Il servitore di due padroni: an Italian book for intermediate learners (B1)
Carlo Goldoni · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level B1
Carlo Goldoni's classic (1746), 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 servitore di due padroni
Venice. The servant Truffaldino, forever hungry and forever chasing a coin, has a brilliant idea: to serve two masters at the same time, without either of them knowing. Unfortunately, the two masters are Beatrice, disguised as a man, and Florindo, the lover she is searching for.
Between swapped letters, muddled trunks and one dinner served at two tables at once, the misunderstandings multiply all the way to the grand finale. Goldoni's most famous comedy, adapted here in narrative form for learners of Italian.
Why read Il servitore di due padroni to learn Italian
Comedy lives on short lines and quick exchanges: perfect material for spoken language and for training your ear to the rhythms of dialogue. The misunderstandings force you to track carefully who says what to whom — a comprehension exercise disguised as fun.
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 food, work and comedy: 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 |
|---|---|---|
| il servitore | servant | de bediende |
| il padrone | master | de meester |
| la fame | hunger | de honger |
| il travestimento | disguise | de vermomming |
| il baule | trunk | de koffer |
| la lettera | letter | de brief |
| l'equivoco | misunderstanding | het misverstand |
| il pranzo | dinner | de maaltijd |
About the author: Carlo Goldoni
Carlo Goldoni (1707–1793) reformed Italian theatre by turning the masks of the commedia dell'arte into real characters. A Venetian, he wrote more than a hundred comedies and died in Paris, where he had served the French court.
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 servitore di due padroni?
This edition of Il servitore di due padroni 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 Carlo Goldoni's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Carlo Goldoni'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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