Hi everyone. Today’s translation exercise is constructed around the many common Italian expressions that include some reference to the human body. All of the expressions that you need to complete the translation can be found here or on the following list:
Farla sotto il naso di qualcuno - To do something under someone’s nose
Sbattere la porta sul naso a qualcuno - To slam the door in someone’s face
Fare il naso a - To get accustomed to something
Faccia a faccia - Face to face
Salvare la faccia - To save face
Alla faccia! - Good for you!
Avere la faccia tosta di fare qualcosa – To have the nerve or cheek to do something
Uomo dal cuore di coniglio – A chicken hearted man / a coward
Avere la morte nel cuore – To be heart sick
Spezzare il cuore a qualcuno - To break someone’s heart
Il cuore non sbaglia – The heart is wiser than the head
Lontan dagli occhi, lontan dal cuore – Out of sight out of mind
Caricare la mano – To exaggerate
Tendere la mano – To beg
Far venire il latte alle ginocchia – To bore to tears (or to death)
Voltare la schiena a qualcuno – To turn your back on someone
Spaccare il capello in quattro - To split hairs
Non essere uno stinco di santo – To be far from being a saint
Avere la pelle dura – To be thick skinned
Mentire per la gola – To lie through one’s teeth
Essere sulla bocca di tutti – To be the talk of the town
Darsi la zappa sui piedi – To cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face
As usual, to make the exercise more interesting I’ve created an imaginary dialogue between our ever-warring couple David and Laura. Things really do seem to be going downhill between them!
Have fun with the translation, and let me see what you come up with!
Laura: OK, you wanted a tête à tête and here I am. Just say what you want to say and then leave.
David: You don’t need to bite my head off – I’m just trying to hold out an olive branch…
Laura: What did you expect? That I’d welcome you back with open arms?
David: No, but you don’t have to slam the door in my face either. I just thought it would help us to meet face to face.
Laura: So that you can lie through your teeth again? Don’t bother! I've discovered what a despicable coward you are! Do you realise what people are saying behind our backs? We’re the talk of the town…
David: Don’t exaggerate!
Laura: I’m not! I hardly dare poke my nose out of doors because of all the gossips! I hate everyone poking their nose into my business! And it’s your fault!
David: Won’t you at least listen to what I have to say?
Laura: Sure, I’m all ears…
David: Look, I’m begging you! Can’t you give me a second chance? I haven’t slept a wink since you left, and I’m so miserable and heartsick. I know you’re hurt and upset, but don’t turn your back on me just to save face. You’re breaking my heart!
Laura: You make me sick! During all our years together I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times you said you loved me, and now you’re saying you’re heartbroken because I’ve left you! You have some nerve!
David: Look, I know I’m no saint, but you’re not perfect either! I’ve tried to say I’m sorry for what I did, but everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. You pretend that you don’t care about me, and act as though I’m out of sight out of mind, but I know you’re just trying to hurt me. I know you still love me and you’re just cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Laura: David, shut up! Your whining is boring me to death. You had an affair under my nose, and you lost me as a result. Get used to it…
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Italian Translation Practice #25: The Social Card
Hi everyone! The subject of this week’s translation practice is highly topical, and it affords me the opportunity to quote from the work of one of my all time favourite Italian blogs, which is called Zonaweb. The subject is the Social Card, which was introduced in Italy on December 1st in an attempt to alleviate some of the financial problems faced by some of the country's poorest demographic groups. The introduction of the card has been widely reported in the mainstream media and in the blogs of ordinary Italians, so choosing which article or blog entry to use for the basis of the translation exercise wasn’t easy as there were just so many articles to choose from. In the end, therefore, I allowed favouritism to rule the day and simply opted for an entry written by one of my preferred bloggers! It's an important post as it lists the eligibility criteria for obtaining a card, which in its turn offers us readers a fascinating glimpse into the fiscal affairs of ordinary Italian people which we probably wouldn't learn simply from a cursory glance at an Italian newspaper.
The following are the first few paragraphs of the blog entry, and you can read the rest of the entry in full here.
As usual it would be wonderful if you’d post your translation attempts as a comment to the blog. I’ll be posting my own translation in the next couple of days.
The Social Card
La Social Card dovrebbe servire come piccolo contributo per aiutare le fasce più povere al sostentamento della vita quotidiana, con possibilità di utilizzarla per comprare generi alimentari e di prima necessità il contributo versato nella Social Card è pari a 40 € ogni mese , la carta sarà ricaricata ogni due mesi inoltre verra chi la riceverà si troverà caricato 120 € , che sono i tre mesi arretrati di fine anno 2008 . La Social Card verrà data a persone con questi requisiti.
PERSONE CON 65 ANNI O MAGGIORE
Essere di età non inferiore a 65 anni; essere cittadino/a italiano/a residente in Italia e regolarmente iscritto all'Anagrafe; essere un soggetto la cui imposta netta ai fini IRPEF risulta pari a zero nell'anno di imposta antecedente al momento della richiesta della Carta Acquisti, oppure nel secondo anno di imposta antecedente al momento della richiesta della Carta Acquisti; avere trattamenti pensionistici o assistenziali che, cumulati ai relativi redditi propri, sono di importo inferiore a 6.000 € all'anno o di importo inferiore a 8.000 € all'anno, se di età pari o superiore a 70 anni; avere un ISEE (Indicatore della situazione economica equivalente), in corso di validità, inferiore a 6.000 €; non essere, da solo o insieme al coniuge indicato nel quadro 4: intestatario/i di più di una utenza elettrica domestica; intestatario/i di utenze elettriche non domestiche; intestatario/i di più di una utenza del gas; proprietario/i di più di un autoveicolo; proprietario/i, con una quota superiore o uguale al 25%, di più di un immobile ad uso abitativo; proprietario/i, con una quota superiore o uguale al 10%, di immobili non ad uso abitativo o di categoria catastale C7; titolare/i di un patrimonio mobiliare, come rilevato nella dichiarazione ISEE, superiore a 15.000 €; non fruire di vitto assicurato dallo Stato o da altre pubbliche amministrazioni in quanto ricoverato in istituto di cura di lunga degenza o detenuto in istituto di pena...
The following are the first few paragraphs of the blog entry, and you can read the rest of the entry in full here.
As usual it would be wonderful if you’d post your translation attempts as a comment to the blog. I’ll be posting my own translation in the next couple of days.
The Social Card
La Social Card dovrebbe servire come piccolo contributo per aiutare le fasce più povere al sostentamento della vita quotidiana, con possibilità di utilizzarla per comprare generi alimentari e di prima necessità il contributo versato nella Social Card è pari a 40 € ogni mese , la carta sarà ricaricata ogni due mesi inoltre verra chi la riceverà si troverà caricato 120 € , che sono i tre mesi arretrati di fine anno 2008 . La Social Card verrà data a persone con questi requisiti.
PERSONE CON 65 ANNI O MAGGIORE
Essere di età non inferiore a 65 anni; essere cittadino/a italiano/a residente in Italia e regolarmente iscritto all'Anagrafe; essere un soggetto la cui imposta netta ai fini IRPEF risulta pari a zero nell'anno di imposta antecedente al momento della richiesta della Carta Acquisti, oppure nel secondo anno di imposta antecedente al momento della richiesta della Carta Acquisti; avere trattamenti pensionistici o assistenziali che, cumulati ai relativi redditi propri, sono di importo inferiore a 6.000 € all'anno o di importo inferiore a 8.000 € all'anno, se di età pari o superiore a 70 anni; avere un ISEE (Indicatore della situazione economica equivalente), in corso di validità, inferiore a 6.000 €; non essere, da solo o insieme al coniuge indicato nel quadro 4: intestatario/i di più di una utenza elettrica domestica; intestatario/i di utenze elettriche non domestiche; intestatario/i di più di una utenza del gas; proprietario/i di più di un autoveicolo; proprietario/i, con una quota superiore o uguale al 25%, di più di un immobile ad uso abitativo; proprietario/i, con una quota superiore o uguale al 10%, di immobili non ad uso abitativo o di categoria catastale C7; titolare/i di un patrimonio mobiliare, come rilevato nella dichiarazione ISEE, superiore a 15.000 €; non fruire di vitto assicurato dallo Stato o da altre pubbliche amministrazioni in quanto ricoverato in istituto di cura di lunga degenza o detenuto in istituto di pena...
Labels:
The social card,
Zonaweb
Monday, December 1, 2008
Italian Translation Practice #24: Name your child after Mussolini!
Hi everyone!
Today’s translation practice concerns a story that appears to have gripped the imagination of many English journalists, as I’ve seen it featured in three separate English dailies. If you’re curious, you may therefore read the story in The Mail (which is translated into Italian here on the website Italian Dall’Estero), or in The Guardian. However, I’ve picked the article that appeared in The Independent as the basis of the translation practice, partly because it was the shortest of the 3 online articles, and therefore the most suitable for a translation exercise.
As usual, I’d love to read your attempts at a translation, and I urge you to post them as a comment to the blog.
This is the article in full:
Italians who use name of Mussolini offered cash
A neo-Fascist party in the far south of Italy has promised to give €1,500 (£1,280) to every family in five impoverished villages which names a baby born in 2009 after Benito Mussolini or his wife, Rachele.
Il Movimento sociale Fiamma Tricolore describes the initiative as a way "to confront the problem of the depopulation of the region". Vincenzo Mancusi, the party's regional secretary, said the money was to be used for the baby's essentials, such as milk, nappies and clothes. The five villages had been selected, he said, because of their small populations, low birth rate and the risk that they might soon die out.
The handouts, he said, are a way "to honour the profound roots of our party. We represent the real right, and we don't forget history."
In the past 15 years the party that derived from Mussolini's Fascists, Il Movimento Sociale Italiano, was reborn under its reformist leader Gianfranco Fini as Alleanza Nazionale and is close to being merged with Mr Berlusconi's Partito della Liberta. In the process the party has ditched most of its Fascist paraphernalia, plus the anti-Semitism which led to thousands of Italian Jews dying in Nazi camps. Mr Fini has visited Israel to condemn Mussolini's anti-Semitic policies.
Basilicata is one of the four poorest regions of Italy, with 23 per cent of households below the poverty line. Its oil extraction industry has done little to raise the standard of living in the countryside. The donation, admits Mr Mancusi, "will not resolve the problem of the depopulation of the region, but is a small gesture by a small party".
The name Benito fell out of fashion after Mussolini's demise. Rachele, originally a Jewish name, did not suffer the same fate, though neither figures among the top 100 names in Italy.
Today’s translation practice concerns a story that appears to have gripped the imagination of many English journalists, as I’ve seen it featured in three separate English dailies. If you’re curious, you may therefore read the story in The Mail (which is translated into Italian here on the website Italian Dall’Estero), or in The Guardian. However, I’ve picked the article that appeared in The Independent as the basis of the translation practice, partly because it was the shortest of the 3 online articles, and therefore the most suitable for a translation exercise.
As usual, I’d love to read your attempts at a translation, and I urge you to post them as a comment to the blog.
This is the article in full:
Italians who use name of Mussolini offered cash
A neo-Fascist party in the far south of Italy has promised to give €1,500 (£1,280) to every family in five impoverished villages which names a baby born in 2009 after Benito Mussolini or his wife, Rachele.
Il Movimento sociale Fiamma Tricolore describes the initiative as a way "to confront the problem of the depopulation of the region". Vincenzo Mancusi, the party's regional secretary, said the money was to be used for the baby's essentials, such as milk, nappies and clothes. The five villages had been selected, he said, because of their small populations, low birth rate and the risk that they might soon die out.
The handouts, he said, are a way "to honour the profound roots of our party. We represent the real right, and we don't forget history."
In the past 15 years the party that derived from Mussolini's Fascists, Il Movimento Sociale Italiano, was reborn under its reformist leader Gianfranco Fini as Alleanza Nazionale and is close to being merged with Mr Berlusconi's Partito della Liberta. In the process the party has ditched most of its Fascist paraphernalia, plus the anti-Semitism which led to thousands of Italian Jews dying in Nazi camps. Mr Fini has visited Israel to condemn Mussolini's anti-Semitic policies.
Basilicata is one of the four poorest regions of Italy, with 23 per cent of households below the poverty line. Its oil extraction industry has done little to raise the standard of living in the countryside. The donation, admits Mr Mancusi, "will not resolve the problem of the depopulation of the region, but is a small gesture by a small party".
The name Benito fell out of fashion after Mussolini's demise. Rachele, originally a Jewish name, did not suffer the same fate, though neither figures among the top 100 names in Italy.
Labels:
Mussolini,
The Independent
Monday, November 24, 2008
Italian Translation Practice #23: Cacciatore di Mafiosi
Hi everyone! I always read Italian book reviews whenever one happens to cross my path since I’m always on the look-out for interesting contemporary Italian writers. Today’s translation exercise is an extract from a review of the book ‘Cacciatore di Mafiosi’ by Alfonso Sabella, which has just been published by Mondadori (and can be purchased from IBS and other online booksellers). The review is the work of Antonio Pagliaro, and was posted in his blog Xantology, where you can find the full review if your appetite has been whetted by this short extract!
As usual, I encourage you to attempt a translation and post your work as a comment on the blog. I'll post my own translation attempt in a couple of days.
OK, onward with the extract:
Cacciatore di Mafiosi
Recensione fulmine per chi va di fretta: questo è il più bel libro di mafia che io abbia letto negli ultimi anni. Segue recensione non fulmine.
Pietro Romeo, soldato di Leoluca Bagarella, non intende “farsi l’incastru pi ’sti quattru cornuti”. E’ in stato di fermo davanti al procuratore Sabella. Pietro Romeo è un gigante, pesa più di cento chili. Si capisce subito che può uccidere a mani nude. Questo, infatti, era il suo compito: strangolare.
Adesso è di fronte alla scelta: ergastolo o collaborazione. E decide di collaborare.
Romeo è un uomo forte che racconta di aver avuto paura una sola volta. Prima di affiliarsi a Cosa nostra era un ladro. A Bagheria ruba un camioncino di sigarette e, nella fuga, dimentica il cassone semiaperto. Quando incrocia un corteo funebre, accelera per evitarlo. Non ci riesce: la maniglia dello sportello spalancato aggancia una corona di fiori - “Per il mio amato cognato” - e la trascina con sé. I parenti del morto iniziano un folle inseguimento. “Ammazzatilu ’stu crastu”.
Romeo è terrorizzato, abbandona il camion e riesce a dileguarsi. Convinto di avere attratto su di sé una grande sfortuna, sull’episodio non dormirà a lungo. Poi entra in Cosa nostra e inizia la carriera di omicida senza armi, fino alla cattura e al pentimento. Romeo collabora e fa prendere tre latitanti la stessa notte del suo arresto. A Roma, fa recuperare un quintale di esplosivo. T4 e semtex destinati, nell’ambito della “trattativa” del 1993, alla Torre di Pisa. “Se un giorno Pisa si trovasse senza la Torre” si raccontavano i capimafia.
Romeo è un pentito importante e porta gli inquirenti anche nel suo “ufficio” in via Messina Montagne. Dentro un grande capannone, in una nicchia gli attrezzi: manette, corde, lacci, fil di ferro, guanti. Alle pareti le immagini sacre: santa Rosalia, santa Rita, la Madonna. Qui Romeo strangolava. Qui, fra i tanti, è morto Gaetano Buscemi, l’uomo d’onore che, interrogato otto ore, sa di non poterne uscire vivo e si dice disponibile a raccontare quel poco che sa a patto di avere una tomba su cui la moglie possa piangere. Richiesta accolta: niente acido per lui, il cadavere viene ritrovato in una via di Villabate…
As usual, I encourage you to attempt a translation and post your work as a comment on the blog. I'll post my own translation attempt in a couple of days.
OK, onward with the extract:
Cacciatore di Mafiosi
Recensione fulmine per chi va di fretta: questo è il più bel libro di mafia che io abbia letto negli ultimi anni. Segue recensione non fulmine.
Pietro Romeo, soldato di Leoluca Bagarella, non intende “farsi l’incastru pi ’sti quattru cornuti”. E’ in stato di fermo davanti al procuratore Sabella. Pietro Romeo è un gigante, pesa più di cento chili. Si capisce subito che può uccidere a mani nude. Questo, infatti, era il suo compito: strangolare.
Adesso è di fronte alla scelta: ergastolo o collaborazione. E decide di collaborare.
Romeo è un uomo forte che racconta di aver avuto paura una sola volta. Prima di affiliarsi a Cosa nostra era un ladro. A Bagheria ruba un camioncino di sigarette e, nella fuga, dimentica il cassone semiaperto. Quando incrocia un corteo funebre, accelera per evitarlo. Non ci riesce: la maniglia dello sportello spalancato aggancia una corona di fiori - “Per il mio amato cognato” - e la trascina con sé. I parenti del morto iniziano un folle inseguimento. “Ammazzatilu ’stu crastu”.
Romeo è terrorizzato, abbandona il camion e riesce a dileguarsi. Convinto di avere attratto su di sé una grande sfortuna, sull’episodio non dormirà a lungo. Poi entra in Cosa nostra e inizia la carriera di omicida senza armi, fino alla cattura e al pentimento. Romeo collabora e fa prendere tre latitanti la stessa notte del suo arresto. A Roma, fa recuperare un quintale di esplosivo. T4 e semtex destinati, nell’ambito della “trattativa” del 1993, alla Torre di Pisa. “Se un giorno Pisa si trovasse senza la Torre” si raccontavano i capimafia.
Romeo è un pentito importante e porta gli inquirenti anche nel suo “ufficio” in via Messina Montagne. Dentro un grande capannone, in una nicchia gli attrezzi: manette, corde, lacci, fil di ferro, guanti. Alle pareti le immagini sacre: santa Rosalia, santa Rita, la Madonna. Qui Romeo strangolava. Qui, fra i tanti, è morto Gaetano Buscemi, l’uomo d’onore che, interrogato otto ore, sa di non poterne uscire vivo e si dice disponibile a raccontare quel poco che sa a patto di avere una tomba su cui la moglie possa piangere. Richiesta accolta: niente acido per lui, il cadavere viene ritrovato in una via di Villabate…
Labels:
Alfonso Sabella,
Xantology
Monday, November 17, 2008
Italian Translation Practice #22: Pronominal Verbs
Hi everyone
I’ve constructed today’s translation practice around the use of Italian pronominal verbs, which are verbs that are conjugated with two different pronoun particles.
In their infinitive form, many of these verbs end in ‘SENE’ as in the verbs andarsene (to go away), approfittarsene (to take advantage of somebody or something) and curarsene (to be cured of something).
However, they can also end in other pronoun combinations, such as ‘SELA’, for example in the verbs cavarsela (to get out of a difficulty) and dormirsela (to sleep soundly), ‘CELA’, as in the verb mettercela tutta (to do one’s best) or farcela (to manage something), or ‘CISI’, as in the verbs trovarcisi (to find oneself) and vedercisi (to see oneself doing something).
In the imperative and gerund verb form both pronouns are appended as a suffix to the conjugated verb (e.g. Andatevene! Vattene! Andiamocene!), while in other tenses both pronouns precede the verb and are separate from it (e.g. me ne vado; ce ne freghiamo). As you can see from these examples, the particles also change their phonetic construction from mi, ti, si, ci and vi to me, te, se, ce, and ve.
Try to translate the following exercise, using pronominal verb constructions where it’s appropriate to do so. You should be able to find all the constructions that you need on the following list:
Accorgersene: to become aware of something, to notice something, to realise something
Andarsene: to go away
Approfittarsene: to take advantage of something or somebody
Aspettarsela : to expect something
Avercela (con qualcuno): to be angry with someone
Battersela: to beat it
Cavarsela: to get out of a difficulty, to manage, to get by, to cope
Chiederselo : to ask oneself
Curarsene (or prendersene cura): to be cured of something
Darsela a gambe: to run away
Darsele: to come to blow, to fight
Dirsene di tutti i colori: to call one another names
Disinteressarsene: to take no interest in something
Dormirsela: to sleep soundly
Farcela: to manage
Filarsela: to beat it
Fregarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Godersela: to have a good time
Guardarsene: to beware, to avoid
Infischiarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Intendersela: to have an affair
Intendersene: to be an expert
Lavarsene (le mani): to wash one's hands of something
Mettercela tutta: do one's best
Occuparsene: to take care of something
Pentirsene: to regret something
Prendersela (comoda): to take one's time
Prendersela: to take offence
Sbattersene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Squagliarsela: to sneak away
Svignarsela: to sneak away
Tornarsene: emphatic for tornare
Trovarcisi: to find oneself
Vedercisi: to see oneself doing something
Vedersela brutta: to fear the worst
Vergognarsene: to be ashamed of something
As usual, the dialogue features our mismatched couple David and Laura, whose relationship appears to be deteriorating rapidly!
Laura: David, don’t sneak away, I need to talk to you about something.
David: About what?
Laura: About what’s happening between us. Lately it seems that you’re hardly ever home, and we never spend any quality time together. I’m really unhappy, and you don’t give a damn about it. Do you even notice?
David: Don’t get mad at me! I’m doing my best, but you know I have a demanding job...
Laura: You always use your job as an excuse for everything. Tell me honestly, are you having an affair?
David: An affair? Are you crazy? When would I find time to have an affair?
Laura: I don’t know! I find myself wondering all the time where you are – whether you’re out somewhere having a good time when you say you’re working. Just tell me the truth! I can cope with that, and it’s got to be better than fearing the worst all the time.
David: OK, I’m having an affair! Or rather, I had an affair, but it’s over now. There! I said it! Are you happy now?
Laura: Get out! Go on, leave!
David: Look, can’t we talk about this like civilised adults? I regret it, and I’m ashamed of it, but it’s not all my fault! Ask yourself why I did it! You’re always moody, you take offence at the slightest thing, and you take no interest in me at all! Sometimes I ask myself if you even love me…
Laura: So I’m partially responsible for this am I? You have an affair, and I’m to blame? You’re unbelievable! That’s it! It’s over between us!
David: Can’t we work this out?
Laura: Leave! Go on, pack your bags and leave! I wash my hands of you! Go home to your mother!
David: But I love you…how will I cope without you?
Laura: I don’t care…I’m sure you’ll manage it somehow…
I’ve constructed today’s translation practice around the use of Italian pronominal verbs, which are verbs that are conjugated with two different pronoun particles.
In their infinitive form, many of these verbs end in ‘SENE’ as in the verbs andarsene (to go away), approfittarsene (to take advantage of somebody or something) and curarsene (to be cured of something).
However, they can also end in other pronoun combinations, such as ‘SELA’, for example in the verbs cavarsela (to get out of a difficulty) and dormirsela (to sleep soundly), ‘CELA’, as in the verb mettercela tutta (to do one’s best) or farcela (to manage something), or ‘CISI’, as in the verbs trovarcisi (to find oneself) and vedercisi (to see oneself doing something).
In the imperative and gerund verb form both pronouns are appended as a suffix to the conjugated verb (e.g. Andatevene! Vattene! Andiamocene!), while in other tenses both pronouns precede the verb and are separate from it (e.g. me ne vado; ce ne freghiamo). As you can see from these examples, the particles also change their phonetic construction from mi, ti, si, ci and vi to me, te, se, ce, and ve.
Try to translate the following exercise, using pronominal verb constructions where it’s appropriate to do so. You should be able to find all the constructions that you need on the following list:
Accorgersene: to become aware of something, to notice something, to realise something
Andarsene: to go away
Approfittarsene: to take advantage of something or somebody
Aspettarsela : to expect something
Avercela (con qualcuno): to be angry with someone
Battersela: to beat it
Cavarsela: to get out of a difficulty, to manage, to get by, to cope
Chiederselo : to ask oneself
Curarsene (or prendersene cura): to be cured of something
Darsela a gambe: to run away
Darsele: to come to blow, to fight
Dirsene di tutti i colori: to call one another names
Disinteressarsene: to take no interest in something
Dormirsela: to sleep soundly
Farcela: to manage
Filarsela: to beat it
Fregarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Godersela: to have a good time
Guardarsene: to beware, to avoid
Infischiarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Intendersela: to have an affair
Intendersene: to be an expert
Lavarsene (le mani): to wash one's hands of something
Mettercela tutta: do one's best
Occuparsene: to take care of something
Pentirsene: to regret something
Prendersela (comoda): to take one's time
Prendersela: to take offence
Sbattersene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)
Squagliarsela: to sneak away
Svignarsela: to sneak away
Tornarsene: emphatic for tornare
Trovarcisi: to find oneself
Vedercisi: to see oneself doing something
Vedersela brutta: to fear the worst
Vergognarsene: to be ashamed of something
As usual, the dialogue features our mismatched couple David and Laura, whose relationship appears to be deteriorating rapidly!
Laura: David, don’t sneak away, I need to talk to you about something.
David: About what?
Laura: About what’s happening between us. Lately it seems that you’re hardly ever home, and we never spend any quality time together. I’m really unhappy, and you don’t give a damn about it. Do you even notice?
David: Don’t get mad at me! I’m doing my best, but you know I have a demanding job...
Laura: You always use your job as an excuse for everything. Tell me honestly, are you having an affair?
David: An affair? Are you crazy? When would I find time to have an affair?
Laura: I don’t know! I find myself wondering all the time where you are – whether you’re out somewhere having a good time when you say you’re working. Just tell me the truth! I can cope with that, and it’s got to be better than fearing the worst all the time.
David: OK, I’m having an affair! Or rather, I had an affair, but it’s over now. There! I said it! Are you happy now?
Laura: Get out! Go on, leave!
David: Look, can’t we talk about this like civilised adults? I regret it, and I’m ashamed of it, but it’s not all my fault! Ask yourself why I did it! You’re always moody, you take offence at the slightest thing, and you take no interest in me at all! Sometimes I ask myself if you even love me…
Laura: So I’m partially responsible for this am I? You have an affair, and I’m to blame? You’re unbelievable! That’s it! It’s over between us!
David: Can’t we work this out?
Laura: Leave! Go on, pack your bags and leave! I wash my hands of you! Go home to your mother!
David: But I love you…how will I cope without you?
Laura: I don’t care…I’m sure you’ll manage it somehow…
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Pronominal verbs
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