Alice's Adventures in Wonderland — Page 2
And she squeezed herself up closer to Alice's side as she spoke.
Y se apretujó más cerca del lado de Alicia mientras hablaba.
Alice did not much like keeping so close to her: first, because the Duchess was _very_ ugly; and secondly, because she was exactly the right height to rest her chin upon Alice's shoulder, and it was an uncomfortably sharp chin.
A Alicia no le gustaba mucho mantenerse tan cerca de ella: primero, porque la Duquesa era muy fea; y segundo, porque tenía exactamente la altura adecuada para apoyar su barbilla sobre el hombro de Alicia, y era una barbilla incómodamente puntiaguda.
However, she did not like to be rude, so she bore it as well as she could.
Sin embargo, no quería ser grosera, así que lo soportó lo mejor que pudo.
The game's going on rather better now, she said, by way of keeping up the conversation a little.
El juego va bastante mejor ahora, dijo ella, tratando de mantener un poco la conversación.
'Tis so, said the Duchess: and the moral of that is—'Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love, that makes the world go round!'
Así es, dijo la Duquesa: y la moraleja de eso es: ¡Oh, es el amor, es el amor, lo que hace girar al mundo!
Somebody said, Alice whispered, that it's done by everybody minding their own business!
Alguien dijo, susurró Alicia, que es porque cada uno se ocupa de sus propios asuntos.
Ah, well! It means much the same thing, said the Duchess, digging her sharp little chin into Alice's shoulder as she added, and the moral of _that_ is—'Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves.'
¡Ah, bueno! Significa más o menos lo mismo, dijo la Duquesa, clavando su pequeña barbilla puntiaguda en el hombro de Alicia mientras añadía, y la moraleja de eso es: Cuida del sentido, y los sonidos se cuidarán solos.
How fond she is of finding morals in things! Alice thought to herself.
¡Qué aficionada es a encontrar moralejas en las cosas! pensó Alicia para sí misma.
I dare say you're wondering why I don't put my arm round your waist, the Duchess said after a pause: the reason is, that I'm doubtful about the temper of your flamingo. Shall I try the experiment?
Me atrevo a decir que te estás preguntando por qué no pongo mi brazo alrededor de tu cintura, dijo la Duquesa después de una pausa: la razón es que tengo dudas sobre el temperamento de tu flamenco. ¿Intento el experimento?
He might bite, Alice cautiously replied, not feeling at all anxious to have the experiment tried.
Podría morder, respondió Alicia con cautela, sin sentirse en absoluto ansiosa de que se probara el experimento.
Very true, said the Duchess: flamingoes and mustard both bite.
Muy cierto, dijo la Duquesa: los flamencos y la mostaza pican ambos.
Vocabulary
- Y
- And; conjunction connecting words, phrases, or clauses
- se
- Reflexive pronoun: himself, herself, itself, themselves, oneself
- apretujó
- Squeezed, pressed tightly, crushed together against something
- más
- More; comparative indicating greater quantity or degree
- cerca
- Near, close, nearby in distance or proximity
- del
- Of the, from the (contraction of de + el)
- lado
- Side, flank, edge, or one part of something
- de
- Of, from, about; preposition indicating possession or origin
- mientras
- While, meanwhile, during the time that something happens
- hablaba
- Was speaking, was talking; imperfect tense of hablar
- A
- To, at, in; preposition indicating direction or location
- no
- No, not; negation word to express denial
- le
- To him, to her, to you; indirect object pronoun
- gustaba
- Liked, was pleasing; imperfect tense of gustar
- mucho
- Much, a lot, very; adverb of quantity
- mantenerse
- To remain, stay, keep oneself, maintain position
- tan
- So, such, as; adverb indicating degree or comparison
- ella
- She, her; feminine subject or object pronoun
- primero
- First, firstly; ordinal number or adverb of sequence
- porque
- Because, for, since; conjunction explaining reason or cause
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article
- Duquesa
- Duchess; noble title for woman of high rank
- era
- Was, used to be; imperfect tense of ser
- muy
- Very, really, quite; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs
- fea
- Ugly, unattractive; feminine adjective describing unpleasant appearance
- y
- And; conjunction connecting words, phrases, or clauses
- segundo
- Second, secondly; ordinal number or time measurement unit
- tenía
- Had, possessed; imperfect tense of tener
- exactamente
- Exactly, precisely; adverb indicating accuracy or completeness
- altura
- Height, altitude, elevation; vertical measurement or dimension
- adecuada
- Adequate, appropriate, suitable; feminine adjective meaning fitting
- para
- For, to, in order to; preposition indicating purpose
- apoyar
- To support, lean, rest, prop something against something
- su
- His, her, its, your, their; possessive adjective
- barbilla
- Chin; lower front part of the face
- sobre
- On, upon, over, about; preposition indicating position above
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article
- hombro
- Shoulder; upper body joint connecting arm to torso
- una
- A, an, one; feminine singular indefinite article
- incómodamente
- Uncomfortably, awkwardly; adverb describing discomfort or uneasiness
- puntiaguda
- Pointed, sharp, having a sharp tip or point
- Sin
- Without, lacking; preposition indicating absence of something
- embargo
- However, nevertheless; used in phrase 'sin embargo' meaning however
- quería
- Wanted, wished, desired; imperfect tense of querer
- ser
- To be; infinitive of permanent state or identity
- grosera
- Rude, impolite, coarse; feminine adjective describing bad manners
- así
- So, thus, like this; adverb indicating manner
- que
- That, which, who; relative pronoun or conjunction
- lo
- It, him; masculine direct object pronoun
- soportó
- Endured, tolerated, bore; preterite tense of soportar
- mejor
- Better, best; comparative or superlative adverb/adjective
- pudo
- Could, was able to; preterite tense of poder
- El
- The; masculine singular definite article
- juego
- Game, play, sport, set; noun for activity or competition
- va
- Goes, is going; present tense of ir
- bastante
- Quite, enough, rather; adverb or adjective of sufficiency
- ahora
- Now, at present, currently; adverb of time
- dijo
- Said, told; preterite tense of decir
- tratando
- Trying, attempting; gerund of tratar
- mantener
- To maintain, keep, sustain, hold; infinitive verb
- un
- A, an, one; masculine singular indefinite article
- poco
- Little, bit, few; adjective or adverb of small quantity
- conversación
- Conversation, talk, discussion; exchange of spoken words
- Así
- So, thus, like this; adverb indicating manner
- es
- Is; third person singular present tense of ser
- moraleja
- Moral, lesson; message or teaching from a story
- eso
- That; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something mentioned
- amor
- Love, affection; deep feeling of romantic attachment
- hace
- Makes, does; third person singular present of hacer
- girar
- To turn, rotate, spin, revolve around something
- al
- To the, at the (contraction of a + el)
- mundo
- World, earth, globe; planet or all of existence
- Alguien
- Someone, somebody; indefinite pronoun for unknown person
- susurró
- Whispered, murmured softly; preterite tense of susurrar
- cada
- Each, every; adjective indicating all members individually
- uno
- One; cardinal number or indefinite pronoun meaning someone
- ocupa
- Occupies, takes care of; present tense of ocupar
- sus
- His, her, its, your, their; plural possessive adjective
- propios
- Own; plural masculine adjective indicating personal possession
- asuntos
- Matters, affairs, business, issues; plural noun
- bueno
- Good, well, okay; adjective or interjection of approval
- Significa
- Means, signifies; third person singular present of significar
- o
- Or; conjunction presenting alternatives or choices
- menos
- Less, fewer, minus; comparative adverb or preposition
- mismo
- Same, self; adjective or pronoun emphasizing identity
- clavando
- Nailing, sticking, driving in; gerund of clavar
- pequeña
- Small, little, tiny; feminine adjective describing size
- en
- In, on, at; preposition indicating location or position
- añadía
- Added, was adding; imperfect tense of añadir
- Cuida
- Takes care of, looks after; imperative or present of cuidar
- sentido
- Sense, meaning, feeling; noun for perception or significance
- los
- The; masculine plural definite article
- sonidos
- Sounds, noises; plural noun for audible vibrations
- cuidarán
- Will take care of; future tense of cuidar
- solos
- Alone, by themselves; plural masculine adjective meaning unaccompanied
- Qué
- What, how; interrogative or exclamatory pronoun
- aficionada
- Fan, enthusiast, fond of; feminine noun or adjective
- a
- To, at; preposition indicating direction or relation
- encontrar
- To find, encounter, discover; infinitive verb
- moralejas
- Morals, lessons; plural noun for story teachings
- las
- The; feminine plural definite article
- cosas
- Things, stuff, objects; plural noun for items
- pensó
- Thought, believed; preterite tense of pensar
- sí
- Yes, oneself; affirmative word or reflexive pronoun
- misma
- Same, self; feminine adjective or pronoun emphasizing identity
- Me
- Me, myself; first person object or reflexive pronoun
- atrevo
- Dare, venture; first person present of atreverse
- decir
- To say, tell, speak; infinitive verb
- te
- You, yourself; second person object or reflexive pronoun
- estás
- Are, you are; second person present of estar
- preguntando
- Asking, wondering, questioning; gerund of preguntar
- por
- For, by, through, because of; preposition with multiple meanings
- qué
- What, why; interrogative pronoun asking for reason or information
- pongo
- Put, place; first person present of poner
- mi
- My; first person possessive adjective
- brazo
- Arm; upper limb from shoulder to hand
- alrededor
- Around, surrounding; adverb or preposition indicating encircling position
- tu
- Your; second person singular possessive adjective
- cintura
- Waist; narrow part of body between ribs and hips
- después
- After, afterwards, later; adverb indicating subsequent time
- pausa
- Pause, break, interruption; temporary stop or rest
- razón
- Reason, rationale; cause, motive, or logical thinking
- tengo
- Have, possess; first person present of tener
- dudas
- Doubts, uncertainties; plural noun or present tense of dudar
- temperamento
- Temperament, disposition; characteristic mood or personality
- flamenco
- Flamingo; bird, or relating to Flamenco music/dance
- Intento
- Attempt, try; noun or first person present of intentar
- experimento
- Experiment, trial; noun or first person present of experimentar
- Podría
- Could, might; conditional tense of poder
- morder
- To bite; infinitive verb for using teeth to cut
- respondió
- Responded, answered, replied; preterite tense of responder
- con
- With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
- cautela
- Caution, care, wariness; noun for careful prudence
- sin
- Without, lacking; preposition indicating absence
- sentirse
- To feel oneself; reflexive infinitive of sentir
- absoluto
- Absolute, complete, total; adjective indicating totality
- ansiosa
- Anxious, eager, worried; feminine adjective describing nervousness
- probara
- Tried, tasted; imperfect subjunctive of probar
- Muy
- Very, quite, really; adverb intensifying adjectives
- cierto
- True, certain, sure; adjective meaning accurate or definite
- flamencos
- Flamingos; plural noun for pink wading birds
- mostaza
- Mustard; condiment or plant with yellow flowers
- pican
- Sting, bite, burn, itch; plural present of picar
- ambos
- Both; adjective or pronoun referring to two things
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