Le terre del Sacramento: an Italian book for beginners (A1)
Francesco Jovine · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level A1
Francesco Jovine's classic (1950), rewritten for learners of Italian at level A1: 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 Le terre del Sacramento
Molise, the 1920s. The lands of the Sacramento are abandoned fields that the village peasants have worked for generations without ever owning them. When the landowner promises the land in exchange for labour, young Luca Marano believes it: he organises his companions, clears, sows, dreams.
But the promises of landowners are worth little, and the dream of the land collides with force and deceit. A simple, powerful novel about the hope of the poorest, awarded the Viareggio Prize, retold here in easy Italian.
Why read Le terre del Sacramento to learn Italian
Neorealism was written to be understood by everyone, and this A1 retelling brings it all the way to beginners: essential sentences, concrete actions, clear emotions. The vocabulary of land and labour is the rural bedrock much of today's Italian comes from.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level A1, 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-A1 edition you mainly practise the present tense, the passato prossimo, basic articles and prepositions, short coordinated sentences. The vocabulary revolves around land, work and hope: 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 |
|---|---|---|
| la terra | land | het land |
| il contadino | peasant | de boer |
| il paese | village | het dorp |
| il grano | wheat | het graan |
| la speranza | hope | de hoop |
| la promessa | promise | de belofte |
| la festa | feast | het feest |
| il padrone | landowner | de landheer |
About the author: Francesco Jovine
Francesco Jovine (1902–1950), from Molise, a master of neorealism, wrote about his land and its peasants. Le terre del Sacramento, published posthumously, won the 1950 Viareggio Prize.
Details and difficulty level
A1 is the first step of the CEFR: short sentences, present and passato prossimo, high-frequency vocabulary. This reader suits anyone who has just started learning Italian or has completed a first beginner course. Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 10 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level A1 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Le terre del Sacramento?
This edition of Le terre del Sacramento is rewritten for CEFR level A1. A1 is the first step of the CEFR: short sentences, present and passato prossimo, high-frequency vocabulary. This reader suits anyone who has just started learning Italian or has completed a first beginner course.
Is this Francesco Jovine's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Francesco Jovine's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level A1, 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 ti app.
If you liked Le terre del Sacramento, read next
Keep learning with thuisitaliaans
Le terre del Sacramento also lives inside the ti app, with tap-to-translate vocabulary in 14 languages and animated scenes. On the site you'll also find 700+ free Italian exercises and the blog for Italian learners.
Discover the ti app