61enne attraversa l’Italia a piedi per rivedere i vecchi amici

A 61-year-old crosses Italy on foot to see old friends

Desiderava rivedere i vecchi amici e quindi ha attraversato l’Italia. a piedi.

Il protagonista di questa incredibile storia è Turi Mantione, un pensionato di 61 anni. 

Turi è partito da Vigevano, in Lombardia, per tornare a Ficarra, il suo paese Natale in Sicilia.

ha percorso 1.720 chilometri in 60 giorni, con uno zaino di dodici chili, e ha dormito spesso in tenda all’aperto.

quando è arrivato a destinazione, stanco ma felice, Turi ha festeggiato al bar insieme ai suoi vecchi amici.

Keywords

rivedere: to see again, to review – 再看, 复习

attraversare: to cross – 穿过

protagonista: protagonist – 主角

pensionata/o: retired – 退休的

lo zaino: backpack – 背包

la tenda: tent – 帐篷

festeggiare: to celebrate – 庆祝

Grammar

Imperfetto e passato prossimo
Imperfect with present perfect 

“Desiderava rivedere i vecchi amici e quindi ha attraversato l’Italia”
(He wanted to see his old friends again, so he crossed Italy)

In this sentence, the verb “desiderava” (desired) is in the imperfetto tense, while the verb “ha attraversato” (has crossed) is in the passato prossimo tense.
Why? The choice of tense depends on the context and the intended meaning of the sentence:

  • Imperfetto: “Desiderava” is in the imperfetto tense because it describes a continuous or ongoing action in the past. It indicates a desire that existed over a period of time or was a recurring state of mind.
     
  • Passato prossimo: “Ha attraversato” is in the passato prossimo tense because it describes a completed action in the past. It indicates that the action of crossing Italy has been completed and has a specific point of completion. 

In summary, the use of the imperfetto tense emphasizes the ongoing desire, while the passato prossimo tense highlights the completed action of crossing Italy.

Translation

He wanted to see his old friends again, so he crossed Italy. On foot.

The protagonist of this incredible story is Turi Mantione, a 61-year-old retiree.

Turi set off from Vigevano, in Lombardy, to return to Ficarra, his hometown in Sicily.

He covered 1,720 kilometers in 60 days, with a twelve-kilogram backpack, and often slept in a tent outdoors.

When he arrived at his destination, tired but happy, Turi celebrated at the bar with his old friends.