← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 9

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

The master is a person of an excellent disposition and is remarkable in the ship for his gentleness and the mildness of his discipline.

El capitán es una persona de excelente carácter y es notable en el barco por su gentileza y la suavidad de su disciplina.

This circumstance, added to his well-known integrity and dauntless courage, made me very desirous to engage him.

Esta circunstancia, sumada a su bien conocida integridad y su valentía intrépida, me hizo muy deseoso de contratarlo.

A youth passed in solitude, my best years spent under your gentle and feminine fosterage, has so refined the groundwork of my character that I cannot overcome an intense distaste to the usual brutality exercised on board ship: I have never believed it to be necessary, and when I heard of a mariner equally noted for his kindliness of heart and the respect and obedience paid to him by his crew, I felt myself peculiarly fortunate in being able to secure his services.

Una juventud pasada en soledad, mis mejores años transcurridos bajo tu gentil y femenina tutela, ha refinado tanto los fundamentos de mi carácter que no puedo superar una intensa aversión hacia la brutalidad habitual ejercida a bordo de los barcos: nunca he creído que fuera necesaria, y cuando supe de un marinero igualmente reconocido por la bondad de su corazón y el respeto y la obediencia que le profesaba su tripulación, me sentí particularmente afortunado de poder asegurar sus servicios.

I heard of him first in rather a romantic manner, from a lady who owes to him the happiness of her life.

Supe de él por primera vez de una manera bastante romántica, a través de una dama que le debe a él la felicidad de su vida.

This, briefly, is his story.

Esta es, brevemente, su historia.

Some years ago he loved a young Russian lady of moderate fortune, and having amassed a considerable sum in prize-money, the father of the girl consented to the match.

Hace algunos años se enamoró de una joven dama rusa de fortuna modesta, y habiendo acumulado una suma considerable en dinero de premios, el padre de la joven consintió en el matrimonio.

He saw his mistress once before the destined ceremony; but she was bathed in tears, and throwing herself at his feet, entreated him to spare her, confessing at the same time that she loved another, but that he was poor, and that her father would never consent to the union.

Vio a su amada una vez antes de la ceremonia destinada; pero ella estaba bañada en lágrimas, y arrojándose a sus pies, le suplicó que la perdonara, confesando al mismo tiempo que amaba a otro, pero que era pobre, y que su padre nunca consentiría en la unión.

My generous friend reassured the suppliant, and on being informed of the name of her lover, instantly abandoned his pursuit.

Mi generoso amigo tranquilizó a la suplicante, y al ser informado del nombre de su amado, abandonó de inmediato su pretensión.

Vocabulary

capitán
Captain; leader or commander of a ship.
persona
Person; an individual human being.
excelente
Excellent; of very high quality or standard.
carácter
Character; a person's moral and mental qualities.
notable
Notable; worthy of attention or distinction.
barco
Ship or boat; a vessel that travels on water.
gentileza
Kindness or gentleness; courteous and gracious behavior.
suavidad
Softness or mildness; gentle and smooth manner.
disciplina
Discipline; orderly conduct and adherence to rules.
circunstancia
Circumstance; a condition or fact affecting a situation.
sumada
Added or combined; joined together with something else.
conocida
Known; recognized or familiar to others.
integridad
Integrity; the quality of being honest and principled.
valentía
Bravery or courage; willingness to face danger boldly.
intrépida
Intrepid or fearless; showing no fear of danger.
hizo
Made or did; third-person singular preterite of 'hacer'.
deseoso
Desirous or eager; strongly wanting something.
contratarlo
To hire him; to engage someone for employment.
juventud
Youth; the period of being young.
pasada
Past or spent; having occurred or elapsed already.
soledad
Solitude or loneliness; the state of being alone.
mejores
Best; plural of 'mejor,' superior in quality.
transcurridos
Elapsed or passed; said of time that has gone by.
gentil
Gentle or kind; having a mild and tender manner.
femenina
Feminine; relating to women or womanly qualities.
tutela
Guardianship or tutelage; protective care over someone.
refinado
Refined; polished and cultured in manner or taste.
tanto
So much; to such a great degree or extent.
fundamentos
Fundamentals or foundations; basic principles or elements.
puedo
I can; first-person singular present of 'poder'.
superar
To overcome or surpass; to get past a difficulty.
intensa
Intense; very strong or extreme in degree.
aversión
Aversion; a strong dislike or disinclination toward something.
hacia
Toward; in the direction of something or someone.
brutalidad
Brutality; savage cruelty or violent behavior.
habitual
Habitual; done regularly or as a matter of habit.
ejercida
Exercised or exerted; put into practice or use.
bordo
On board; aboard a ship or vessel.
barcos
Ships; plural of barco, vessels that travel on water.
nunca
Never; at no time, not ever.
creído
Believed; past participle of creer, to believe.
fuera
Were or was; imperfect subjunctive of 'ser' or 'ir'.
necesaria
Necessary; required or needed in a given situation.
supe
I found out; first-person singular preterite of 'saber'.
marinero
Sailor; a person who works on a ship at sea.
igualmente
Equally or likewise; in the same manner or degree.
reconocido
Recognized or acknowledged; known and appreciated by others.
bondad
Goodness or kindness; the quality of being benevolent.
corazón
Heart; the organ or symbol of love and emotion.
respeto
Respect; esteem or regard shown toward someone.
obediencia
Obedience; compliance with rules or authority.
profesaba
Professed or showed; imperfect of profesar, to demonstrate.
tripulación
Crew; the team of people working on a ship.
sentí
I felt; first-person singular preterite of 'sentir'.
particularmente
Particularly; especially or to a specific degree.
afortunado
Fortunate or lucky; having good luck or fortune.
poder
To be able to; infinitive expressing ability or possibility.
asegurar
To secure or ensure; to make certain or guarantee.
servicios
Services; work performed for or on behalf of someone.
Supe
I found out; preterite of saber, to learn a fact.
vez
Time or occasion; an instance or occurrence of something.
manera
Manner or way; the method in which something is done.
bastante
Quite or enough; a sufficient or considerable amount.
romántica
Romantic; relating to love or idealistic emotion.
través
Through or across; used in 'a través de' meaning via.
dama
Lady; a woman of refinement or high social standing.
debe
Owes or must; third-person singular present of 'deber'.
felicidad
Happiness; the state of being joyful and content.
vida
Life; the existence of a living being.
brevemente
Briefly; in a short or concise manner.
historia
History or story; a narrative of events.
Hace
Ago or makes; used to indicate time passed.
algunos
Some; an unspecified number or quantity of things.
enamoró
Fell in love; preterite of enamorarse, to fall in love.
joven
Young or young person; someone of a young age.
rusa
Russian; relating to or from Russia, feminine form.
fortuna
Fortune or wealth; a large amount of money or luck.
modesta
Modest; not large, showy, or extravagant in amount.
habiendo
Having; gerund of haber used in compound constructions.
acumulado
Accumulated; gathered or collected over a period of time.
suma
Sum or amount; a total quantity of money or figures.
considerable
Considerable; large or significant in size or amount.
dinero
Money; currency used for buying goods and services.
premios
Prizes or rewards; recognition given for achievement.
consintió
Consented or agreed; preterite of consentir, to permit.
matrimonio
Marriage; the legal union of two people as partners.
Vio
He saw; third-person singular preterite of 'ver'.
amada
Beloved; a person who is deeply loved by another.
antes
Before; earlier in time or order.
ceremonia
Ceremony; a formal event or ritual occasion.
destinada
Destined or intended; meant for a particular purpose.
bañada
Bathed or drenched; covered or soaked with liquid.
lágrimas
Tears; drops of liquid produced from crying.
arrojándose
Throwing herself; prostrating oneself at someone's feet.
pies
Feet; the lower extremities of the body.
suplicó
Begged or implored; preterite of suplicar, to plead.
perdonara
Would forgive; imperfect subjunctive of perdonar.
confesando
Confessing; admitting or revealing something truthfully.
mismo
Same or himself; used for emphasis or identity.
tiempo
Time or weather; a period or atmospheric conditions.
amaba
Loved; third-person singular imperfect of 'amar'.
pobre
Poor; lacking financial resources or wealth.
consentiría
Would consent; conditional of consentir, to agree.
unión
Union; the joining together of two people or things.
generoso
Generous; willing to give or share freely with others.
tranquilizó
Calmed or reassured; preterite of tranquilizar, to soothe.
suplicante
Supplicant; a person who begs or pleads humbly.
informado
Informed; having been given information about something.
nombre
Name; a word by which a person is known.
amado
Beloved or loved one; a person who is cherished.
abandonó
Abandoned or gave up; preterite of abandonar.
inmediato
Immediate; occurring or done without delay.
pretensión
Claim or pretension; an assertion of a right or desire.
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