Le avventure di Pinocchio: an Italian book for beginners (A2)
Carlo Collodi · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level A2
Carlo Collodi's classic (1883), rewritten for learners of Italian at level A2: 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 Le avventure di Pinocchio
The carpenter Geppetto carves a wooden puppet that talks, laughs and runs away: his name is Pinocchio, and he wants to become a real boy. But the road is full of temptations: the Cat and the Fox, the Land of Toys, Mangiafoco's puppet theatre.
Between lies that make his nose grow, encounters with the Fairy with turquoise hair and the belly of a giant dogfish, Pinocchio learns the hard way what courage, work and love for those who care about us really mean.
Why read Le avventure di Pinocchio to learn Italian
You already know the story, and that's a huge advantage: comprehension is supported by memory. Lively dialogues and repeating structures («Pinocchio, don't tell lies!») act as natural drills, with concrete vocabulary of objects and animals.
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 objects, animals and imagination: 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 burattino | puppet | de marionet |
| il falegname | carpenter | de timmerman |
| la bugia | lie | de leugen |
| il naso | nose | de neus |
| la fata | fairy | de fee |
| il grillo | cricket | de krekel |
| il pescecane | dogfish | de haai |
| il legno | wood | het hout |
About the author: Carlo Collodi
Carlo Collodi, pen name of Carlo Lorenzini (1826–1890), was a Tuscan journalist and writer. With Pinocchio he wrote the most translated Italian book in the world, a classic that speaks to every generation.
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 Le avventure di Pinocchio?
This edition of Le avventure di Pinocchio 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 Carlo Collodi's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Carlo Collodi'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.
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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