Il fu Mattia Pascal: an Italian book for intermediate learners (B1)
Luigi Pirandello · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level B1
Luigi Pirandello's classic (1904), rewritten for learners of Italian at level B1: calibrated sentences, footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions in every chapter.
Ebook free with Kindle Unlimited · $4.99 · also in 6×9 paperback
The plot of Il fu Mattia Pascal
Crushed by an unhappy marriage and an unbearable mother-in-law, Mattia Pascal runs away from home. In Monte Carlo he wins a fortune at roulette and, on the train home, reads in the paper that he is «dead»: a body has been identified as his.
Free of everything, Mattia becomes Adriano Meis and starts over in Rome. But a man without a past can have neither love nor rights: absolute freedom turns out to be a prison. The novel that made Pirandello famous throughout the world.
Why read Il fu Mattia Pascal to learn Italian
The puzzle plot — a man believed dead who invents a new life — is a magnet: you want to know how it ends, and meanwhile you read. Mattia's short reflections introduce the present subjunctive in crystal-clear contexts.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level B1, 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-B1 edition you mainly practise the present subjunctive, the conditional, real hypothetical clauses and discourse connectors. The vocabulary revolves around identity and everyday life: 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 |
|---|---|---|
| l'identità | identity | de identiteit |
| la libertà | freedom | de vrijheid |
| il morto | dead man | de dode |
| la roulette | roulette | de roulette |
| la biblioteca | library | de bibliotheek |
| il nome | name | de naam |
| l'ombra | shadow | de schaduw |
| la suocera | mother-in-law | de schoonmoeder |
About the author: Luigi Pirandello
Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934, revolutionised the novel and the theatre with his themes of identity, masks and madness. Il fu Mattia Pascal is his best-loved novel.
Details and difficulty level
B1 is the threshold of independence: longer sentences, the present subjunctive, rich everyday vocabulary. This reader suits intermediate students and anyone preparing a B1 certification (CILS, CELI, PLIDA). Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 20 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level B1 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Il fu Mattia Pascal?
This edition of Il fu Mattia Pascal is rewritten for CEFR level B1. B1 is the threshold of independence: longer sentences, the present subjunctive, rich everyday vocabulary. This reader suits intermediate students and anyone preparing a B1 certification (CILS, CELI, PLIDA).
Is this Luigi Pirandello's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Luigi Pirandello's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level B1, with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions at the end of every chapter.
Which formats is it available in?
Paperback (6×9, cream paper) and Kindle ebook on Amazon. The ebook is free to read with Kindle Unlimited. The same text also lives in the ti app, with vocabulary translated into 14 languages.
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