First Italian Reader

Synopsis

Beginning students of Italian language and literature will welcome this bilingual anthology. Ranging from the 14th to the 20th centuries, it features the works of Dante, Boccaccio, Pirandello, and 52 others in both the original Italian and expert English translations on the facing pages. Selections include excerpts from poetry, fiction, history, and philosophy.

Summary

Chapter 1: Pronunciation and Basic Grammar

* Pronunciation of Italian vowels and consonants
* Basic grammar concepts: articles, nouns, adjectives, verbs

Example:
"Il cane è nero" (The dog is black)

* "Il" is the definite article for masculine nouns
* "Cane" (dog) is a masculine noun
* "È" is the present indicative form of the verb essere (to be)
* "Nero" (black) is an adjective agreeing with the noun "cane"

Chapter 2: Simple Present Tense

* Formation of regular and irregular present tense verbs
* Use of subject pronouns

Example:
"Lui parla italiano" (He speaks Italian)

* "Lui" is the subject pronoun for the third person singular masculine
* "Parla" is the present tense form of the verb parlare (to speak)
* "Italiano" (Italian) is a noun

Chapter 3: Direct Object Pronouns

* Use of direct object pronouns to replace noun objects
* Reflexive pronouns

Example:
"Lo vedo" (I see it)

* "Lo" is the direct object pronoun for masculine singular objects
* "Vedo" is the present tense form of the verb vedere (to see)

Chapter 4: Simple Past Tense

* Formation of regular and irregular past tense verbs
* Use of past tense forms in storytelling

Example:
"Ieri ho mangiato una pizza" (Yesterday I ate a pizza)

* "Ieri" (yesterday) is an adverb of time
* "Ho mangiato" is the past tense form of the verb mangiare (to eat)
* "Una pizza" (a pizza) is a direct object

Chapter 5: Imperfect Tense

* Formation of the imperfect tense
* Use of the imperfect to describe past habits or ongoing actions

Example:
"Quando ero bambino, giocavo sempre a calcio" (When I was a child, I always played soccer)

* "Ero" is the imperfect tense form of the verb essere
* "Quando" (when) is a conjunction introducing a time clause
* "Giocavo" is the imperfect tense form of the verb giocare (to play)
* "Sempre" (always) is an adverb of frequency

Chapter 6: Future Tense

* Formation of the future tense using the present tense of "avere" (to have) and the infinitive
* Use of future tense forms to express future plans

Example:
"Domani andrò al cinema" (Tomorrow I will go to the movies)

* "Domani" (tomorrow) is an adverb of time
* "Andrò" is the future tense form of the verb andare (to go)
* "Al cinema" (to the movies) is a prepositional phrase indicating the destination