Glossari: non mettere on line
A Short Glossary of the Gera d’Adda – Pagazzano DialectThe dialect expressions have been left in their original form to preserve the voices and atmosphere of fourteenth-century Pagazzano. Their meaning is given below.
A l’fà un frècc del diàol! — It’s devilishly cold!
A pià ’l carèt a cà. Careghì chèl maledèt ver — Go get the cart from home. Load that damned boar onto it.
A t’ho dìt de mètes a dré al fōch, mìga de bruzà fò tòt ol castèl! — I told you to watch the fire, not burn down the whole castle!
Àda, fa o bel laùr — Look, do a good job.
Ah, sti scècc — Ah, these youngsters!
Al sa èt negòt — You can’t see a thing.
Alùra — “So,” “well,” or “then.” One of the most versatile words in the Bergamasque dialect; its meaning changes with tone and context.
Che bèl vedif. Cóme àla? — How lovely to see you. How are you?
Cosa gh’ó de fà? — What am I supposed to do?
Dàm a trà — Listen to me; take my advice.
Dàm a trà! Sta lè bèla qüèta — Listen to me! Stay right there and keep quiet.
Desdes fò, lasarù — Wake up, you lazybones.
Desdes fó! Non gh’è doma ’sto pentolù da pulì! — Get moving! That cauldron isn’t the only thing that needs cleaning!
Fà la braa — Be good; behave yourself.
Fà sito — Be quiet.
Fò di pé — Get out of the way.
Ghe n’ó pié i bale de óter do, fò di pé, fém mìa pèrd ’l tép — I’ve had enough of you two. Get out of here and stop wasting my time!
L’è bèla come ol cül dela padèla — “As pretty as the bottom of a frying pan”: a Bergamasque saying meaning someone is ugly.
L’è öna èita che la ède piö… — I haven’t seen her in ages.
’L fà frècc — It’s cold.
Leà sö, lasarùna — Get up, you lazybones.
Móchela — Stop it.
Móchela fo voter du — You two, stop it.
Möet — Move!
’Ndì a cercà ’l cà, e prèst! — Go find the dog, quickly!
Ólta — Turn.
O Signùr di poerècc! Ta sé ’mpestada de fùm! — Oh Lord above! You’re covered in smoke!
Oh Signùr, ma come ta se cunsàda — Oh Lord, look at the state of you!
Óter dū fìv mia vèt an gir, saì che il parù al se rabia si l’importünì — You two, don’t let yourselves be seen around here. You know the master gets angry if you bother him.
Per fàl corr, gh’è de dàga la pürga — “To make him run, you’d have to give him a purge”: a humorous saying about someone extremely lazy.
Pòsibel che ta scultet mai negót? — Is it possible that you never listen?
Pòta — The quintessential Bergamasque exclamation. Depending on context, it can express resignation, surprise, annoyance or simply “what can you do?”
Rassa de sömiocc e disgraziàcc! Ma sì diventàcc tòcc macc?! Volì copàmela! Fò di pé, andà fò a laurà prima che v’ancorze! — You pack of donkeys and wretches! Have you all gone mad? You could have killed her! Get out and back to work before I deal with you!
Sé gh’è? — What is it? What’s wrong?
Signùr, àrda zó! Ó mìa pisàt in cèsa… — Lord, look down on me! I haven’t pissed in church! An expression meaning: What have I done to deserve this?
Sò mia — I don’t know.
So mia andoe l’è ’ndacc — I don’t know where he went.
Spéta ü momènt — Wait a moment.
Sperém che la provvidensa la ghe riservi öna éta felice — May Providence grant him a happy life.
Starem a vét — We’ll see.
Ta öret cosè! — What do you want?
Ta sé pròpe n’àsen — You really are a donkey; you fool.
Ta sét svèlt come ’na lèpre — You’re as quick as a hare.
Tamburù — A thick-headed or stubborn person; literally, a drum that makes noise but is empty inside.
Te capìt? — Do you understand?
Te gh’ét rasù — You’re right.
T’è cumbinàt cusé? — What have you done?
Vé zó del lècc — Get out of bed.
Vóter che ne pensì? — What do you think?
Zó i mà — Hands off.
Historical and Cultural Notes
Butterfly Language (Alfabeto farfallino) — An Italian children’s secret language in which each vowel is repeated with an f between the two sounds (for example, ciao becomes cifiafaofo).
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter — 22 February. Traditionally associated in rural life with the approaching spring.
Calends of March — 1 March.Saints Perpetua and Felicity — 7 March.
A Short Glossary of the Gera d’Adda – Pagazzano Dialect
The dialect expressions have been left in their original form to preserve the voices and atmosphere of fourteenth-century Pagazzano.
A l’fà un frècc del diàol! — It’s devilishly cold!
A pià ’l carèt a cà. Careghì chèl maledèt ver — Go get the cart from home. Load that damned boar onto it.
A t’ho dìt de mètes a dré al fōch, mìga de bruzà fò tòt ol castèl! — I told you to watch the fire, not burn down the whole castle!
Àda, fa o bel laùr — Look, do a good job.
Ah, sti scècc — Ah, these youngsters!
Al sa èt negòt — You can’t see a thing.
Alùra — “So,” “well,” or “then.” One of the most versatile words in the Bergamasque dialect; its meaning changes with tone and context.
Che bèl vedif. Cóme àla? — How lovely to see you. How are you?
Cosa gh’ó de fà? — What am I supposed to do?
Dàm a trà — Listen to me; take my advice.
Dàm a trà! Sta lè bèla qüèta — Listen to me! Stay right there and keep quiet.
Desdes fò, lasarù — Wake up, you lazybones.
Desdes fó! Non gh’è doma ’sto pentolù da pulì! — Get moving! That cauldron isn’t the only thing that needs cleaning!
Fà la braa — Be good; behave yourself.
Fà sito — Be quiet.
Fò di pé — Get out of the way.
Ghe n’ó pié i bale de óter do, fò di pé, fém mìa pèrd ’l tép — I’ve had enough of you two. Get out of here and stop wasting my time!
L’è bèla come ol cül dela padèla — “As pretty as the bottom of a frying pan”: a Bergamasque saying meaning someone is ugly.
L’è öna èita che la ède piö… — I haven’t seen her in ages.
’L fà frècc — It’s cold.
Leà sö, lasarùna — Get up, you lazybones.
Móchela — Stop it.
Móchela fo voter du — You two, stop it.
Möet — Move!
’Ndì a cercà ’l cà, e prèst! — Go find the dog, quickly!
Ólta — Turn.
O Signùr di poerècc! Ta sé ’mpestada de fùm! — Oh Lord above! You’re covered in smoke!
Oh Signùr, ma come ta se cunsàda — Oh Lord, look at the state of you!
Óter dū fìv mia vèt an gir, saì che il parù al se rabia si l’importünì — You two, don’t let yourselves be seen around here. You know the master gets angry if you bother him.
Per fàl corr, gh’è de dàga la pürga — “To make him run, you’d have to give him a purge”: a humorous saying about someone extremely lazy.
Pòsibel che ta scultet mai negót? — Is it possible that you never listen?
Pòta — The quintessential Bergamasque exclamation. Depending on context, it can express resignation, surprise, annoyance or simply “what can you do?”
Rassa de sömiocc e disgraziàcc! Ma sì diventàcc tòcc macc?! Volì copàmela! Fò di pé, andà fò a laurà prima che v’ancorze! — You pack of donkeys and wretches! Have you all gone mad? You could have killed her! Get out and back to work before I deal with you!
Sé gh’è? — What is it? What’s wrong?
Signùr, àrda zó! Ó mìa pisàt in cèsa… — Lord, look down on me! I haven’t pissed in church! An expression meaning: What have I done to deserve this?
Sò mia — I don’t know.
So mia andoe l’è ’ndacc — I don’t know where he went.
Spéta ü momènt — Wait a moment.
Sperém che la provvidensa la ghe riservi öna éta felice — May Providence grant him a happy life.
Starem a vét — We’ll see.
Ta öret cosè! — What do you want?
Ta sé pròpe n’àsen — You really are a donkey; you fool.
Ta sét svèlt come ’na lèpre — You’re as quick as a hare.
Tamburù — A thick-headed or stubborn person; literally, a drum that makes noise but is empty inside.
Te capìt? — Do you understand?
Te gh’ét rasù — You’re right.
T’è cumbinàt cusé? — What have you done?
Vé zó del lècc — Get out of bed.
Vóter che ne pensì? — What do you think?
Zó i mà — Hands off.
Historical and Cultural Notes
Butterfly Language (Alfabeto farfallino) — An Italian children’s secret language in which every vowel is repeated with an f between the two sounds. For example, ciao becomes cifiafaofo.
Calends of March — 1 March.
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter — 22 February. Traditionally associated in rural life with the approaching spring.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity — 7 March.
Tuscan / Florentine Expressions
Babbo — Father / Dad. A traditional Tuscan word for father.
Figliuolo — Son / my boy. An older Tuscan form of figlio.
Gnamo — Come on / let’s go. A characteristic Tuscan expression used to urge someone on.
’Un lo so — I don’t know. Tuscan speech form of non lo so.
Forza — Come on / get moving. A common Italian expression of encouragement or urgency.
