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🇮🇹 Italian · Intermediate Level 1

PART 2 · LESSON 17 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Nonna's First Job

Hear Nonna tell about her first job at fourteen, with avevo quattordici anni and piangevo, the imperfetto for age and feelings.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

Laura's room at the Hotel Hilde, late one evening, Nonna on the phone from Fontelupo.

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Words and phrases

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Nonna, com'era il tuo primo lavoro?NOHN-nah, koh-MEH-rah eel TOO-oh PREE-moh lah-VOH-rohNonna, how was your first job? To a friend.
Avevo quattordici anni. Mi hanno mandata a Roma.ah-VEH-voh kwaht-TOR-dee-chee AHN-nee, mee AHN-noh mahn-DAH-tah ah ROH-mahI was fourteen. They sent me to Rome. As a woman.
Avevo vent'anni.ah-VEH-voh vehn-TAHN-neeI was twenty.
A Roma? Da sola?ah ROH-mah, dah SOH-lahTo Rome? Alone? To a woman.
Da solo.dah SOH-lohAlone. As a man.
Da sola. Lavoravo in una casa grande.dah SOH-lah, lah-voh-RAH-voh een OO-nah KAH-zah GRAHN-dehAlone. I worked in a big house. As a woman.
Lavoravo tanto.lah-voh-RAH-voh TAHN-tohI worked a lot.
E com'era?eh koh-MEH-rahAnd how was it?
Dura. La sera piangevo sempre.DOO-rah, lah SEH-rah pyahn-JEH-voh SEHM-prehHard. In the evening I always cried.
Povera Nonna! Per quanto tempo?POH-veh-rah NOHN-nah, pehr KWAHN-toh TEHM-pohPoor Nonna! For how long?

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