Anna Karenina — Page 1
When he was dressed, Stepan Arkadyevitch sprinkled some scent on himself, pulled down his shirt-cuffs, distributed into his pockets his cigarettes, pocketbook, matches, and watch with its double chain and seals, and shaking out his handkerchief, feeling himself clean, fragrant, healthy, and physically at ease, in spite of his unhappiness, he walked with a slight swing on each leg into the dining-room, where coffee was already waiting for him, and beside the coffee, letters and papers from the office.
Als er angekleidet war, besprengte Stepan Arkadjewitsch sich mit etwas Parfüm, zog seine Hemdmanschetten herunter, verteilte in seine Taschen seine Zigaretten, sein Notizbuch, Streichhölzer und seine Uhr mit ihrer doppelten Kette und den Siegeln, und sein Taschentuch ausschüttelnd, sich sauber, wohlriechend, gesund und körperlich wohl fühlend, trotz seiner Unglückseligkeit, schritt er mit einem leichten Schwingen auf jedem Bein in das Esszimmer, wo der Kaffee bereits auf ihn wartete, und neben dem Kaffee Briefe und Papiere aus dem Büro.
He read the letters. One was very unpleasant, from a merchant who was buying a forest on his wife's property.
Er las die Briefe. Einer war sehr unangenehm, von einem Kaufmann, der einen Wald auf dem Besitz seiner Frau kaufte.
To sell this forest was absolutely essential; but at present, until he was reconciled with his wife, the subject could not be discussed.
Diesen Wald zu verkaufen war unbedingt erforderlich; aber im Augenblick, bis er sich mit seiner Frau versöhnt hatte, konnte das Thema nicht besprochen werden.
The most unpleasant thing of all was that his pecuniary interests should in this way enter into the question of his reconciliation with his wife.
Das Unangenehmste von allem war, dass seine finanziellen Interessen auf diese Weise in die Frage seiner Versöhnung mit seiner Frau hineinspielen sollten.
And the idea that he might be led on by his interests, that he might seek a reconciliation with his wife on account of the sale of the forest—that idea hurt him.
Und der Gedanke, dass er von seinen Interessen geleitet werden könnte, dass er eine Versöhnung mit seiner Frau wegen des Verkaufs des Waldes anstreben könnte – dieser Gedanke schmerzte ihn.
When he had finished his letters, Stepan Arkadyevitch moved the office-papers close to him, rapidly looked through two pieces of business, made a few notes with a big pencil, and pushing away the papers, turned to his coffee.
Als er seine Briefe beendet hatte, schob Stepan Arkadjewitsch die Büropapiere nah an sich heran, überflog schnell zwei Geschäftsvorgänge, machte einige Notizen mit einem großen Bleistift, und die Papiere beiseiteschiebend, wandte er sich seinem Kaffee zu.
As he sipped his coffee, he opened a still damp morning paper, and began reading it.
Während er seinen Kaffee schlürfte, öffnete er eine noch feuchte Morgenzeitung und begann, sie zu lesen.
Vocabulary
- Als
- Conjunction meaning 'when' or 'as' in past context
- angekleidet
- Past participle of 'ankleiden'; dressed, having put on clothes
- besprengte
- Past tense of 'besprenkeln'; sprinkled or sprayed lightly
- sich
- Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' or 'itself'
- etwas
- Indefinite pronoun or adverb meaning 'something' or 'some'
- Parfüm
- Noun meaning perfume or fragrance
- zog
- Past tense of 'ziehen'; pulled or drew
- Hemdmanschetten
- Plural noun meaning shirt cuffs
- herunter
- Separable prefix/adverb meaning 'down' or 'downward'
- verteilte
- Past tense of 'verteilen'; distributed or arranged things
- Taschen
- Plural of 'Tasche'; pockets or bags
- Zigaretten
- Plural of 'Zigarette'; cigarettes
- Notizbuch
- Noun meaning notebook used for writing notes
- Streichhölzer
- Plural of 'Streichholz'; matches used for lighting fire
- Uhr
- Noun meaning clock or watch; also used for time expressions
- doppelten
- Adjective meaning double or twofold
- Kette
- Noun meaning chain or necklace
- Siegeln
- Plural of 'Siegel'; seals or stamps used for authentication
- Taschentuch
- Noun meaning handkerchief, a small cloth for wiping
- ausschüttelnd
- Present participle of 'ausschütteln'; shaking out thoroughly
- sauber
- Adjective meaning clean or neat
- wohlriechend
- Adjective meaning fragrant or pleasant-smelling
- gesund
- Adjective meaning healthy or in good health
- körperlich
- Adjective meaning physical or bodily
- wohl
- Adverb meaning well, comfortable, or probably
- fühlend
- Present participle of 'fühlen'; feeling or sensing
- trotz
- Preposition meaning 'despite' or 'in spite of'
- Unglückseligkeit
- Noun meaning unhappiness, misery, or wretchedness
- schritt
- Past tense of 'schreiten'; walked or strode purposefully
- leichten
- Adjective meaning light, gentle, or slight
- Schwingen
- Noun/verb form meaning swinging or swaying motion
- jedem
- Dative form of 'jeder'; every or each
- Bein
- Noun meaning leg or bone
- Esszimmer
- Noun meaning dining room where meals are eaten
- wo
- Relative or interrogative adverb meaning 'where'
- Kaffee
- Noun meaning coffee, a popular hot beverage
- bereits
- Adverb meaning 'already' or 'by now'
- wartete
- Past tense of 'warten'; waited
- neben
- Preposition meaning 'next to' or 'beside'
- Briefe
- Plural of 'Brief'; letters sent by post or messenger
- Papiere
- Plural of 'Papier'; papers or official documents
- Büro
- Noun meaning office or workplace
- las
- Past tense of 'lesen'; read
- Einer
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one' or 'one of them'
- sehr
- Adverb meaning 'very' or 'much'
- unangenehm
- Adjective meaning unpleasant, disagreeable, or uncomfortable
- Kaufmann
- Noun meaning merchant, trader, or businessman
- Wald
- Noun meaning forest or woods
- Besitz
- Noun meaning possession, property, or ownership
- Frau
- Noun meaning woman, wife, or Mrs.
- kaufte
- Past tense of 'kaufen'; bought or purchased
- Diesen
- Accusative demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this one' (masculine)
- verkaufen
- Infinitive meaning to sell
- unbedingt
- Adverb meaning absolutely, unconditionally, or by all means
- erforderlich
- Adjective meaning necessary, required, or essential
- aber
- Coordinating conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'
- Augenblick
- Noun meaning moment or instant in time
- bis
- Preposition or conjunction meaning 'until' or 'up to'
- versöhnt
- Past participle of 'versöhnen'; reconciled, made peace
- konnte
- Past tense of 'können'; could, was able to
- Thema
- Noun meaning topic, theme, or subject of discussion
- besprochen
- Past participle of 'besprechen'; discussed or talked over
- werden
- Auxiliary verb meaning 'to become' or future/passive auxiliary
- Unangenehmste
- Superlative form of 'unangenehm'; the most unpleasant thing
- allem
- Dative form of 'alles'; everything, in 'vor allem' above all
- dass
- Subordinating conjunction meaning 'that'
- finanziellen
- Adjective meaning financial or monetary
- Interessen
- Plural of 'Interesse'; interests, concerns, or stakes
- diese
- Demonstrative pronoun/adjective meaning 'these' or 'this'
- Weise
- Noun meaning way, manner, or method
- Frage
- Noun meaning question or issue
- Versöhnung
- Noun meaning reconciliation or making peace
- hineinspielen
- Verb meaning to play into or factor into something
- sollten
- Past subjunctive/indicative of 'sollen'; should or were supposed to
- Gedanke
- Noun meaning thought or idea
- geleitet
- Past participle of 'leiten'; guided, led, or directed
- könnte
- Subjunctive II of 'können'; could or might
- wegen
- Preposition meaning 'because of' or 'on account of'
- Verkaufs
- Genitive of 'Verkauf'; of the sale
- Waldes
- Genitive of 'Wald'; of the forest
- anstreben
- Verb meaning to strive for, pursue, or aim at
- dieser
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this one' (masculine nominative)
- schmerzte
- Past tense of 'schmerzen'; hurt or caused pain
- beendet
- Past participle of 'beenden'; finished or ended
- schob
- Past tense of 'schieben'; pushed or shoved
- Büropapiere
- Compound noun meaning office papers or work documents
- nah
- Adjective or adverb meaning near or close
- heran
- Directional adverb meaning 'up to' or 'toward'
- überflog
- Past tense of 'überfliegen'; skimmed or glanced over quickly
- schnell
- Adjective or adverb meaning fast, quick, or rapidly
- Geschäftsvorgänge
- Plural noun meaning business transactions or office procedures
- machte
- Past tense of 'machen'; made or did
- einige
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'some' or 'a few'
- Notizen
- Plural of 'Notiz'; notes or brief written remarks
- großen
- Adjective meaning large or big (inflected form)
- Bleistift
- Noun meaning pencil used for writing or drawing
- beiseiteschiebend
- Present participle of 'beiseiteschieben'; pushing aside or setting aside
- wandte
- Past tense of 'wenden'; turned toward or turned attention
- Während
- Conjunction or preposition meaning 'while' or 'during'
- schlürfte
- Past tense of 'schlürfen'; sipped or slurped a drink
- öffnete
- Past tense of 'öffnen'; opened
- noch
- Adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'even'
- feuchte
- Adjective meaning damp or moist (inflected form)
- Morgenzeitung
- Compound noun meaning morning newspaper
- begann
- Past tense of 'beginnen'; began or started
- lesen
- Infinitive verb meaning to read
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