← Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina — Page 2

English → Spanish Chapter 2 Level 7/10

She was contented and happy in her children; I never interfered with her in anything; I let her manage the children and the house just as she liked.

Ella estaba satisfecha y feliz con sus hijos; nunca me entrometí en nada con ella; la dejé manejar a los niños y la casa tal como le gustaba.

It's true it's bad _her_ having been a governess in our house.

Es verdad que es malo que _ella_ haya sido institutriz en nuestra casa.

That's bad!

¡Eso es malo!

There's something common, vulgar, in flirting with one's governess.

Hay algo ordinario, vulgar, en coquetear con la institutriz de uno.

But what a governess!

¡Pero qué institutriz!

(He vividly recalled the roguish black eyes of Mlle. Roland and her smile.)

(Recordó vívidamente los pícaros ojos negros de la señorita Roland y su sonrisa.)

But after all, while she was in the house, I kept myself in hand.

Pero después de todo, mientras ella estaba en la casa, me contuve.

And the worst of it all is that she's already ... it seems as if ill-luck would have it so!

Y lo peor de todo es que ella ya está... ¡parece como si la mala suerte lo hubiera querido así!

Oh, oh! But what, what is to be done?

¡Oh, oh! Pero ¿qué, qué se puede hacer?

There was no solution, but that universal solution which life gives to all questions, even the most complex and insoluble.

No había solución, salvo esa solución universal que la vida da a todas las preguntas, incluso las más complejas e insolubles.

That answer is: one must live in the needs of the day—that is, forget oneself.

Esa respuesta es: hay que vivir en las necesidades del día, es decir, olvidarse de uno mismo.

To forget himself in sleep was impossible now, at least till nighttime; he could not go back now to the music sung by the decanter-women; so he must forget himself in the dream of daily life.

Olvidarse de sí mismo en el sueño era imposible ahora, al menos hasta la noche; no podía volver ahora a la música cantada por las mujeres-jarra; así que debía olvidarse de sí mismo en el sueño de la vida cotidiana.

"Then we shall see," Stepan Arkadyevitch said to himself, and getting up he put on a gray dressing-gown lined with blue silk, tied the tassels in a knot, and, drawing a deep breath of air into his broad, bare chest, he walked to the window with his usual confident step, turning out his feet that carried his full frame so easily.

«Entonces veremos», se dijo Stepan Arkadyevitch, y levantándose se puso una bata gris forrada de seda azul, anudó los borlas en un nudo, y, aspirando una profunda bocanada de aire en su pecho ancho y desnudo, caminó hacia la ventana con su paso seguro de siempre, volviendo hacia afuera los pies que sostenían tan fácilmente su corpulenta figura.

Vocabulary

Ella
Third person singular feminine pronoun meaning 'she'
estaba
Past imperfect of 'estar'; she/he was (temporary state)
satisfecha
Feeling pleased or content with a situation
feliz
Feeling or expressing happiness and joy
hijos
Children or sons belonging to a parent
nunca
Adverb of time meaning 'never' or 'not ever'
entrometí
Past tense: interfered or meddled in someone else's affairs
nada
Pronoun or adverb meaning 'nothing' or 'not anything'
dejé
Past tense of 'dejar'; allowed or let someone do something
manejar
To handle, manage, or drive something or someone
niños
Young children, typically boys or mixed group
casa
A building where people live; home or house
tal
Adjective or adverb meaning 'such' or 'in such a way'
gustaba
Past imperfect of 'gustar'; something was pleasing to someone
verdad
The quality of being true; truth or reality
malo
Adjective describing something bad, wrong, or unpleasant
haya
Present subjunctive of 'haber'; auxiliary for perfect subjunctive
sido
Past participle of 'ser'; been, as in has been
institutriz
A woman employed to educate children in a household
nuestra
Possessive adjective meaning 'our', feminine singular form
Eso
Neutral demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that thing'
Hay
Impersonal verb form meaning 'there is' or 'there are'
algo
Indefinite pronoun meaning 'something' or 'somewhat'
ordinario
Adjective meaning common, low-class, or lacking refinement
vulgar
Lacking refinement; crude or common in taste or behavior
coquetear
To flirt or engage in playful romantic behavior with someone
uno
Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one' referring to a general person
Pero
Conjunction introducing a contrast or objection, meaning 'but'
Recordó
Past tense of 'recordar'; he/she remembered something vividly
vívidamente
Adverb meaning in a vivid, clear, or lively manner
pícaros
Adjective meaning mischievous, roguish, or naughty eyes
ojos
The organs of sight; eyes of a person or animal
negros
Adjective meaning black or very dark in color
señorita
Title or noun for an unmarried young woman; Miss
sonrisa
A facial expression showing happiness; a smile
después
Adverb indicating time, meaning 'afterwards' or 'later'
todo
Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'every'
mientras
Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'as long as' something happens
contuve
Past tense of 'contener'; I contained or restrained myself
peor
Comparative adjective or adverb meaning 'worse' or 'worst'
ya
Adverb meaning 'already', 'now', or 'soon' depending on context
parece
Third person singular of 'parecer'; it seems or appears
si
Conjunction meaning 'if' introducing a conditional clause
mala
Feminine adjective describing something bad or unfortunate
suerte
Fortune or chance; luck, whether good or bad
hubiera
Past subjunctive of 'haber'; auxiliary for past hypothetical mood
querido
Past participle of 'querer'; wanted or wished for something
así
Adverb meaning 'like this', 'in this way', or 'so'
puede
Third person singular of 'poder'; one can or it is possible
hacer
Infinitive meaning to do or to make something
había
Past imperfect of 'haber'; there was or there were
solución
An answer or means of resolving a problem or difficulty
salvo
Preposition meaning 'except' or 'save for'; excluding something
esa
Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' near the listener
universal
Adjective meaning applying to all cases or people everywhere
vida
The state of being alive; life or one's existence
da
Third person singular of 'dar'; gives or provides something
todas
Feminine plural of 'todo'; all or every one of them
preguntas
Questions posed to seek information or clarification
incluso
Adverb meaning 'even' or 'including', adding emphasis
complejas
Feminine plural adjective meaning complex, complicated, or intricate
insolubles
Adjective meaning impossible to solve or resolve; unsolvable
respuesta
An answer or reply given to a question or problem
vivir
Infinitive meaning to live or to be alive
necesidades
Things required for survival or wellbeing; needs or necessities
día
A 24-hour period; daytime or a calendar day
decir
Infinitive meaning to say, tell, or express something verbally
olvidarse
Reflexive infinitive meaning to forget or put out of mind
mismo
Adjective or pronoun meaning 'same', 'oneself', or 'very'
Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or affirmation 'yes'
sueño
The state of sleep or a dream experienced while sleeping
era
Past imperfect of 'ser'; was, describing a past state or quality
imposible
Adjective meaning not able to occur or be done; impossible
ahora
Adverb meaning 'now' or 'at this moment in time'
menos
Adverb or adjective meaning 'less' or 'fewer'
hasta
Preposition meaning 'until', 'up to', or 'as far as'
noche
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise; night
podía
Past imperfect of 'poder'; was able to or could do something
volver
Infinitive meaning to return or to go back somewhere
música
Art form of organized sound; music performed or composed
cantada
Past participle of 'cantar'; sung by a voice or voices
mujeres
Adult female human beings; women
jarra
A container with a handle used for holding liquid; pitcher or jug
debía
Past imperfect of 'deber'; should, ought to, or owed something
cotidiana
Adjective meaning daily, everyday, or of routine occurrence
Entonces
Adverb meaning 'then', 'at that time', or 'in that case'
veremos
Future tense of 'ver'; we will see what happens next
dijo
Past tense of 'decir'; he/she said something to someone
levantándose
Gerund of reflexive 'levantarse'; rising or getting up from seat
puso
Past tense of 'poner'; he/she put on or placed something
bata
A loose robe or gown worn at home or for comfort
gris
Adjective describing the color gray or grey
forrada
Past participle of 'forrar'; lined or covered with a material
seda
A fine, smooth fabric produced by silkworms; silk
azul
Adjective describing the color blue
anudó
Past tense of 'anudar'; he/she tied or knotted something together
borlas
Decorative hanging tassels attached to clothing or furnishings
nudo
A fastening made by tying; a knot in rope or fabric
aspirando
Gerund of 'aspirar'; breathing in or inhaling deeply
profunda
Feminine adjective meaning deep, profound, or intense
bocanada
A single puff or breath of air, smoke, or liquid
aire
The invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth; air
pecho
The front part of the torso; chest or breast
ancho
Adjective meaning wide, broad, or having great width
desnudo
Adjective meaning bare, naked, or uncovered by clothing
caminó
Past tense of 'caminar'; he/she walked in a direction
hacia
Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of'
ventana
An opening in a wall fitted with glass; a window
paso
A step taken while walking; pace or gait of movement
seguro
Adjective meaning safe, secure, or confident and steady
siempre
Adverb meaning 'always' or 'at all times'
volviendo
Gerund of 'volver'; turning or returning in a direction
afuera
Adverb meaning outside or on the outer part
pies
The lower extremities of the legs used for walking; feet
sostenían
Past imperfect of 'sostener'; they supported or held up something
tan
Adverb of degree meaning 'so' or 'as' in comparisons
fácilmente
Adverb meaning in an easy or effortless manner; easily
corpulenta
Feminine adjective meaning large-bodied, stout, or heavyset
figura
The shape or form of a person's body; figure or physique
← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →