Don Giovanni in Sicilia: an Italian graded reader at level A2
Vitaliano Brancati · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level A2
Vitaliano Brancati's classic (1941), rewritten for learners of Italian at level A2: calibrated sentences, footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions in every chapter.
In production · soon in 6×9 paperback and on Kindle · on European marketplaces (amazon.it, .de, .fr, .es, .nl)
The plot of Don Giovanni in Sicilia
Catania. Giovanni Percolla is forty, has three sisters who serve him like a king, a sofa for his siesta and a group of friends to talk about women with: only talk, for hours, at the café. His life is a masterpiece of happy laziness.
Then comes Ninetta, beautiful and modern, and Giovanni marries and moves to Milan: cold showers, brisk walks, real work. He has become another man: until one return trip to Sicily reveals how deep the call of the sofa runs. Brancati's most elegant irony on the myth of the Sicilian male.
Why read Don Giovanni in Sicilia to learn Italian
Brancati's comedy lives in situations, not wordplay: perfect for laughing even at A2. And the Catania–Milan contrast is a lesson in Italian culture: two Italies, two rhythms, two everyday vocabularies in a single novel.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level A2, with controlled vocabulary and syntax, while staying faithful to the original plot.
Footnotes and glossary
Footnotes on difficult words and a final glossary, so you can read independently without a dictionary.
Comprehension questions
Every chapter ends with questions to check understanding, just like in class.
Paperback and ebook
6×9 paperback on cream paper, or Kindle ebook. The same text also lives in the ti app.
Language focus: what you practise
In this level-A2 edition you mainly practise imperfetto versus passato prossimo, the simple future, direct and indirect pronouns. The vocabulary revolves around the city, friends and irony: the key words, with translations, are in the glossary below and recur throughout the text, so you learn them in context.
Essential glossary (Italian · English · Dutch)
| Italian | English | Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| lo scapolo | bachelor | de vrijgezel |
| il sonno | sleep | de slaap |
| gli amici | friends | de vrienden |
| il caffè | café | het café |
| il matrimonio | marriage | het huwelijk |
| il riposo | rest | de rust |
| il treno | train | de trein |
| la pigrizia | laziness | de luiheid |
About the author: Vitaliano Brancati
Vitaliano Brancati (1907–1954), Sicilian, was the great ironist of Mediterranean «gallismo», from Don Giovanni in Sicilia to Il bell'Antonio. Few have portrayed Sicily with such grace and affectionate malice.
Details and difficulty level
A2 is solid elementary Italian: still simple sentences, but with the imperfetto, the future tense and a wider vocabulary. This reader suits learners with a few months of Italian who want to finish their first complete story. Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 20 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level A2 books →︎
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Don Giovanni in Sicilia?
This edition of Don Giovanni in Sicilia is rewritten for CEFR level A2. A2 is solid elementary Italian: still simple sentences, but with the imperfetto, the future tense and a wider vocabulary. This reader suits learners with a few months of Italian who want to finish their first complete story.
Is this Vitaliano Brancati's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Vitaliano Brancati's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level A2, with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions at the end of every chapter.
When is it coming out?
The book is in production and will be on Amazon soon, in paperback and as a Kindle ebook (on the European marketplaces: amazon.it, .de, .fr, .es, .nl). The same text already lives in the 
amo Italian app.
If you liked Don Giovanni in Sicilia, read next
Prefer to read with a teacher?
A graded reader takes you a long way, but speaking is something you learn with someone. I teach Italian online worldwide and on location between Ede and Amsterdam: see online lessons, Italian for beginners and the pricing.
Not sure which level you are at? We work it out in ten minutes during a free introductory session: just get in touch. You can also browse all books at level A2.
Book a free introductionKeep learning with thuisitaliaans
Don Giovanni in Sicilia also lives inside the ti app, with tap-to-translate vocabulary in 17 languages and animated scenes. On the site you'll also find 700+ free Italian exercises and the blog for Italian learners.
