Crime and Punishment — Page 2

English → De CHAPTER I Level 8/10

But to be stopped on the stairs, to be forced to listen to her trivial, irrelevant gossip, to pestering demands for payment, threats and complaints, and to rack his brains for excuses, to prevaricate, to lie--no, rather than that, he would creep down the stairs like a cat and slip out unseen.

Aber auf der Treppe aufgehalten zu werden, gezwungen zu sein, ihrem seichten, belanglosen Geschwätz zuzuhören, ihren lästigen Forderungen nach Bezahlung, Drohungen und Klagen, und sich den Kopf nach Ausreden zu zermartern, auszuweichen, zu lügen – nein, lieber als das würde er die Treppe hinunterschleichen wie eine Katze und ungesehen entwischen.

This evening, however, on coming out into the street, he became acutely aware of his fears.

An diesem Abend jedoch, als er auf die Straße hinaustrat, wurde er sich seiner Ängste auf schmerzliche Weise bewusst.

"Hm... yes, all is in a man's hands and he lets it all slip from cowardice, that's an axiom.

„Hm … ja, alles liegt in den Händen des Menschen, und er lässt alles aus Feigheit entgleiten – das ist ein Axiom.

It would be interesting to know what it is men are most afraid of.

Es wäre interessant zu wissen, wovor die Menschen am meisten Angst haben.

Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what they fear most....

Einen neuen Schritt zu wagen, ein neues Wort auszusprechen – das ist es, was sie am meisten fürchten …

But I am talking too much.

Aber ich rede zu viel.

It's because I chatter that I do nothing.

Weil ich schwatze, tue ich nichts.

Or perhaps it is that I chatter because I do nothing.

Oder vielleicht schwatze ich, weil ich nichts tue.

I've learned to chatter this last month, lying for days together in my den thinking... of Jack the Giant-killer.

Ich habe das Schwatzen in diesem letzten Monat gelernt, tagelang in meinem Loch liegend und nachdenkend … über den Riesen-killer Jack.

Why am I going there now?

Warum gehe ich jetzt dorthin?

Am I capable of _that_?

Bin ich zu _dem_ fähig?

Is _that_ serious?

Ist _das_ ernst gemeint?

It is not serious at all.

Es ist überhaupt nicht ernst gemeint.

It's simply a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything!

Es ist bloß eine Fantasie, um mich zu amüsieren; ein Spielzeug!

Yes, maybe it is a plaything.

Ja, vielleicht ist es ein Spielzeug.

Vocabulary

Aber: Conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'.
auf: Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'at'.
der: Definite article 'the' for masculine nouns.
Treppe: A staircase or flight of stairs in a building.
aufgehalten: Past participle of 'aufhalten': to stop or detain someone.
zu: Preposition or particle meaning 'to' or 'too'.
werden: Auxiliary verb meaning 'to become' or future marker.
gezwungen: Past participle of 'zwingen': forced or compelled to act.
sein: Infinitive verb meaning 'to be'; also possessive 'his'.
ihrem: Dative form of possessive pronoun 'ihr' meaning 'her/their'.
seichten: Adjective meaning shallow, trivial, or superficial.
belanglosen: Adjective meaning insignificant, trivial, or of no importance.
Geschwätz: Noun meaning idle chatter, gossip, or meaningless talk.
zuzuhören: Infinitive meaning to listen attentively to someone speaking.
ihren: Accusative form of 'ihr', meaning 'her' or 'their'.
lästigen: Adjective meaning annoying, bothersome, or troublesome.
Forderungen: Plural noun meaning demands, claims, or requirements made.
nach: Preposition meaning 'after', 'to', or 'according to'.
Bezahlung: Noun meaning payment or remuneration for goods or services.
Drohungen: Plural noun meaning threats or menacing statements toward someone.
und: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
Klagen: Plural noun meaning complaints, laments, or legal grievances.
sich: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself', 'himself', or 'herself'.
den: Accusative definite article 'the' for masculine nouns.
Kopf: Noun meaning head, the upper part of the body.
Ausreden: Plural noun meaning excuses or pretexts to avoid responsibility.
zermartern: Verb meaning to rack or torment one's mind intensely.
auszuweichen: Infinitive meaning to evade, dodge, or avoid something.
lügen: Verb meaning to lie or tell deliberate untruths.
nein: Adverb meaning 'no', expressing negation or refusal.
lieber: Comparative adverb meaning 'rather' or 'preferably'.
als: Conjunction meaning 'than' or 'as' in comparisons.
das: Definite article or pronoun 'the' or 'that'.
würde: Conditional form of 'werden', meaning 'would'.
er: Third-person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'.
die: Definite article 'the' for feminine or plural nouns.
hinunterschleichen: Verb meaning to sneak or creep quietly downward.
wie: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'how', 'like', or 'as'.
eine: Indefinite article 'a' or 'an' for feminine nouns.
Katze: Noun meaning cat, a common domestic feline animal.
ungesehen: Adjective or adverb meaning unseen or without being noticed.
entwischen: Verb meaning to slip away, escape, or sneak off.
An: Preposition meaning 'at', 'on', or 'to' a location.
diesem: Dative form of demonstrative 'dieser', meaning 'this'.
Abend: Noun meaning evening, the period after afternoon before night.
jedoch: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'.
Straße: Noun meaning street or road in a town or city.
hinaustrat: Past tense of 'hinaustreten': stepped outside or went out.
wurde: Past tense of 'werden', meaning 'became' or 'was'.
seiner: Genitive/dative form of 'sein', meaning 'his' or 'its'.
Ängste: Plural noun meaning fears, anxieties, or deep worries.
schmerzliche: Adjective meaning painful, distressing, or deeply hurtful.
Weise: Noun meaning way, manner, or mode of doing something.
bewusst: Adjective meaning aware, conscious, or deliberate.
Hm: Interjection expressing hesitation, thought, or uncertainty.
ja: Adverb meaning 'yes' or affirming a statement.
alles: Pronoun meaning 'everything' or 'all things'.
liegt: Third-person singular of 'liegen': lies or is situated.
in: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'inside' a place or time.
Händen: Dative plural of 'Hand', meaning 'in the hands of'.
des: Genitive definite article 'of the' for masculine/neuter nouns.
Menschen: Genitive or plural of 'Mensch', meaning 'human' or 'people'.
lässt: Third-person singular of 'lassen': lets or allows something.
aus: Preposition meaning 'out of', 'from', or 'made of'.
Feigheit: Noun meaning cowardice, the state of being cowardly.
entgleiten: Verb meaning to slip away, escape from one's grasp.
ist: Third-person singular of 'sein', meaning 'is'.
ein: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
Axiom: Noun meaning an axiom, a self-evident truth or principle.
Es: Neuter pronoun meaning 'it'.
wäre: Subjunctive form of 'sein', meaning 'would be'.
interessant: Adjective meaning interesting, arousing curiosity or attention.
wissen: Verb meaning to know a fact or piece of information.
wovor: Interrogative pronoun meaning 'of what' or 'from what'.
am: Contraction of 'an dem', meaning 'at the' or 'on the'.
meisten: Superlative of 'viel', meaning 'most' in quantity or degree.
Angst: Noun meaning fear, anxiety, or deep apprehension.
haben: Verb meaning to have or possess something.
Einen: Accusative masculine form of indefinite article 'ein'.
neuen: Declined form of 'neu', meaning new in accusative context.
Schritt: Noun meaning a step, stride, or action taken forward.
wagen: Verb meaning to dare or venture to do something risky.
neues: Neuter nominative form of 'neu', meaning new or novel.
Wort: Noun meaning word, a unit of language or speech.
auszusprechen: Infinitive meaning to pronounce, utter, or voice a word.
es: Neuter third-person pronoun meaning 'it'.
was: Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'what'.
sie: Third-person pronoun meaning 'she', 'they', or 'you' (formal).
fürchten: Verb meaning to fear or be afraid of something.
ich: First-person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
rede: First-person singular of 'reden': I speak or talk.
viel: Adverb or adjective meaning 'much', 'a lot', or 'many'.
Weil: Conjunction meaning 'because', introducing a causal clause.
schwatze: First-person singular of 'schwatzen': I chatter or babble.
tue: First-person singular of 'tun': I do or perform an action.
nichts: Pronoun meaning 'nothing', expressing complete negation.
Oder: Conjunction meaning 'or', presenting an alternative.
vielleicht: Adverb meaning 'perhaps' or 'maybe', expressing uncertainty.
weil: Conjunction meaning 'because', introducing a causal clause.
Ich: First-person singular pronoun meaning 'I'.
Schwatzen: Noun or infinitive meaning chattering, babbling, or idle talk.
letzten: Declined form of 'letzt', meaning last or most recent.
Monat: Noun meaning month, a unit of time in the calendar.
gelernt: Past participle of 'lernen': learned or acquired knowledge.
tagelang: Adverb meaning for days on end, lasting multiple days.
meinem: Dative form of possessive 'mein', meaning 'my'.
Loch: Noun meaning hole, pit, or a confined cramped space.
liegend: Present participle of 'liegen': lying down in a position.
nachdenkend: Present participle of 'nachdenken': pondering or reflecting deeply.
über: Preposition meaning 'over', 'above', or 'about' a topic.
Warum: Interrogative adverb meaning 'why', asking for a reason.
gehe: First-person singular of 'gehen': I go or walk somewhere.
jetzt: Adverb meaning 'now', referring to the current moment.
dorthin: Adverb meaning 'to there', indicating direction toward a place.
Bin: First-person singular of 'sein': I am.
_dem_: Dative article 'dem' emphasised, meaning 'that' or 'this'.
fähig: Adjective meaning capable or able to do something.
Ist: Third-person singular of 'sein', meaning 'is'.
_das_: Emphatic form of 'das', meaning 'that' with added stress.
ernst: Adjective meaning serious, grave, or sincere in intent.
gemeint: Past participle of 'meinen': meant or intended to convey.
überhaupt: Adverb meaning 'at all', 'in general', or 'altogether'.
nicht: Adverb of negation meaning 'not'.
bloß: Adverb meaning merely, only, or just; nothing more.
Fantasie: Noun meaning fantasy, imagination, or a fictional mental image.
um: Preposition meaning 'around', 'at', or 'in order to'.
mich: Accusative first-person pronoun meaning 'me'.
amüsieren: Verb meaning to amuse, entertain, or enjoy oneself.
Spielzeug: Noun meaning toy or plaything, an object for amusement.
Ja: Adverb meaning 'yes', expressing agreement or affirmation.

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