Crime and Punishment — Page 1

English → Fr CHAPTER I Level 8/10

On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. bridge.

Par une soirée exceptionnellement chaude, au début du mois de juillet, un jeune homme sortit de la mansarde qu'il occupait dans la place S. et marcha lentement, comme s'il hésitait, en direction du pont K.

He had successfully avoided meeting his landlady on the staircase.

Il avait réussi à éviter de croiser sa logeuse dans l'escalier.

His garret was under the roof of a high, five-storied house and was more like a cupboard than a room.

Sa mansarde se trouvait sous le toit d'une haute maison de cinq étages et ressemblait davantage à un placard qu'à une chambre.

The landlady who provided him with garret, dinners, and attendance, lived on the floor below, and every time he went out he was obliged to pass her kitchen, the door of which invariably stood open.

La logeuse qui lui fournissait la mansarde, les repas et le service habitait l'étage en dessous, et chaque fois qu'il sortait il était contraint de passer devant sa cuisine, dont la porte était invariablement ouverte.

And each time he passed, the young man had a sick, frightened feeling, which made him scowl and feel ashamed.

Et chaque fois qu'il passait, le jeune homme éprouvait une sensation pénible et apeurée, qui le faisait se renfrogner et ressentir de la honte.

He was hopelessly in debt to his landlady, and was afraid of meeting her.

Il était irrémédiablement endetté envers sa logeuse et craignait de la rencontrer.

This was not because he was cowardly and abject, quite the contrary; but for some time past he had been in an overstrained irritable condition, verging on hypochondria.

Ce n'était pas parce qu'il était lâche et abject, bien au contraire ; mais depuis quelque temps il se trouvait dans un état de tension excessive et d'irritabilité, frisant l'hypocondrie.

He had become so completely absorbed in himself, and isolated from his fellows that he dreaded meeting, not only his landlady, but anyone at all.

Il s'était tellement replié sur lui-même et isolé de ses semblables qu'il redoutait de croiser non seulement sa logeuse, mais qui que ce soit.

He was crushed by poverty, but the anxieties of his position had of late ceased to weigh upon him.

Il était accablé par la pauvreté, mais les soucis de sa situation avaient depuis peu cessé de peser sur lui.

He had given up attending to matters of practical importance; he had lost all desire to do so.

Il avait renoncé à s'occuper des questions d'ordre pratique ; il avait perdu tout désir de le faire.

Nothing that any landlady could do had a real terror for him.

Rien de ce qu'une logeuse pourrait faire ne lui inspirait une véritable terreur.

Vocabulary

Par: par — Preposition meaning 'by' or 'through' in French
une: yn — Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
soirée: swa.ʁe — An evening or evening social gathering
exceptionnellement: ɛk.sɛp.sjɔ.nɛl.mɑ̃ — Exceptionally; in an unusual or extraordinary manner
chaude: ʃod — Hot or warm; feminine form of 'chaud'
au: o — Contraction of 'à le' meaning 'at the' or 'to the'
début: de.by — The beginning or start of something
du: dy — Contraction of 'de le' meaning 'of the'
mois: mwa — Month; a unit of time in the calendar
de: də — Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about'
juillet: ʒɥi.jɛ — July; the seventh month of the year
un: œ̃ — Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
jeune: ʒœn — Young; describing a person of youthful age
homme: ɔm — Man; an adult male human being
sortit: sɔʁ.ti — Exited or went out; past tense of 'sortir'
la: la — Feminine definite article meaning 'the'
mansarde: mɑ̃.saʁd — A garret or attic room under a sloping roof
qu': k — Shortened form of 'que,' meaning 'that' or 'which'
il: il — He; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun
occupait: ɔ.ky.pɛ — Was occupying or living in; imperfect of 'occuper'
dans: dɑ̃ — In or inside; preposition indicating location
place: plas — A public square or open space in a town
et: e — And; coordinating conjunction joining words or clauses
marcha: maʁ.ʃa — Walked; simple past tense of 'marcher'
lentement: lɑ̃t.mɑ̃ — Slowly; in a slow or unhurried manner
comme: kɔm — As if or like; used to introduce comparisons
s': s — Reflexive pronoun 'se' contracted before a vowel
hésitait: e.zi.tɛ — Was hesitating; imperfect tense of 'hésiter'
en: ɑ̃ — In or on; preposition indicating place or manner
direction: di.ʁɛk.sjɔ̃ — Direction; the way toward a particular destination
pont: pɔ̃ — A bridge spanning a river or other obstacle
Il: il — He; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun
avait: a.vɛ — Had; third-person singular imperfect of 'avoir'
réussi: ʁe.y.si — Succeeded or managed to do something; past participle
à: a — To or at; preposition indicating direction or purpose
éviter: e.vi.te — To avoid or prevent encountering something or someone
croiser: kʁwa.ze — To cross paths with or encounter someone briefly
sa: sa — His or her; feminine singular possessive adjective
logeuse: lɔ.ʒøz — A landlady who rents rooms to lodgers
l': l — Definite article 'le' or 'la' contracted before vowel
escalier: ɛs.ka.lje — A staircase or flight of stairs in a building
Sa: sa — His or her; feminine singular possessive adjective
se: sə — Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself' or 'herself'
trouvait: tʁu.vɛ — Was located or found; imperfect of 'trouver'
sous: su — Under or beneath; preposition indicating position below
le: lə — Masculine definite article meaning 'the'
toit: twa — A roof; the covering on top of a building
d': d — Contraction of 'de' before a vowel, meaning 'of'
haute: ot — High or tall; feminine form of 'haut'
maison: mɛ.zɔ̃ — A house or residential building
cinq: sɛ̃k — Five; the cardinal number between four and six
étages: e.taʒ — Floors or stories of a building above ground level
ressemblait: ʁə.sɑ̃.blɛ — Resembled or looked like; imperfect of 'ressembler'
davantage: da.vɑ̃.taʒ — More; to a greater degree or extent
placard: pla.kaʁ — A cupboard or closet built into a wall
chambre: ʃɑ̃bʁ — A bedroom or private room in a dwelling
La: la — Feminine definite article meaning 'the'
qui: ki — Who or which; relative and interrogative pronoun
lui: lɥi — Him or to him; third-person indirect object pronoun
fournissait: fuʁ.ni.sɛ — Was providing or supplying; imperfect of 'fournir'
les: le — Plural definite article meaning 'the'
repas: ʁə.pa — A meal; food eaten at a regular mealtime
service: sɛʁ.vis — Service; assistance or work provided to someone
habitait: a.bi.tɛ — Was living or residing; imperfect of 'habiter'
étage: e.taʒ — A floor or story of a building
dessous: də.su — Below or underneath; indicating a lower position
chaque: ʃak — Each or every; used before a singular noun
fois: fwa — Time or instance; used in expressions of frequency
sortait: sɔʁ.tɛ — Was going out; imperfect tense of 'sortir'
était: e.tɛ — Was; third-person singular imperfect of 'être'
contraint: kɔ̃.tʁɛ̃ — Forced or compelled to do something against will
passer: pa.se — To pass by or go past a place or person
devant: də.vɑ̃ — In front of; preposition indicating position ahead
cuisine: kɥi.zin — A kitchen; room where food is prepared and cooked
dont: dɔ̃ — Whose or of which; relative pronoun replacing 'de'
porte: pɔʁt — A door; the entrance to a room or building
invariablement: ɛ̃.va.ʁja.blə.mɑ̃ — Invariably; always, without exception or variation
ouverte: u.vɛʁt — Open; feminine past participle of 'ouvrir'
Et: e — And; coordinating conjunction linking ideas or actions
passait: pa.sɛ — Was passing; imperfect tense of 'passer'
éprouvait: e.pʁu.vɛ — Was feeling or experiencing; imperfect of 'éprouver'
sensation: sɑ̃.sa.sjɔ̃ — A sensation or feeling perceived through the senses
pénible: pe.nibl — Painful, distressing, or difficult to endure
apeurée: a.pø.ʁe — Frightened or scared; feminine past participle of 'apeur'
faisait: fə.zɛ — Was making or doing; imperfect tense of 'faire'
renfrogner: ʁɑ̃.fʁɔ.ɲe — To frown or scowl; to put on a sullen expression
ressentir: ʁə.sɑ̃.tiʁ — To feel or experience an emotion deeply within oneself
honte: ɔ̃t — Shame; a feeling of humiliation or embarrassment
irrémédiablement: i.ʁe.me.dja.blə.mɑ̃ — Irreparably; in a way that cannot be remedied
endetté: ɑ̃.dɛ.te — Indebted; owing money or obligations to someone
envers: ɑ̃.vɛʁ — Toward or with respect to a person or thing
craignait: kʁɛ.ɲɛ — Was afraid of; imperfect tense of 'craindre'
rencontrer: ʁɑ̃.kɔ̃.tʁe — To meet or encounter someone by chance or arrangement
Ce: sə — This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
n': n — Negation particle 'ne' contracted before a vowel
pas: pa — Not; negation word used with 'ne' in sentences
parce: paʁ.sə — Because; used in 'parce que' to give a reason
lâche: laʃ — Cowardly; lacking courage or moral strength
abject: ab.ʒɛkt — Abject; utterly degraded, contemptible, or despicable
bien: bjɛ̃ — Well or good; adverb indicating quality or degree
contraire: kɔ̃.tʁɛʁ — Contrary or opposite; the reverse of something stated
mais: mɛ — But; conjunction expressing contrast or opposition
depuis: də.pɥi — Since or for; indicating a starting point in time
quelque: kɛl.kə — Some or a few; indicating an unspecified quantity
temps: tɑ̃ — Time; a period or duration of time
état: e.ta — State or condition; a situation someone is currently in
tension: tɑ̃.sjɔ̃ — Tension; mental or emotional strain and nervousness
excessive: ɛk.sɛ.siv — Excessive; going beyond what is normal or reasonable
irritabilité: i.ʁi.ta.bi.li.te — Irritability; tendency to become easily annoyed or upset
frisant: fʁi.zɑ̃ — Bordering on or verging upon a particular condition
hypocondrie: i.pɔ.kɔ̃.dʁi — Hypochondria; excessive worry about having a serious illness
tellement: tɛl.mɑ̃ — So much or so; to such a great degree or extent
replié: ʁə.pli.e — Withdrawn or folded back; retreated into oneself
sur: syʁ — On or upon; preposition indicating position above
même: mɛm — Same or even; used for emphasis or comparison
isolé: i.zɔ.le — Isolated or cut off from others; socially withdrawn
ses: se — His, her, or its; plural possessive adjective
semblables: sɑ̃.blabl — Fellow human beings; others of the same kind
redoutait: ʁə.du.tɛ — Was dreading or fearing; imperfect of 'redouter'
non: nɔ̃ — No or not; negation word used for refusal or denial
seulement: søl.mɑ̃ — Only or just; limiting the scope of a statement
que: kə — That or than; conjunction or relative pronoun
ce: sə — This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
soit: swa — Be; subjunctive form of 'être' expressing doubt
accablé: a.ka.ble — Overwhelmed or burdened by something heavy or distressing
par: paʁ — By or through; preposition of cause or means
pauvreté: pov.ʁə.te — Poverty; the state of being extremely poor
soucis: su.si — Worries or concerns causing anxiety or distress
situation: si.tɥa.sjɔ̃ — A situation; the circumstances someone finds themselves in
avaient: a.vɛ — Had; third-person plural imperfect of 'avoir'
peu: pø — Little or not much; indicating a small amount
cessé: se.se — Ceased or stopped; past participle of 'cesser'
peser: pə.ze — To weigh on or burden; to exert heavy pressure
renoncé: ʁə.nɔ̃.se — Renounced or gave up; past participle of 'renoncer'
occuper: ɔ.ky.pe — To occupy or deal with; to engage with a matter
des: de — Plural indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'of the'
questions: kɛs.tjɔ̃ — Questions or matters; issues requiring attention
ordre: ɔʁdʁ — Order or type; a category or kind of thing
pratique: pʁa.tik — Practical; relating to everyday real-world concerns
perdu: pɛʁ.dy — Lost; past participle of 'perdre,' no longer having
tout: tu — All or every; indicating totality or completeness
désir: de.ziʁ — A desire or wish; a strong feeling of wanting something
faire: fɛʁ — To do or make; fundamental French infinitive verb
Rien: ʁjɛ̃ — Nothing; not anything at all
pourrait: pu.ʁɛ — Could or would be able to; conditional of 'pouvoir'
ne: nə — Negation particle used with 'pas' or other words
inspirait: ɛ̃.spi.ʁɛ — Was inspiring or instilling; imperfect of 'inspirer'
véritable: ve.ʁi.tabl — True or genuine; real and not merely apparent
terreur: tɛ.ʁœʁ — Terror; intense and overwhelming fear or dread

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