Clearly, my Italiano skills are not coming along well--as this will attest to. This line is from like a first reader. I am trying to help Casey read the book but am stuck on this page as, even using the on-line dictionary isn't helping me. So--HELP!!

Sopporta, sensa protestare,un sacco di gatti che discutono per tutta la notte.
I know the cats are doing something all night--but what?

Thanks

Hi Jane! the cats are "discussing"!
The whole sentence sounds like: he/she stands/suffers, without complaining, a lot of cats discussing all night long.
discutono is present of verb discutere
Have fun with Casey and the italian cats!

Giuilia--Thanks. So, this book is about a tree. I guess the tree doesn't even complain when the cats spend all night discussing (whatever)as they sit in it. Is that about right?

What about this.....Non si arraabbia neanche

ARe you still in Spain!

Non si arrabbia neanche means "he doesn't even get angry".
About online dictionaries: have you tried this?
...mmmmmh non ti arrabbiare I'm glad to help you and you're very welcome to ask whatever you need but it can be good to have a good online dictionary!
I'm now back in Madrid after going to Italy for the elections I'll be back in Urbino around May 20th.

Giulia---Grazie (see I do know something--after 12 weeks of lessons). Also, I checked out that dictionary and it is better than the one I use--which is usually pretty good. This One But--I'll still need to call on you sometimes--what are friends for?

Wordreference is what I use for other languages as it's pretty good! But I find the good old Garzanti very very useful as it includes lots of expressions.
You're very welcome to call on me whenever you wish my friend! Sometimes it's also good also for my English as I have to struggle to find a reasonably good translation and it's good to learn new things!
BTW I love your blog's new look!

quote:

But I find the good old Garzanti very very useful as it includes lots of expressions.

some of which are very bad translations...
sorry... it's my job! I actually check it often anyway.

The best online dictionary out there is the Hoepli dictionary by Picchi:

http://www.hoepli.it/dizionari.asp

Thank you Gloria!
I didn't know that the Hoepli dictionary was available online! On the other side for my job I have to deal with Italian-Spanish dictionaries that are all basically dreadful so when I check the Garzanti I'm so impressed that I don't even notice its defects!