Cranford — Page 1

English → Spanish CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

OUR SOCIETY

NUESTRA SOCIEDAD

IN the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women.

En primer lugar, Cranford está en posesión de las Amazonas; todas las propietarias de casas por encima de cierto alquiler son mujeres.

If a married couple come to settle in the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to death by being the only man in the Cranford evening parties, or he is accounted for by being with his regiment, his ship, or closely engaged in business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble, distant only twenty miles on a railroad.

Si una pareja casada viene a establecerse en la ciudad, de algún modo el caballero desaparece; o bien se muere del susto de ser el único hombre en las veladas de Cranford, o bien se justifica su ausencia por estar con su regimiento, su barco, o estrechamente ocupado en negocios toda la semana en la gran ciudad comercial vecina de Drumble, a tan solo veinte millas por ferrocarril.

In short, whatever does become of the gentlemen, they are not at Cranford.

En resumen, sea lo que sea lo que ocurra con los caballeros, ellos no están en Cranford.

What could they do if they were there?

¿Qué podrían hacer si estuvieran allí?

The surgeon has his round of thirty miles, and sleeps at Cranford; but every man cannot be a surgeon.

El cirujano tiene su ronda de treinta millas y duerme en Cranford; pero no todo hombre puede ser cirujano.

For keeping the trim gardens full of choice flowers without a weed to speck them; for frightening away little boys who look wistfully at the said flowers through the railings; for rushing out at the geese that occasionally venture in to the gardens if the gates are left open; for deciding all questions of literature and politics without troubling themselves with unnecessary reasons or arguments; for obtaining clear and correct knowledge of everybody's affairs in the parish; for keeping their neat maid-servants in admirable order; for kindness (somewhat dictatorial) to the poor, and real tender good offices to each other whenever they are in distress, the ladies of Cranford are quite sufficient.

Para mantener los cuidados jardines llenos de exquisitas flores sin una mala hierba que los manche; para ahuyentar a los niños pequeños que miran con nostalgia dichas flores a través de las verjas; para salir corriendo a espantar a los gansos que de vez en cuando se aventuran a entrar en los jardines si se dejan las puertas abiertas; para decidir todas las cuestiones de literatura y política sin molestarse con razones o argumentos innecesarios; para obtener un conocimiento claro y preciso de los asuntos de todo el mundo en la parroquia; para mantener a sus pulcras criadas en un orden admirable; para la amabilidad (algo dictatorial) hacia los pobres, y los verdaderos y tiernos buenos oficios entre ellas siempre que se encuentran en apuros, las damas de Cranford son más que suficientes.

Vocabulary

NUESTRA: Our; first-person plural possessive adjective.
SOCIEDAD: Society; a community or organized group of people.
En: In, on, or at; common Spanish preposition.
primer: First; ordinal adjective preceding a masculine noun.
lugar: Place or location; also used in expressions like 'en primer lugar'.
está: Is; third-person singular present of 'estar' (to be).
en: In, on, or at; common Spanish preposition.
posesión: Possession; the state of owning or holding something.
de: Of or from; very common Spanish preposition.
las: The; feminine plural definite article.
Amazonas: Amazons; mythological female warriors; also a river name.
todas: All; feminine plural form of 'todo', meaning every one.
propietarias: Female owners or proprietors of property or business.
casas: Houses; plural of 'casa', a residential dwelling.
por: For, by, or through; versatile Spanish preposition.
encima: Above or on top; used in spatial or figurative contexts.
cierto: Certain or a particular; adjective indicating a specific thing.
alquiler: Rent; payment for the use of property or housing.
son: Are; third-person plural present of 'ser' (to be).
mujeres: Women; plural of 'mujer', an adult female person.
Si: If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothetical clause.
una: A or one; feminine singular indefinite article.
pareja: Couple or pair; two people in a relationship together.
casada: Married; feminine adjective describing a woman who is wed.
viene: Comes; third-person singular present of 'venir' (to come).
a: To or at; common Spanish preposition indicating direction.
establecerse: To settle or establish oneself in a new place.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
ciudad: City; a large urban settlement or municipality.
algún: Some or any; masculine singular indefinite adjective.
modo: Way or manner; method by which something is done.
el: The; masculine singular definite article.
caballero: Gentleman; a polite, honorable, or well-mannered man.
desaparece: Disappears; third-person singular present of 'desaparecer'.
o: Or; conjunction presenting an alternative choice.
bien: Well or good; also used in 'o bien' meaning 'or else'.
se: Reflexive pronoun; used with reflexive or passive verbs.
muere: Dies; third-person singular present of 'morir' (to die).
del: Of the; contraction of 'de' and 'el'.
susto: Fright or scare; a sudden feeling of fear.
ser: To be; infinitive of the permanent-state verb 'ser'.
único: Only or unique; the sole one of its kind.
hombre: Man; an adult male person.
veladas: Evening gatherings or soirées; social events held at night.
justifica: Justifies; third-person singular present of 'justificar'.
su: His, her, its, or their; third-person possessive adjective.
ausencia: Absence; the state of being away or not present.
estar: To be; infinitive of the state or condition verb.
con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association.
regimiento: Regiment; a military unit of soldiers.
barco: Ship or boat; a vessel used for water transportation.
estrechamente: Closely or tightly; adverb meaning in a narrow or close manner.
ocupado: Busy or occupied; engaged with tasks or responsibilities.
negocios: Business or affairs; commercial or professional activities.
toda: All or every; feminine singular form of 'todo'.
semana: Week; a period of seven consecutive days.
gran: Great or large; adjective used before a noun.
comercial: Commercial; relating to trade, business, or commerce.
vecina: Neighboring or nearby; feminine adjective describing proximity.
tan: So or as; adverb used in comparisons or intensification.
solo: Only or just; adverb meaning nothing more than.
veinte: Twenty; the cardinal number 20.
millas: Miles; plural of 'milla', a unit of distance.
ferrocarril: Railway; a system of trains running on tracks.
resumen: Summary; a brief account of the main points.
sea: Be; subjunctive form of 'ser', used in expressions.
lo: It or the; neuter pronoun or masculine direct object.
que: That or what; relative pronoun or conjunction.
ocurra: Occurs or happens; subjunctive of 'ocurrir' (to occur).
los: The; masculine plural definite article.
caballeros: Gentlemen; plural of 'caballero', polite or noble men.
ellos: They; third-person plural masculine subject pronoun.
no: No or not; negation word in Spanish.
están: Are; third-person plural present of 'estar' (to be).
Qué: What; interrogative pronoun used to ask questions.
podrían: Could; third-person plural conditional of 'poder' (can).
hacer: To do or make; common infinitive verb in Spanish.
si: If; conditional conjunction for hypothetical situations.
estuvieran: Were; past subjunctive of 'estar', expressing hypothetical presence.
allí: There; adverb indicating a place away from speaker.
El: The; masculine singular definite article.
cirujano: Surgeon; a doctor who performs surgical operations.
tiene: Has; third-person singular present of 'tener' (to have).
ronda: Round or patrol; also an evening social visit or circuit.
treinta: Thirty; the cardinal number 30.
y: And; basic coordinating conjunction in Spanish.
duerme: Sleeps; third-person singular present of 'dormir'.
pero: But; coordinating conjunction indicating contrast or exception.
todo: Everything or all; inclusive pronoun or adjective.
puede: Can or is able; third-person singular present of 'poder'.
Para: For or in order to; preposition indicating purpose or goal.
mantener: To maintain or keep; to preserve in a certain condition.
cuidados: Cared for or tended; past participle/adjective from 'cuidar'.
jardines: Gardens; plural of 'jardín', an outdoor cultivated space.
llenos: Full; masculine plural adjective meaning filled or covered.
exquisitas: Exquisite; feminine plural adjective meaning extremely beautiful.
flores: Flowers; plural of 'flor', a blooming plant structure.
sin: Without; preposition indicating the absence of something.
mala: Bad; feminine adjective describing something of poor quality.
hierba: Weed or herb; a plant, often unwanted in gardens.
manche: Stains or soils; subjunctive of 'manchar' (to stain).
para: For or in order to; preposition of purpose or destination.
ahuyentar: To scare away or drive off; to chase something away.
niños: Children; plural of 'niño', a young boy or child.
pequeños: Small or little; masculine plural adjective for young children.
miran: Look or watch; third-person plural present of 'mirar'.
nostalgia: Nostalgia; a longing for the past or something missed.
dichas: Said or aforementioned; feminine plural past participle of 'decir'.
través: Through or across; used in 'a través de' (across).
verjas: Iron railings or gates; decorative metal fences or grilles.
salir: To go out or leave; to exit a place.
corriendo: Running; gerund of 'correr', moving quickly on foot.
espantar: To frighten or startle; to scare someone or something away.
gansos: Geese; plural of 'ganso', a large waterfowl bird.
vez: Time or occasion; used in expressions like 'de vez en cuando'.
cuando: When; conjunction or adverb referring to a time.
aventuran: Venture or dare; third-person plural of 'aventurarse'.
entrar: To enter or go in; to move into a place.
dejan: Leave or let; third-person plural present of 'dejar'.
puertas: Doors; plural of 'puerta', an entrance to a building.
abiertas: Open; feminine plural past participle of 'abrir' (to open).
decidir: To decide; to make a choice or reach a conclusion.
cuestiones: Questions or issues; matters requiring discussion or decision.
literatura: Literature; written works, especially those of artistic value.
política: Politics; the activities related to governance and power.
molestarse: To bother or trouble oneself; to be annoyed or inconvenienced.
razones: Reasons; plural of 'razón', a cause or justification.
argumentos: Arguments; reasons or points made to support a position.
innecesarios: Unnecessary; masculine plural adjective meaning not needed.
obtener: To obtain or get; to acquire something through effort.
un: A or one; masculine singular indefinite article.
conocimiento: Knowledge; understanding or awareness of facts or information.
claro: Clear or obvious; easy to understand or perceive.
preciso: Precise or exact; accurate and clearly defined.
asuntos: Affairs or matters; subjects or issues to be dealt with.
mundo: World; the earth or a particular sphere of activity.
parroquia: Parish; a local church district or congregation community.
sus: Their or his/her; plural form of the possessive 'su'.
pulcras: Neat or tidy; feminine plural adjective meaning clean and orderly.
criadas: Maids or servants; women employed for domestic household work.
orden: Order; a state of organized arrangement or neatness.
admirable: Admirable; worthy of respect and praise.
amabilidad: Kindness; the quality of being friendly and considerate.
algo: Something or somewhat; an indefinite pronoun or adverb.
dictatorial: Dictatorial; characteristic of a dictator, overly authoritative.
hacia: Toward; preposition indicating direction or attitude toward someone.
pobres: Poor people; those lacking money or material resources.
verdaderos: True or genuine; masculine plural adjective meaning real or authentic.
tiernos: Tender or gentle; masculine plural adjective meaning soft-hearted.
buenos: Good; masculine plural adjective meaning of high quality.
oficios: Services or trades; acts of assistance or skilled occupations.
entre: Among or between; preposition indicating a position in a group.
ellas: They; third-person plural feminine subject pronoun.
siempre: Always; adverb meaning at all times or on every occasion.
encuentran: Find or meet; third-person plural present of 'encontrar'.
apuros: Troubles or difficulties; urgent problems or tight situations.
damas: Ladies; plural of 'dama', a polite term for women.
más: More; comparative adverb or adjective indicating greater degree.
suficientes: Sufficient or enough; plural adjective meaning adequate in quantity.

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