Abundance, abbondanza. 

Act, v. a. agire . 

Abyss, golfo, abisso. 

Action , azione , f. 

Academy , accademia . 

Address, indirizzo . 

Accent , accento . 

Admiration , ammirazione ,f. 

Accept, v. a. accettare . 

Admire , v. a. ammitare . 

Accident , accidente . 

Admission , entrata . 

Accompany, v. a. accompagnare . Admit, v. a. ammettere . 

318

Adorn, v. a. adornare . 

Advance , v. a. avanzarsi . 

Advantage , vantaggio . 

Advice ; consiglio . 

Advise , v. a. consigliare . 

Affair , affare , m. 

Affection , affetto. 

Afflicted, afflitto. 

Afford, v. a. dare, procurare. 

After, dopo. 

Afternoon , dopo pranzo. 

Afterwards, dopo. 

Again , ancora, di nuovo. 

Against , contro. 

Age, età, secolo. 

Agitation , agitazione . 

Ago, fa. 

Agreeable , piacevole . 

Air, aria . 

Album, album. 

All, tutto, tutti. 

Allege , v. a. addurre. 

Alley, chiasso . 

Allow, v. a. permettere . 

Almost, quasi. 

Alone , solo. 

Along, lungo. 

Alps, Alpi, f. 

Already, già. 

Also, anche , ancora, altresi , eziandio 

Altar, altare , m. 

Although, benchè , sebbene . 

Always, sempre . 

Ambitious , ambizioso . 

America , America . 

American , Americano . 

Amiable , amabile . 

Ammunition , munizione , f. 

319 

Among, amongst , fra, tra. 

Ancestors , antenati , predecessori . 

Ancient , antico . 

And, e, ed. 

Anger , collera . 

Animal , animate . 

Another , un'altra . 

Answer , v. n. rispondere . 

Antagonist , avversario ,rivale . 

Any, chiunque , ognuno,qualunque. 

one, alcuno. 

thing , qualche cosa. 

Any, del, dello, &c., alcuno, &c. 

Anyone , alcuno. 

Apartment , appartamento . 

Apologise, v. a. far delle scuse a. 

Appear, v. n. apparire . 

Appearance , apparenza. 

Apple, mela , pomo. 

Apprehend, v. a. temere . 

Approve, v. a. approvare. 

Aptly, attamente . 

Arab, Arabian , Arabo. 

Arabia, Arabia. 

Arbitrator, arbitro. 

Architect , architetto . 

Argue , v. n. argomentare , ragionare 

discorrere , . 

Arm, braccio. 

Army, esercito , armata . 

Arrangement , accomodamento . 

Arrest , v. a. arrestare . 

Arrival , arrive . 

Arrive , v. n. arrivare .Arrow, freccia . 

Art, arte , f. 

Artificial , artificiale , finto. 

Artillery , artiglieria . 

Artist , artista , m., rule 370.

As far as, fino a. 

As if, come se. 

As soon as, tosto che. 

247 ENGLISH-ITALIAN VOCABULARY. 

Asia , Asia . 

Baggage, bagaglio. 

Ask, v. a. chiedere , domandare. 

Asleep , addormentato. 

Assembly , adunanza. 

Assertion , asserzione , f. 

Assiduous, assiduo. 

Assistance , aiuto. 

Assure , v. a. assicurare . 

Astonished , attonito. 

Astronomer , astronomo. 

At a, all, punto, 

last, finalmente . 

Once, subito. 

present , ora, adesso. 

Astronomy, astronomia . 

Athenian , Ateniese . 

Athletic , d'atleta. 

Attack , attacco, assalto. 

Attack , v. a. attaccare . 

Attend, v. a. accudire a (like Finire ). 

Attendant , servo . 

Attention , attenzione , f. 

Aunt, zia. 

Austrian , Austriaco . 

Author, autore . 

Autumn , autunno. 

Avenge , (one's -self), v. r. vendicarsi . 

Avoid, v. a. evitare . 

Awake , v. a. svegliare . 

Awfully, terribilmente . 

B 

Back, dosso, schiena . 

Bad, cattivo . 

Bag, sacco. 

320 

As, mentre , come . 

Ascribe , v. a. attribuire . 

Balance , bilancia . 

Ball, palla, (dancing) ballo. 

Bank, riva . 

Banker , banchiere . 

Barbarous, barbaro. 

Bark (boat), barca. 

Baron, barone. 

Baroness , baronessa . 

Barren , sterile . 

Basket , canestro , paniere . 

Battery, batteria . 

Battle, battaglia. 

Bay, baia. 

Be, v. n. and auxiliary , essere . 

able, potere. 

afraid, temere . 

Born, nascere . 

due, appartenere a. -, 

obliged dovere . , 

necessary abbisognare . 

sorry,rincrescere . 

Willing , volere , esser disposto. 

Beat, v. a. battere . 

Down, buttar giù. 

Beautiful , bello, leggiadro . 

Beauty, bellezza. 

Because , perché , per causa di. 

Become , v. n. divenire . 

Bed, letto. room, camera da letto. 

Bed (of coal), strato. 

Before (prep, of time ), avanti , prima 

di, (prep. of place), davanti . 

Beg, v. a. pregare .

Begin , v. n. principiare . 

Behave , v. n. comportarsi . 

Behaviour , condotta. 

Behind, indietro , (adv.) 

dietro di, (prep.) 

Belgium , Belgio. 

Believe , v. n. credere . 

Bell, campanello . 

Belong, v. n. appartenere . 

Bench , scranno . 

Bertha , Berta. 

Beseech , v. a. pregare . 

Besiege , v. a. assediare . 

Best, migliore . 

Betray, v. a. tradire (like Finire ). 

Better , meglio , migliore . 

Between , betwixt, fra, tra. 

Big, grosso, grande. 

Bind, v. a. legare . 

Bird, uccello . 

Birthday, giorno di nascita . 

Bit, pezzo. 

Black, nero . 

Blacksmith , fabbroferraio. 

Blame , v. a. biasimare . 

Blotting-paper, carta sugante . 

Blow, colpo, botta. 

Blue, turchino , azzurro. 

Board, asse , f. on , a bor do di. 

Boat, barca, battello. 

Body, corpo. 

Bonnet, cappellino. 

Book, libro. 

binder, legatore di libri. 

Boot, stivale , m. 

Border, margine , m. Orlo, spiaggia . 

Bore, seccatura . 

Botany, botanica. 

321 

Both, tutti e due, e...e. 

Bottle, bottiglia. 

Boulogne, Bologna. 

Bow, v. a. fare un inchino a. 

Box, scatola, cassetta . 

Boy, ragazzo, fanciullo . 

Branch, ramo. 

Brandy, acquavite . 

Brass, lottone. 

Brave, bravo, animoso . 

Bravely , bravamente . 

Bread, pane, m. 

Breadth, larghezza . 

Break , v. a. rompere . Up, separarsi . 

Breakfast , colazione , f. 

Breakfast , v.a. far colazione . 

Brick -dust, polvere di mattoni . 

Bridge, ponte. 

Brilliant , brillante . 

Brim (of a hat), 

le falde (di un cappello). 

Bring, v. a. portare. 

Up, menare . 

British , Brittanico . 

Brittle , fragile . 

Broad, ampio, largo. 

Bronze, bronzo. 

Brook, ruscello . 

Brother, fratello . in-law, cognato. 

Browse, v. a. pascersi . 

Brutus, Bruto. 

Build, v. a. fabbricare . 

Building, edifizio , fabbricato. 

Bull-fight, combattimento uomini fra 

a piedi o a cavallo con un toro. 

Bullet, palla di fucile . 

Burn, v. a. abbruciare . 

Business , affare , affari .

Busy, affaccendato . 

Busybody, affannone . 

But, ma. still, però, eppure. 

Buy, v. a. comprare . 

C 

Cabbage, cavolo. 


Camp, campo. 

Can, I can, posso ; we can, possiamo. 

Cannon , cannone . 

Canto, canto. 

Capital (of a country) la capitale 

(funds) il capitale . 

Captain , capitano. 

Caravansary , caravanseraglio . 

Card, carta. 

Care , pensiero , cura. 

Carpenter , falegname . 

Carpet, tappeto. 

Carriage , carrozza, vettura . 

Carry, v. a. Portare . 

Away, portar via. 

Cart-load, carro, plural , carra . 

Case , caso, soggetto. 

Cast, v. a. gettare . 

Castle , castello . 

Cat, gatto. 

Catch, acchiappare . 

Hold of, afferrare . 

Cathedral , cattedrale . 

Cattle , bestiame . 

Cause , causa, cagione . 

Cause , v. a. cagionare . 

Caution , cautela . 

Cavern , caverna . 

Celebrate , v. a. celebrare . 

Celebrated , (famous), celebre . 

Celebrity , celebrità . 

322 

Cage , gabbia. 

Cairo , Cairo . 

Call, v. a. chiamare . 

Calm , calma . 

Cambric , cambraia . 

Camelia , camelia . 

Cement , cemento . 

Century , secolo. 

Certainly , certamente . 

Chain , catena . 

Chair , sedia , seggiola . 

Arm seggi ola a braccioli . 

Easy , sedia d'appoggio. 

Chairman , presidente . 

Challenge , sfida. 

Chance , caso, ventura . 

Change , v. a. cambiare . 

Chaplain , cappellano. 

Character , carattere , m. 

Charity , carità . 

Charles , Carlo. 

Charlotte , Carlotta. 

Charm , incanto . 

Cheek , guancia , gota. 

Cheerful , allegro . 

Cheese , cacio , formaggio . 

Cherry , ciriegia . 

Chicken , pollastro. 

Child, fanciullo . 

Chimney -piece , quadro di camino . 

China , porcellana . 

Chirp, v. n. cantare . 

Choleric , collerico . 

Choose , v. a. scegliere . 

Christmas , Natale . 

Chronology, cronologia . 

Church , chiesa .

Circumstance , circostanza . 

City, citta . 

Clean , netto, pulito. 

Clergyman , parroco, pievano . 

Clever , abile , destro. 

Climate , clima . 

Clock, pendola, orologio. 

O'clock (see rule 548). 

Cloth (of linen , or cotton) tela , 

(of wool) panno. 

Clothes , panni. 

Cloud, nube, nuvola. 

Coal, carbon fossile . 

Coast, costa, spiaggia 

Coat, vestito , abito. 

Coffee and coffee -house , caffe. 

College , collegio . 

Colonel , colonnello . 

Colour, colore. 

Columbus, Colombo. 

Come , v. n. venire . 

Back, ritornare . in ,entrare . 

Comedy, commedia . 

Comely , piacevole , vago, avvenente . 

Comfortable, confortevole , comodo. 

Command, comando. 

Command, v. a. comandare . 

Commerce , commercio . 

Commercial , commerciale . 

Commission , commissione . 

Commit , v. a. commettere . 

Committee , comitato . 

Communication , comunicazione . 

Companion , compagno. 

Company, compagnia . 

Compare , v. a. paragonare . 

Compass, bussola. 

Compel, v. a. forzare. 

323 

Complexion , carnagione , f. 

Compliment , complimento . 

Compose, v. a. comporre. 

Conceited , vanitoso . 

Concert , concerto . 

Conclude, v. a. conchiudere . 

Condemn , v. a. condannare . 

Condition , condizione , f. 

Conduct, v. a. condurre. 

Conduct, condotta. 

Confess , v. a. confessare . 

Confidence , confidenza . 

Confused, confuso. 

Conjugate , v. a. coniugare . 

Conquer , v. a. conquistare . 

Conscientious , coscienzioso . 

Consequence , consequenza . 

Consider , v. a. considerare . 

Considerable , considerable . 

Conspicuous, cospicuo. 

Constitute , v. a. Costituire 

(like Finire ). 

Construct, v. a. Costruire , 


Contain , v. a. contenere . 

Continue , v. a. continuare . 

Contrary, contrario . 

Contribute , v. a. contribuire 


Convenient , conveniente . 

Conversation , conversazione , f. 

Copious, abbondante. 

Copper, rame . 

Copy, copia. 

Coriolanus , Coriplano. 

Corn, frumento . 

Cornelia , Cornelia . 

Correct , v. a. correggere .

Cost. v. n. costare . 

Costly, dispendioso. 

Cottage , capanna. 

Cotton, cotone, m. 

Countenance , viso, aspetto, 

carnagione , f. 

Country, (in a general sense ) paese , 

(out of town), in campagna , 

(in opposition to the capital) 

provincia . 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN VOCABULARY. 249 

Crime , delitto. 

Decapitation , decapitazione , f. 

Criminal , criminale . 

Croesus , Creso . 

Cross, v. a. attraversare . 

Crowd, calca, folia. 

Crown, corona. 

Cruel , crudele . 

Cruiser , vascello di corso. 

Cry, v. a. gridare. 

Crystal, cristallo . 

Cultivate , v. a. coltivare . 

Cur, cagnuccio . 

Curious , curioso. 

Custom-house , dogana. 

D 

Danger , pericolo. 

Dangerous , pericoloso. 

Dare, v. a. ardire , (like Finire ). 

Dark, oscuro, tenebroso . 

Daughter , figlia . 

Day after -to-morrow, posdomani, m. 

Day, giorno, di. 

Dazzle, v. a. abbagliare . 

Dean , decano. 

Dear, caro. 

Death , morte , f. 

Debt, debito. 

324 

house , casa di campagna . 

-Man, paesano, compatriota. 

Couple, coppia, paio. 

Courage , coraggio. 

Course , corso. 

Court, corte, f. cortile , m. 

Cousin , cugino, cugina . 

Cover , v. a. coprire (like Servire ). 

Craggy, scosceso ,diroccato. 

Deceit , frode, f. 

Decide , v. a. decidere . 

Decision , decisione , f. 

Deed, azione , f. fatto. 

Deep, profondo. 

Defeat , v. a. sconfiggere . 

Defect , difetto. 

Defiance , sfida. 

Defray, v. a. pagare. 

Degree , grado, segno. 

Delight , delizia . 

Delight , v. a. dilettare . 

Delightful , dilettevole . 

Dell, valle , f. vallone , m. 

Demetrius , Demetrio . 

Demolish , v. a. Demolire 


Deny, v. a. negare . 

Depart, v. n. partire 

(like Servire ). 

Departure , partenza. 

Depend, v. n. dipendere . 

Depict, v. a. dipingere . 

Depot, depòt. 

Depth, profondità. 

Describe , v. a. descrivere .

Description , descrizione , f. 

Deserve , v. n. meritare . 

Desire , desiderio . 

Desire , v. a. desiderare ,pregare ; 

see rule 300. 

Despise , v. a. disprezzare . 

Despotic, despotico. 

Dessert , dopopasto. 

Destine , v. a. destinare . 

Detain , v. a. ritenere . 

Determine , v. a. determinare . 

Diamond, diamante , m. 

Dictates , precetti . 

Dictionary , dizionario . 

Die, v. n. morire . 

Difference , differenza . 

Different , differente . 

Difficult , difficile . 

Diligently , diligentemente . 

Diminish , v. n. Diminuire 


Dine , v. n. pranzare . 

Dining -room, sala da pranzo. 

Dinner , pranzo. 

Directly , in un subito. 

Director , direttore . 

Disaffection , scontento . 

Disarm , v. a. disarmare . 

Discernible , potevansi vedere . 

Disconcert , v. a. sconcertare . 

Discover , v. a. scoprire (like Servire ). 

Discovery , scoperta. 

Discussion , discussione , f. 

Disease , malattia . 

Disguise , travestimento . 

Dishonest , disonesto . 

Dishonour , disonore . 

Dismiss , v. a. dar licenza . 

325 

Displease , v.a. dispiacerea . 

Distance , distanza. 

Distant , distante . 

Distinguish , v. a. discernere . 

Divine , divino. 

Do, v. a. fare . 

How do you do ? come sta ? 

or come state ? 

Doctor, dottore. 

Dog, cane . 

Door, porta. 

Down, giù. 

Dozen, dozzina. 

Draw, v. a. disegnare . 

Drawing , disegno . 

Dress, abito, veste . 

Dress, v. a. Vestire . 

One's self, vestirsi (like Servire ). 

Drink , v. a. bere . 

Drinking , il bere . 

Drive , v. a. guidare . 

Droll, originale . 

Ductile , duttile . 

Duel, duello. 

Durable, durabile. 

During, durante. 

Dust, polvere , f. 

Duty, dovere , m. 

Dwarf, nano. 

E 

Each, ogni. 

Eagle, aquila . 

Ear, orecchio . 

Early, per tempo. 

Earn, v. a. guadagnare . 

Earnest, in earnest , sul serio , 

con amore . 

Earth, terra .

Easily, facilmente . 

Eastern, orientale . 

Easy-chair , poltrona. 

Eat, va. mangiare . 

Eating, il mangiare . 

Ecclesiastic , ecclesiastico . 

Education, educazione , f. 

Edward, Odoardo. 

Efface, v. a. cancellare . 

Effect, effetto . 

Egg, uovo. 

Egypt Egitto 

Eight, otto. 

Eighty, ottanta. 

Either , o...o, ovvero...ovvero. 


Encourage, v. a. incoraggiare . Escape, v. n. scappare, 

End (termination ), fine , f. 

Endeavour, sforzo, 

Endow, v. a. dotare. 

Enemy, nemico . 

England, Inghilterra . 

English and Englishman , Inglese . 

Enjoy, v. a. godere. 

Enough, abbastanza. 

Enraged, arrabbiato. 

Enrich, v. a. arricchire (like Finire ). 

Enter, v. n. entrare . 

Enthusiasm , entusiasmo . 

Entirely , intieramente . 

Entreat, v. a. supplicare . 

Entreaty, preghiera . 

Entrenchments , fortificazioni , f. 

Envelope sopracoperto, busta. 

Equal, eguale , simile . 

Equal, v. a. pareggiare . 

Erect, v. a. erigere , innalzare . 

Escape, fuga. 

326 

Elect, v. a. eleggere . 

Election, , f. elezione 

Elephant, elefante . 

Elizabeth, 'Elisabetta. 

Eloquence, eloquenza . 

Elude, v. a. sfuggire . 

Embark, v. n. imbarcarsi . 

Embellishment , abbellimento . 

Emblem, emblema , m. 

Embroider, v. a. ricamare . 

Eminent , eminente . 

Emperor, imperatore . 

Empress, imperatrice . 

Encamp, v. n. accamparsi . 

fuggire (like Servire ). 

Essay, saggio. 

Establish, v. a. Stabilire (like Finire ). 

Esteem , stima . 

Esteem , v. a. stimare . 

Europe, Europa. 

Even, persino . 

Evening , sera . 

Event, evento . 

Ever, mai, sempre . 

Every, ogni. one, ognuno. 

thing , tutto. 

Body, tutti. 

Everywhere , da per tutto. 

Examination , esame , in. 

Excellence , eccellenza . 

Except, eccetto , tranne . 

Excite, v. a. eccitare . 

Excuse, scusa. 

Execration , esecrazione , f. 

Execute, v. a. eseguire (like Finire ).

Exempt, v. a. esentare . 

Exercise , esercizio , tema . 

Exhibition, esposizione , f. 

Exile, esiglio 

Expect, v. a. aspettare . 

Expense, spesa. 

Explain, v. a. spiegare . 

Exploit, gesto (rule 420) 

Extend, v. a. stendere . 

Extent, ampiezza . 

Extraordinary, straordinario . 

Extravagance , stravaganza . 

Extremely , estremamente . 

Eye, occhio. 

F 

Facility , facilità . 

Fair, biondo, bello. 

Faithful , fedele . 

Faithfully , fedelmente . 

Family , famiglia . 

Famous, famoso. 

Far, lontano. 

Farm, podere, m. 

Farther , più lontano. 

Fashion , moda, guisa . 

In the , alla moda. 

Fast, presto. 

Fat, grasso. 

Father , padre. in law, suocero. 

Fault (mistake ), sbaglio, 

(error ), errore . 

Favour, favore . 

Favour, v. a. favorire (like Finire ). 

Favourable, favorevole . 

Favourite , favorito. 

Fear , timore . 

Fear , v. n. temere . 

Fearful , terribile . 

327 

Features , fattezze . 

February, febbraio. 

Federation , federazione . 

Feeling , sentimento . 

Feigned , finto. 

Fellow, compagno. 

Little , birichino . 

Ferdinand, Ferdinando. 

Fern, felce , f. 

Ferocity , ferocità . 

Fertility , fertilità . 

Fetch , v. n. andare a cercare . 

Few, pochi, poche. 

Field, campo. 

Fifteen , quindici . 

Fifth, quinto. 

Fifty, cinquanta . 

Fight, v. n. combattere . 

Figure , figura . 

Filial , filiale . 

Find, v. a. trovare . 

Fine , bello, fino. 

Finish , v. a. finire . 

Fire , fuoco. 

-wood, legna . 

First, primo. 

Fish, pesce . 

Five , cinque . 

Flag, bandiera . 

Flatterer , lusingatori . 

Fleet , flotta. 

Florence , Firenze . 

Flower, fiore , m. 

Flowery, fiorito . 

Fly,v.n.volare , fuggire (like Servire ). 

into a passion, andare in collera 

Follow, v. a. seguire . 

Following, seguente .

Food, cibo, vivanda . 

Foot, piede, m. 

For, per. 

Force, v. a. forzare. 

Foreigner , straniero . 

Forest, foresta . 

Forget, v. n. scordarsi di. 

Forgive , v. a. perdonare. 

Fork, forchetta . 

Form, v. a. formare . 

Former , d'altrevolte . 

Formerly , altre volte. 

Fortress , fortezza. 

Fortune, fortuna. 

Forty, quaranta . 

Found, v. a. fondare. 

Foundation, fondamento. 

Fountain , fontana. 

Four, quattro. 

Fourteen , quattordici. 

Fourteenth , decimo quarto. 

Fourth, quarto. 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN VOCABULARY. 251 

Gain, v. a. guadagnare . 

Gallery , galleria . 

Galley, galera . 

Gamble, v. a. biscazzare . 

Game , giuoco. 

Garden, giardino . 

Gardener , giardiniere . 

Gather , v. a. cogliere . 

Gauntlet , guanto ferrato . 

General , generale . 

In chief , generalissimo . 

Generally , generalmente . 

Generosity , generosità . 

Gentleman , Signore . 

Geography, geografia . 

328 

Fragrance , fragranza . 

Frail, fragile . 

Frame , cornice , f. 

France , Francia . 

Francis , Francesco . 

Frankly , francamente . 

Frederick , Federico . 

Freeze , v. n. gelare . 

French , Francese . 

Frequently , sovente . 

Freshness , freschezza . 

Friday, venerdì . 

Friend , amico . 

Friendship , amicizia . 

From, da. 

Fruit, frutto. 

Fulfil, v. a. adempire . 

Full, pieno. 

Fund, fondo. 

Furnish , v.a. ammobigliare . 

Furniture , mobili . 

George , Giorgio. 

German , Tedesco . 

Get, v. a. guadagnare , ottenere . 

dark, v. i. annottare . 

Gift, dono, regalo . 

Girl, fanciulla , raggazza. 

Give , v. a. dare. 

Glance , occhiata . 

Glass, bicchiere . 

Gloomy, buio, d'apparenza 

melanconica . 

Glorious, glorioso, 

Glory, gloria . 

Glove, guanto. 

Go, v. n. andare .

Out, uscire . 

away, andar via. 

Goat, capra. 

God, Dio, Iddio. 

Gold, oro. 

Good, buono. 

Good-bye, addio. for 

Good-for-nothing fellow, 

buono a niente . 

Goods, beni , roba. 

Govern, v. a. governare . 

Government , governo. 

Governor, governatore . 

Graceful , grazioso. 

Gradually, più e più, gradualmente . 

Grammar , grammatica . 

Grandfather , nonno, avo. 

Grant, v. a. accordare . 

Grapes, uva. 

Grave , grave . 

Gravity , gravità . 

Great , grande. 

A great deal, moltissimo . 

Greatly , moltissimo . 

Greek , Greco. 

Green , verde . 

Grey, grigio . 

Groan, v. n. gemere . 

Ground-floor, . pianterreno 

Guard, guardia. 

Guess, v. n. indovinare . 

Guest, convitato . 

Guide, v. a. guidare . 

Guinea , ghinea ; pl. ghinee . 

Guitar , chitarra . 

Gun, cannone . Fucile , powder 

H 

polvere da cannone . 

329 

Hair, capelli . 

Half, (noun) meta a. 

(Adjective mezzo 

a crown, mezza corona 

Hall, sala. 

Hand, mano, f. 

Handle, manico . 

Handsome, bello, vezzoso. 

Happen, v. n. accadere . 

Happy, felice . 

Harbour, porto. 

Hardship, privazione . 

Harmonious , armonioso . 

Harold, Aroldo. 

Hat, cappello. 

Hate, v. a. odiare . 

Haughty, altiero . 

Have, v. a. avere . 

He, egli , esso. 

Head, testa , capo. 

Health , salute , f. 

Hear, v. a., intendere , sentire 

(like Servire ). 

Heart , cuore 

by heart , a mente . 

Heartily , di cuore . 

Heaven , cielo . 

Heavy, pesante . 

Height , altezza . 

at the all' apice ., 

Help, v. a. aiutare . 

Henry, Enrico. 

Her, lei, essa . 

Here is, ecco qui. 

Here it is, eccolo, eccola . 

Here they are, eccoli , eccole . 

Here , qui, qua. 

Hero, eroe .

Hide, v. a. nascondere . 

High, alto, pronunciato. 

Highly, generosamente . 

Hill, collina . 

Him, lui, lo. 

Himself , egli stesso . 

His, il suo, la sua. 

Historian , storico. 

History, storia . 

Hollow, cavità . 

Home, dimora. 

Homer, Omero. 

Honest, onesto. 

Honesty, onesta . 

Hope, v. a. sperare . 

Horse, cavallo. 

Host, oste. 

Hostile , ostile , nemico . 

Hour, ora. 

House, casa. 

How ? come ? 

many ? quanti ? 

much, quanto 

However , però, nulladimeno . 

Hundred, cento . 

Hunger , fame , f. 

Hurrah ! Evviva ! 

I 

I, io. 

Ice, ghiacco . 


In order to, per, onde. 

Inquisitive , curioso. 

Ingratitude , ingratitudine , f. 

Inhabitant , abitante . 

Ink, inchiostro . stand, calamaio . 

Inn, albergo. 

Innocent , innocente . 

Innumerable , innumerabile . 

330 

Idiot, idiota, sciocco. 

If, se. 

If you please , per piacere . 

Ignorance , ignoranza . 

Illustration , disegno . 

Imitate , v. P. imitare . 

Immediate , immediate . 

Immediately , immediatemente . 

Immense , immenso . 

Importance , importanza . 

Impossible , impossibile . 

Impressive , impressivo . 

Improve , v. n. migliorare . 

Imprudence , imprudenza . 

Imprudent, imprudente . 

In, in, ( hence ), fra. 

Inanimated , inanimato . 

Inch , dito. 

Indeed, in verità . 

Indignation , indignazione , f. 

Induce, v. a. indurre . 

Industry, industria . 

Inferior , inferiore . 

Infirm , infermo . 

Influence , influenza . 

Influence , v. a. influenzare . 

Inform, v. a. istruire (like Finire ). 

Ingenious , ingegnoso . 

Inspire , v. a. inspirare . 

Instead of, in luogo di, in vece di. 

Institution , istituzione , f. 

Instrument , istrumento . 

Insult, v. a. insultare . 

Intelligible , intelligibile .

Intend , v. a. aver l'intenzione , 

fare i conti. 

Interest , interesse . 

Interesting , interessante . 

Internal , interne . 

International , internazionale . 

Interrogate , v. interrogare . 

Intersperse , v. a. framescolare . 

Into, in. 

Intricate , imbrogliato . 

Introduce , v. a. introdurre . 

Invent , v. a. inventare . 

Invention , invenzione , f. 

Invest , v. a. investire (like Servire ). 

Invitation , invito . 

Invite , v. a. invitare . 

Irishman , Irlandese . 

Iron, ferro. 

Wrought , ferro battuto. 

Cast , ghisa . 

Isabella , Isabella . 

Island, isola. 

Issue , successo , impressione , f. 

It, esso, lo, la. 

Italian , Italiano . 

Italy, Italia . 

J 

Jamaica , Giamaica . 

James , Giacomo. 

Jane , Giovanna . 

January , gennaio . 

Jewel , gioia . 

John, Giovanni , 

Joppa, Giappa. 

Journey , viaggio . 

Joy, gioia . 

Judge, giudice . 

Jug, boccale, m. 

331 

Jump, v. n. saltare . 

Jupiter , Giove . 

Just, adj. Giusto, 

adv. (just now) questo momento , 

or appunto. 

Justice , giustizia . 

K 

Keep, v. a. tenere . 

waiting , far aspettare . 

Kill, v. a. uccidere . 

Kind, buono. 

Kind, qualità , sorte, f. 

Kindness , bontà. 

King, re. 

Kneel v. n. inginocchiarsi . 

Knife , coltello. 

Knight, cavaliere . 

Knock, v. a. picchiare , bussare. 

Know, sapere , conoscere . 

Knowledge, conoscenze , sapere . 

L 

Lace , merletto . 

Lady, Signora . Young signorina . 

Lake , lago. 

Lame , v. a. storpiare . 

Landlord, proprietario , padrone. 

Landscape, paesaggio . 

Language , lingua . 

Large , grande, grosso. 

Last, passato. 

night (yesterday evening ) ieri 

sera . 

Last-night , meaning till this 

morning , is translated by " La 

notte scorsa." 

Late , defunto. 

Latter , questo, questi . 

Laugh, v. n. ridere .

Law, legge , f. 

Lay, v. a. mettere . down, deporre. 

the cloth, Luncheon , la seconda 

co-mettere la tovaglia . 

Lean , magro. 

Learn , v. a. imparare . 

by heart , imparare a mente . 

Learning , sapere . 

Leather , cuoio. 

Leave , permissione , f. 

Leave , v. a. lasciare . 

Lecture , discorso, lettura . 

Lemon , limone , m. 

Lend, v. a. prestare . 

Length , lunghezza . 

At finalmente . 

Less , meno . 

Lesson , lezione , f. 

Lest , per paura che (see rule 733). 

Letter , lettera . 

Liberty , libertà . 

Life , vita . 

Light , leggero . 

Light , v. a accendere . 

Like , come , simile . 

Like , v. a. amare , and a re a genio . 

Likeness , ritratto . 

Likewise , parimente .anche . 

Lily, giglio . 

Limb, membro . 

Line , linea , 

riga (of writing or print). 


Majestic , maestoso . 

Man, uomo. of letters , letterato . 

Majesty , maestà . 

Make , v. a. fare . 

Haste, affrettarsi . 

up one's mind, deciders !. 

332 

Lion, leone . 

Listen , v. n. ascoltare . 

Literary , letterario , letterato . 

Little , piccolo. 

Live , v. n. vivere . 

Load, v. a. caricare . 

Loadstone, calamità . 

Lodge, v. n. alloggiare . 

Lofty, alto, sublime . 

London, Londra. 

Lonely , isolate . 

Long, lungo. 

Look, v. a. guardare . 

upon, considerare . 

out, cercar degli occhi . 

Looking -glass, specchio . 

Lord, conte , marchese . 

Lose, v. a. perdere . 

Loss, perdita. 

Louis, Luigi . 

Louisa , Luigia . 

Love, amore , m. 

Love, v. a. amare . 

Lowest, infimo . 

Luncheon la seconda colazione , 

merenda . 

Lustre , lustro. 

M 

Madeline , Maddalena. 

Magazine , rivista , magazzino . 

Magnificent , magnifico . 

Mankind , genere umano. 

Manly, virile . 

Manner , maniera , usanza. 

Manufacture , v. a. fabbricare .

Many, molti . 

Marble, marm o. 

Margaret , Margherita . 

Mariner , marinaro . 

Mark , pegno. 

Mark , v. a. marcare . 

Market , mercato . 

Marry, v. a. sposare. 

Mars, Marte . 

Marsh, palude, f. 

Martial , marziale . 

Mary, Maria . 

Master , maestro , padrone, 

(see rule 146) 

piece , capo-lavoro. 

Match, zolfanello. 

Mathematics , matematica . 

Matter , materia . 

May, maggio . 

Me, mi, me, a me. 

Meadow, prato. 

Means , mezzo. 

Measure , misura . 

Meet , or meet with, v. a. incontrare . 

Meeting , riunione . 

Melodious, melodioso. 

Melt, v. a. fondere . 

Member , membro , pl. membri , 

or membra (rule 420). 

Memory , memoria . 

Mercury , Mercurio . 

Mere , puro, mero . 

Merit , merito . 

Messenger , messaggiero . 

Metal , metallo . 

Microscope , microscopic . 

Midnight , mezzanotte . 

Mildness , dolcezza. 

333 

Mile , miglio , plur. miglia . 

Milk jug, boccale da latte . 

Mind, spirito, mente , f. 

Mind, v. a. badare a. 

Mine , il mio, la mia, &c. 

Mineral , minerale , m. 

Minister , ministro . 

For Foreign Affairs , Ministro degli 

Affari Esteri. 

Minute , minuto . 

Mischief , male . 

Misfortune , disgrazia . 

Miss, v. a. mancare . 

Mistake , sbaglio. 

Moderate , moderate . 

Modesty, modestia . 

Moment , momento . 

Monarch, monarca . 

Monday, lunedì. 

Money, danaro, soldi. 

Monkey , scimia . 

Month, mese , m. 

Moor, landa, brughiera . 

Moralist , moralista . 

More, più. 

Morning , mattina . 

Mosaic , mosaico (rule 410). 

Most, il piii . 

Mother , madre . in-law, suocera . 

Motive , motivo. 

Mountain , montagna . 

Mouth, bocca. 

Mouthful, boccata. 

Mr., Signore . 

Mrs., Signora . 

Much, molto. 

Mufti, alla borghese . 

Multitude , moltitudine , f.

Municipal , municipale . 

Museum , museo . 

Music , musica . 

Must. I must,debbo. 

we must, dobbiamo, &c. 

My, il mio, la mia, i miei . 

Mysterious , misterioso . 

Mythology, mitologia . 

N 

Name , nome . 

Naples, Napoli. 

Napoleon, Napoleone . 

Narrate , v. a. raccontare . 

Narrow, stretto . 

Nation , nazione . 

National , nazionale . 

Natural , naturale . 

Nature , natura . 

Navigation , navigazione . 

Navigator , navigatore . 

Near , vicino . 

Nearly , quasi. 

Necessary , necessario . 

Necessity , necessità . 

Necklace , monile , vezzo. 

Needle , ago. 

Negro, negro . 

dealer , mercante di schiavi . 

Neighbourhood, vicinato . 

Neighbouring , nel vicinato . 

Neither , ne. 

Nephew , nipote. 

Neptune Nettuno . 

Nest , nido. 

Never , non...mai, no, mai. 

New, nuovo. 

born, pur mo' nato. 

News , nuova, notizie . 

334 

paper, giornale . 

Next, prossimo. 

Nibble, v. a. morsecchiare . 

Nice , Nizza. 

Night , notte, f. 

Nine , nove. 

Ninth , nono. 

No, no. body, nessuno . 

doubt, senza dubbio, senz'altro . 

longer , non...più. 

Noble, nobile. 

Noise , rumore , strepito . 

Nonsense , sciocchezze , spropositi. 

Noon, mezzogiorno . 

Nor, ne. 

Norman , Normanno . 

Normandy, Normandia . 

North, tramontana , settentrione . 

Not, non. 

Nothing , niente , nulla. 

Nourish , nutrire . 

Now, adesso, ora. 

Number , numero . 

Numerous , numeroso . 

O 

O'clock, dell' orologio 

.—Six alle sei (see rule 548). 

Obey, v. a. ubbidire (like Finire ). 

Observe , v. a. osservare . 

Obtain, v. a. ottenere . 

Occasion , occasione . 

October, ottobre. 

Odd, singolare , bizzarro. 

Of, di. 

Off, in vista di. 

Offend, v. a. offendere . 

Offer, v. a. offrire (like Servire ).

254 

ENGLISH-ITALIAN VOCABULARY. 

Office , carica , officio. 

Officer , ufficiale . 

Often, sovente , spesso. 

Old, vecchio . 

Olive , uliva . tree , ulivo. 

On, su, sopra. 

behalf of, in favore di. 

Once, una volta. 

At , subito. 

One, uno, una. 

Only, solo, solamente , non ...che. 

Open, aperto. 

Open, v. a. aprire (like Servire ). 

Opera, Opera. 

Operation , operazione , f. 

Opposite, opposta. 

Opulence , opulenza 

Or, o, ovvero, ossia . 

Orange and orange -tree , arancio . 

Orator, oratore . 

Orchard, pometo. 

Order, ordine , m. 

Order, v. a. commandare . 

Origin , origine , f. 

Original , originale . 

Other, altro. 

Otherwise , altrimenti . 

Our, il nostro, &c. 

Ourselves , noi stessi . 

Oval, ovale . 

Over, sopra, di sopra. 

Overturn , sovvertere , rovesciare . 

Owe, v. n. dovere . 

Own, proprio. 

P 

Pace , passo. 

335 

Pain , male , dolore, m. 

Painful , doloroso. 

Paint brush, pennello . 

Paint , v. a. dipingere . 

Painter , pittore. 

Painting , pittura, quadro. 

Pair , paio, coppia. 

Palace , palazzo. 

Paper, carta. 

Parasol, ombrellino . 

Parchment , pergamena , 

carta pecora. 

Pardon, v. a. perdonare a. 

Parent , padre, madre , genitore . 

Paris , Parigi . 

Park, parco. 

Parliament (member of),deputato al 

parlamento . 

Parlour, salotto. 

Part, parte, f., porzione , f. 

Partner , socio. 

Partridge , pernice , f. 

Pass, v. n. passare . 

Passenger , passaggero. 

Passion , passione , f. 

Past, passato. 

Pasture , v. a. pasturare . 

Patience , pazienza . 

Paul, Paolo. 

Pay, v. a. pagare. 

attention to, badare a. 

Peace , pace, f. 

Pear , pera. 

Pearl , perla. 

Peculiarities , singolarità . 

Pedestal , piedestallo .

Pekin , Pechino . 

Pen, penna. 

Pencil , lapis, m., matita . 

case , porta-lapis. 

Penetration , acume . 

Penknife , temperino . 

Penny , due soldi. 

Pension , pensione , f. 

People, popolo, gente . 

Perfectly , perfettamente . 

Perform , v. a. (to fulfil), ad empire . 

To perform, (to play) prodursi. 

Perhaps, forse. 

Perpetual , perpetuo. 

Perseverance , perseveranza . 

Person , persona. 

Personage , personaggio . 

Personal , personale . 

Philosopher , filosofo. 

Piano , pianoforte . 

Pickpocket , borsaiuolo. 

Picture , quadro, pittura. 

Picturesque , pittoresco. 

Piece , pezzo. 

Pierce , v. a. forare . 

Pincushion , cuscinetto per le spille . 

Pink , garofano. 

Place , luogo, sito, posto. 

Place , v. a. porre. 

Plain , pianura , chiaro . 

Planet , pianeta , m. 

Platinum , platino. 

Play, v. a. giuocare . 

on an instrument , suonare . 

Plead, piatire (like Finire ). 

Pleasing , piacevole . 

Pleasure , piacere . 

Plot, congiura , trama . 

336 

Plunder, v. a. (persons) svaligiare 

(habitations ), saccheggiare . 

Pocket , tasca, scarsella . 

Poem , poema, m. 

Poet, poeta. 

Poetry, poesia . 

Point, v. a. indicare . 

Poison, veleno . 

Policeman , agente di polizia, sbirro. 

Policy, politica . 

Polite , civile , cortese . 

Politics , politica . 

Pomp, pompa. 

Poor, povero. 

Pope, papa. 

Popular, popolare. 

Popularity, popolarità. 

Port, porto. 

Portrait , ritratto . 

Positively , positivamente . 

Possess , v. a. possedere . 

Possession , possessione , f. 

Possible, possibile. 

Post (for letters ), posta ; 

(place), posto. 

Postage -stamp, francobollo. 

Posterity , posterità . 

Posture , posizione , f. 

Pound, libbra, lira (see rule 656). 

Poverty, povertà. 

Powder, polvere , f. 

Power, potere, m. 

Practise , v. a. practicare , esercitarsi . 

Praise , lode. 

Praise , v. a. lodare. 

Precede , precedere . 

Precious , prezioso. 

Precipice , precipizio .

Precipitous , precipitoso. 

Prefer , preferire , v. a. (like Finire ). 

Prejudicial , pregiudicativo . 

Preparation , preparative . 

Prepare , v. a. preparare . 

Present , dono, regalo . 

Present , v. a. presentare . 


Prey, preda. 

Prudence , prudenza. 

Price , prezzo, valore . 

Pride one's -self, v. r. inorgoglirsi . 

Prince , principe . 

Princess , principessa . 

Principal , principale . 

Principle , principio . 

Print , v. a. stampare . 

Printing , stampa. 

Prison , prigione , f. 

Probably, probabilmente . 

Procession , processione , f. 

Produce, prodotto. 

Produce, v. a. produrre. 

Production, produzione, f. 

Profit, v. n. profittare . 

Profusion, profusione , f. 

Progress , progresso. 

Promise , v. a. promettere . 

Proof, prova. 

Property, proprietà, beni . 

Proportioned, proporzionato. 

Proposal, proposizione, f. 

Propose, v. a. proporre. 

Prospect, prospettiva,vista . 

Prosperous, prospero. 

Proud, orgoglioso. 

Prove, v. a. provare. 

Provision , provvisione , f. 

Provoke , v. a. provocare. 

337 

Preserve , v. a. preservare . 

President , presidente . 

Pretty, bello, vago. 

Prevent , v. a. evitare , impedire 


Previous , prima di. 

Prudently,prudentemente . 

Prussia , Prussia . 

Prussian , Prussiano . 

Public, pubblico. 

Punish , v. a. punire (like Finire ). 

Pupil, scolare , allievo . 

Purchase , compra. 

Pure, puro, semplice . 

Purpose, inter .done. 

On, a disegno . 

Pursue , v. a. inseguire . 

Pursuit , incalzo . 

Put, v. a. Mettere . 

off, indugiare . v. n. 

Q 

Quantity, quantità . 

Queen , regina . 

Question (see rule 306). 

Quickly, presto. 

Quietly, tranquillamente . 

Quill, penna d'oca. 

Quire, quinterno di carta. 

Quite, affatto, interamente . 

R 

Rage, rabbia. 

Rain, pioggia. 

Rain, v. i. Piovere . 

Rapaciousness , rapacità . 

Raphael, Raffaello.

Raven , corvo. 

Ravine , burrone, m. 

Re-enter , v. n. rientrare . 

Reach , v. a. giungere . 

Read, v. a. leggere . 

Reading -room, sala di lettura . 

Ready, pronto. 

Really, realmente . 

Reason , ragione , f. senno . 

Recall , v. a. richiamare . 

Receive , v. a. ricevere . 

Recognise , v. a. riconoscere . 

Recommend , v. a. raccommandare . 

Red, rosso. 

Reflect , v. a. riflettere . 

Regular , regolare . 

Reign , v. a. regnare . 

Reindeer , cervo (della Lapponia). 

Rejoice , v. a. rallegrarsi . 

Relation , parente , m. 

Religion , religione , f. 

Remain , v. n. rimanere , restare . 

Remark , v. a. Far osservare , dire. 

Remarkably , notevolmente . 

Remember , v. n. ricordarsi . 

Remote , rimoto . 

Renowned, rinomato . 

Repent, v. n. pentirsi . 

Reply, v. a. rispondere . 

Report, rapporto. 

of a gun, lo strepito d'un 

cannone . 

Repose, v. r. riposarsi . 

Represent , v. a. rappresentare . 

Republic, repubblica. 

Reputation , riputazione . 

Request , richiesta , domanda. 

Request , v. a. domandare. 

338 

Resemble , v. a. somigliare . 

Resist , v. a. resistere . 

Resolve , v. a. risolvere . 

Resound, v. a. risupnare , 

rimbombare . 

Respect, rispetto . 

Respectful , rispettoso. 

Respectfully , rispettosamente . 

Respective , rispettiva . 

Restoration , restaurazione . 

Restore , v. a. rendere . 

Result, risultamento . 

Resume , v. a. ripigliare . 

Retire , v. n. ritirarsi . 

Return , ritorno. 

Return , v. n. ritornare , scambiare , 

rispondere . 

Reveal , v. a. rivelare . 

Review , rivista . 

Revolution , rivoluzione , f. 

Reward, ricompensa , taglia . 

Ribbon, nastro, fettuccia . 

Rich, ricco. 

Richard, Riccardo. 

Riches , ricchezze . 

Ride, v. n. cavalcave , 

andare a cavallo, 

Right, diritto. 

Ring, anello . 

Ring. v. a. and n. suonare . 

Ripe, maturo. 

Rise , v. n. levarsi . 

River , fiume , m. riviera . 

Rivulet , ruscellino . 

Road, strada, cammino . 

Robber, ladro. 

Rock, roccia , rupe, balza. 

Roman, Romano.

Romantic , romantico . 

Rome, Roma. 

Romulus, Romolo. 

Room, camera , stanza. 

Drawing , salone . 

Rose, rosa. 

Rural, campestre . 

Round, adj. rotondo, 

S 

prep. attorno, intorno . 

Sack , v. a. saccheggiare . 

Rout, v. a. sfrattare . 

Safe , adj. sano. 

Royal, reale , regale . 

Safety , sicurezza . 

Rude, grossolano, zotico, 

Sail , v. a. far vela . 

impertinente . 


Sailing -vessel , bastimento a vela . 

Sailor , marinaio . 

Second, secondo. 

Saladin , Saladino. 

Salary , stipendio . 

Same , medesimo , stesso . 

Saracen , Saraceno . 

Sardinia , Sardegna . 

Satin , raso. 

Satisfied , soddisfatto, contento . 

Satisfy , v. a. soddisfare. 

Saturday, sabato. 

Saturn , Saturno. 

Save , v. a. salvare . 

Saxon, Sassone . 

Scale , bilancia , guscio. 

Scene , scena , teatro . 

Scheme , progetto. 

School, scuola. 

Science , scienza . 

Scorn, disprezzo. 

Scotland, Scozia . 

Sculptor, scultore . 

Sculpture, scultura . 

Sea, mare . coast, spiaggia del mare . 

Season , stagione , f. 

Seat -one's -self, v. n. sedersi . 

339 

Rudely, rozzamente . 

Ruin, rovina . 

Ruin, v. a. rovinare . 

Rule, regola . 

Run, v. n. correre . 

Secretary , secretario . 

Secretly , segretamente . 

See, v. a. vedere . again , rivedere . 

Seek , or seek for, v. a. cercare . 

after , ricercare . 

Seem , v. n. parere , sembrare . 

Seldom, di rado, raramente . 

Sell , v. a. vendere . 

Send, v. a. mandare . 

Sentry , sentinella , m. and f. 

Separate , v.a. disgiungere . 

Servant , servo . 

Service , servizio . 

Seven , sette . 

Seventeen ,diciassette 

Seventy ,. settanta . 

Several , molti , parecchi . 

Severely , severamente . 

Sew, v. a. cucire . 

again , ricucire . 

Shadow, ombra. 

Shame , vergogna . 

Share , parte, f. 

She, ella , essa .

Sheep , pecora. 

Sheet , foglio. 

Shield , scudo. 

Shilling , scellino . 

Ship, nave , f. vascello . 

Shop, bottega. 

Shore , spiaggia , lido. 

Short, corto. 

Show, v. a. mostrare . 

Shudder, v. n. tremare . 

Shut, shut up, v. a. chiudere . 

Side , parte, f. 

Side -board, credenza . 

Siege , assedio . 

Sight , vista , prospettiva. 

By , di vista . 

Silver , argento . 

Simple , semplice . 

Simplicity , semplicità . 

Since , di poi, dà, poiché . 

since that, dacchè. 

Sing , v. a. cantare . 

Singer , cantante . 

Single , solo, semplice . 

Sir, Signore . 

Sire , Sire . 

Sister , sorella . 

Sister -in-law, cognata. 

Sit, v. n. sedere , sedersi . 

Situation , situazione , f. 

Six, sei. 

Sixth , sesto. 

Sixty, sessanta . 

Sketch , schizzo. 

Skip about, v. n. saltellare . 

Slate , lavagna . 

Sleep , v. n. dormire (like Servire ). 

Slow, slowly, adagio. 

340 

Small , piccolo. 

Smile , v. n. ridere . 

Snow, neve . 

Snow, v. i. nevicare . 

So, così. 

Society , società . 

Soldier , soldato. 

Solon, Solone. 

Some , del, dello, &c., alcuno, &c. , 

qualche , poco (po'). 

Something , qualche cosa.. 

Sometimes , qualche volta. 

Son, figlio . 

Song, canzone , f. 

Sonnet , sonetto. 

Soon, tosto, presto. 

Sound, suono, rimbombo. 

Source , sorgente , f. 

South, mezzogiorno . 

Spain, Spagna. 

Spanish , spagnuolo. 

Spare, v. a. risparmiare . 

Speak , v. a. parlare . 

Speaker , oratore . 

Special , speciale . 

Species , spezie . 

Speculation , speculazione ,f. 

Speech , discorso. 

Spend, v. a. spendere . 

Spirited , animato . 

Spite , rancore , m. 

In spite of, ad onta di. 

Splendid, magnifico . 

Spoil, v. a. guastare . 

Sport, divertimento . 

Spread, v. a. distendere . 

Spring (season ), primavera . 

(source ), fonte, sorgente .

Squander, v. a. scialacquare . 

Stage , scena , teatro . 

Staircase , scala. 

Star, stella . 

Start, v. n. partire . up, saltar su. 

State , stato. 

Statement , dichiarazione , f. 

Statue , statua. 

Steal , v. a. rulare . 

Steam -boat, battello a vapore. 

Steel , acciaio . 

Steward, castaldo. 

Stick , bastone, m. 

Still , adv. eppure. 

Still , v. a. quietare . 

Stock, v. a. fornire . 

Stone , pietra , sasso. 

Stop, v. a. and n. fermare , fermarsi . 


Study, v. a. studiare . 

Superfluous, superfluo. 

Style , stile , in. 

Subject (of a monarch ), suddito. 

Substance , materia . 

Succeed , v. n. riuscire , succedere 

(see rule 258). 

Success , successo , esito . 

Succession , successione , f. 

Such, tale . a, un tale . 

as, tale quale. 

Sudden, improvviso . 

Suddenly, all' improvviso . 

Suffer , v. n. soffrire (like Servire ), 

patire (like Finire ). 

Sufficiently , abbastanza. 

Suggest , v. a. suggerire (like Finire ). 

Sum, somma . 

Summer , estate , f. 

Sun, sole, m. 

341 

Story, storiella . 

Stout, grosso. 

Straight , diritto. 

Strange , strano, bizzarro. 

Stranger , forestiero . 

Strawberry , fragola. 

Stream , ruscello , riviera . 

Street , strada, via. 

Strength , robustezza, forza, fortezza, 

potere, m. 

Strike , sciopero. 

Strike , v. a. battere , ferire 


Strikingly , sorprendentemente . 

Strong, forte, potente . 

Student, scolare , alunno. 

Study, studio. 

Superstition , superstizione . 

Support, in support, per corroborare. 

Support, v. a. sostenere , Sopportare. 

Suppose, v. a. supporre. 

Sure , sicuro , certo. 

Surface , superficie , f. 

Surprise , v. a. sorprendere . 

Surround, v. a. circondare . 

Surrounding , circonvicino . 

Sustain , v. n. subire (like Finire ). 

Sweet , dolce. 

Sweetheart , amante . 

Swim (about), v. n. guizzare . 

Switzerland , Svizzera . 

Sword, spada. 

T 

Table , tavola. 

Take , v. a. prendere .

a walk, fare una passeggiata . 

care , aver cura. 

off, levare , or levarsi . 

away, condur via. 

Talent , talento . le tue. 

Talk , v. a. Chiacchierare . 

Talker , parlatore, ciarlone . 

Tall, grande, alto. 

Tartary , Tartaria . 

Tax, taxation , tassa. rule 602). 

Tea, te. cup, tazza da te. 

Teach , v. a. insegnare . 

Telescope , cannocchiale ,m. 

Tell , v. a. dire. 

Temptation , tentazione , f. 

Ten, dieci . 

Tend, v. n. inclinare 

Terror , spavento. 

Than , che. 

Thank , v. a. ringraziare . 

That , quello, quel, quella, che. 

The, il, lo, la, &c. 

Theatre , teatro . 

Theatrical , teatrale . 

Theft , ladrocinio . 

Their , il loro, la loro, &c. 

Them , loro, essi , esse . 

Then (at that time ), allora. 

Then (therefore ), dunque. 

There are, ci sono, or 

There is, c'è, or v'è. vi sono, &c. 

There , là, lì. 

These , questi , queste . 

They , eglino , elleno , essi . 

Thief , ladro. 

Thimble , ditale , m. 

Thing , cosa. 

Think (of), v. n. pensare a, credere . 

342 

Third , terzo. 

Thirteen , tredici . 

Thirty , trenta . 

This , questo, questa. 

Thomas , Tommaso . 

Thorn , spina. 

Thoroughly , completamente . 

Those , quelli , quei , quelle . 

Thou, tu. 

Though , quantunque , sebbene . 

Thought , pensiero . 

Thousand, mille , migliaio . 

Thread , filo. 

Three , tre. 

Throw, v. a. gettare . 

Through , per, a traverso . 

Thunder , tuono. 

Thursday, giovedi . 

Thy, il tuo, la tua, i tuoi, 

Ticket , biglietto . 

Tiger , tigre , f. 

Till , fino, infino . 

Time , tempo, volta 

(see Twice , due volte. 

Tint , tinta , colore, m. 

Tired , stanco. 

Title , titolo. 

To, a verbal prefix, is not translated 

(see rules 226 and 227) 

To, prep, a or onde (see rule 225). 

To-day, oggi. 

To-morrow, domani. 

after , posdomani. 

Together , insieme . 

Token , segno. 

Too, anche . 

Too (meaning too much), troppo. 

Tooth, dente .

Top, sommità , vetta . 

Torrent , torrente . 

Toulon, Tolone . 

Towards, verso . 

Tower , torre, f. 

Town, citta . 

Trace , traccia . 

Tract , tratto. 

Trade , mestiere , m. Commercio . 

By , di mestiere . 

Tradition , tradizione , f. 

Tragedy , tragedia . 

Train , treno , traino . 

Train , v. a. allevare , istruire . 

Traitor , traditore . 

Translate , v. a. tradurre . 

Translation , traduzione , f. 

Transmit , v.a. trasmettere . 

Travel , v. n. viaggiare . 

Treasure , tesoro. 

Tree , albero. 


U 

Unpardonable, imperdonabile . 

Ugly, brutto. 

Unsheath , v. a. sguainare . 

Umbrella , ombrello. 

Until, fino. 

Uncle , zio. 

Up, upon, su, sopra. 

Uncommon , straordinario . 

up and down, su e giù. 

Under, sotto. 

Uranus, Urano. 

Understand, v. a. capire (like Finire ). Us, noi. 

Understanding , ingegno . 

Use (to be accustomed ), v. n. solere . 

Undertake , v. a. intraprendere . 

To use (to make use of), v. a. 

Undertaking , impresa . 

servirsi di. 

Unfortunate , sfortunato. 

To use (to wear out), v. a. usare . 

Unfortunately , sfortunatamente . Useful, Utile . 

Uniform , uniforme , m. 

Useless , inutile . 

Universal , universale . 

V 

University , università . 

Vain , vano, inutile . In , invano . 

Unless , a meno che. 

343 

Trifles , coserelle . 

Triumphant , trionfante . 

Troops, truppe, esercito . 

Trouble, fatica . 

Troy, Troia . 

True , vero. 

Trunk , tronco, baule. 

Trust , v. a. confidare . 

one's -self, confidarsi . 

Truth , verità . 

Tune , aria . 

Turbot, rombo. 

Turk , Turkish , Turco. 

Turmoil , fracasso. 

Tutor, precettore , maestro . 

Twelve , dodici. 

Twenty , venti . 

Twilight , crepuscolo. 

Two, due. 

Tyrant , tiranno . 

Valour, valore , m.

Valuable, prezioso. 

Variety , varietà . 

Vase , vaso. 

Vast, vasto. 

Venice , Venezia . 

Venus , Venere . 

Verb, verbo. 

Verdure , verdura. 

Verse , verso , poesia . 

Blank , verso sciolto. 

Very, molto, assai . 

much, moltissimo . 

Soon, presto, fra poco. 

Vessel , vascello , nave , f. 

Vice , vizio . 

Vicious , vizioso . 

Victim , vittima . 

Victory, vittoria . 

View , vista prospettiva.v. a. 

esaminare . 

Village , villaggio . 

Vinditive , vindicativo . 

Virtue , virtù , f. 

Visit , v. a. visitare . 

Vivacity , vivacità . 

Vivid, vivido, allegro . 

Voice , voce, f. 

Volcano, vulcano. 

Vote, v. a. votare . 

W 

Waistcoat , panciotto, sottoveste , gile . 

Wait, v. n. aspettare . 

Waiter , garzone . 

Wales, Gallia . 

Walk, passeggiata . 

Walk, v. n. camminare . 

Wall, muro. 

Wallet, valigia . 

344 

Wander, v. a. vagare . 

Want, mancanza . 

Want, v. n. abbisognare di. 

War, guerra . 

Warble, v. a. cantare . 

Warlike , bellicoso. 

Warm, caldo, ardente . 

Warmly, affezionatamente . 

Warrior , guerriero . 

Wash (one's -self), v. r. lavarsi . 

Watch, oriuolo. 

Water, acqua. 

Soda , acqua di seltz. 

Water, v. a. annaffiare . 

Wave, onda. 

Way,strada,modo,maniera . 

We, noi. 

Weapon, arma . 

Wear, v. a. portare. 

Weather , tempo. 

Wednesday, mercoledì . 

Week , settimana . 

Weight , peso. 

Well ! Ebbene ! 

Well, bene . 

Western , occidentale . 

What, che, che cosa, quale, ciò che. 

Whatever , checche . 

When, quando. 

Whence , donde. 

Where , dove. 

Wherever , ovunque. 

Whether , se. 

Which , che, quale. 

While , whilst , mentre . 

White , bianco. 

Who, he who, chi. 

Whole, tutto.

Whom, cui, quale, &c. 

Whose, di che, del quale, &c. 


Why ? perché ? 

Wide, largo. 

Widower, vedovo. 

Wife , moglie . 

William , Guglielmo . 

Wind, vento . 

Window, finestra 

Wine , vino. 

Winter , inverno . 

Wise , saggio, savio . 

Wisely , saviamente . 

Wish (to desire ), v. a. bramare , 

desiderare . 

To wish (to somebody else ), v. a. 

augurare . 

Wit, ingegno , spirito, bell' ingegno . 

With, con. 

Without, senza , fuori. 

Witness , v. a. assistere a. 

Witty, spiritoso. 

Woman, donna. 

Wonderful, meraviglioso . 

Wood, bosco. 

259 VOCABULARY. 

PART II. ITALIAN ENGLISH. 

A 

A, to, at. 

Abbandonata, abandoned. 

Accanto, at the side of. 

Acqua, water . 

Acre , air (see page 114). 

Addorme, v. a. lulls to sleep . 

Affanna, he afflicts . 

Affanno, affanni , sorrow, sorrows. 

Affetti , affections . 

345 

Wool, lana. 

Word, parola. 

Work, lavoro. 

Work, v. a. lavorare . 

Workman , operaio. 

World, mondo. 

Worst, peggiore . 

Worthy, degno. 

Wound, ferita . 

Write , v. a. scrivere 

Writing -desk, scrittoio . 

Writing -paper, carta da scrivere . 

Y 

Yard, braccio. 

Year , anno. 

Yellowish , giallognolo. 

Yes, si. 

Yesterday , ieri . 

Yet, ancora. 

Yield, v. a. cedere . 

You, voi, ella . 

Young, giovane . 

man, giovinotto . 

Your, vostro. 

self, voi, voi medesimo . 

Affidi, you trust. 

Affretta , she hastens . 

Ahi '! alas ! 

Al, all', alle , ai, to the. 

Alba, dawn. 

Allegrati , rejoice . 

Alma, soul, mind (see page 114). 

Almen , at least . 

Alpe, Alpi, Alps.

Alta, high . 

Altar, altar. 

Altezza, height . 

Altier , proud. 

Altro,other , another . che, more than. 

Altrui , others . 

Ama, he loves. 

Amator, lover. 

Ambo, ambe, both. 

Amico , friendly . 

Ammiro , I admire . 

Amor, amore , love. 

Amorosa, love inspiring . 

Anche , anch' , also. 

Ancor, also. 

Andar, gait. 

Anelo , breathless . 

Angelica , angelic . 

Angusta, narrow. 

Anima , soul. 

Anno, anni , year , years . 

Ansia , anxiety . 

Appare, it appears. 

Appena, scarcely . 

Appressar, approaching. 

Aprile , April, spring. 

Arbitro, judge. 

Arboscello, shrub. 

Ardea, it was burning. 

Ardiscon, they dare. 

Ardor, warmth . 

Ardua, difficult. 

Arena , arene , sands, shores . 

Argento , silver . 

Aria , air. 

Armato, armed . 

Aroma, fragrance . 

Arsi , I burnt. 

346 

Ascolta, listen . 

Aspettando, awaiting . 

Assalse , it assailed . 

Assise (si), placed himself . 

Assonna , it lulls to sleep . 

Attende , he awaits . 

Atterra , he prostrates. 

Attonita , astonished . 

Aura, breeze (see page 114). 

Aurati , golden. 

Aureo, golden. 

Auretta , gentle breeze 

(see page 114). 

Aurora, dawn. 

Avanza, it advances . 

Avea , I had. 

Avvezza , accustomed . 

Avvien , it happens. 

Avvio, it sent him. 

Avvolgea , twisted. 

Avvolve (s') coils up. 

Azzurrina , azure . 

B 

Bacia , it kisses . 

Bagni, it bathes. 

Ballo, ball, dance. 

Basso, low. 

Battaglia , battle. 

Beate , happy. 

Bel, bello, bella, bell', bei, begli, 

beautiful . 

Bellezza , beauty. 

Belta, beauty, beauties 

(see page 114). 

Ben e ver, it is quite true . 

Ben, love. 

Benchè , although. 

Bene , blessing .

Benefattor , benefactor . 

Benefica , beneficent . 

Benignamente , kindly. 

Braccio, braccia , arm, arms . 

Brando, sword. 

Brillar , to shine . 

Brine , hoar-frosts. 

C 

Cada, it falls. 

Cadde, he, it fell. 

Cagione , cause . 

260 ITALIAN-ENGLISH VOCABULARY. 

Caro, cari , dear. 

Colline , hills . 

Casti , chaste , pure. 

Cavalli , horses . 

Cedrati , citron trees . 

Celere , rapid. 

Celeste , heavenly . 

Ceneri , ashes . 

Che, ch', 

who, that, what, which , so that. 

Che, for, why. 

Chi, who, he who, whom. 

Chiama , he, it calls. 

Chiamando , calling . 

Chiare , clear . 

Chiede , he asks . 

Chiesi , I asked . 

Chinati , bent down. 

Chiniam , we bend low. 

Chino (si), it beni itself . 

Chiude , it encircles . 

Chiuse , he ended, finished . 

Cielo , ciel , sky, heavens . 

Cinta , girt. 

Circonfusa , bathed. 

Codardo, cowardly. 

Col, coll', co', with the. 

347 

Calpestar , to trample on. 

Calpesto, trodden upon. 

Campo, campi, field, fields. 

Cangiar , to change . 

Cantico , song. 

Canto, song. 

Canzone , canzoni , song, songs. 

Capei , hair (see page 114). 

Capo, head. 

Color, colours. 

Colora, it colours. 

Coltrice , bed (lit. coverlet ). 

Come , how, as if, like . 

Commosso, moved. 

Compianga ,you sympathise with. 

Comune , common . 

Con, with. 

Conchiglia , sea shell . 

Concitato , rapid. 

Conflitto, conflict . 

Confuso, confused, intermingled . 

Consegno , I consign . 

Conserte , crossed. 

Consola, gives consolation . 

Contende , it objects. 

Comrade , countries . 

Contro, against . 

Convalli , valleys . 

Coralli , corals. 

Core, cor, heart . 

Coronata, crowned. 

Cosa, thing , being . 

Così, thus, even so. 

Creator , creating .

Crede , it believes . 

Crederò , I shall think . 

Croce , cross. 

Crudele , cruel . 

Cruenta , blood-stained . 

Cui, whom, which . 

Cumulo, heap. 

Cuor, cuore , heart . 

Cura, care . 

D 

Da, from, by. 

Da, she gives . 

Dal, dall' dai, dagli, from the. 

Danni , ills, woes. 

Danze, dances. 

Dar, to give . 

Dato, (having ) given . 

Degradato, degraded. 

Dei, gods. 

Del, della, dell', dei, de', degli, of the. 

Deserta , deserted . 

Desir , desires . 

Desto, it kindled . 

Destra , right . 

Di, d', of. 

Di, day, days. 

Dice , he, she says, names . 

Dicendo, saying . 

Diciam , we say. 

Difende , it defends. 

Diletto , delight , pleasure . 

Dimmi , tell me, bid me. 

Dio, God. 

Dipinto, painted. 

Dir, v. a. to say. 

Dirmi , to tell me. 

Discorda, it is out of harmony . 

Disdegna , she disdains. 

348 

Disegno , design . 

Disotto, under. 

Dispero, he lost hope. 

Diversa , different . 

Divien , it becomes . 

Divina , heavenly . 

Divisa , divided. 

Dolcezza, sweetness . 

Dolci, sweet . 

Donde, whence . 

Donna, woman, lady. 

Dono, gift. 

Dopo, after . 

Dov', dove, where . 

Dovunque, wherever . 

Drappello, troop of soldiers . 

Dubbiosi, anxious . 

Duce, duke, leader 

Due, two. 

Dunque, then . 

Dura, it lasts. 

E, ed, and. 

E, he, she, it is. 

Ecco, behold. 

Egli, he. 

Ella, she. 

Empi, you fill. 

Era, it was. 

Erano, they were . 

Erbetta, grass. 

Erma, secluded. 

Erra, it wanders. 

Esca, food, bait. 

Esecrando, esecranda , execrable . 

Esiglio, exile . 

Essi, they . 

Estreme , last. 

Eterne , eterni , eternal .

Fa, makes . Si fa, it makes itself . 

Falso, false . 

Fanti , foot-soldiers . 

Fare , far, to make , to do. 

Farsi , to make itself . 

Fate, fairies . 

Fato, fate, destiny . 

Fattor, maker . 

Favella , language . 

Fe', he did. 

Fede, faith , belief . 

Fedele , faithful . 

Ferire , ferir , to wound, wounding. 

Ferro, weapon. 

Ferve , it is fervent , boils. 

Fiera , fierce , brave. 

Figlia , daughter. 


Fronde, leaves , branches . 

Giocondo, pleasant . 

Fronte, brow. 

Fu, he, it was. 

Fuga, flight. 

Fulgor, splendour. 

Fulmine , thunderbolt. 

Fulminei , beaming . 

Furente , maddened. 

Furono, they were , they have gone. 

G 

Genio , genius . 

Gentile , gentle . 

Già, already. 

Giacque , he laid down, he lay low. 

Giammai , ever . 

But when " giammai " is used 

with a negation , it is translated 

by never . 

Giardini , gardens. 

Gigli , lilies . 

349 

Fin, even . 

Fine , end. 

Fior, fiori , flowers. 

Fibile , doleful. 

Floridi, blooming. 

Flutto, waves , sea. 

Follia, folly. 

Folti, thick . 

Fonte, fonti, fountain , 

fountains , springs. 

Forma, form. 

Forse, perhaps. 

Forte, brave man. 

Fosse, he was. 

Fra, between , amongst . 

Fratelli , brothers. 

Gioia , joy. 

Gioioso, happy. 

Giorno, day. 

Giovin , youth. 

Giro (noun) turn. 

In giro, around. 

Move in giro, spans the heavens . 

Giro, I turn. 

Giunge , it arrives at it. 

Giurato, sworn. 

Gli, the, to him, to it, to them . 

Gloria, glory. 

Gran, great . 

Gratitudine , gratitude . 

Grato, grateful . 

Grave , heavy . 

Grazi'oso, graceful . 

Grembo, lap. 

Gridammo , we cried .

Grido, gridi, cry, cries . 

Gronda, pours down. 

Guancial , pillow. 

Guardando, looking . 

Guardare. to look. 

Guardo, guardi, look, looks. 

Guerra , war. 

Guerrieri , warriors . 

Gusta, it enjoys . 

H 

Ha, he, it has. 

Hai, you have . 

Hanno, they have . 

I 

I, the. 

Ignobile , ignoble. 

Il, the, it. 

Immemore , unconscious , uncared 

for. 

Immense , immense . 

Immerge , he plunges. 

Immobile , motionless . 

Immortal , immortal . 

Impalidir , becoming pale. 

Imperio , command. 

Imperli , it decks with pearls. 

Implora, he implores . 

Imprese , he undertook. 

In, on. 

Incalza , pursue hotly. 

Incarco , burden. 

Incerto , uncertain . 

Incontro, against . 

Indocile , unchecked . 

Indomato, unabated. 

Indura, he hardens himself . 

Inerte , idle. 

350 

Inestinguibil , unquenched , 

unassuaged . 

Infelice , unhappy. 

Innanzi , forward. 

Intender , to understand. 

Intrisa , soaked. 

Invan , in vain . 

Invidia , jealousy . 

Io, i', I. 

Ira, anger . 

Istante , instant . 

L 

La, le, l', the, her, it. 

Lago, lake . 

Lampo, lightning . 

Lasciarmi , to leave me. 

Lati , sides . 

Laudare , v. a. to praise . 

Laureti , laurel groves . 

Le, the, from her. 

Lei, her, it. 

Li, them . 

Lignaggio , race , lineage . 

Lingua , tongue. 

Linguaggio , language . 

Lo, the, him, it. 

Lontana , distant. 

Lor, them , their . 

Luce , light . 

Lui, him, he, it. 

Lume , light , brilliancy . 

Luna, moon. 

Lunghi , long. 

Ma, but. 

Madri, mothers . 

Maga, enchantress . 

Maggior, greater . 

Mai, badly.

Mai, ever . 

Male , ill, woe. 

Man, hand. 

Manco, less . 

Mandola, mandoline . 

Manipoli , battalions. 

Mar, mari , sea, seas . 

Maraviglia , wander. 

Marina , sea-shore . 

A by the sea- shore . 

Marte , mars , war. 

Massimo , greatest . 

Mattin , morning . 

Mattine , mornings . 

Mattutina , in the morning . 

Me, m', me, from me. 

Melanconia , melancholy . 

Memorie , recollection . 

Mente , mind, memory . 

Mentr' , whilst . 

Merce , reward. 

Meriggio , mid-day. 

Mesce , it mixes itself . 

Mezzo, middle. 

Mi, in', me, to me. 

Miei , my. 


N 

Ninfa , nymph. 

Nacque , he was born. 

Nodi, curls. 

Narrar , to relate . 

Noi, we. 

Nato, born. 

Nomò (si), he named himself . 

Natura , nature . 

Non, not. 

Naufrago, shipwrecked . 

Notte, night . 

Ne, nor. 

Nudrice , mother . 

Ne, of it, to us. 

Nunzio, announcement . 

Nel, nella , nell' , nei, ne', in the. Nuovi; new. Pensieri , thoughts. 

Nembo, cloud, shower . 

Nuvoli , clouds. 

Nevi , snows. 

O, O! 

351 

Miglior , better . 

Mille , a thousand. 

Mio, mia, my, mine . 

Mira , he looks. 

Miracol , miracle . 

Misero , miserable . 

Mista , mingled . 

Misura , measures . 

Mobili, changing . 

Mondo, world. 

Monile , necklace . 

Montagna, mountain . 

Monte, monti , hill , hills . 

Morir, morire , to die. 

Mormorando, murmuring . 

Morra, he, it will die. 

Morta, dead. 

Mortal, mortale , mortal. 

Mortalmente , mortally. 

Morte, death. 

Mostrare , to show. 

Mostrasi , she shows herself . 

Mova (si), there moves . 

Move, it moves . 

Muta, dumb-struck .

O, or, either . 

Obbedir, to obey. 

Oblio, oblivion, neglect . 

Occhi, eyes . 

Ode, s'ode, one hears . 

Odio, hatred. 

Odorose, perfumed. 

Ogni, each , every . 

Ognor, always. 

Ognun, each one. 

Olenti , sweet scented . 

Oltra, beyond. 

Oltraggio, outrage . 

Ombra, shade. 

Ombroso, shady. 

Onda, onde, wave , waves . 

Onde, by which . 

Onesta , honest , modest. 

Onor, honours. 

Onorava, he honoured. 

Opre, works. 

Or, ora, now. 

Ora, ore, hour, hours. 

Orba, bereaved . 

Orgoglio, pride. 

Orma, mark , foot-print. 

Ornato, adorned. 

Oro, gold. 

Oscura, dark. 

Ottiene , he, it obtains. 

Ozio, idleness . 

P 

Pacato, calm. 

Pace , peace . 

Padri, fathers . 

Pagine , pages. 

Pago, satisfied . 

Palmeti , palm groves . 

352 

Par, pare, it appears. 

Parea , it appeared. 

Pari , equal. 

Parlan , they speak . 

Parola, parole, word, words. 

Passò, it passed away. 

Pavidi , terrified . 

Pel, pei, for the, through the. 

Pellegrina , wandering . 

Pena , pain. 

Pendice , brow of the hill . 

Penne , feathers , wings. 

Pensando, thinking . 

Per, for, through, in order 

Perché , why. 

Percossa , struck . 

Perde , he lost. 

Periglio (poet, for pericolo), danger. 

Perla , pearl. 

Pesa , it weighs . 

Petto, breast. 

Piacente , charming . 

Piacer , piaceri , pleasures . 

Piangi , weep. 

Pianto , weeping . 

Pie, foot. 

Pien , full. 

Pieta , pity, sympathy. 

Pietosa , solemn . 

Pietosi , compassionate . 

Piramidi , Pyramids . 

Più, more , il più, the most. 

Placar, to pacify. 

Poi, then , after . 

Polve (poet. ), polvere , dust. 

Pone, he places himself . 

Popolo, people. 

Portento, miracle .

Posi, you rest . 

Posò, he rested . 

Posteri , posterity. 

Potere , power. 

Praticello , meadow. 

Preme , weighs you down. 

Premio , reward. 

Prende , it takes . 

Preparazione , preparation . 

Prepari (ti), you prepare yourself. 

Primavera , spring. 

Primo , first. 

Privo, deprived. 

Procellosa , stormy. 

Prode, shores . 

Profonda, profound. 

Prova, he experiences . 

Provo, he experienced . 

Prudenti , prudent. 

Pugna, he fights . 

Può, he, it can. 

Pur dianzi , just now. 

Pur, yet, merely , really . 

Pura, pure. 

Q 

Qual, quale, who, which , what, like . 

Quando, when . 

Quante, how many . to, on account of. 

Quei, those , he who. 

Quel, quella, quell', that. 

Questo, questa, this . 


Risorse , he rose again . 

Risplende , it shines . 

Rose, roses . 

Risponde, it answers . 

Ritornerà , it will return . 

Ritorneranno , they will return . 

Rivo, brook. 

Rondinella , swallow. 

353 

Qui, here . 

Quinci, on this side. 

Quindi, on that side. 

R 

Raccogli, stay. 

Raddoppia, redoubles. 

Raggio, ray. 

Rai, rays (see page 114). 

Rapivi, you stole. 

Rea, wicked (see page 121). 

Recinta , surrounded, girt. 

Reggia , royal abode. 

Regina , queen . 

Regno, reign , power. 

Remote , distant. 

Rende, it gives . 

Respingon , clash against . 

Ria, insulting . 

Riaprendo, re-opening . 

Ricantando, singing over again . 

Ricchezza , riches . 

Riceve , it receives . 

Riconosco, I recognise . 

Ride, he, it smiles . 

Rimbomba, re-echoes . 

Rinserra , it contains . 

Rio, brook. 

Ripensò, he thought again . 

Rischi , risks , perils . 

Riso, smile . 

Rote, wheels . 

Rugiada, dew. 

S 

Sa, it knows how to, it can. 

Sacrilege , sacrilegious .

Saggio , wise man. 

Saluta , she greets , salutes . 

Salutando, greeting . 

Salva , safe , free . 

San, they know. 

Sangue , blood. 

Sanno, they know. 

Sarà, it will be. 

Scarsi , scarce , bereft. 

Scendi , you descend. 

Scernere , to perceive . 

Scese , it descended. 

Scherzi , it may sport, it may ripple. 

Schierato , in battle array. 

Schiudon, they open. 

Scioglie , it bestows. 

Sconsolata , disconsolate . 

Scoppio, it burst out. 

Scorato, discouraged. 

Scorrea , it was looking . 

Scorri , you cross over. 

Scrivi , write . 

Se stesso , himself . 

Se, s', if. 

Secoli , centuries . 

Secure , secure , fearless . 

Segno , sign , mark . 

Sei, se', you are. 

Sempre , always. 

Sen, seno, breast. 

Senso , sense , sentiment . 

Sentendosi , hearing herself . 

Sentenza , decision . 

Senti , you feel . 

Sentier , paths. 

Senz' , senza , without. 

Sera , evening . 

Sereno , serena , cloudless. 

354 

Serve , he serves . 

Settembre , September . 

Sfere , spheres . 

Sfida, he defies . 

Sfolgorante , shining . 

Si, s', 

himself , herself , itself , 

themselves . 

SI, so much. 

Sia, she may be. 

Sicche , in such a manner that. 

Siccome , just as. 

Silenzio , silence . 

Simile , similar . 

Sin che, so long as. 

Sinistra , left. 

Sirena , syren . 

So, I know. 

Sofferto, suffered . 

Soglio, throne . 

Sogno, dream . 

Sol, solo. 

Sola, alone , only. 

Sole, sun. 

Solingo, lonely. 

Solitaria , solitary . 

Sommessi , humbly. 

Son, I am. 

Sonito, sound, din. 

Sonno, sleep . 

Sono, I am, they are. 

Sopra, on, concerning . 

Sorge , it rises . 

Sospir, sospiro, sigh . 

Sospira, sigh . 

Sott' onda, submarine . 

Sovra, upon. 

Sovvenir , remembrance .

Spade, swords. 

Sparir, disappearing . 

Sparito, disappeared. 

Sparsi, dishevelled . 

Sparve, he disappeared. 

Speme ,hope (see page 114). 

Speranza , hope. 

Sperar, to hope. 

Sperdi, do thou divert . 

Spiegato , unfurled. 

Spirabil, breathing . 

Spirito, spirto (see page 114), spirit . 

Spiro, spirit . 

Spoglia, corpse. 

Spogliar, to take off. 

Spose, wives . 

Sposo, husband, mate . 

Spregio , contempt, thraldom. 

Sprezzato, despised. 

Spunta, it appears, looms in the 

distance . 

Squillo, blast of a trumpet. 

Sta, it remains . 

Stampar, to mark . 

Stanca , fatigued . 

Stanche , fatigued . 

Stanzetta , little room. 

Stellate , starry sky. 

Stesso , himself . 

Stette , he, it stood. 

Stolti, foolish. 

Straniero , foreigner . 

Strappar, to snatch away. 

Strazio , torture . 

Su, upon, on. 

Subit', di subit', at once. 

Subito, sudden. 

Sul, sulla, sull', on the, in the. 

355 

Suo, sua, sue, his, hers , its. 

Suolo, soil. 

Suon, suoni , sound, sounds. 

Superba, proud. 

Supina, languid. 

Supnavan, they sounded. 

Suscita , it raises up. 

Sventura , misfortune . 

T 

Tacito , silent . 

Tacque , it was silent . 

Tale , tal, such, even so. 

Tanto, so great . 

Te, t', you, to you. 

Teme , it fears . 

Tempo, time . 

Tempre , quality. 

Tende , tents . 

Tenea dietro, it followed. 

Tenebre , darkness . 

Terra , earth , land. 

Terreno , terren , ground. 

Terror , terror . 

Tesa , extended , intent . 

Ti, t', you, yourself. 

Tiene , he holds. 

Tiranni , tyrants. 

Tolta, taken away. 

Tomba, tomb. 

Tornata , having returned 


Torrenti , torrents . 

Tra, amongst , between . 

Traluce , appears, shines . 

Trapassero , I shall outpass. 

Traspar, appears. 

Trasporto, it transported. 

Trasse , unsheathed .

Tremando , trembling . 


Trepida , anxious . 

Sicilia , Sicily . 

(poet, for " vecchi "), old men. 

Trionfi , triumphs . 

Triquetra , ancient name for 

Tristo , sad. 

Tromba, trumpet. 

Troncator , abbreviator 

Troverai , you will find. 

Tu, thou. 

Tua, tue, thy. 

Tuo, thy. 

Tuoi , thy, your. 

Turba, crowd. 

Tutte , tutti, all. 

Tutto, tutta, all, everything . 

U 

Ubbidir, v. n. to obey. 

Udir, v. a. to hear . 

Ultima , last. 

Umana , human . 

Umilità , humility . 

Umor, moisture . 

Un,uno, una, un',one,an. a. 

Uomo, uom, man. 

Urna, urn. 

V 

Va, he, she, it goes. 

Vago,vaga,beautiful ,lovely. 

Val, it is worth. 

Valida, helping . 

Valli , bulwarks. 

Vanno, they go. 

Vasta, vast, wide. 

Vedo, I see. 

Vedovetta , little widow. 

Vedrai , you will see. 

Vegliardi 

356 

Velo, veil . 

Vendetta , vengeance . 

Venduto, sold. 

Venga , he comes . 

Venne , nevenne , he, it came . 

Venuto, venuta , come . 

Ver, truth. 

Vera , true . 

Veri , true . 

Vermigli , red. 

Verone , verandah . 

Verra , it will come . 

Versar , to pour down, to bestow. 

Verso, towards. 

Vespertina , in the evening . 

Vessiilo , standard. 

Veste , it clothes . 

Vesti , clothes . 

Vicende , events . 

Vide, he, it saw. 

Vidi, I saw. 

Viene , vien , it comes . 

Vigile , vigilant . 

Vile , vile . A , in contempt. 

Virtù, virtue , valour. 

Viso, face . 

Vista , sight , view . 

Vita, life . 

Vittoria , victory. 

Viviamo , we live . 

Vivo, lively , brilliant . 

Vivro, I shall live . 

Voce, voice . 

Voi, you. 

Volle, he willed.

Volo, flight. 

Volsero, they turned 

themselves . 

Volta. vault, dungeon. 

Volte, times . 

357 

Volto, volti, face , faces . 

Vuoi ? will you ? 

Z 

Zaffiro, sapphire. 

Zeffiretto , zephyr, breeze . 

WORKS BY PROFESSOR N. PERINI. 

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THE PUBLIC SCHOOL GERMAN GRAMMAR 

With Exercises for Translation, Composition and Conversation, 

BY A. L. MEISSNER, M.A., Ph.D., D.Lit., LIBRARIAN AND 

PROFESSOR OF MODERN LANGUAGES IN QUEEN'S COLLEGE, 

BELFAST, Mitglied der Gesellschaft, fur das Studium der neueren 

Sprachen zu Berlin, I Vol. small 8vo, 384 pages, cloth. Price 33. 

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Teachers and Students of German are to be congratulated upon 

such an acquisition as Professor Meissner's PUBLIC SCHOOL 

GERMAN GRAMMAR. It is as thoroughly-well done as the name of 

its author would lead one to expect. 

LONDON. HENRY ATTWELL , 

Die Anlage und Ausstattung gefallen mir sehr . 

The Reverend A. L. BECKER. 

The general plan of the book is so good that it is pretty sure to 

have a wide circulation . 

LIVERPOOL. E. L. NAFTEL. 

A new and improved method of learning the German language 

grammatically and conversationally, if simple and 

comprehensive , is certain to be welcomed and widely used, and 

358

we have no hesitation in saying that this is the best work of the 

kind we have met with. A look at the preface will fully explain Dr. 

Meissner's system it could scarcely fail to be successful. Practice 

in conversation commences once the first principles are 

mastered, and the. first "conversation lessons are intended to 

furnish the pupil with the most necessary travel talk for a 

journey up the Rhine and into Switzerland ; " anyone who has 

travelled being totally ignorant of the language will appreciate 

this. The new official spelling has been adopted throughout the 

book , but it has been sufficiently compared with the old in an 

introductory chapter to enable the student to read the books 

printed in the old spelling . 

The Dublin Evening News . 

LE MIE PRIGIONI, BY SILVIO PELLICO . 

Adapted for English Schools, with Grammatical and Explanatory 

Notes , BY REV. A. C. CLAPIN , M.A. 

CLOTH, 1s. 6d. 

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405 Hilgard Avenue , Los Angeles , CA 90024-1388 

Return this material to the library 

from which it was borrowed. 

[ The key to the exercises is not available. They are set out here 

for anyone who is competent to do so to fill them in if they wish.] 

EXERCISE I. 3 

The boy's book. 

The boy's (92) book. 

The girl's exercise. 

The girl's exercise. 

The branch of the tree. 

The branch of the tree. 

The woman in the garden. 

The woman in the garden. 

The bird in the cage. 

The bird in the cage. 

The woman with the bread. 

The woman with the bread. 

359

The book on the table. 

The book on the table. 

The birds among the branches of the trees. 

The birds (85) among the branches of the trees. 

In the boys' gardens 

In the boys' gardens 

EXERCISE II. 

I have the dictionary. 

I (106) have the dictionary. 

Charles has the paper. 

Charles has the paper. 

Mary had the pen; she had also the grammar. 

Mary had (Imp. Ind.) the pen; she had also the grammar. 

We had the desk of Henry. 

We had Henry's (92) writing-desk. 

William and John have the inkstand. 

William and John have the ink-stand. 

Yesterday Elizabeth had the letter and the penknife ; she had 

already had the books. 

Yesterday Elizabeth had (Imp. Ind.) the letter and 6 the penknife ; 

she had already had (Pluperf. Ind.) the books. 

7 I shall have the lesson tomorrow. 

7 I shall have the lesson to-morrow. 

William and Charles will have the slate and inkstand. 

William and Charles will have the slate and 8 ink-stand. 

The man has the key of the house. 

The man has the key of the (102) house. 

The men have had the books from Henry. 

The men have had (Past Ind.) the books from (95, 96) Henry. 

We have the paint brushes of John in the desk, under the table. 

We have John's paint-brushes in the (101) writing-desk, under 

the table. 8 

EXERCISE III. 

William has the coat of Henry. 

William has Henry's (92) coat. 

360

Has Elizabeth the money ? 

Has Elizabeth the money ? 

Yes. 

Yes. 

We have neither the newspaper nor the postage stamp. 

We (106) have neither the newspaper nor the postage stamp. 

Have you Charles' grammar ? 

Have you (122, a) Charles' grammar ? 

No, I have not the books. 

No, I have not (125) the books. 

When shall we have the dictionary ? 

When shall we have (124) the dictionary ? 

Today or tomorrow. 

To-day or to-morrow. 

Do not have the bonnet, but have the dress. 

Do (4) not have (126) the bonnet, but have the dress. 

EXERCISE IV. 

My sister has the inkstand, but she has not the ink. 

My sister has the ink-stand, but she has not (125) the ink. 

Charles has my money. 

Charles has my (131) money. 

My brother has the song of Henry. 

My brother has Henry's song. 

The woman had my mother's dress. 

The woman had (Imp. Ind.) my mother's dress. 

We had already had our uncle's letter. 

We had already had (Pluperf. Ind.) our (129) uncle's letter. 

Have you the postage stamp, for the newspaper ? 

Have you (122, 124) the postage-stamp, for the (100) newspaper ? 

Yes, here it is. 

Yes, here it is. 

Have you William's exercises ? 

Have you William's exercises (104) ? 

Yes, here they are. 

361


Has John my pupil's pens ? 

Has John my pupil's pens (100, 131) ? 



I shall have time for my lesson today. 

I shall have (the) time for my lesson to-day. 

Their nephew shall have my coat and hat after May. 

Their (130) nephew shall have my coat and 4 hat after May. 

5 We shall not have my father's writing desk before tomorrow. 

5 We shall not have my father's writing desk before to-morrow. 

We should have had the ink. 

We should have had the ink. 

EXERCISE V. 

I have some silver. 

I have some (133) silver. 

Has your brother any iron ? 

Has your brother any iron ? 

Yes; he has some iron, copper, and brass. 

Yes; he has some iron, (136) copper, and brass. 

Mary had some paper, but she had not any pens. 

Mary had (Imp. Ind.) some paper, but she had not any pens. 

Charles has neither the grammar, nor the dictionary. 

Charles has neither the grammar, nor the dictionary. 

My father has some money. 

My father has some money. 

We have not any ink. 

We have not any ink. 

Have we any postage stamps? 

Have we any postage-stamps? 

Yes, we have . 

Yes, we have (138). 

Yesterday we had my uncle's dictionary. 

Yesterday we had (Imp. Ind.) my uncle's dictionary. 

362

Have you any pencils ? 

Have you (124) any pencils ? 

No, I have not any. 

No, I have not any. 

Henry and William have money, but John has not any . 

Henry and William have money, but John has not any (138). 

EXERCISE VI. 

Mary has a pencil. 

Mary has a pencil. 

We have a desk. 

We have a writing-desk. 

Have you ever had a lesson from my master ? 

Have you (124) ever had a lesson from my (131) master 4 ? 

Never. 

Never. 

Charles has never had a penknife. 

Charles has never had a penknife. 

When shall I have my dictionary ? 

When shall I have my dictionary ? 

Very soon, on Friday, or Saturday . 

Very soon, on (5) Friday, or Saturday (74). 

Tomorrow Elizabeth will have a dress, and Mary will have a 

bonnet. 

To-morrow Elizabeth will have a dress, and Mary will have a 

bonnet. 

Henry shall not have my brother's slate. 

Henry shall not have my brother's slate. 

Shall we not have some water ? 

Shall we not (127) have some water ? 

Yes, we shall . 

Yes, we shall (138). 

William, d o not have any fire in your room today. 

William, do not (126) have (thou) any (133) fire in your (thy) room 

to-day. 

He had his book on a chair, in my cousin's garden. 

363

He had (Imp. Ind.) his book on 6 a chair, in my cousin's garden. 

We shall have the book at once. 

We shall have the book at once. 

EXERCISE VII. 

John is tall, but his brother Charles is little. 

John is tall, but his brother Charles is little. 

This church is beautiful. 

This church is beautiful. 

Where is Elizabeth ? 

Where is Elizabeth ? 

She is here. 

She (106, a ) is here. 

These tables are small, but they are good. 

These tables are small, but they are good. 

Where are Henry and John ? 

Where are Henry and John ? 

They are not here ; they are in our uncle's garden. 

They are not (125) here ; they are in our uncle's garden. 

Where shall we be on Thursday? 

Where shall we be on (147) Thursday? 

We shall be in our cousin's room. 

We shall be in our (100, 129) cousin's room. 

Where have you been ? 

Where have you been (124, 149) ? 

I have been in my brother's room. 

I have been in my brother's room. 

Will you be here on Wednesday ? 

Will you be here on Wednesday ? 

Yes ; I shall be either here , or at my sister's house . 

Yes ; I shall be either here , or at my sister's house . 

Where are my pens ? 

Where are my pens ? 

They are in that writing desk. 

They are in that (152) writing desk. 

364

Be good, William , and you will be happy. 

Be (122) good, William , and you will be happy. 

Do not be proud. 

Do (128, 122, 126) not be proud. 

EXERCISE VIII. 

Charles is the first, I. am the second, and Elizabeth is the third. 

Charles is the first, I. (106 b) am the second, and Elizabeth is the 

third. 

My brother's house is too large. 

My brother's house is too large. 

Where is Mary ? 

Where is Mary ? 

She is in my sister's room. 

She is in my sister's room. 

Is there a man in the street ? 

Is there a man in the street ? 

Yes ; there is a man and a child. 

Yes ; there is a man and a child. 

Is there a table in our parlour ? 

Is there a table in our parlour ? 

No ; there are three chairs , but there is no table. 

No ; there are three chairs , but there is no (125) table. 

There was a small inkstand in my uncle's room. 

There was a small inkstand in my uncle's room. 

There is too much ink in this pen. 

There is too much ink in this pen. 

Is there a pencil in my brother's writing -desk ? 

Is there a pencil in my brother's writing -desk ? 

No, there are three pens and some paper. 

No, there are three pens and some paper. 

There will be a book for the pupil, and a writing-desk for the 

master . 

There will be a book for the pupil, and a writing-desk for the 

master (146). 

EXERCISE IX. 

365

I do not find the Italian language difficult. 

I do (128) not (125) find (a) the Italian 1 language difficult. 

William speaks French, but d oes not speak German. 

William speaks (b) French, 2 but does not speak German. 

I am buying some books for my brother. 

I am buying 3 some (134) books for my brother. 

I blame my sister, because she was listening at the door. 

I blame (c) my sister, because she was listening (d) at the door. 

Shall you vote tomorrow ? 

Shall you (117 122) vote (e) to-morrow ? 

Yes. 

Yes. 

John found this letter on a chair, in my brother's room. 

John found 4 this letter on (148) a chair, in my brother's room. 

I have sent the Spanish grammar of Henry to my mother. 

I have sent (f) Henry's Spanish grammar to my mother. 

Charles always studies in our uncle's garden. 

Charles always 5 studies (g) in our uncle's garden. 

We admire the situation of this town. 

We admire (h) the situation of this town. 

I have left William's book on my desk. 

I have left (i) William's book on my writing-desk. 

Elizabeth will play, I shall sing, and Charles will draw . 

Elizabeth will play, (j) I (106, b) shall sing, (k) and Charles will 

draw (l). 

EXERCISE X. 

I have bought two Italian books, one for Henry, and one for 

William. 

I have bought two Italian (177) books, one (145) for Henry, and one 

for William. 

You were dining , while I was studying. 

You (106 b) were dining (179) (a), while I was studying. 

Mary will embroider a waistcoat for my father. 

Mary will embroider (b) a waistcoat for my father. 

366

The discovery of America caused a revolution in the commercial 

world. 

The discovery of (the) America caused (c) (Past Def.) a revolution 

in the commercial world. 

When I entered the room he was working . 

When I entered (d) 3 the room he was working (e). 

Did you speak at the meeting last night ? 

Did you speak (Past Def.) at the meeting last night ? 

No, I did not speak . 

No, I did not (125) speak (Past Def.). 

I shall explain this rule this evening. 

I shall explain (f) (170) this rule this evening. 

I shall have built my house before October . 

I shall have built (g) my house before October (74). 

Measure the length and breadth of this room, before buying the 

pianoforte. 

Measure (h) (122) the length and (115) breadth of this room, 

before 4 buying the pianoforte. 

We shall preserve these cherries with in the brandy. 

We shall preserve (i) these cherries with (in the) brandy. 

If I had money, I would buy this picture. 

If (112) I had money, I would buy this picture. 

EXERCISE XI 

Where did you buy this coffee? 

Where did you (120, 122) buy (have you bought) this coffee? 

I bought it in London. 

I bought it (192, 193) in 1 London. 

Does Edward speak Italian ? 

Does (128) Edward speak Italian ? 

Yes, he does. 

Yes, he does. 

2 Where did you study the French language ? 

2 Where did you study (have you studied) the French language ? 

I studied it in France. 

I studied (have studied) it in France. 

367

Has Louisa sent today's newspaper to my father ? 

Has Louisa sent to-day's newspaper to my father ? 

Yes ; she sent it this morning. 

Yes ; she sent (has sent) it this morning. 

Charles always speaks to me when he meets me. 

Charles always speaks to me (193) when he meets (a) me. 

My father taught us yesterday, and will teach us today. 

My father taught (b) us yesterday, and will teach us to-day. 

My mother never sends us here. 

My mother never (non. . . mai, 181) sends us (193) here. 

I shall not speak to him today. 

I shall not speak to him (193) to-day. 

Have you bought any sugar ? 

Have you bought any sugar ? 

Yes, I have . 

Yes, I have (138, 208). 

George has made me a present of some Italian books. 

George has made me (193) a present of (c) some Italian books. 

If they had any money, they would send to him some tea and , 

bread. 

If (112) they had any (133) money, they would send (to) him some 

tea and (136), bread. 

EXERCISE XII. 

I condemned him, and I pardoned my brother. 

I condemned (a) (Past Def.) him, and I pardoned (b) my (129) 


Paul always speaks of himself . 

Paul always (181) speaks of himself (212). 

Charlotte spoke to me , but she did not speak to my sisters. 

Charlotte (113) spoke to me (210), but she did not speak to my 

(130) sisters. 

I speak to you ; why do you not answer ? 

I speak to you (210) ; why do (128) you not answer ? 

You never pay attention to me. 

You never pay attention (c) to me. 

368

He always speaks of me, but I never speak of him. 

He always speaks of me, but I never speak of him. 

They sent a reading desk to me , and a marble statue to my 

master. 

They sent (Past Def.) a reading-desk to me (210), and a marble 

statue to my (146) master. 

Stephen will speak for me. 

Stephen will speak for me. 

They built him a marble palace. 

They built him (213) a marble palace. 

Madeline has sent a gold ring to William, and a small watercolor 

to my sister-in-law. 

Madeline has sent a gold ring to William, and a small water- 

colour to my sister-in-law. 

She sent also a beautiful lookingglass to my sister. 

She sent (180) also a beautiful looking-glass to my sister. 

I shall place the picture before her. 

I shall place (d) the picture before her. 

3 

3 

EXERCISE XIII. 

Speak to me now, because I shall not have time tomorrow. 

Speak to me (201) now, because I shall not have time to-morrow. 

He was speaking to his master when you called him. 

He was speaking (179) to his master (146) when you called (a) 

(Past Def.) him. 

When will you send her the pictures ? 

When will you send her (192, 193) the pictures ? 

I will send them to her this evening. 

I will send them to her (219, 220) this evening. 

Do not forget . 

Do not forget(b) (125, 126). 

Will you help me, my dear friend ? 

Will 1 you help (c) me, (192) my dear friend ? 

Yes, willingly, I will not abandon you in this danger. 

369

Yes, willingly, I will not abandon (d) you in this danger. 

Will you lend me your penknife ? 

Will (224) you lend (e) me your penknife ? 

Yes, I will . 

Yes, I will (208). 

Shall you send him a present for his birthday ? 

Shall you send him a present for his birthday ? 

Yes, I shall send him an album. 

Yes, I shall send him an album. 

I have brought the books of Henry to show them to you . 

I have brought (f) Henry's books to 2 show (g) them to you (122, 

218). 

They ordered him to speak to the people. 

They ordered (h) him to (226) speak to the people. 

EXERCISE XIV. 

I have brought my exercise to show it to you ; you will find few 

faults in it . 

I have brought my exercise to (225) show it to you (122, 218) ; you 

will find few (139) faults in it (238). 

Henry has brought us a basket of roses. 

Henry has brought (167) us (192, 193) a basket of roses. 

I should not have spoken to her, if I had thought of it . 

I should not have spoken to her, if I had thought (a) of 2 it (238). 

Before speaking to us, speak to my father. 

Before speaking to us, (210) speak to my father. 

He was speaking to us, when they called him into the garden. 

He was speaking to us, (179, 192, 193) when they called (Past 

Def.) him into the garden. 

Have you an English watch ? 

Have you an English watch ? 

Yes, I have . 

Yes, I have (144). 

If I had thought of it, I should never have lent him my pencilcase. 

If I had thought of it, I should never have lent him my pencil- 

case. 

370

When will you take these letters to the post ? 

When will you take (b) these letters (89) to the post ? 

I will take them at once, if you will lend me your umbrella. 

I will take them (there) (239, 243) at once, if you will (224) lend 

me your umbrella. 

Have you spoken to William ? 

Have you spoken to William ? 

No, I have not, but I will speak to him when I have time. 

No, I have not, (208) but I will speak to him when 4 I have time. 

Why did you burn that letter? 

Why did (128) you burn (c) (Past Indef.) that (152) letter? 

I burnt it by mistake. 

I burnt it (167) by 4 mistake. 

Have you paid for your parasol ? 

Have you paid (d) for 5 your parasol ? 

No, but I will pay for it when Henry returns . 

No, but I will pay for it when Henry returns (e). 

EXERCISE XV. 

I receive letters from Mr. James. 

I receive (a) letters from Mr. 1 James. 

The soldiers have received the order of the general. 

The soldiers have received the general's order. 

My sister enjoys good health in this country. 

My sister enjoys (b) good health in this country. 

He groans at the sight of the doctor. 

He groans (c) at the sight of the doctor. 

Receive this gift as a mark of my confidence. 

Receive (122) this gift as a mark of my confidence. 

Believe me, general, we shall beat them . 

Believe me, (201, 122) general, 2 we shall beat (d) them (236). 

Who is knocking at the door? 

Who (chi) is knocking at (e) (179) the door? 

Charles; he has already knocked twice, and rang the bell. 

Charles; he has already knocked twice, and rang (f) the bell. 

The cannon beat down the fortress. 

371

The cannon beat down (g) (180) the fortress. 

I have received a letter from my father ; he thinks that he will be 

in London before Christmas. 

I have received a letter from my father ; he thinks (h) (che) that 

he will be in London before Christmas. 

I have sold my country house to Mr. John. 

I have sold (i) my (131) country-house to Mr. John. 

Yesterday he lost his umbrella in the crowd. 

Yesterday he lost (j) his umbrella in the crowd. 

We have resolved to yield to him . 

We have resolved (k) to yield (l) to him (198). 

EXERCISE XVI. 

What does this woman sell ? 

What does (128) this woman sell ? 

She sells , fruit and flowers ; yesterday she sold me some 

beautiful roses, and some good strawberries. 

She sells (134-137), fruit (fruits) and flowers ; yesterday she sold 

me some beautiful roses, and some good strawberries. 

Who will succeed him in the business ? 

Who will succeed 2 him (192, 193) in the business ? 

3 I think his brother Edward will succeed him. 

3 I think (I believe) 4 his brother Edward will succeed him. 

He and his sister have left London, and are enjoying the beauty of 

the country, and the freshness of the air. 

He and his sister have left London, and are enjoying the beauty of 

the country, and the freshness of the air. 

She shudders at the thought of meeting him. 

She shudders (a) at the thought of meeting (b) (184, 198) him. 

Do you believe the news he told us ? 

Do you believe the news (260) he told us ? (c) 

No, I do not believe it . 

No, I do not believe it (193). 

It does not depend upon my sister. 

It does not depend upon (d) my sister. 

The French fought with bravery, within the entrenchments. 

372

The French fought (e) bravely, within the (102) entrenchments. 

The goats browse quietly on the mountains in spite of the turmoil 

of men . 

The goats browse (f) quietly on the mountains in spite of the 

turmoil of (the) men (uomini). 

I shall never forget the happy days we have enjoyed together. 

I shall never forget (g) the happy days (260) we have enjoyed (167) 

together. 

Everything will depend upon the success of the undertaking. 

Everything will depend upon the success of the undertaking. 

Shall I pour you out a glass of wine, Mr. John ? 

Shall I pour you out (to pour out) (h) a glass of wine, Mr. John ? 

Yes, if you please. 

Yes, if you please. 

EXERCISE XVII. 

They punish him too severely. 

They punish (a) him (192, 193) too severely. 

He has enriched science with new discoveries. 

He has enriched (b) (the) science with 1 new discoveries. 

Does this boy understand Italian ? 

Does this boy understand (c) Italian ? 

Yes he understands it but he d oes not speak it. 

Yes he understands it (192, 193) but he does not speak it. 

Will you have finished before tomorrow ? 

Will you have finished before to-morrow ? 

Probably I shall . 

Probably I shall (208). 

I shall finish this exercise before going to school. 

I shall finish this exercise before (184) going to school. 

He always fulfils his duty. 

He always (181) fulfils (d) his duty. 

They will never betray us. 

They will never betray (e) us. 

He will inform my family of my conduct. 

He will inform (f) my family of my conduct. 

373

Yesterday my sister was sewing from morning to night. 

Yesterday my sister was sewing (g) (Past Def.) from (the) morning 

to (the) night. 

The singing of the birds, the murmuring of the springs, the 

fragrance of the flowers contribute to the pleasures of the mind. 

The singing 2 of the birds, the murmuring (h) of the springs, the 

fragrance of the flowers contribute (i) to the pleasures of the 

mind. 

He will obey the laws of this country. 

He will obey (j) the laws of this country. 

We shall start for the country on Thursday. 

We shall start (k) for the country on (147, 74) Thursday. 

EXERCISE XVIII. 

She is loved and esteemed by everybody. 

She is loved (a) 1 and esteemed (b) by 2 everybody. 

The city of Rome has been sacked several times. 

The city of Rome has been sacked (c) several times. 

Have you been invited to the ball ? 

Have you (122) been invited (d) to the ball ? 

No, but I expect an invitation. 

No, but I expect (e) an invitation. 

His son and his brother were wounded in the battle. 

His son and his brother were wounded (f) (Past Definite, passive 

form) in the battle. 

Margaret would have been blamed by my mother, if she had 

spoken. 

Margaret would have been blamed by my mother, if (112) she had 

spoken. 

Will these ladies be presented to the Queen by the Prince ? 

Will these ladies be presented (g) (269) to the Queen by the Prince 

? 

I believe they will. 

I believe they will. 

3 We should be despised if we abandoned him in this danger. 

3 We should be despised (h) if we abandoned him (192, 193) in 

this danger. 

374

EXERCISE XIX. 

We have traveled much. 

We have travelled (a) (274, 273) much. 

I have passed over the bridge with my brother. 

I have passed (276) over the bridge with my brother. 

It was a beautiful sight in the park, the sheep were browsing, the 

goats were skipping about, the birds were warbling, and the 

children were playing . 

It was a beautiful sight in the park, the sheep were browsing, (b) 

(179) the goats were skipping about, (c) the birds were warbling, 

(d) and the children were playing (e). 

This institution has been established these five years. 

This institution has been established (f) 1 these five years. 

Has your sister arrived ? . 

Has your sister arrived ? (275). 

Yes, she has . 

Yes, she has (208). 

He escaped from his prison by jumping from a window. 

He escaped (180, 276) from his prison by 2 jumping (g) from a 

window. 

He slept while we were working . 

He slept (274) whilst we were working (Past Indef.). 

We lived three years in America, and received much kindness 

from the Americans. 

We lived (h) (180) three years in America, and received much 

kindness from the Americans. 

Do not travel this winter. 

Do not (126, 122) travel this winter. 

EXERCISE XX. 

I presented myself to the assembly. 

I presented myself (a) to the (103) assembly. 

He was arming himself for the battle. 

He was arming himself (b) for the battle. 

Elizabeth praises herself too much. 

Elizabeth praises herself too much. 

375

These two men always praise one another . 

These two men always praise one another (281). 

The king surrounded himself with soldiers. 

The king surrounded himself (c) (Past Def. ) with (266) soldiers. 

She sang two Spanish songs, accompanying herself (d) with the 

guitar. 

She sang two Spanish (177, 74) songs, accompanying herself (d) 

with the guitar. 

Are the children dressing themselves ? 

Are the children dressing themselves ? (e) (244). 

No, they are not . 

No, they are not (208). 

When I entered the room, they were busying themselves (f) with 

the preparations for the election. 

When I entered (183) the room, they were busying themselves (f) 

with the preparations for the election. 

He has enriched himself at my expense. 

He has (280) enriched himself (g) at my expense. 

They praise themselves too much. 

They praise themselves too much. 

EXERCISE XXI. 

I rise every morning at six o'clock. 

I rise every morning at six o'clock. 

Do you remember Charles' birthday ? 

Do you remember Charles' birthday ? 

Yes, I do . 

Yes, I do (208). 

They embarked in an English ship. 

They embarked (Past Def.) in an English ship. 

I shall remember to bring my mother's umbrella. 

I shall remember to bring my mother's umbrella. 

He has not repented of his imprudence. 

He has not repented of his imprudence. 

Children, make haste, we shall start at noon. 

Children, make haste, we shall start (partire) at noon. 

376

She does not feel well today. 

She does not feel well to-day. 

EXERCISE XXII. 

I must sell my horse before Saturday. 

I must (a) (287) sell (b) my horse before Saturday. 

What do you want ? 

What (che cosa, mas.) do you (122, 193) want (c) ? 

I want some Italian books. 

I want some Italian books. 

How many do you want ? . 

How many do you want (of them) ? (240). 

I want three ; Alfieri's tragedies, Goldoni's comedies, and a good 

Italian novel. 

I want three (of them) ; Alfieri's tragedies, Goldoni's comedies, 

and a good Italian novel. 

It is not necessary to be very wise to guess his motive. 

It is not necessary (c) to be very wise to (225) guess (d) his motive. 

How do you like this palace ? 

How do you like (e) (289) this palace ? 

I do not like it much. 

I do not like it much. 

It is not enough to speak correctly, it is also necessary to speak 

prudently. 

It is not enough (f) to speak correctly, it is also necessary (a) to 

speak prudently. 

It appears that you have not attended to the business . 

It appears (g) that you have not attended (h) to the business (259). 

No, not yet. 

No, not yet. 

I have at heart your success. 

I have at heart (i) your success. 

EXERCISE XXIII. 

Does it rain now? 

Does it (284) rain now? 

No, it does not . 

377

No, it does not (208). 

It has been raining during the night. 

It has been raining during the night. 

The wind blows . 

The wind blows (a). 

In my country it never snows. 

In my country it never (181) snows. 

The thunder re-echoed awfully. 

The thunder re-echoed (b) awfully. 

The lake is frozen. 

The lake is frozen. 

The peasants will sell the ice in the town. 

The peasants will sell the ice in the town. 

If I had skates I would skate . 

If (112) I had skates I would skate (c). 

It is getting dark, we must return to the castle. 

It is getting dark, we must (285, 288) return to the castle. 

What has happened ? 

What (che cosa, mas.) has happened (d) ? 

Nothing extraordinary ; it snows, that is all. 

Nothing (of) extraordinary ; it snows, that is all. 

Has anything happened to George ? 

Has anything (qualche cosa, mas.) happened (d) to George ? 

Nothing ; he is in the garden playing with William. 

Nothing ; he is in the garden playing 1 with William. 

EXERCISE XXIV. 

Where is the servant ? 

Where is the servant ? 

She is in the parlor lighting the fire. 

She is in the parlour lighting (292) the fire. 

Yesterday morning I lit my lamp at six o'clock. 

Yesterday morning I lit my (131) lamp at six o'clock. 

Your uncle received me well . 

Your uncle received me well (Past Def.). 

378

What reason did he allege ? 

What (che) reason did he allege ? (has he alleged ?) 

He did not allege any reason. 

He did not allege any reason. 

He seldom fulfils his duty. 

He seldom fulfils his duty. 

But still he will adduce good excuses. 

But still he will adduce good excuses. 

EXERCISE XXV. 

Where are you going ? 

Where are you (122) going (179) ? 

I am going to Paris. 

I am going to Paris. 

Do not go now; wait until the autumn and we will go together. 

Do not (126, 122) go now; wait until the autumn and we will go 

(there) (239) together. 

We went there last year. 

We went there last year. 

If you went there now you would meet my father-in-law. 

If (112) you went there (239) now you would meet my father-in- 

law. 

This dog belongs to my brother-in-law. 

This dog belongs to my brother-in-law. 

The door is open . 

The door is open (269). 

They pride themselves on their wit, and learning. 

They pride themselves on their wit, 1 and (on their) learning. 

EXERCISE XXVI. 



What do the Italians drink? 

What do the Italians drink? 

They drink wine. 

They drink wine. 

If I had money I should always drink good wine. 

379

If (112) I had money I should always drink good wine. 

Henry has fallen from the chair. 

Henry has fallen from the chair. 

Who has shut the door? 

Who (chi) has shut the door? 

I ; I shut it because all the windows are open . 

I ; I shut it (180, 193) because all the windows are open (269). 

Where is Charles ? 

Where is Charles ? 

He is in the garden gathering flowers for his sister. 

He is in the garden gathering (292) flowers for his sister. 

When I entered the room they were composing a letter. 

When I entered (183) the room they were composing a letter. 

I have just composed an Italian song. 

I have just 1 composed an Italian song. 

Gather some flowers for me . 

Gather (122) some flowers for me (213). 

EXERCISE XXVII. 

I conducted them into the house. 

I conducted (Past Def.) them (mas. 193) into the (102) house. 

I do not know my uncle's friend. 

I do not know my uncle's friend. 

If I knew that lady, I would speak to her . 

If (112) I knew that lady, I would speak to her (193). 

The castle contains many good pictures. 

The castle contains many good pictures. 

I always cover the bird's cage the evening. 

I always cover the bird's cage (in) the evening. 

I corrected his exercises yesterday, and I shall correct George's 

exercises tomorrow morning. 

I corrected (Past Def.) his exercises yesterday, and I shall correct 

George's exercises to-morrow morning. 

When I met him he was running towards the church. 

When I met (Past Def.) him he was running (179) towards the 

church. 

380

Why did you give him your dictionary ? 

Why did you give him (why have you given him) (193, 122) your 

dictionary ? 

I gave it him because he asked me for it . 

I gave (Past Def.) it (to) him (219) because he asked (domandare a) 

me for it (218, 251). 

Give him a watch. 

Give him (201) a watch. 

I desire to take him to school. 

I desire to take (condurre) him 3 to school. 

EXERCISE XXVIII. 

I have decided to travel during the winter. 

I have decided to travel during the winter. 

They defended me bravely. 

They defended (Past Def.) me bravely. 

He described the town correctly. 

He described (Past Def.) the town correctly. 

He desired me to paint him a picture. 

He desired 2 (Past Def.) me to paint (for) him (213) a picture. 

She always tells the truth, and yet nobody believes her . 

She always tells the truth, and yet nobody believes (to) her (193). 

I will tell it to him again this evening. 

I will tell it to him (219) again this evening. 

If I told her what you have said, she would get cross . 

If I told her what you have said, she would get cross (adirarsi). 

He disposes of his money wisely. 

He disposes of his money wisely. 

Frederick became rich in three years. 

Frederick became (Past Def.) rich in three years. 

Divide these strawberries between you and Elizabeth. 

Divide these strawberries between you and Elizabeth. 

EXERCISE XXIX. 

James complains of your conduct. 

James complains of your conduct. 

381

I am obliged to go to Paris to buy some presents for my cousin 

Margaret. 

I am obliged to go to Paris to buy some presents for my cousin 

Margaret. 

We owe him some money for the house he built for us . 

We owe (to) him some money for the house he built for us (213). 

If I were obliged to speak before this crowd of people, it would 

displease me very much. 

If (112) I were obliged to (226) speak before this crowd of people, it 

would displease me very much. 

What are you doing now, Louisa ? 

What (che cosa) are you doing (179) now, Louisa ? 

I am making a bonnet for Charlotte. 

I am making a bonnet for Charlotte. 

Yesterday I made a waistcoat for Frederick. 

Yesterday I made a waistcoat for Frederick. 

I shall induce Charles to go to Scotland. 

I shall induce Charles to go to Scotland. 

EXERCISE XXX. 

Has your brother read " La Gerusalemme Liberata ? 

Has your brother read " La Gerusalemme Liberata ? 

" Yes, he has ; and he is now reading " L' Orlando Furioso." 

" Yes, he has (208) ; and he is now reading (179) " L' Orlando 

Furioso". 

" Do not read satires, you will learn little from them . 

" Do not read satires, you will learn little from (in) them (238). 

Louisa always puts her books on my table. 

Louisa always (181) puts her books on my table. 

Here is the picture ; put a frame to it . 

Here is the picture ; put a frame to it (238). 

Charles was born in England. 

Charles was born in England. 

Dante was born in Florence in the year 1265. 

Dante was born 4 in Florence in the (103) year 1265. 

Do not offend Henry ; he will not pardon you. 

382

Do not offend Henry ; he will not pardon you. 

I oppose his election because he d oes not love his native land. 

I oppose his election because he does not love his native land. 

EXERCISE XXXI. 

My brother always obtains what he desires . 

My brother always obtains what (ciò che) he desires (300). 

EXERCISE XXXII. 

Do you not remember that you promised to give me your dog ? 

Do you not remember that you promised (180) to give me (198) 

your (131) dog ? 

Yes, and I will give it to you on Saturday. 

Yes, and I will give it to you (218-220) on (147) Saturday. 

Man proposes, God disposes. 

Man proposes, God disposes. 

We shall protect him against all his enemies. 

We shall protect him (193) against all his enemies. 

I shall restore to him the paint brushes he lent me last week. 

I shall restore to him the paint-brushes (260) he lent (Past Def.) 

(to) me last week. 

In spite of his disguise she recognized him at once. 

In spite of his disguise she recognised (Past Def.) him at once. 

His extravagance will soon reduce him to poverty. 

His extravagance will soon reduce him to (the) poverty. 

Why did you remain behind yesterday ? 

Why did you remain (Past Def.) behind yesterday ? 

I remained behind to see if I could induce Frederick to go with us. 

I remained behind to (225) see if I could induce Frederick to go 

(305) with us. 

He answered very prudently. 

He answered (Past Def.) very prudently. 

EXERCISE XXXIII. 

Well, have you succeeded in your undertaking ? 

Well, have you succeeded (258) in your undertaking ? 

No ; I shall never succeed. 

383

No ; I shall never succeed. 

I ascend the hill every morning. 

I ascend the hill every morning. 

It is necessary to start at once. 

It is necessary (bisognare)4 to start at once. 

If I knew Mr. John's address, I would write him a letter. 

If I knew Mr. John's address, I would write (to) him a letter. 

Can he read ? 

Can 5 he read ? 

Yes, he can read and write very well. 

Yes, he can read and write very well. 

Why have you chosen this color ? 

Why have you chosen this colour ? 

I chose it because it is in fashion. 

I chose (180) it because it is in fashion. 

I would write to him every day, if I had time. 

I would write to him every day, if (i 12) I had time. 

Have you written to the girl's uncle ? 

Have you written to the girl's uncle ? 

Yes, I wrote to him yesterday. 

Yes, I wrote (Past Def.) to him yesterday. 

EXERCISE XXXIV. 

My father is accustomed to get up every morning at six o'clock. 

My father is accustomed (307) to get up (alzarsi) every morning at 

six o'clock. 

My uncle spent too much money in building his house. 

My uncle spent (Past Def.) too much money in (278) building his 

house. 

What is the name of that lady ? 

What is the name of 2 that lady ? 

I do not know ; but I believe she is called Mrs. James. 

I do not know ; but I believe she is called Mrs. James. 

You would have succeeded in your undertaking, but you have to 

deal with a rascal, who cheats everybody. 

384

You would have succeeded (258) in your undertaking, but you 

have to deal with 3 a rascal, who cheats (ingannare) everybody. 

EXERCISE XXXV. 

Good morning, sir, how do you do ? 

Good morning, sir, how do you do (120) ? 

I am very well today, thank you . 

I am very well to-day, thank (ringraziare) you (122, 193). 

Where do you live now ? 

Where do you live (stare) now ? 

I live in the country ; in a small village near Brighton. 

I live in the country ; in a small village near Brighton. 

Have you been to Paris ? 

Have you been (149) to Paris ? 

No, I have not been there . 

No, I have not been there (239). 

My brother is translating " La Divina Commedia," in blank verse. 

My brother is translating " La Divina Commedia," in blank verse. 

Yesterday he translated two cantos (of it) . 

Yesterday he translated (Past Def. ) two cantos (of it) (240). 

If I had friends in this neighbourhood, I would remain here for 3 a 

week. 

If I had friends in this neighbourhood, I would remain here (239) 

for 3 a week. 

EXERCISE XXXVI. 

I hear William's voice ; d o you ? (do you hear it ?) 

I hear William's voice ; do you ? (do you hear it ?) 

My brother is gone out ; I d o not know when he will return. 

My brother is gone out ; I do not know when he will return. 

William will go out with me on Saturday morning. 

William will go out with me on (147) Saturday morning. 

I go out every morning before breakfast. 

I go out every morning before (to make) breakfast. 

Do not go out, Henry ; your father-in-law wishes to speak to you. 

Do not go out, (122, 126) Henry ; your father-in-law wishes (300) 

to speak to you. 

385

Frederick has got the book, but he will not give it to me. 

Frederick has got the book, but he will (volere) not give it to me. 

3 Do you know Mrs.. James ? 

3 Do you know Mrs. James ? 

I know her only by sight ; her house is a mile from this village. 

I know her only by sight ; her house is 4 a mile from this village. 

I heard him singing Italian songs. 

I heard him 5 singing Italian songs. 

He knows many of them by heart. 

He knows many of them (240) by heart. 

How much is this ring worth ? 

How much is this ring worth ? 

I could not tell you. 

I could 6 not tell you. 

One must have much money, to buy good rings. 

One must have 7 much money, to (225) buy good rings. 

Your brother always comes to see me when he is in London. 

Your brother always comes to see me when he is in London. 

If you had gone out then, you would have seen the review. 

If you had gone out then, you would have seen the review. 

He would not give me his advice. 

He would (224) not give me his advice. 

I like to hear him translating. 

I like to hear him translating. 

EXERCISE XXXVII. 

Necessity is the mother of invention. 

Necessity (328) is the mother of invention. 

Flowers are very dear this season of the year. 

Flowers (328) are very dear (in) this season of the year. 

The Alps separate France from Italy. 

The Alps separate France (330) from Italy. 

Drawing owes its origin to chance, sculpture to religion, and 

painting to the progress of the other arts. 

Drawing (328) owes its origin to chance, sculpture to religion, and 

painting to the progress of the other arts. 

386

Fear and ignorance are the sources of superstition. 

Fear and ignorance are the sources of superstition. 

The love of music and poetry is universal in Italy. 

The love of (328) music and poetry is universal in Italy. 

Captain Bravo wishes to speak to your father. 

Captain (329) Bravo wishes to speak to your father. 

Go and tell him that my father is in France. 

Go and 1 tell (to) him (198) that my father is in (331) France. 

Good laws make good men. 

Good (328) laws make good men. 

EXERCISE XXXVIII. 

Glory follows virtue like a shadow. 

Glory (328) follows virtue like a shadow. 

If your brother studied with perseverance, he would succeed . 

If your brother studied with (341) perseverance, he would succeed 

(258). 

Eating, drinking, and sleeping are necessary to man. 

Eating, (267, 336) drinking, and sleeping are necessary to man. 

Last year we visited Cairo, the capital of Egypt. 

Last year we visited (Past Def.) Cairo, (342) the capital of Egypt. 

His cousin Margaret married William, the son of Colonel 

Barducci. 

His cousin Margaret married William, (342) the son of Colonel 

Barducci. 

This bronze statue was formerly in the Municipal Palace of 

Modena. 

This bronze statue was (Imp. Ind.) formerly in the Municipal 

Palace of Modena. 

I wish to attend a course of lectures which he will begin tomorrow 

evening. 

I wish to attend (assistere a) a course of lectures which (che) he 

will begin to-morrow evening. 

What shall I buy you ? 

What shall I buy you (for you) ? (213, 251) 

Buy me a box of steel pens , a dozen of quills, a quire of foreign 

paper, and three sheets of blotting paper. 

387

Buy me a box of steel pens (347), a dozen of quills, a quire of (347) 

foreign paper, and three sheets of blotting-paper. 

His apartments were adorned with the pictures which he had 

himself bought at Padova. 

His apartments were adorned (175) with (266) the pictures which 

(che) he had himself (189) bought at Padova. 

The question is to decide whether we shall meet again tomorrow 

or on Wednesday next. 

The question is 1 to decide whether we shall meet again 

(radunarsi) to-morrow or on (147, 74) Wednesday next. 

The theater was full of strangers and foreigners. 

The theatre was (Imperf. Ind.) full of strangers 2 and foreigners. 

The hall is full of the men who have taken part in the strike. 

The hall is full (350) of the men who have taken part in the 

strike. 

It is necessary to start at once. 

It is necessary (bisognare) (307) to start at once. 

EXERCISE XXXIX. 

Michelangelo was . 

Michelangelo was (355). 

a sculptor, a painter, an architect, and a poet of great celebrity. 

a sculptor, a painter, an architect, and a poet of great celebrity. 

When I made his acquaintance he was a banker ; now he is a 

poor workman . 

When I made his acquaintance he was a banker (354) ; now he is 

a poor workman (355). 

What are you reading, Henry ? 

What are you reading, Henry ? 

"I Lombardi alla prima Crociata," a splendid poem, by Tommaso 

Grossi. 

"I Lombardi alla prima Crociata," a (353) splendid poem, by (of) 

Tommaso Grossi. 

My father is a captain in the French army. 

My father is a captain (354) in the French army. 

We bought a hundred Turkish carpets for a thousand guineas. 

388

We bought (180) a hundred (356) Turkish carpets for a thousand 

(356) guineas. 

This cloth costs six shillings a yard. 

This cloth costs six shillings a (362) yard. 

The best coffee comes from Mocha, a town in Arabia. 

The best coffee comes from Mocha, a (353) town in (of) Arabia. 

I give four shillings a day to my gardener. 

I give four shillings a day to my gardener. 

What is the title of Charles' new book ? 

What is the title of Charles' new book ? 

"A life of Lord Palmerston. 

"A (357) life of Lord Palmerston. 

" What a beautiful morning! shall we go out for a walk ? 

" What a (358) beautiful morning! shall we go out for a walk ? 

Yes, as soon as I have written my letters. 

Yes, as soon as (249) I have written my letters. 

What a beautiful horse! where did you buy it ? 

What a beautiful horse! where did you buy it ? (193) 

I bought it from Colonel James. 

I bought it from Colonel James. 

This man works by the hour; he earns three shillings an hour. 

This man works by the hour; 1 he earns three shillings an (362) 

hour. 

Her father knows a great deal ; he earns six hundred guineas a 

year. 

Her father knows 2 a great deal ; he earns six hundred guineas a 

year. 

Captain Cook was a navigator of great celebrity . 

Captain Cook was a navigator of great celebrity (355). 

EXERCISE XL. 

His Holiness Pope Leo the tenth was a son of the celebrated 

Lorenzo de' Medici. 

His Holiness (368) Pope Leo the tenth (Leone decimo) was a (353) 

son of the celebrated 1 Lorenzo de' Medici. 

There was a sentry at each door of the palace. 

389

There was (154) a sentry at each door of the palace. 

If he does not act with prudence, he will soon become the victim 

of his companions. 

If he does not act (Pres. Ind.) with prudence, he will soon become 

the victim of his companions. 

He has been a widower these four years. 

He has (149) been (277) a widower (354) these four years. 

Last year I went to Florence with my brother-in-law and my 

cousin Margaret. 

Last year I went to Florence with my brother-in-law and my 

cousin Margaret. 

The two sentries were women. 

The two sentries 2 were women. 

When we go to Italy we meet many of our country women. 

When we go to (207) Italy we meet (239) many of our country 

women. 

3 She is French and he is English ; they are both good singers. 

3 She is French and he is English ; they are both good singers. 

4 The emperor and empress were surrounded by princes and 

princesses, baron and baronesses. 

4 The emperor (374) and empress were (Imperf. Ind.) surrounded 

by princes (375) and princesses, baron and baronesses. 

EXERCISE XLI. 

Chronology and geography are the eyes of history . 

Chronology (328) and (337) geography are the eyes 2 (411) of 

history (328). 

Spain produces lemons, oranges, and olives in great abundance. 

Spain produces lemons, oranges, and olives in great abundance. 

Poets compare cheeks to roses, eyes to stars, hands to lilies, and 

teeth to pearls. 

Poets (328) compare cheeks (392) to roses, eyes to stars, hands 

(408) to lilies, and teeth to pearls. 

One must know mathematics to understand astronomy 

thoroughly. 

One must (307) know (364) mathematics 3 (225) to understand 

astronomy thoroughly. 

390

I admire the theaters , fountains, statues, galleries, and gardens 

of this beautiful city. 

I admire the theatres (408), fountains, statues, galleries, and 

gardens of this beautiful city. 

History proves that philosophers have always been preceded by 

poets, and painters. 

History proves that (che) philosophers (328) have always been 

preceded by (269, 270) poets, and (by the) painters. 

The rose is the queen of flowers, and the emblem of beauty. 

The rose is the queen of flowers, and the emblem of (328) beauty. 

We have visited the principal cities of Italy. 

We have visited the principal cities (396) of Italy. 

The earth presents on its surface, heights, hollows, precipices, 

volcanos, seas, marshes, rivers, forests, and fields. 

The earth presents on its surface, heights, (137, 389) hollows, 

precipices, (411) volcanoes, seas, marshes, rivers, (402) forests, 

and fields. 

These men are not French ; they are German ; three are sailors , 

the others are workmen. 

These men are not (125) French ; they are German (409) ; three 

are sailors (411), the others are workmen. 

EXERCISE XLII. 

The fruit for dessert is on the sideboard. 

The fruit (420) for dessert is (are) on the side-board. 

The Jupiter of Homer was the first among the gods of mythology. 

The Jupiter of Homer was the first among the gods (88, 423) of 

mythology. 

The games and exercises practised by the Greeks, were good for 

the health of the body, and the strength of the limbs . 

The games (409) and exercises practised by the Greeks, were 

good for the health of the body, and (for) the strength of the limbs 

(420). 

I have bought two pairs of boots, one for Mary, and one for my 

sister Elizabeth. 

I have bought two pairs (421) of boots, one for Mary, and one for 

my sister Elizabeth. 

391

A friend has sent me a basket of eggs . 

A friend has sent me (193) a basket of eggs (421). 

Climate has great influence on the character of men. 

Climate (328, 397) has great influence on the character of (328) 

men. 

I have corrected your exercises. 

I have corrected your exercises. 

EXERCISE XLIII. 

Do you like my brother's works ? 

Do you (122) like my brother's works ? 

I look upon them as masterpieces . 

I look upon them as master-pieces (428). 

Give me pen and ink , a sheet of writing paper , and an envelope. 

Give me pen and ink (inkstand), a sheet of writing paper (431), 

and an envelope. 

I want to write to the director of this railway. 

I want (volere) (307) to write to the director of this railway. 

Last night I met William at my brother's ; he seemed satisfied 

with the result of his examination. 

Last night I met (Past Def.) William at my brother's ; 1 he seemed 

(Imperf. Ind.) satisfied with (266) the result of his examination. 

How do you like your new house ? 

How do you like your new house ? 

I do not like it much ; the dining room is very dark, the bed rooms 

are small, and the ground floor is gloomy. 

I do not like it much ; the dining-room (431) is very dark, the bed- 

rooms are small, and the ground-floor is gloomy. 

Where did you buy this chimney piece ? 

Where did you buy (have you bought) this chimney-piece ? (430) 

I bought it at Johnstone's. 

I bought it (180, 193) at Johnstone's. 

1 Where have you been ? 

1 Where have you been ? (149, 123) 

I have been to market, to buy three cartloads of firewood. 

392

I have been to (the) market, to buy three cart-loads (420) of 

firewood. 

Where is the pincushion ? 

Where is the pincushion ? 

It is on the worktable, near my sister's leather bag . 

It is on the worktable, (431) near my sister's leather bag (430). 

We went to America in a steam boat , and came back in a sailing 

vessel. 

We went to (207) America in a steam-boat (432), and came back 

in a sailing-vessel. 

EXERCISE XLIV. 

Where did you buy that huge book ? 

Where did you buy (have you bought) that (152) huge book ? (437) 

I bought it at Hachette's . 

I bought it at Hachette's (434). 

I caught this pretty little bird in its nest, in the trunk of a large 

tree, near your uncle's farm. 

I caught (180) this pretty little bird in its nest, in the trunk of a 

large tree, (437) near your uncle's farm. 

I am astonished to see you wearing that horrid Spanish hat . 

I am astonished to see you (122, 198) wearing (314) that horrid 

Spanish hat (177, 449). 

I wear it because it is light and comfortable. 

I wear it because it is light and comfortable. 

Take these pretty little books, and put them on Elizabeth's little 

table. 

Take 3 (122) these pretty little books, and put them (201) on 

Elizabeth's little table. 

This morning we walked four miles ; we went as far as the 

beautiful little bridge near the village inn. 

This morning we walked (Past Indef.) four miles (421) ; we went 

as far as the beautiful little bridge (442) near the village inn. 

Take away this cur ; I hate it. 

Take away this cur ; (444, 447) I hate it. 

Every evening we take a walk along a small stream, in which a 

thousand pretty little fishes swim about. 

393

Every evening we take a walk 3 along a small stream, in which a 

thousand pretty little fishes swim about. 

How do you do today? 

How do you do (see page 89) to-day? 

Very well! I thank you. 

Very well! (454) I thank you. 

The committee made a report of the case, and sent it to the king. 

The committee (456) made a report of the case, and sent it to the 

king. 

Under his despotic government the people suffered many 

hardships. 

Under his despotic government the people (456) suffered (Past 

Def.) many hardships. 

EXERCISE XLV. 

Have you seen George's new carriage ? 

Have you seen George's new carriage ? 

Yes, I have ; it is strong and well made. 

Yes, I have (208) ; it is strong and well made. 

The glorious productions of the eminent painter Raphael will ever 

form the delight of mankind. 

The glorious productions of the eminent painter Raphael will ever 

form the delight of mankind. 

Napoleon I. 

Napoleon I. 

often wore a grey coat, and a round hat, with a broad brim. 

often wore (Imp. Ind.) a grey (468) coat, and a round hat, with (a) a 

broad brim. 

General Garibaldi was riding a beautiful black horse. 

General Garibaldi was riding a beautiful (473, 469) black horse. 

A great talker is seldom a great speaker. 

A great (474) talker is seldom a great speaker. 

If we had a good telescope we could see the custom house. 

If we had a good (475) telescope we could (304) see the custom- 

house. 

A tall man is not always a great man. 

394

A tall man (472) is not always a great man. 

There is a great difference between a polite man and an honest 

man. 

There is (154) a great difference between a polite (472) man and 

an honest man. 

Go and fetch me a jug of warm water. 

Go (340) and fetch me a jug of warm (468) water. 

Here it is, on the oval table. 

Here it is, (245) on the oval table. 

Where are you going, Bertha ? 

Where are you going, Bertha ? 

I am going to Simpson's, to buy some white cotton, and some red 

wool. 

I am going (179) to Simpson's, (434) to buy some white cotton, and 

some red wool. 

I do not like this staircase ; it is dark, and not clean. 

I do not like this stair-case ; it is dark, and not clean. 

She writes in a simple and natural style. 

She writes in a simple (469) and natural style. 

My aunt has sent me a basket of flowers ; it contains some red 

and white pinks, some pretty roses, and several kinds of ferns. 

My aunt has sent me a basket of flowers (348) ; it contains some 

red and white (465, 468) pinks, some pretty roses, and several 

kinds (422) of ferns. 

EXERCISE XLVI. 

Why do you like the Italian language ? 

Why do you like the Italian (468) language ? 

I like it because it is sweet and harmonious. 

I like it because it is sweet and harmonious. 

The whole country was in a state of agitation. 

The whole (482) country was in a state of agitation. 

When the clergyman's children saw us, they became quite 

cheerful. 

When the clergyman's children saw us, they became (Past Def.) 

quite (483) cheerful. 

395

Let us go into that shop ; I have seen there some pretty ribbons 

and French lace. 

Let us go into that shop ; I have seen there (239, 243) some pretty 

(473) ribbons and French lace. 

Here is a pound of good tea ; give half of it to your sister. 

Here is (245) a pound of good tea ; give (122) half (487) of it (240) to 

your sister. 

He spent an hour and a half in writing this letter. 

He spent an hour and a half (486) in writing (314) this letter. 

Louisa does nothing else but sew and embroider. 

Louisa does nothing else but (491) sew and embroider. 


lean. 


lean. 

My brother has made me a present of some beautiful artificial 

flowers. 

My brother has made me a (360) present of some beautiful (473) 

artificial flowers. 

How long have you been waiting for us? 

How long (496) have you been waiting for (251) us? 

I have been waiting half an hour. 

I have been waiting half (486) an hour. 

EXERCISE XLVII. 

She is as pretty as her sister, but not so clever. 

She is as (505) pretty as her sister, but not so (505) clever. 

The simplicity of nature is more pleasing than the 

embellishments of art. 

The simplicity of nature is more pleasing than (511) the 

embellishments of art. 

Do not walk so fast, walk slower. 

Do not (122, 128) walk so fast, walk slower. 

It is nobler to forgive than to avenge yourself. 

It is nobler to forgive than (515) to avenge one's self. 

London has as many inhabitants as Belgium. 

London has as many (506) inhabitants as Belgium. 

396

Shall we go to the Crystal Palace ? 

Shall we go to the Crystal Palace ? 

I think so ; it is better to go today than tomorrow. 

I think so (271) ; it is better to go to-day than (515) to-morrow. 

Give him two guineas; you are richer than I. 

Give him two guineas; you are richer (512) than I. 

The twilight in the south is much shorter than in the north. 

The twilight in the south is much shorter than in the north. 

In the first centuries the Romans were more warlike than 

literary. 

In the first centuries the Romans were more warlike than (515) 

literary. 

Wrought iron is much stronger than cast iron ; it is less brittle, 

and much more durable. 

Wrought iron is much stronger than cast iron ; it is less (510) 

brittle, and much (495) more durable. 

A feigned peace is more dangerous than open war. 

A feigned peace is more dangerous than open war. 

It is better to acquit a criminal than to condemn an innocent 

person. 

It is better to acquit a criminal than (515) to condemn an 

innocent person. 

EXERCISE XLVIII. 

This tragedy is very interesting, and very well Written. 

This tragedy is very interesting, (471) and very well Written. 

She is taller than you by three inches. 

She is taller (512) than you by 1 three inches. 

The mosaics of Rome are the most famous in Europe. 

The mosaics (410) of Rome are the most famous (518) in Europe. 

Write to your brother and tell him to call on me as soon as 

possible. 

Write to your brother and tell him (201) to call on me 2 as soon as 

possible. 

3 I want to go to Paris ; all the more so because my sister Is there 

also .(there is also my sister). 

397

3 I want to go to Paris ; all the more so because 4 my sister Is 

there also (there is (239) also my sister). 

She is so kind, amiable, and pretty that everybody admires her. 

She is so kind, amiable, and pretty that 5 everybody admires her. 

My uncle's friend is the richest man in this village. 

My uncle's friend is the richest man in (521) this village. 

Gold is the purest, the most precious, the most ductile, and after 

platinum, the heaviest of all metals. 

Gold is the purest, the most precious, the most ductile, and after 

platinum, the heaviest of all metals. 

God's power extends from the lowest abyss of the earth, to the 

highest parts of the heavens. 

God's power extends from the lowest (520) abyss of the earth, to 

the highest (520) parts of the heavens. 

He is the bravest and the most able general of his time. 

He is the bravest (518) and ablest general of his time. 

EXERCISE XLIX. 

In the year one thousand and sixty six, England was conquered by 

William of Normandy, an event of the greatest importance. 

In the year one (356) thousand and sixty-six, England (330) was 

conquered by (270) William of Normandy, an (353); event of the 

greatest (520) importance. 

I have been reading the " Aristodemo," of Monti, and have learned 

by heart scene the fourth, act the first. 

I have been reading (179) the " Aristodemo," of Monti, and have 

learnt by heart scene (543) the fourth, act the first. 

How old is your nephew ? 

How old 1 is your nephew ? 

He will be seventeen on the 5th of next month. 

He will be seventeen on (147) the 5th of next month. 

How long will you remain in this city ? 

How long 2 will you remain in this city ? 

I shall leave Rome on the 15th . 

I shall leave Rome on the 15th (546). 

Sardinia is one hundred and fifty miles from Italy. 

398

Sardinia is (313) one hundred (356) and fifty miles (421) from 

Italy. 

Your letter of the 25th of February reached me on the 1st instant 

. 

Your letter of 3 the 25th of February (74) reached me on the 1st 

instant (544). 

Frederick the second king of Prussia, was a great warrior . 

Frederick the second (543) king of Prussia, was a great warrior 

(474). 

What is the day of the month ? 

What is the day (544) of the month ? 

It is the 9th . 

It is the 9th (546). 

EXERCISE L. 

Send me two dozen of oranges , and three dozen of lemons. 

Send me (201) two dozen (555) of oranges (411), and three dozen of 

lemons. 

Neptune, the most distant of the planets takes 164 2/3 years to 

make its revolution round the sun ; Uranus, 84 years and a few 

days ; Saturn, 29 1/2 years ; Jupiter, nearly 12 years ; Mars, 1 

year, 10 months, and 21 days ; the Earth, 1 year ; Venus, 7 

months, and 13 days; Mercury, 2 months, and 27 days. 

Neptune, the most (518) distant of the planets (397) takes 164 

2/3 (164 years and 2/3) (553) years to make its revolution round 

the sun ; Uranus, 84 years and a few (494) days ; Saturn, 29 1/2 

(486) years ; Jupiter, nearly 12 years ; Mars, 1 year, 10 months, 

and 21 days ; (542) the Earth, 1 year ; Venus, 7 months, and 13 

days; Mercury, 2 months, and 27 days. 

I have just sold my horse for thirty pounds, and ten shillings. 

I have just (299) sold my horse for (251) thirty pounds, and ten 

shillings. 

What is the height of this room ? 

What is the height 2 of this room ? 

It is about twelve feet high, and seventeen feet long. 

It is about twelve feet high, 2 and seventeen feet long. 

399

Out of fifteen thousand inhabitants, there were two thousand 

killed. 

Out of 3 fifteen thousand inhabitants, there were two thousand 

(538) killed. 

We generally breakfast at eight , have luncheon at one, and dine 

at six o'clock. 

We generally breakfast at eight (548), have luncheon at one, and 

dine at six o'clock. 

Dante , Petrarca and Boccaccio, lived in the fourteenth century, 

they are the most celebrated Italian trecentisti. 

Dante (334), Petrarca (333) and Boccaccio, lived in the fourteenth 

century, 4 they are the most celebrated Italian trecentisti. 

EXERCISE LI. 

The rose has its beauty, its freshness and its fragrance ; but it 

has also its thorns. 

The rose has its (560) beauty, its freshness and its fragrance ; 

but it has also its thorns. 

The lustre of our ancestors' glory reflects on us, to inspire us to 

imitate their virtues. 

The lustre of our ancestors' glory reflects on us, to (225) inspire 

us (198) to imitate their (560) virtues. 

One of our horses is so lame that we cannot drive him today. 

One of our horses is so lame (536) that we cannot drive him to- 

day. 

That lady is a relation of mine . 

That lady is a relation of mine (566). 

One of my favorite studies is botany. 

One of my favourite studies is botany. 

She showed him her splendid picture gallery, and costly jewels. 

She showed him her (562) splendid picture-gallery, and costly 

jewels. 

Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, said to her friends as she 

showed them her sons, "These are my jewels." 

Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, said to her (562) friends as 

she (mentre) showed them (211) her sons, "These are (245) my 

jewels." 

400

" He is a friend of mine, and has just married one of my cousins. 

" He is a friend of mine, (566) and has just married one of my 

cousins. 

I do not like to hear cats mewing at night. 

I do not like to hear cats mewing 1 (314) at night. 

Your sister is prettier than my cousin Jane ; she has fair hair, 

blue eyes, and a beautiful complexion . 

Your sister is prettier (510) than my cousin Jane ; she has 2 fair 

hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful complexion (570). 

EXERCISE LII. 

Do you like my books ? 

Do you like my (560) books ? 

Yes, I like them ; they are better than mine. 

Yes, I like them (193) ; they are better (520) than mine. 

Instead of giving the money to his father, he put it in his own 

pocket. 

Instead of giving the money to his father, he put (mettersi) it 

(218) in (572) his own pocket. 

Your garden is prettier than ours, but our orchard is larger, and 

better stocked than yours. 

Your garden is prettier than ours, but our orchard is larger, and 

better (522) stocked than yours. 

Henry IV. of France used to play with his children, carrying them 

on his back round his royal apartments. 

Henry IV. (543) of France used to play 1 with his (560) children, 

carrying them on his (571) back round his royal apartments. 

Do you buy your clothes ready made ? 

Do you buy your clothes ready made ? 

2 No ; I have them made to order at Johnson's . 

2 No ; I have them made to order 3 at Johnson's (434). 

The unfortunate Charles VI. 

The unfortunate Charles VI. 

of France passed his time in playing at cards with his attendants. 

of France passed his (571) time in (278) playing at cards with his 

attendants. 

401

The customs of our ancestors were simpler and healthier than 

ours . 

The customs of our ancestors were simpler and healthier than 

ours (578). 

The books you have sent to the bookbinder are mine and not 

yours. 

The books you have sent to the bookbinder are mine (578) and 

not yours. 

He spoils his health by studying too much at night. 

He spoils his (572) health by studying too much at night. 

EXERCISE LIII. 

These cherries and strawberries are ripe, but those pears are 

not. 

These (588) cherries and (599) strawberries are ripe, but those 

(595) pears are not. 

1 Go and fetch me that looking glass. 

1 Go and (340) fetch me that (593) looking-glass. 

How much time did you spend in painting your sister's portrait ? 

How much time 2 did you spend (have you spent) in (to) painting 

(314) your sister's portrait ? 

I could not tell you . 

I could (sapere) not tell (it) you (198, 218). 

This money is his , and not yours. 

This money is his (579), and not yours. 

Give me that thimble, those needles, and that thread. 

Give me that (593) thimble, those (594) needles, and that thread. 

Take off those ugly boots of yours ; they will lame your feet . 

Take off those (589) ugly boots of yours (449, 572) ; they will lame 

your feet (572). 

Have you paid much for these jewels ? 

Have you paid much for (251) these jewels ? 

Yes, I have ; I paid two pounds ten shillings for this necklace. 

Yes, I have ; I paid (180) two pounds ten shillings for this 

necklace. 

EXERCISE LIV. 

What do you think of this country ? 

402

What (611) do you think of this country ? 

2 I like it almost as much as my native country. 

2 I like it almost as much as (505, 508) my native country. 

Of these three horses, this is the one I should prefer. 

Of these three horses, this is the one (which) 3 I should prefer. 

Modesty is to merit, what shadows are to the figures in a 

painting. 

Modesty (328) is to merit, what (610) shadows are to the figures in 

(di) a painting. 

We are body and mind ; the former should obey, the latter 

command. 

We are body and mind ; the former (605) should (224, 397) obey, 

the latter command. 

That which is superfluous often costs more than that which is 

necessary. 

That which (610) is superfluous often costs more than that which 

is necessary. 

That man, by his extravagance, has not only squandered all his 

own property, but also that of his wife. 

That man, by (con) his (560) extravagance, has not only 

squandered all his own property, (582) but also that (600) of his 

wife. 

I am influenced by love and anger ; the former pleads that I 

should forgive him, the latter that I should punish him. 

I am influenced by (270) love (328) and (by) anger ; the former 

(605) pleads that I should forgive him, the latter that I should 

punish him. 

Dante and Shakespeare were two great poets ; the former was an 

Italian, and the latter an Englishman. 

Dante (334) and Shakespeare (333) were two great poets ; the 

former (605) was (Imp. Ind.) an (354) Italian, and the latter an 

Englishman. 

I will do all that which depends upon me to obtain that post for you 

. 

I will do all that which (610, 612) depends upon (from) me to 

obtain that (593) post for you (198). 

403

Your sister has just made me a present of this beautiful bunch of 

grapes. 

Your sister has just (299) made me a (360) present of this 

beautiful bunch 4 of grapes. 

That clock is fast, and my watch is ten minutes slow. 

That (593) clock is fast, 5 and my (560) watch is ten minutes 

slow. 

EXERCISE LV. 

Which do you like best of those three books ? 

Which (631) do you like best of those (594) three books ? 

The one that has the illustrations, and is bound in parchment. 

The one that (629) has the illustrations, and is bound in 

parchment. 

That lady is Mrs. Trivelli, of whom I spoke to you yesterday. 

That lady is Mrs. Trivelli, of whom (619) I spoke (Past Def. ) to you 

yesterday. 

My sister learns music from the gentleman whom your brother 

recommended to me . 

My sister learns music from the gentleman whom (624) your 

brother recommended (180) to me (193). 

The young lady we met last night at Mrs. Jones' has just entered 

the drawing-room. 

The young lady (623) we met last night at Mrs. Jones' (434) has 

just (299) entered (183) the drawing-room. 

Which one ? 

Which one ? (631). 

The one who spoke French to you. 

The one who (629) spoke French to you. 

The watch you bought me is broken (rompersi). 

The watch (623) you bought me is broken (rompersi). 

Not only did he send us the tickets, but he took us to the theatre 

in his carriage. 

Not only (639) did he send us the tickets, but he took us to the 

theatre in his carriage. 

Historians represent men such as they are poets depict them 

such as they should be . 

404

Historians represent men such as (635) they are poets depict 

them such as they should be (224). 

EXERCISE LVI. 

Who is knocking at the door ? 

Who (643) is knocking at the door ? 

My little brother James. 

My little brother James. 

To whom have you told the news ? 

To whom (643) have you told the news ? 

To my sister-in-law. 

To my sister-in-law. 

The road through which we passed was very lonely. 

The road through which (619) we passed was (Imp. 

Ind. 

) very lonely. 

From whom do you expect a letter ? 

From whom (643) do you expect a letter ? 

From that lady who spoke to you at my brother's house. 

From that lady who (619) spoke to you at my brother's house. 

Children who obey their parents deserve to be praised. 

Children (328) who (619) obey (to) their parents 2 deserve to be 

praised. 

What is the weight of this shield ? 

What (631) is the weight of this shield ? 

It is about ten pounds. 

It is about ten pounds. 

3 For whom are you painting that vase? 

3 For whom are you painting that vase? 

For my mother-in-law. 

For my mother-in-law. 

The pencil with which I was writing is broken. 

The pencil with which (619) I was writing (179) is broken. 

Whose hat is this ? 

Whose hat is this ? 

405

It belongs to that little girl . 

It belongs to that little girl (442). 

What are you thinking of ? 

What (611) are you thinking of ? 

I was thinking of the advice you gave to me. 

I was thinking of the advice 4 you gave (180) to me. 

EXERCISE LVII. 

They were both students at the University of Oxford. 

They were both (665) students at the University of Oxford. 

Every one of the pupils of the Royal College of Music and of the 

Royal Academy of Music received a ticket of admission to the 

International Concert. 

Every one (659) of the pupils of the Royal College of Music and of 

the Royal Academy of Music received (Past Def. 

) a ticket of admission to the International Concert. 

Charity rejoices at the good fortune of others . 

Charity rejoices at the good fortune of others (662). 

Neither my grandfather nor my aunt have arrived. 

Neither my grandfather nor my aunt (275, 667) have arrived. 

Neither of them is the owner of the house we have seen. 

Neither of them (667) is the owner of the house (623) we have 

seen. 

Rich as they are they will not be admitted to that society. 

Rich as they are 1 they will not be admitted to that society. 

Let them be ever so clever , they will never succeed in such an 

undertaking. 

Let them be ever so clever (however clever they may be) (676), 

they will never succeed (258) in such an undertaking. 

Some people are never satisfied, however prosperous they may 

be. 

Some people (649) are never satisfied, however (676) prosperous 

they may be. 

I shall buy either this box or that trunk. 

I shall buy either (666) this box 2 or that trunk. 

How much capital have you entrusted to him ? 

406

How much capital 3 have you entrusted to him ? 

I have entrusted to him about five hundred pounds. 

I have entrusted to him about five hundred (537) pounds. 

EXERCISE LVIII. 

He kept us waiting in the rain till two o'clock in the afternoon. 

He kept us waiting (683) in the rain till two o'clock (548) in the 

afternoon. 

Your having told him frankly that we would wait no longer 

offended him. 

Your having told (685) him frankly that we would wait no longer 

offended him. 

Having conducted me into the room destined for me, he wished 

me a goodnight, and went away. 

Having conducted me (689) into the room destined for (to) me, he 

wished me a (the) good-night, and went away. 

Princes who in governing their subjects, are not guided by 

principles of justice, excite disaffection. 

Princes (328) who (620) in governing (688) their subjects, are not 

guided by (270) principles of justice, excite disaffection. 

Having seated herself on a comfortable armchair, she began to 

narrate the scene she had witnessed. 

Having seated herself (689) on a comfortable arm-chair, she 

began to narrate the scene (623) she had witnessed. 

I admire those artists, I saw them painting some very fine 

pictures. 

I admire those (594) artists, I saw them painting 1 some very fine 

pictures. 

I should like to have one of those pictures; I saw them being 

painted. 

I should like to have one of those pictures; I saw them being 

painted. 

1 I often heard him speaking against you, but I never thought! he 

would dare to cause you any loss. 

1 I often heard him speaking (690) against you, but I never 

thought! (636) he would dare to cause you any loss. 

Young as he is he knows how to make himself feared. 

407

Young as he is (679) he knows how to make himself feared. 

3 I like the voice of Miss Williams , I heard her singing last night. 

3 I like Miss Williams' voice, I heard her singing (690) last night. 

The song you have composed is very pretty ; I have heard it sung 

several times. 

The song (623) you have composed is very pretty ; I have heard it 

sung (690) several times. 

Having dressed themselves in their best clothes, they went out 

for a walk. 

Having dressed (689) themselves in their best clothes, they went 

out for a walk. 

I came earlier this morning, because I thought I should have 

found you at home. 

I came earlier (510) this morning, because I thought (691) I 

should have found 4 you at home. 

I do not like to see horses running so fast. 

I do not like to see horses running (683) so fast. 

EXERCISE LIX. 

When I was in Paris I often met your American friend. 

When I was (696) in Paris I often met (697) your American friend. 

Thomas a Becket was kneeling! before the altar when the 

knights struck him. 

Thomas a Becket was kneeling! 2 (696) before the altar when the 

knights struck (704) him. 

At two clock we were far from the batteries, and had escaped a 

great danger. 

At two clock we were (696) far from the batteries, and had escaped 

(709) a great danger. 

The general assured us that the enemy were not sufficiently 

numerous to attack us. 

The general assured us that the enemy were (696) not 

sufficiently numerous to (225) attack us. 

What did you do in the evening when you were in the country ? . 

What (611) did you do (697) in the evening when you were in the 

country ? (614). 

408

My brother and I read, and my sisters either sewed, or played 

upon the piano. 

My brother and I read, and my sisters either sewed, or played 

upon (583) the piano. 

Frederick the Great always wore a dark blue uniform. 

Frederick the Great always wore (701) a dark blue uniform. 

When he entered the room, all the servants were asleep . 

When he entered (183, 704) the room, all the servants were 

asleep (696). 

Spain had formerly immense possessions in America. 

Spain had (696) formerly immense possessions in America. 

EXERCISE LX. 

Her father was a handsome man, but very proud. 

Her father was (701) a handsome man, but very proud. 

Man formerly lived in forests ; the meadows were his walks ; he 

had for his food the fruits of the earth, and the chirping of birds 

delighted his ears. 

Man formerly lived (701) in forests ; the meadows were (696) his 

walks ; he had for his food the fruits of the earth, and the 

chirping (683) of birds delighted (701) his (575) ears. 

When Croesus showed to Solon his vast treasures, the latter said 

: " Sire, if anyone come with better iron than yours, he will be 

master of this gold. 

When Croesus showed (704) to Solon his vast treasures, the 

latter (605) said : " Sire, if anyone (649) come with better iron 

than yours, he will be master (146) of this gold. 

" According to the statement of the governor, they escaped . 

" According to the statement of the governor, they escaped (720). 

My servant behaved very well for the first five years, but 

afterwards he became very rude, and dishonest. 

My servant behaved (703) very well for the first five years, but 

afterwards he became (704) very rude, and dishonest. 

I speak of the Normans, because they were then at the height of 

their glory. 

I speak of the Normans, because they were (696) then at the 

height of their glory. 

409

Napoleon commanded the artillery at the siege of Toulon, and 

gained brilliant victories in Italy, as general-in-chief of the 

French republic. 

Napoleon commanded (704) the artillery at the siege of Toulon, 

and gained (704) brilliant victories in Italy, as general-in-chief of 

the French republic. 

We met last year at Paris. 

We met (704) last year at Paris. 

I had never seen him before. 

I had never seen (709) him before. 

Louis XIV. 

Louis XIV. 

lived seventy eight years, and reigned seventy two. 

lived (703) seventy-eight years, and reigned seventy-two. 

I wrote to him this morning, immediately after breakfast. 

I wrote (708) to him this morning, immediately after breakfast. 

Dante was born in 1265, and died in exile in 1321 . 

Dante was born (704) in 1265, and died in exile in 1321 (544). 

When Tasso was twelve years old he composed very good Greek 

verses. 

When Tasso was (550, 696) twelve years old he composed (701) 

very good Greek verses. 

If I were you, I would not lend him any money. 

If (112) I were you, I would not lend him any money. 

He was very odd ; he used to tell the same story so many times, 

until it was positively painful to hear him. 

He was (701) very odd ; he used to tell the same story so many 

times, until it was (696) positively painful to hear him. 

As soon as they reached the top of the mountain, they were killed 

. 

As soon as they reached (710) the top of the mountain, they were 

killed (705). 

Ferdinand and Isabella reigned in Spain when Columbus 

discovered America. 

Ferdinand and Isabella reigned (696) in Spain when Columbus 

discovered (704) America. 

410

In crossing the moor, I saw a flight of ravens, flying towards the 

mountains. 

In crossing (688) the moor, I saw a flight 1 of ravens, flying (292) 

towards the mountains. 

EXERCISE LXI. 

Do you hope that he will be elected a member of Parliament ? 

Do you hope that he will be elected (724) a (354) member of 

Parliament ? 

I wish he may succeed in his undertaking. 

I wish he may succeed (723) in his undertaking. 

It is possible that I may have been imprudent, but I have not 

been criminal. 

It is possible that I may have been (729) imprudent, but I have 

not been criminal. 

I do not like you to go out with that good-for-nothing fellow. 

I do not like you to go out (724) with that good-for-nothing fellow. 

I do not think you have acted prudently. 

I do not think you have acted (724, 636) prudently. 

I take so much care with your education, in the hope that you 

will profit by it . 

I take so much care with (of) your education, in the hope that you 

will profit (723) by it (240). 

I do not forget that you have invested much capital in that 

speculation. 

I do not forget that you have invested (,725) much capital (681) in 

that speculation. 

Tell the servant to awake me early tomorrow morning. 

Tell the servant to awake (723, 728) me early to-morrow morning. 

Stop with me until I receive assistance, I beg of you. 

Stop with me until I receive (730) assistance, I beg of you. 

EXERCISE LXII. 

Unless you invite him yourself, he will not come. 

Unless you invite (733) him yourself, he will not come. 

The elephant never attacks, unless he is provoked. 

The elephant never attacks, unless he is provoked. 

I do not think he was working when I rang the bell. 

411

I do not think he was working (724, 746) when I rang the bell. 

It was necessary that two of our squadrons should advance , and 

force the enemy's line. 

It was necessary (704) that two of our squadrons 1 should advance 

(729), and force the enemy's line. 

Learn your lessons for tomorrow, lest your master punish you. 

Learn your lessons for to-morrow, lest your master punish (733) 

you. 

If Mr. 

John comes before dinner, tell him to wait for me, until I come 

back . 

If Mr. 

John comes (752) before dinner, tell him to wait for (251, 728) 

me, until I come back (736). 

I wish you would play this piece of music slowly and with 

expression. 

I wish (718) you would (748) play this piece of music slowly and 

with expression. 

2 He wishes that I should reflect on that proposal. 

2 He wishes (desiderare) that I should reflect (723) on that 

proposal. 

I wrote to him by post, so that he might learn the news in time. 

I wrote (707) to him by post, so that (730) he might learn the news 

in time. 

That man has given me a fearful blow with a stick. 

That man has given me a fearful blow with a stick. 

3 If I had some paper, I would write to him. 

3 If (754) I had some paper, I would write to him. 

Whatever he undertakes to d o, he does it diligently. 

Whatever he undertakes (730) to do, he does it diligently. 

Your father will pay all your debts, on condition that you will 

execute his orders faithfully. 

Your father will pay all your debts, on condition that (730) you will 

execute his orders faithfully. 

I do not know where little William is . 

I do not know where little William is (724). 

412

There are few men whose character is better known than his. 

There are few men whose character is (741) better known (365) 

than his. 

It is the most interesting book I ever read . 

It is the most interesting book I ever read (741). 

EXERCISE LXIII. 

He is greatly loved by his parents. 

He is greatly loved (765) by (270) his parents. 

He has been long considered the best poet of the age. 

He has been long considered (714, 765) the best poet of the age. 

They were ordered to keep themselves ready, in case of a sudden 

attack. 

They were ordered (772) to keep themselves ready, in case of a 

sudden attack. 

The Austrians were defeated by the Prussians at the battle of 

Sadowa. 

The Austrians were defeated (767) by the Prussians at the battle 

of Sadowa. 

We went wandering all night through the forest. 

We went (699, 704) wandering all night through the forest. 

It is generally believed that Rome was founded by Romulus, 

though there are no proofs in support of the tradition. 

It is generally believed (771) that Rome was founded (723, 765) by 

Romulus, though there are no proofs in support of the tradition. 

Is it true that your cousin John has married a Spanish lady ? 

Is it true that your cousin John has married (727) a Spanish lady 

? 

I think so ; they speak of it everywhere in town. 

I think so (271) ; they speak of it (771) everywhere in town. 

I have heard the report of a gun. 

I have heard 1 the report of a gun. 

I am requested to tell you not to go away without leave. 

I am requested (772) to tell you not to go away without leave. 

They were allowed to enter the church after Divine Service. 

They were allowed (772) to enter the church after Divine Service. 

413

These pictures have been admired , but I am sure they will not 

be sold . 

These pictures have been admired (765), but I am sure (636) they 

will not be sold (771). 

It is reported that he will be made Minister for Foreign Affairs. 

It is reported 2 that he will be made (769) Minister for Foreign 

Affairs. 

I have heard it said that lions can be trained to perform like dogs. 

I have heard it said 3 that lions can be trained (771) to perform 

like dogs. 

I have not heard from my brother-in-law since the 15th of 

January. 

I have not heard from 4 my brother-in-law since the 15th (546) of 

January. 

At country fairs one sees very curious people. 

At country fairs 5 one sees very curious people. 

6 It is said that popular songs reveal the character of a people. 

6 It is said (771) that popular songs reveal (723) the character of a 

people. 

They were advised by the judge to confess their crime. 

They were advised (767) by the judge to confess their crime. 

The barbarous sport of the bull fight was introduced into Spain by 

the Arabs, amongst whom it was celebrated with great pomp. 

The barbarous sport of the bull fight was introduced (765) into 

Spain by the Arabs, amongst whom it was celebrated (771) with 

great pomp. 

They were promised two pounds each . 

They were promised (772) two pounds each (659). 

EXERCISE LXIV. 

I would like to speak to you on a matter of importance. 

I would like (718, 786) to speak to you on (298) a matter of 

importance. 

They are to be here this afternoon at three o'clock. 

They are to be (790) here this afternoon at three o'clock. 

I ought to write to my mother. 

I ought to (791) write to my mother. 

414

My essay must be ready for the next issue of the magazine. 

My essay must be (792) ready for the next issue of the magazine. 

Will you have a steel pen, or a quill ? 

Will you have (787) a steel pen, or a quill ? 

I prefer a quill, if you have one . 

I prefer a quill, if you have one (144). 

Will you be so good as to tell me where you buy your gloves ? 

Will you be so good as (788) to tell me where you buy your gloves ? 

With the greatest pleasure; I buy them at Johnstone's . 

With the greatest (520) pleasure; I buy them at Johnstone's (434). 

Our cousin Charles is expected to visit us tomorrow, or the day 

after tomorrow. 

Our cousin Charles is expected (793) to visit us to-morrow, or the 

day after to-morrow. 

The Queen is expected to leave London this week. 

The Queen is expected (793) to leave London this week. 

We should encourage the beautiful, because the useful is sure to 

be sought after. 

We should (791) encourage the beautiful, (336) because the 

useful is sure to be sought after. 

They say that the procession is to pass through Piccadilly. 

They say (771) that the procession is (792) to pass through 

Piccadilly. 

It ought to have passed through Oxford Street. 

It ought to have passed (791) through Oxford Street. 

Am I to do all this work for nothing ? 

Am I to do (792) all this work for nothing ? 

No, you will be paid. 

No, you will be paid. 

She is to write to him three times a week. 

She is to write (792) to him three times a (the) week. 

Will you go with me, or not ? 

Will you go (305) with me, or not ? 

I want you to make up your mind. 

I want you (789) to make up your mind. 

415

1 I am sorry, but I cannot ; I have to be at my father's office before 

five o'clock . 

1 I am sorry, but I cannot ; I have to be at my father's office before 

five o'clock (548). 

You should have told me that last night ; I could have asked 

Charles to come. 

You should have told me (786) that last night ; I could have asked 

Charles to come. 

Do not let him bring those flowers in your bedroom . 

Do not let (796) him bring those (594) flowers in your bedroom 

(431). 

EXERCISE LXV. 

Can that boy write ? 

Can (795) that boy write ? 

No, he can neither write nor read. 

No, he can neither (801) write nor read. 

My brother has only one horse, but it is a good one. 

My brother has (802) only one horse, but it is a good one. 

They could not deny the accusation we brought against them. 

They could (794) not deny the accusation we brought against 

them. 

Mind they do not come here ; if they do, I shall never come to see 

you again. 

Mind (806) they do not come here ; if (752) they do, I shall never 

come to see you again. 

2 I recognized him, although I had never seen him before. 

2 I recognised him, although (740) I had never (804) seen him 

before. 

He can only do mathematics . 

He can (802) only do mathematics (419). 

It was they who prevented us from writing 

It was they who prevented us from writing (to write. 

) 

Unless you speak to them, they will always prevent us coming. 

Unless you speak to them, they will always prevent us coming. 

I apprehend that he will succeed ; I wish he would not. 

416

I apprehend (808) that he will succeed ; I wish (748) he would not. 

3 I do not deny his being extremely clever, but he is too 

conceited. 

3 I do not deny (815) his being extremely clever, but he is too 

conceited. 

I am afraid that Frederick will not succeed ; I wish he would. 

I am afraid (808) that Frederick will not succeed (258) ; I wish he 

would. 

3 I have no fear of her speaking. 

3 I have no fear (812) of her speaking. 

EXERCISE LXVI. 

Have you finished the letter I gave you to write ? 

Have you finished (820) the letter (636) I gave you to (310) write ? 

The heavy rains, which we had in the spring, have been the 

cause of many diseases. 

The heavy rains, which we had (704) in the spring, have been the 

cause of many diseases. 

We have not slept for the last forty eight hours. 

We have not slept (827) for the last forty-eight hours. 

The painter Caracci having been plundered by some robbers, 

drew their likenesses so well that they were discovered . 

The painter Caracci having been plundered by some robbers, 

drew their likenesses so well that they were discovered (704, 

830). 

The hostile army being routed , their camp plundered, their 

baggage carried away, their ammunition taken, the French re- 

entered triumphant. 

The hostile army being routed (689), their camp plundered, their 

baggage carried away, their ammunition taken, the French re- 

entered triumphant. 

A noble but confused thought is a diamond covered with dust. 

A noble but confused thought is a diamond covered with (831, 348) 

dust. 

The high mountains of Switzerland are always covered with snow 

and ice. 

417

The high mountains of (330) Switzerland are always covered with 

snow and ice. 

King Harold and his two brothers were killed at the battle of 

Hastings. 

King Harold and his two brothers were killed (704, 830) at the 

battle of Hastings. 

Demetrius, on hearing that the Athenians had overturned his 

statues, remarked, " They have not overturned the virtues which 

erected them to me. 

" 

Demetrius, on hearing 5 that the Athenians had overturned (833) 

his statues, remarked, " They have not overturned the virtues 

which erected (821) them to me. 

" (218). 

Look, I have bought this box to put my clothes in ; do you think it 

is large enough ? 

Look, I have bought this box (680) to put my clothes in (198, 238) ; 

do you think it is large enough ? 

Yes, I think so . 

Yes, I think so (271). 

As soon as he had received his money, he started for America. 

As soon as he had received (832) his money, he started for 

America. 

Before men possessed the art of writing, all deeds worthy of being 

preserved were transmitted to posterity in verse . 

Before (730) men possessed the art of writing, all deeds worthy of 

being preserved were transmitted (701, 769, 830) to posterity in 

verse (verses). 

EXERCISE LXVII. 

Are you warm, Charles ? 

Are you (122) warm, (a) Charles ? 

Yes. 

Yes. 

I thank you ; when I came in I was very cold . 

I thank you ; when I came in I was very cold (b). 

When these men came in they were very hungry and thirsty . 

418

When these men came in (705) they were (695) very hungry (c) 

and thirsty (d). 

The children are very sleepy . 

The children are very sleepy (e). 

Do you think that Margaret is in the right ? 

Do you think (691) that Margaret is in the right (f) (724) ? 

Yes, and that you are in the wrong . 

Yes, and that you are in the wrong (g). 

I never thought that you would be so wicked as to offend her. 

I never thought (691) that you would be so wicked as 1 to offend 

her. 

These little children are afraid of that big dog . 

These little children (442) are afraid (h) of that big dog (437). 

Do not detain me, because I am in a hurry . 

Do (126, 128) not detain me, because I am in a hurry (i). 

I am very glad to hear that your brother is going to Florence. 

I am very glad (j) to hear that your brother is going to Florence. 

Shut that window ; I feel very cold . 

Shut that window ; I feel very cold (b). 

Those who think they are always in the right are often wrong. 

Those who (630) think they are always in the right (f) are often 

wrong. 

They were very happy to be again with us. 

They were very happy (j) to be again with us. 

I think you should be more careful of your health. 

I think you should be (791) more careful of (k) your health. 

If he would act sensibly, he would be liked by everybody. 

If (754) he would act sensibly, (l) he would be liked by (270) 

everybody. 

If he were wise, he would be rich. 

If he were wise, (l) he would be rich. 

EXERCISE LXVIII. 

Your brother looked very well when I saw him a few days ago. 

Your brother looked very well (a) when I saw him a few days ago. 

You do not look well ; what is the matter with you ? 

419

You do not look well (b) ; what (611) is the matter with you (835) ? 

I feel a pain in my head, and in my right arm. 

I feel a pain in (c) my head, and in my right arm. 

She has the money ready to pay him if he comes. 

She has the money ready (d) to pay him if (752) he comes. 

I intend to buy a copy of Tennyson's poems for you . 

I intend (f) to buy a copy of Tennyson's poems for you (213). 

He has a wish to eat some French strawberries. 

He has a wish (g) to eat some French strawberries. 

She had a great desire to see the Tower of London. 

She had a great desire to (h) see the Tower of London. 

They aim at making money. 

They aim at (i) making money. 

Now I will tell you what took place at my brother's house . 

Now I will tell you what took place (j) at my brother's house (434). 

He may say what he likes , he may do what he likes , he will not 

succeed . 

He may say what he likes (k), he may do what he likes (k), he will 

not succeed (258). 

Do not pay attention to what he says ; he has no influence . 

Do not pay attention to (216) what (610) he says ; he has no 

influence (l). 

Your brother Louis is always out of temper . 

Your brother Louis is always out of temper (m). 

I am afraid he bears you a grudge ; I d o not know why. 

I am afraid (808) he bears you a grudge (n) ; I do not know why. 

He is angry with me because I sold the horse without telling him 

anything. 

He is angry with (o) me because I sold (707) the horse without 

telling him anything. 

Charles is easily offended . 

Charles is easily offended (p). 

It is true that I intend to go to Florence and remain there for five 

or six months, but I cannot make up my mind thus in a moment. 

420

It is true that 3 I intend (f) to go to Florence and remain there 

(239) for (311) five or six months, but I cannot make up my mind 

(803) thus in a moment. 

EXERCISE LXIX. 

It is necessary to make all preparations for the Prince of Wales, 

who will arrive at two o'clock, with the Princess of Wales and the 

Prince of Naples. 

It is necessary (a) to make all (482) preparations for the Prince of 

Wales, who will arrive at two o'clock, with the Princess of Wales 

and the Prince of Naples. 

I must make a speech on behalf of our College. 

I must (a) make a speech on behalf of our College. 

It is worth while to go to some expense on such an occasion. 

It is worth while (b) to go to (make) some expense on (650) such 

an occasion. 

They have it in their power to do a great deal of good to the 

institution. 

They have it in their power (c) to do a great deal of good to the 

institution. 

I hope our director will be satisfied with our endeavors. 

I hope our director will be satisfied with (d) our endeavours. 

I am sure he will . 

I am sure he will (208). 

Well, boys, are you ready ? 

Well, boys, are you ready (e) ? 

Yes, we are quite ready, except Mary ; she is always late . 

Yes, we are quite ready, except Mary ; she is always late (f). 

Those two boys never agree . 

Those two boys never agree (g). 

To say the truth, that little fellow there, is a good for nothing . 

To (225) say the truth, that little fellow there, is a good for nothing 

(h). 

When I caught hold of him, he was on the point of throwing a 

stone at my window. 

When I caught hold of him, he was (695) on the point of (l) 

throwing a stone at my window. 

421

Does that man bear a good character? . 

Does that man (606) bear a good character? (m). 

No, he does not . 

No, he does not (208). 

I should be very glad to know who that lady is. 

I should be very glad (n) to know who that lady is. 

I have had to grant him all he asked me. 

I have had (dovere) 2 to grant him all (610) he asked me. 

I have had to come alone. 

I have had (dovere) 2 to come alone. 

He has not been able to sleep. 

He has not been able (potere) 3 to sleep. 

He has not been able to succeed. 

He has not been able (potere) 3 to succeed. 

They would not walk. 

They would (volere) 2 (707) not walk. 

They would not live in dishonor. 

They would (volere) 3 (707) not live in (with) dishonour. 

EXERCISE LXX. 

I do not like to go on foot . 

I do not like (a) to go on foot (b). 

My sisters are very fond of riding in a carriage ; they very seldom 

walk . 

My sisters are very fond of riding in a carriage (c) ; they very 

seldom walk (b). 

Elizabeth rides every morning to the top of the hill with her 


Elizabeth rides (d) every morning to the top 2 of the hill with her 


Why do you get into a passion for nothing ? 

Why do you get into a passion (e) for nothing ? 

The sound of this instrument is so melodious that it makes me 

fall into ecstasies . 

The sound of this instrument is so (536) melodious that it makes 

me fall into ecstasies (f). 

422

He is very proud of his riches ; and she is very proud of her 

beauty. 

He is very proud of (g) his (560) riches ; and she is very proud of 

her beauty. 

His affairs are very prosperous . 

His affairs are very prosperous (h). 

His business is getting better and better . 

His business is getting better and better (i). 

Their condition is getting worse and worse . 

Their condition is getting worse and worse (j). 

The scheme has failed ; I am afraid he is ruined. 

The scheme has failed (k) ; I am afraid (808) he is ruined. 

I do not think so . 

I do not think so (271). 

The ship sank near the harbor, at three o'clock p.m. 

The ship sank (l) near the harbour, at three o'clock p.m. (548). 

His dog followed him wherever he went. 

His dog followed him (m) (697) wherever he went. 

Some of his verses are really beautiful, they are always in my 

mind . 

Some of his verses are really beautiful, they are always in my 

mind (n). 

Let us come to a decision at once ; I am tired of arguing . 

Let us come to a decision (o) at once ; I am tired of arguing (683). 

He was so slow in making up his mind that I lost my patience. 

He was so slow (p) in making up his mind (803) that I lost my 

patience. 

I do not want to suffer from it . 

I do not want to suffer from it (q) (240). 

I am going now ; goodbye. 

I am going (r) now ; goodbye. 

EXERCISE LXXI. 

He would make me believe that he was rich. 

He would make me believe (a) that he was rich. 

I never believe flatterers. 

423

I never believe (b) flatterers. 

He does not repent of having listened to his bad companions. 

He does (784) not repent of (184) having listened to (c) his bad 

companions. 

He always addresses everybody in the second person singular . 

He always addresses everybody in the second person singular (d). 

Italian ladies and gentlemen address their inferiors in the 

second person plural . 

Italian ladies and gentlemen address their inferiors in the 

second person plural (e). 

I always address him in the third person singular , respectfully. 

I always address him in the third person singular (f ), respectfully. 

He gave me his word that he would be here again in a week . 

He gave me his word (g) that he would be here again in a week 

(549). 

It is said that he set fire to his house. 

It is said (771) that he set fire to (h) his house. 

Why do you not begin your poem ? 

Why do you not begin (i) your poem ? 

You had better help me a little . 

You had better help me a little (j). 

They were obliged to account for their conduct. 

They were obliged to account for (k) their (560) conduct. 

This cloth borders on red . 

This cloth borders on red (l). 

I wish I could give vent to my feelings. 

I wish I could 2 give vent to (n) my feelings. 

They looked at me two or three times. 

They looked at me (o) two or three times. 

The President received him this morning. 

The President received him (p) this morning. 

He seized a stick, and began to strike me. 

He seized (q) a stick, and began to strike me. 

He agrees that you are in the right . 

He agrees that you are in the right (r). 

424

This pen writes well . 

This pen writes well (w). 

EXERCISE LXXII. 

He has published a good translation of Moliere's Comedies. 

He has published (a) a good translation of Moliere's Comedies. 

He fell into the snare like an idiot. 

He fell (704) into the snare (b) like an idiot. 

I am bold enough to send him a challenge. 

I am bold enough (c) to send him a challenge. 

His election gave rise to a very warm discussion. 

His election gave rise to (d) (704) a very warm discussion. 

They are making fun of you . 

They are making fun of you (e). 

Mary always throws the blame on her sister. 

Mary always throws the blame on (f) her sister. 

When we accused him, he showed a great deal of irritation . 

When we accused him, he showed a great deal of irritation (g). 

When I told him the news, he burst out laughing . 

When I told him the news, he burst out laughing (h). 

I advise you not to lend her your parasol. 

I advise you not to lend her (j) your parasol. 

That busybody meddles with everything . 

That busybody meddles with everything (k). 

They are leading a life of idleness . 

They are leading a life of idleness (o). 

He would not make himself known as the author of the comedy. 

He would not make himself known as (p) the author of the 

comedy. 

I wish that she would not meddle with my affairs. 

I wish that she would not (723) meddle with (q) my affairs. 

My dear friend, do not worry yourself about trifles, be contented . 

My dear friend, do not worry yourself about (r) trifles, be contented 

's). 

The thief ran away directly. 

The thief ran away (t) directly. 

425

It is possible that Frederick and his friends will arrive this 

afternoon. 

It is possible (u) that Frederick and his friends will arrive (Pres. 

Subj. ) this afternoon. 

EXERCISE LXXIII. 

It was fine weather during the whole month we remained at 

Brighton. 

It was fine weather (a) (704) during the whole month we 

remained at Brighton. 

The weather is very bad just now ; we cannot go out. 

The weather is very bad (b) just now ; we cannot go out. 

Sometimes it is very cold in Paris, I assure you. 

Sometimes it is very cold (c) in (207) Paris, I assure you. 

In summer it is very warm in Italy ; perhaps too warm. 

In summer it is very warm (d) in Italy ; perhaps too warm. 

In the western part of Ireland the weather is very damp . 

In the western part of Ireland the weather is very damp (e). 

At home we breakfast at seven o'clock in summer, and eight 

o'clock in winter. 

At home we breakfast (f) at seven o'clock (548) in (328) summer, 

and eight o'clock in winter. 

We shall have luncheon before we go out. 

We shall have luncheon (g) before we go out. 

I encouraged him by promising that I would take him with me. 

I encouraged him (h) by promising (686) that I would take him 

with me. 

He was always boasting of his ancestors. 

He was always boasting (i) (701) of his ancestors. 

The crowd made room for her. 

The crowd made room for (j) her. 

They halted during the night. 

They halted (k) during the night. 

He is sulking with me, because I would not lend him my horse. 

He is sulking (l) with me, because I would not lend him my horse. 

The ship set sail for America three days ago ; she had three 

hundred passengers on board. 

426

The ship set sail (n) for America three days ago ; she had three 

hundred passengers on board. 

They were shipwrecked off the coast of Cornwall. 

They were shipwrecked (o) off the coast of Cornwall. 

He pretended to give the money to his father, but instead of that, 

he put it in his pocket . 

He pretended (p) to give the money to his father, but instead of 

that, he put it in his pocket (572). 

He played another tune to please the officers of the staff. 

He played another tune to please (q) the officers of the staff. 

1 On that occasion he acted as chaplain. 

1 On (298) that occasion he acted as (r) chaplain. 

He acted as a father to her. 

He acted as 's) a father to her. 

They drank the chairman's health . 

They drank the chairman's health (u). 

He is always laying down the law . 

He is always laying down the law (v). 

EXERCISE LXXIV. 

I intend to pay him a visit . 

I intend (a) to pay him a visit (b). 

We shall take a walk this evening after tea. 

We shall take a walk (c) this evening after tea. 

I take a bath every morning before breakfast. 

I take a bath (d) every morning before breakfast. 

I asked him to lend me his gun, but he turned a deaf ear . 

I asked him to lend me his gun, but he turned a deaf ear (e). 

I want to show him that I am not easily frightened. 

I want to show him (f) that I am not easily frightened. 

Do not hurt him with that big stick. 

Do not (126) hurt him (g) with that big stick. 

You never pay attention to what I tell you. 

You never pay attention (h) to what I tell you. 

Remember that you have promised me not to mention it to my 


427

Remember that you have promised me not to mention it (i) to my 


He gave proofs of great courage in the last war. 

He gave proofs of great courage (j) in the last war. 

We were busy preparing the exhibition when my father peeped in 

. 

We were busy preparing the exhibition 1 when my father peeped 

in (k). 

I have had two tables made for the garden. 

I have had two tables made (l) for the garden. 

He had a letter written to me by his secretary. 

He had a letter written (l) to me by his secretary. 

This dark tint fetches out the colors of the flowers. 

This dark tint fetches out (m) the colours of the flowers. 

Take courage, my dear friend. 

Take courage, (o) my dear friend. 

He pretended to be ignorant of all that had happened. 

He pretended to be ignorant of (p) all that (610) had happened. 

They ridicule everybody. 

They ridicule (q) everybody. 

You should not be afraid ; you should put yourself forward . 

You should not be afraid ; you should put yourself forward (r). 

If you draw near , you will see the effect. 

If you draw near 's), you will see the effect. 

Draw back a little ; I cannot see the game. 

Draw back (t) a little ; I cannot see the game. 

When they meet, they bow to one another most respectfully . 

When they meet, they bow to one another most respectfully (u). 

He always gets up to work at the break of day , and comes home 

at sunset . 

He always gets up to work (225) at the break of day (v), and comes 

home at sunset (w). 

EXERCISE LXXV. 

He does not value your friendship ; so much the worse for him. 

428

He does not value (a) your friendship ; so much the worse 1 for 

him. 

I was astonished to see him dressed in mufti. 

I was astonished (b) to see him dressed in mufti. 

I could not help it . 

I could not help it (c). 

He promised to become serious , and I backed him with all my 

means. 

He promised to become serious (d), and I backed him (e) with all 

my means. 

I asked his parents some questions . 

I asked his parents (655) some questions (f). 

When I caught the pickpocket, at first he looked as if butter would 

not melt in his mouth , and then he began to be impertinent . 

When I caught the pickpocket, at first he looked as if butter would 

not melt in his mouth (g), and then he began to be impertinent 

(h). 

The policeman told him that it was useless to brag , and that he 

would take him down a peg or two . 

The policeman told him that it was useless to brag (i), and that he 

would take him down a peg or two (j). 

What do these men d o ? 

What do these men do ? 

This one is a tailor and that one a carpenter. 

This one is a tailor (k) and that one a carpenter. 

The procession broke up and the people began to form groups . 

The procession broke up (704) and the people began to form 

groups (l). 

They greeted us warmly. 

They greeted us (m) warmly. 

He has promised my father to stand guaranty for me. 

He has promised my father to stand guaranty (m) for me. 

Never mind , he will be compelled to speak. 

Never mind (o), he will be compelled to speak. 

What will you do ? 

What will you do (p) ? 

429

I know him ; that is his character . 

I know him ; that is his character (q). 

There is plenty to do , the members of the Commission are 

coming here to dine. 

There is plenty to do (r), the members of the Commission are 

coming here to dine. 

This time the secretary will have something to d o for his salary. 

This time the secretary will have something to do for his salary. 

EXERCISE LXXVI. 

How are you today ? 

How are (a) you to-day ? 

I am very well, I thank you. 

I am very well, I thank you. 

Do you reside in this neighborhood ? 

Do you reside (b) in this neighbourhood ? 

No, I am staying with my sister. 

No, I am staying 2 with my sister. 

The ladies were allowed to sit down , but the gentlemen had to 

stand all the time. 

The ladies were allowed to sit down (c), but the gentlemen had 

(790) to stand (d) all the time. 

When you came in I was listening to a very interesting 

conversation. 

When you came in I was listening (e) to (698) a very interesting 

conversation. 

Be on your guard ; for he might escape. 

Be on your guard (f) ; for he might (794) escape. 

I saw that the stranger was pricking up his ears when you were 

speaking to my partner. 

I saw that the stranger was pricking up his ears (g) when you 

were speaking to my partner. 

Lions and tigers lie in wait for their prey near streams and 

brooks. 

Lions and tigers lie in wait (i) for their prey near streams and 

brooks. 

He wanted to surprise us, but we were prepared . 

430

He wanted to (786, 307) surprise us, but we were prepared (j). 

I hesitated whether I was to go to Paris. 

I hesitated (k) whether I was to go (756) to Paris. 

Be quiet , John. 

Be quiet (l), John. 

Let us be merry, children ; today it is the birthday of little Charlie 

. 

Let us be merry, (m) children ; to-day it is little Charlie's (448) 

birthday. 

His being silent gave great advantage to his enemies. 

His being (683) silent (n) gave great advantage to his enemies. 

Now it is his turn to speak. 

Now it is his turn (o) to speak. 

Light substances float on water. 

Light substances float (q) on water. 

Write this exercise, instead of standing idle . 

Write this exercise, instead of standing idle (q). 

Elizabeth, we have missed our train ; we are in a pickle now. 

Elizabeth, we have missed our train ; we are in a pickle (r) now. 

It is wrong to gamble. 

It is wrong 's) to gamble. 

EXERCISE LXXVII. 

My brother knows by heart many Italian sonnets. 

My brother knows by heart (a) many Italian sonnets. 

I am sorry to see you afflicted ; I hope that you have not received 

any bad news. 

I am sorry (b) to see you afflicted ; I hope that 1 you have not 

received any bad news. 

These apples have a good smell . 

These apples have a good smell (c). 

I am sure that he is trifling with you. 

I am sure that he is trifling with (i) you. 

She has been godmother to all my children. 

She has been godmother (j) to all my children. 

I side with you because you are in the right . 

431

I side with (k) you because you are in the right (836, f). 

Camelias are very beautiful flowers, but they have not any smell . 

Camelias are very beautiful flowers, but they have not any smell 

(f). 

All her clothes smell of musk . 

All her clothes smell of musk (g). 

We could not help weeping . 

We could not help weeping (l). 

I always believed him to be an honest man. 

I always believed (707) him to be (m) an honest man. 

William is very fond of your cousin Elizabeth. 

William is very fond of (n) your cousin Elizabeth. 

If I had known what he meant , I should have spoken to him. 

If I had known what he meant (o), I should have spoken to him. 

When she heard the news, she fainted in her mother's arms. 

When she heard the news, she fainted (p) in her mother's arms. 

I remember that I promised to meet her at my mother's house, at 

three o'clock this afternoon. 

I remember (q) that I promised to meet her at my mother's house, 

at three o'clock this afternoon. 

I took a fancy to go and see the exhibition . 

I took a fancy (r) to go and (340) see the exhibition (856). 

He succeeded in obtaining the post. 

He succeeded 's) (693) in obtaining the post. 

EXERCISE LXXVIII. 

What are you doing here, Mrs. 

What are you doing here, Mrs. 

Vincenzi ? 

Vincenzi ? 

I am spending an hour in the fresh air ; I come here almost every 

morning. 

I am spending an hour in the fresh air ; I come here almost every 

morning. 

Where have you been? 

Where have you been? (123) 

432

I do not know from whence I came; we lost our way after crossing 

the little green bridge, near Mr. 

. 

Prati's house. 

I do not know from whence I came; we lost our way after (185) 

crossing the little green bridge, near Mr. 

. 

Prati's house. 

We went up and down I do not know for how long ; but at last we 

have arrived here safe and sound. 

We went up and down I do not know for how long ; but at last we 

have arrived here safe and sound. 

Will you go with me to see the pictures in the National Gallery ? 

Will you go with me to see the pictures in the National Gallery ? 

Yes, if you will permit me to take my sister with me. 

Yes, if you will permit me to take my sister with me. 

With the greatest pleasure. 

With the greatest pleasure. 

No doubt you have seen Mascagni's new opera ? 

No doubt you have seen Mascagni's new opera ? 

No, not yet ; I have no time at all, just now. 

No, not yet ; I have no time at all, just now. 

Now we will begin this work ; we shall finish it before midnight. 

Now we will begin this work ; we shall finish it before midnight. 

If I were in your place, I would remain in Nice during the winter. 

If I were in your place, I would remain in Nice during the winter. 

I often meet your cousin, Mrs. Alberti ; sometimes in the park, 

sometimes in the Reading Room of the British Museum. 

I often meet your cousin, Mrs. Alberti ; sometimes in the park, 

sometimes in the Reading Room of the British Museum. 

EXERCISE LXXIX. 

At what o'clock must they depart ? 

At what o'clock must they depart ? 

At half past seven. 

At half past seven. 

433

Then, I shall lay the cloth at once. 

Then, I shall lay the cloth at once. 

The dinner will be ready in half an hour. 

The dinner will be ready in half an hour. 

Walk slowly, my daughter, I have a pain in my foot ; I cannot walk 

quickly. 

Walk slowly, my daughter, I have a pain in my foot ; I cannot walk 

quickly. 

Do what I tell you, otherwise I shall dismiss you. 

Do what I tell you, otherwise I shall dismiss you. 

Do you speak in earnest ? 

Do you speak in earnest ? 

Certainly. 

Certainly. 

Why did you break my penknife ? 

Why did you break my penknife ? 

I did not do it on purpose ; it was a mere accident. 

I did not do it (209) on purpose ; it was a mere accident. 

I tell you frankly that you ought to apologize to him, at once. 

I tell you frankly that you ought to apologise to him, at once. 

He started up suddenly and gave Francis a fearful blow. 

He started up suddenly (885, o) and gave Francis a fearful blow. 

The most beautiful flowers last but a short time. 

The most beautiful flowers last but (802) a short time. 

The compass was not invented by a mariner, nor the telescope by 

an astronomer, nor the microscope by a philosopher, nor printing 

by a man of letters, nor gunpowder by a soldier. 

The compass was not invented (799) by a mariner, nor (800) the 

telescope by an astronomer, nor the microscope by a philosopher, 

nor printing by a man of letters, nor gunpowder by a soldier. 

The loadstone always points towards the north. 

The loadstone always points towards the north. 

EXERCISE LXXX. 

Do not listen to him ; if he begins to talk, he will not stop all day. 

434

Do not listen to (a) him ; if he begins to 1 talk, he will not stop all 

day. 

I am waiting for my brother. 

I am waiting for (b) (251) my brother. 

I have been looking for some red ink this half hour. 

I have been looking (714) for (c) some red ink this half hour. 

I have bought these steel pens for sixpence a dozen. 

I have bought (to buy for) (d) these steel pens for sixpence a dozen. 

Charles is well acquainted with our affairs. 

Charles is well acquainted with (e) our affairs. 

We look upon him as your best friend. 

We look upon (f) him as your best friend. 

She wished for her mother's return. 

She wished for (g) her mother's return. 

He puts off his decision from day to day ; I do not like that . 

He puts off (h) his decision from (di) day to day ; I do not like that 

(608). 

I have asked him for some matches several times . 

I have asked (to ask for) (i) him for some matches 2 several times 

(602). 

They were ignorant of what we intended to do. 

They were (695) ignorant of (j) what we intended to do. 

I never met with a man so witty. 

I never met with (I have never met with) (k) a man so witty. 

Martial music inspires soldiers with courage and confidence. 

Martial music inspires (inspire with) (I) soldiers with courage and 

confidence. 

She set off yesterday morning by the first train. 

She set off (m) yesterday morning by (per) the first train. 

I cannot bear with his nonsense any longer . 

I cannot bear with (n) his nonsense any longer (817). 

He sold his house for two hundred pounds . 

He sold (to sell for) (o) his house for two hundred pounds (656). 

EXERCISE LXXXI. 

He wants money to furnish his house. 

435

He wants (a) money to (225) furnish his house. 

He was told to mind the horses while we were dining. 

He was told to mind (b) the horses while we were dining. 

They mocked him, because he was poor. 

They mocked (c) him, because he was poor. 

I ordered him to leave the house, but he would not. 

I ordered (d) him to leave the house, but he would not. 

I distrust him. 

I distrust (e) him. 

They displease everybody. 

They displease (f) everybody. 

You will be punished, because you disobeyed your father. 

You will be punished, because you disobeyed (707) (g) your father. 

We asked him to take us to the opera. 

We asked (h) him to take (459) us to the opera. 

She doubted the truth of his assertion. 

She doubted (i) the truth of his assertion. 

Every time he entered the drawing room, he bowed to the 

company. 

Every time (636) he entered (j) (697) the drawing-room, he bowed 

to the company. 

For many years we enjoyed the advantages of his friendship. 

For many years we enjoyed (k) (704) the advantages of his 

friendship. 

She taught us the art of painting upon china. 

She taught us (707) (I) the art of painting upon china. 

She understands the fine arts. 

She understands (m) the fine arts. 

He would not hurt my reputation. 

He would not hurt (n) my reputation. 

EXERCISE LXXXII. 

He was punished, because he would not obey the king's order. 

He was punished, because he would not obey (o) the king's order. 

I am sure she will never pardon him for having broken her 

watch. 

436

I am sure (636) she will never pardon him for (p) (184) having 

broken her (562) watch. 

They permitted him to make sketches of the castle. 

They permitted (q) him to make sketches of the castle. 

I persuaded him to buy the pictures. 

I persuaded (r) him to buy the pictures. 

It pleased them to make me a present of this pencil case. 

It pleased 's) them to make me a (360) present of this pencil-case. 

He resisted all the entreaties of his poor parents. 

He resisted (t) all the entreaties of his poor parents. 

Those who are not able to resist temptations, ought to avoid 

them. 

Those who are not able to resist (t) temptations, ought (791) to 

avoid them. 

He had to renounce his bad companions. 

He had to (790) renounce (u) his bad companions. 

They used cement for the foundation of that building. 

They used (707) (v) cement for the foundation of that building. 

I am sure that he will outlive his nephew. 

I am sure that he will outlive (w) his nephew. 

He slanders everybody. 

He slanders (x) everybody. 

He ordered the waiter to bring him a glass of wine, and a bottle of 

soda water. 

He ordered (d) the waiter to bring him a glass of wine, and a bottle 

of soda-water. 

The rivulet entered a dark cavern on the western side of the hill. 

The rivulet entered (j) a dark cavern on the western side of the 

hill. 

EXERCISE LXXXIII. 

The garden was embellished with beautiful marble statues. 

The garden was embellished with (a) beautiful marble statues. 

This country abounds with corn. 

This country abounds with (b) corn. 

His sword was adorned with jewels. 

437

His sword was adorned with (c) jewels. 

He grieved at the loss of his property. 

He grieved at (d) the loss of his property. 

He was satisfied with the little he had earned. 

He was satisfied with (e) (696) the little he had earned. 

They were burning with indignation. 

They were burning with (f) indignation. 

When his deceit was discovered, he blushed with shame. 

When his deceit was (768) discovered, he blushed with (g) shame. 

I blame him for having fled . 

I blame him for (h) having fled (685). 

The ship was laden with provisions for the besieged fortress. 

The ship was laden with (i) provisions for the besieged fortress. 

All the guns were loaded with balls. 

All the guns were loaded with (j) balls. 

They loaded him with kindness. 

They loaded him with (k) kindness. 

He could not be consoled for the loss of his child. 

He could (767, 695) not be consoled for (I) the loss of his child. 

They all agree that it is a poem to be greatly admired. 

They all agree (842 , g) that it is a poem to be (921) greatly 

admired. 

EXERCISE LXXXIV. 

They could not agree about the price. 

They could (704) not agree about (m) the price. 

All the furniture was covered with dust. 

All the furniture was (696) covered with (n) dust. 

I took possession of the room destined for me. 

I took possession of the room destined for (o) me. 

Everything depends upon what he is going to say. 

Everything depends upon (p) what he is going to say. 

He parted with his vicious horse as soon as he could. 

He parted with (q) (704) his vicious horse as soon as he could. 

He was endowed with the finest gifts that nature can give. 

438

He was (702) endowed with (r) the finest (518) gifts that nature 

can give. 

They had filled the rooms with the old furniture they had taken 

from the castle. 

They had filled (with) 's) the rooms with the old furniture they had 

taken from the castle. 

He was presented with a beautiful gold watch . 

He was presented with (t) a beautiful gold watch (346). 

I congratulated him upon the success he has obtained. 

I congratulated him upon (u) the success he has obtained. 

He glories in the mischief he does. 

He glories in (v) the mischief he does. 

She wore a beautiful white satin dress trimmed with pearls. 

She wore a beautiful white satin dress trimmed with (w) pearls. 

He seized upon our goods. 

He seized upon (x) our goods. 

EXERCISE LXXXV. 

He was inflamed with rage, on hearing the losses he had 

sustained. 

He was inflamed with (a) rage, on hearing (686) the losses he had 

sustained. 

He inquired about the state of the country. 

He inquired about (b) the state of the country. 

The table was covered with books and papers. 

The table was (696) covered with (c) books and papers. 

He fell in love with my cousin. 

He fell in love with (d) my cousin. 

He languished from hunger for three days, and then died. 

He languished from (703) (e) hunger for (311) three days, and 

then died. 

He praised them for their honesty. 

He praised them for (f) their honesty. 

She wondered at the sudden return of my brother. 

She wondered at (g) the sudden return of my brother. 

He was threatened with death if he would not confess the truth. 

439

He was threatened with (h) (767) death if he would not confess 

the truth. 

He meddles with the business of everybody . 

He meddles with (i) everybody's business. 

His mind was stored with useful knowledge. 

His mind was stored with (j) useful knowledge. 

The theft was concealed a long time from everybody. 

The theft was concealed a long time from (k) everybody. 

He was fed on fish and fruit for three weeks. 

He was fed on (I) (703) fish and fruit for three weeks. 

They were oppressed with taxes. 

They were oppressed with (m) taxes. 

I shall call upon you this evening. 

I shall call upon (n) you this evening. 

EXERCISE LXXXVI. 

What were you thinking of when I met you ? 

What were you thinking of (o) when I met you ? 

They wept for joy when they heard that their father had arrived. 

They wept for (p) joy when they heard that their father had 

arrived. 

They profited by the ruin of their friend. 

They profited by (q) the ruin of their friend. 

He was punished for the crime he had committed. 

He was punished for (r) the crime he had committed. 

They were speaking about politics till midnight. 

They were speaking about (of) politics (419) till midnight. 

They rejoiced at the good news. 

They rejoiced at 's) the good news. 

He laughed at the misfortune of my brother. 

He laughed at (t) the misfortune of my brother. 

He returned thanks for the favor he had received. 

He returned thanks for (u) the favour he had received. 

He will have to answer for his bad conduct. 

He will have (790) to answer for (v) his bad conduct. 

They were surfeited with food. 

440

They were surfeited with (w) food. 

In consequence of his behavior at the last election he has 

decreased in popularity. 

In consequence of his behaviour at the last election he has (is) 

decreased in (x) popularity. 

He used to take the money from his sister. 

He used (697) to take (y) the money from his sister. 

He triumphed over his enemies at last. 

He triumphed over (z) his enemies at last. 

He lives upon a pension granted to him by the king. 

He lives upon (aa) a pension granted to him by the king. 

EXERCISE LXXXVII. 

The eagle rises above the clouds. 

The eagle rises above the clouds. 

The wise man acts according to the dictates of reason. 

The wise man acts according to (900) the dictates of reason. 

He has gone to America in spite of the advice of his best friends. 

He has gone to America in spite of (900) the advice of his best 

friends. 

The fleet cannot sail on account of contrary winds. 

The fleet cannot sail on account of (930) contrary winds. 

On that occasion he acted like a hero. 

On (298) that occasion he acted like a (925) hero. 

You were playing, instead of studying. 

You were playing, instead of (900) studying. 

When I went out, I saw : her leaning against the window. 

When I went out, I saw : 1 her leaning against the window. 

Here is Mrs.. Pettegola ; she comes to propose an arrangement 

between us two. 

Here is Mrs.. Pettegola ; she comes to propose an arrangement 

between us two. 

What a bore ! Why does she not mind her own affairs ; she has 

nothing to do with this matter. 

What a bore ! Why does she not mind her own affairs ; she has 

nothing to do with this matter. 

441

2 Margaret wrote me a line the day before yesterday, informing 

me of her intended departure for Venice, in a week , or ten days. 

2 Margaret wrote me a line 3 the day before yesterday, informing 

me of her intended departure for Venice, in a week (549), or ten 

days. 

EXERCISE LXXXVIII. 

"About that time I walked out into the fields towards Bow. 

"About that time I walked out into the fields towards Bow. 

Here I met a poor man walking on the bank of the river. 

Here 4 I met a poor man walking on the bank of the river. 

" " On the fifteenth of May they were ten miles from Pekin. 

" " On the fifteenth of May they were ten miles from Pekin. 

They had now been travelling for six months. 

They had now 5 been travelling for six months. 

" The immediate loss of Constantinople may be ascribed to the 

bullet, or arrow, which pierced the gauntlet of John Giustiniani. 

" The immediate loss of Constantinople may be ascribed (771) to 

the bullet, or arrow, which pierced the gauntlet of John 

Giustiniani. 

" Into the ecclesiastic federation our Saxon ancestors were 

admitted. 

" Into the ecclesiastic federation our Saxon ancestors were 

admitted. 

5 A regular communication was opened between our shores and 

that part of Europe in which the traces of ancient power and 

policy were yet discernible. 

5 A regular communication was opened between our shores and 

that part of Europe in which the traces of ancient power and 

policy were yet discernible. 

" Courage ! soldiers, fear nothing . 

" Courage ! (951) soldiers, fear nothing (672). 

For shame ! said he, to insult a poor old man. 

For shame ! (955) said he, to insult a poor old man. 

Softly , do not fly into a passion. 

Softly (953), do not fly into a passion. 

Pray ! do not make such a noise. 

442

Pray ! (952) do not make such a noise. 

We have arrived at the end of the grammar. 

We have arrived at the end of the grammar. 

Hurrah ! 

Hurrah ! 

443

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