Crime and Punishment — Page 6

English → Fr CHAPTER I Level 8/10

This house was let out in tiny tenements and was inhabited by working people of all kinds--tailors, locksmiths, cooks, Germans of sorts, girls picking up a living as best they could, petty clerks, etc.

Cette maison était divisée en petits logements et habitée par des gens du peuple de toutes sortes -- tailleurs, serruriers, cuisiniers, Allemands de toute espèce, filles cherchant à gagner leur vie comme elles pouvaient, petits employés, etc.

There was a continual coming and going through the two gates and in the two courtyards of the house.

Il y avait un va-et-vient continuel à travers les deux portes et dans les deux cours de la maison.

Three or four door-keepers were employed on the building.

Trois ou quatre concierges étaient employés dans l'immeuble.

The young man was very glad to meet none of them, and at once slipped unnoticed through the door on the right, and up the staircase.

Le jeune homme fut très soulagé de n'en rencontrer aucun, et se glissa aussitôt inaperçu par la porte de droite et monta l'escalier.

It was a back staircase, dark and narrow, but he was familiar with it already, and knew his way, and he liked all these surroundings: in such darkness even the most inquisitive eyes were not to be dreaded.

C'était un escalier de service, sombre et étroit, mais il le connaissait déjà et savait son chemin, et tout cet environnement lui plaisait : dans une telle obscurité, même les regards les plus curieux n'étaient pas à craindre.

"If I am so scared now, what would it be if it somehow came to pass that I were really going to do it?" he could not help asking himself as he reached the fourth storey.

« Si j'ai si peur maintenant, qu'en serait-il si, d'une façon ou d'une autre, il arrivait que je dusse vraiment le faire ? » ne put-il s'empêcher de se demander en atteignant le quatrième étage.

There his progress was barred by some porters who were engaged in moving furniture out of a flat.

Là, sa progression fut bloquée par des déménageurs qui étaient occupés à sortir des meubles d'un appartement.

He knew that the flat had been occupied by a German clerk in the civil service, and his family.

Il savait que l'appartement avait été occupé par un employé allemand de la fonction publique et sa famille.

This German was moving out then, and so the fourth floor on this staircase would be untenanted except by the old woman.

Cet Allemand déménageait donc, et ainsi le quatrième étage de cet escalier serait inhabité à l'exception de la vieille femme.

"That's a good thing anyway," he thought to himself, as he rang the bell of the old woman's flat.

« C'est une bonne chose en tout cas », pensa-t-il en lui-même, tandis qu'il sonnait à la porte de l'appartement de la vieille femme.

Vocabulary

Cette: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' or 'that' (feminine).
maison: A building where people live; a house.
était: Past tense of 'être'; was or were.
divisée: Split or separated into distinct parts.
en: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'into,' or 'as.'
petits: Adjective meaning small or little (masculine plural).
logements: Residential units or accommodations where people live.
et: Coordinating conjunction meaning 'and.'
habitée: Occupied or lived in by residents.
par: Preposition meaning 'by' or 'through.'
des: Indefinite article for plural nouns; 'some' or 'of the.'
gens: People or persons in general.
du: Contraction of 'de le'; of the.
peuple: Common people or working-class folk of a nation.
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about.'
toutes: All or every (feminine plural form).
sortes: Kinds, types, or varieties of things or people.
tailleurs: People who make or alter clothing; tailors.
serruriers: Craftsmen who make and repair locks; locksmiths.
cuisiniers: People who cook food professionally; cooks.
Allemands: People from Germany; Germans.
toute: All, every, or any (feminine singular form).
espèce: A kind, sort, or type of something.
filles: Girls or young women; also daughters.
cherchant: Present participle of chercher; seeking or looking for.
à: Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in.'
gagner: To earn money or win something through effort.
leur: Possessive pronoun meaning 'their' or 'their own.'
vie: The state of being alive; one's life.
comme: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as,' 'like,' or 'how.'
elles: Third-person feminine plural pronoun meaning 'they.'
pouvaient: Imperfect tense of pouvoir; were able to or could.
employés: Workers hired by an organization; employees.
Il: Third-person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it.'
y: Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'in it.'
avait: Imperfect tense of avoir; had or there was.
va-et-vient: Constant back-and-forth movement of people; comings and goings.
continuel: Adjective meaning unceasing or constantly recurring.
travers: Used in 'à travers' meaning 'through' or 'across.'
les: Definite article for plural nouns; 'the.'
deux: The number two.
portes: Doors or gates providing entry or exit.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'inside,' or 'within.'
cours: An inner courtyard of a building or complex.
la: Feminine definite article meaning 'the.'
Trois: The number three.
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or,' indicating an alternative.
quatre: The number four.
concierges: Building caretakers or doorkeepers who manage residents' access.
étaient: Imperfect tense of être; were (third-person plural).
l': Contracted definite article before vowel; 'the.'
immeuble: A large residential or commercial building; apartment block.
Le: Masculine definite article meaning 'the.'
jeune: Adjective meaning young or youthful in age.
homme: An adult male person; a man.
fut: Simple past tense of être; was (literary form).
très: Adverb meaning 'very,' intensifying an adjective or adverb.
soulagé: Feeling relief after worry or burden is removed.
n': Contracted negation particle used before vowel sounds.
rencontrer: To meet or come across someone unexpectedly or intentionally.
aucun: Negative adjective or pronoun meaning 'no' or 'none.'
se: Reflexive pronoun used with pronominal verbs; himself/herself/itself.
glissa: Simple past of glisser; slipped or slid quietly away.
aussitôt: Adverb meaning immediately or at once.
inaperçu: Not noticed or observed; passing without being seen.
porte: A door or entrance to a building or room.
droite: The right side or direction (opposite of left).
monta: Simple past of monter; climbed or went up.
escalier: A staircase or set of steps in a building.
C': Contracted form of 'ce'; it is or this is.
service: A back staircase used by servants or staff.
sombre: Adjective meaning dark, dim, or gloomy in appearance.
étroit: Adjective meaning narrow or tight in width.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing a contrasting idea.
il: Third-person masculine singular pronoun; he or it.
le: Masculine singular definite article or pronoun; 'the' or 'him.'
connaissait: Imperfect of connaître; knew or was familiar with.
déjà: Adverb meaning 'already' or 'before now.'
savait: Imperfect of savoir; knew a fact or how to do something.
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its.'
chemin: A path, road, or the way to a destination.
tout: Everything or all; also used as 'very' with adjectives.
cet: Demonstrative adjective 'this' before masculine nouns starting with vowel.
environnement: The surroundings or setting in which someone exists.
lui: Personal pronoun meaning 'him,' 'her,' or 'to him/her.'
plaisait: Imperfect of plaire; was pleasing or appealing to someone.
une: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one.'
telle: Adjective meaning 'such' or 'so great' (feminine form).
obscurité: Darkness or lack of light in a place.
même: Adverb or adjective meaning 'even,' 'same,' or 'itself.'
regards: Gazes or looks directed at someone or something.
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or in negation 'no longer.'
curieux: Showing curiosity or an inquisitive interest in others.
pas: Negation particle used with 'ne'; not.
craindre: To fear or dread something or someone.
Si: Conjunction meaning 'if,' introducing a conditional clause.
j': Contracted first-person singular pronoun; I (before vowel).
ai: First-person singular present of avoir; I have.
si: Adverb meaning 'so' or 'such,' intensifying degree.
peur: A feeling of fear or fright; avoir peur means to be afraid.
maintenant: Adverb meaning 'now' or 'at this moment.'
qu': Contracted conjunction 'que'; that, what, or than.
serait: Conditional tense of être; would be.
d': Contracted preposition 'de' before a vowel; of or from.
façon: A manner, way, or method of doing something.
autre: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another.'
arrivait: Imperfect of arriver; was happening or arriving.
que: Conjunction meaning 'that,' 'what,' or 'than.'
je: First-person singular subject pronoun; I.
vraiment: Adverb meaning 'truly,' 'really,' or 'genuinely.'
faire: To do or to make something.
ne: Negation particle used with 'pas' or other negatives.
put: Simple past of pouvoir; was able to or could (literary).
s': Contracted reflexive pronoun 'se' before a vowel.
empêcher: To prevent or stop someone from doing something.
demander: To ask a question or request something from someone.
atteignant: Present participle of atteindre; reaching or arriving at.
quatrième: Ordinal number meaning 'fourth' in a sequence.
étage: A floor or level within a building.
Là: Adverb meaning 'there' or 'at that point.'
sa: Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its.'
progression: Forward movement or advancement toward a destination.
bloquée: Stopped or obstructed; unable to continue moving.
déménageurs: Workers who move furniture and belongings between locations.
qui: Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which.'
occupés: Busy with a task; engaged in doing something.
sortir: To go out or bring something out of a place.
meubles: Items of furniture used to furnish a living space.
appartement: A set of rooms forming a residential unit; an apartment.
été: Past participle of être; been.
occupé: Inhabited or in use by a particular person or group.
employé: A person employed by an organization; a worker.
allemand: Relating to Germany or a person from Germany.
fonction: An official role or purpose within an organization.
publique: Relating to the government or state; public.
famille: A group of related people living together; a family.
Cet: Demonstrative adjective 'this' before masculine vowel-starting noun.
Allemand: A German person or something related to Germany.
déménageait: Imperfect of déménager; was moving out or relocating.
donc: Conjunction meaning 'therefore,' 'so,' or 'thus.'
ainsi: Adverb meaning 'thus,' 'so,' or 'in this way.'
inhabité: Not lived in; empty of residents or occupants.
exception: Something excluded from a general rule or situation.
vieille: Adjective meaning old (feminine form); an old woman.
femme: An adult female person; a woman or wife.
est: Third-person singular present of être; is.
bonne: Adjective meaning good or kind (feminine form).
chose: A thing or object; something referred to generally.
cas: A situation, instance, or circumstance; a case.
pensa: Simple past of penser; thought or reflected mentally.
tandis: Used in 'tandis que' meaning 'while' or 'whereas.'
sonnait: Imperfect of sonner; was ringing a bell or buzzer.

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