← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 11

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

I shall do nothing rashly: you know me sufficiently to confide in my prudence and considerateness whenever the safety of others is committed to my care.

No haré nada precipitadamente: me conoces lo suficiente como para confiar en mi prudencia y consideración siempre que la seguridad de los demás esté encomendada a mi cuidado.

I cannot describe to you my sensations on the near prospect of my undertaking.

No puedo describiros mis sensaciones ante la cercana perspectiva de mi empresa.

It is impossible to communicate to you a conception of the trembling sensation, half pleasurable and half fearful, with which I am preparing to depart.

Es imposible transmitiros una idea de la sensación de estremecimiento, mitad placentera y mitad temerosa, con la que me estoy preparando para partir.

I am going to unexplored regions, to "the land of mist and snow," but I shall kill no albatross; therefore do not be alarmed for my safety or if I should come back to you as worn and woeful as the "Ancient Mariner."

Voy hacia regiones inexploradas, hacia «la tierra de la niebla y la nieve», pero no mataré a ningún albatros; por lo tanto, no os alarméis por mi seguridad ni porque pueda regresar a vuestro lado tan agotado y afligido como el «Antiguo Marinero».

You will smile at my allusion, but I will disclose a secret.

Sonreiréis ante mi alusión, pero voy a revelaros un secreto.

I have often attributed my attachment to, my passionate enthusiasm for, the dangerous mysteries of ocean to that production of the most imaginative of modern poets.

Con frecuencia he atribuido mi apego y mi apasionado entusiasmo por los peligrosos misterios del océano a esa obra del más imaginativo de los poetas modernos.

There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand.

Hay algo obrando en mi alma que no comprendo.

I am practically industrious—painstaking, a workman to execute with perseverance and labour—but besides this there is a love for the marvellous, a belief in the marvellous, intertwined in all my projects, which hurries me out of the common pathways of men, even to the wild sea and unvisited regions I am about to explore.

Soy en la práctica laborioso —meticuloso, un trabajador que ejecuta con perseverancia y esfuerzo—, pero además de esto hay un amor por lo maravilloso, una creencia en lo maravilloso, entretejida en todos mis proyectos, que me aparta de los caminos comunes de los hombres, incluso hacia el mar salvaje y las regiones inexploradas que estoy a punto de descubrir.

But to return to dearer considerations.

Pero volviendo a consideraciones más queridas.

Shall I meet you again, after having traversed immense seas, and returned by the most southern cape of Africa or America?

¿Volveré a veros, después de haber atravesado inmensos mares y de haber regresado por el cabo más meridional de África o América?

Vocabulary

haré
First person singular future tense of 'hacer' (to do/make)
nada
Nothing; not anything at all
precipitadamente
Hastily, recklessly, in a rushed or rash manner
conoces
You know (a person or thing) from experience
suficiente
Sufficient, enough, adequate for a purpose
confiar
To trust, rely on, have confidence in someone
prudencia
Prudence, caution, wise and careful judgment
consideración
Consideration, thoughtfulness, careful regard for others
siempre
Always, at all times, on every occasion
seguridad
Safety, security, the state of being protected
demás
The others, the rest of the people
esté
Subjunctive form of 'estar' meaning 'to be' (state/location)
encomendada
Entrusted, assigned, or committed to someone's care
cuidado
Care, caution; careful attention given to something or someone
puedo
I can, I am able to; first person singular of 'poder'
describiros
To describe to you (plural); infinitive with clitic pronoun
sensaciones
Sensations, feelings, physical or emotional impressions
ante
Before, in front of, faced with a situation
cercana
Near, close, nearby in space or time
perspectiva
Perspective, prospect, outlook or anticipated view
empresa
Enterprise, undertaking, venture or business endeavor
imposible
Impossible, not able to be done or achieved
transmitiros
To transmit or convey to you (plural); infinitive with clitic
idea
Idea, concept, thought or mental impression
sensación
Sensation, feeling, a physical or emotional impression
estremecimiento
Shudder, shiver, tremor of excitement or fear
mitad
Half, midpoint; one of two equal parts
placentera
Pleasant, pleasurable, agreeable and enjoyable in nature
temerosa
Fearful, timid, filled with fear or apprehension
preparando
Preparing, getting ready; gerund of 'preparar'
partir
To depart, leave, set off on a journey
hacia
Toward, in the direction of; preposition of direction
regiones
Regions, areas, large geographical territories or zones
inexploradas
Unexplored, uncharted, not yet investigated or discovered
tierra
Land, earth, ground, soil or territory
niebla
Fog, mist; thick atmospheric vapor reducing visibility
nieve
Snow; frozen precipitation falling as white flakes
mataré
I will kill; first person singular future of 'matar'
ningún
No, none, not any; negative adjective before masculine noun
albatros
Albatross; large seabird associated with maritime omens
tanto
So much, therefore, so; indicates degree or consequence
os
You (plural); second person plural object pronoun in Spain
alarméis
You (plural) become alarmed; subjunctive of 'alarmarse'
ni
Nor, neither, not even; negative coordinating conjunction
pueda
Can, may; subjunctive form of 'poder'
regresar
To return, to come back to a place or person
vuestro
Your (plural); second person plural possessive adjective in Spain
lado
Side, beside; location or direction next to something
tan
So, as; used in comparisons of equality or degree
agotado
Exhausted, drained, worn out from effort or exertion
afligido
Afflicted, distressed, deeply saddened by grief or trouble
Antiguo
Ancient, old, former; adjective describing great age
Marinero
Sailor, mariner; a person who works on a ship
Sonreiréis
You (plural) will smile; future tense of 'sonreír'
alusión
Allusion, reference; indirect mention of something or someone
revelaros
To reveal to you (plural); infinitive with clitic pronoun
secreto
Secret; something hidden or known only to few
frecuencia
Frequency; how often something occurs or repeats
atribuido
Attributed, ascribed; assigned a cause or quality to something
apego
Attachment, fondness; strong emotional bond to something
apasionado
Passionate, fervent, intensely enthusiastic about something
entusiasmo
Enthusiasm, eagerness, intense and lively interest
peligrosos
Dangerous, hazardous, posing risk or threat of harm
misterios
Mysteries, secrets, things unknown or difficult to explain
océano
Ocean; vast body of salt water covering Earth's surface
obra
Work, literary or artistic creation, piece of work
imaginativo
Imaginative, creative, having a vivid and inventive mind
poetas
Poets; people who write poetry as an art form
modernos
Modern, contemporary, belonging to the present or recent era
Hay
There is, there are; impersonal form of 'haber'
algo
Something, somewhat; indefinite pronoun or adverb
obrando
Working, acting, operating; gerund of 'obrar'
alma
Soul, spirit; the immaterial essence of a person
comprendo
I understand; first person singular present of 'comprender'
práctica
Practical, pragmatic; focused on real application and results
laborioso
Hardworking, industrious, diligently devoted to work
meticuloso
Meticulous, thorough, paying extreme attention to detail
trabajador
Worker, hardworking; a person who works diligently
ejecuta
Executes, carries out; performs a task or plan
perseverancia
Perseverance, persistence, continued effort despite difficulty
esfuerzo
Effort, exertion, energy applied to accomplish something
además
Furthermore, besides, in addition to what was mentioned
hay
There is, there are; impersonal form of 'haber'
amor
Love; deep affection or intense romantic feeling
maravilloso
Wonderful, marvelous, extraordinarily impressive or beautiful
creencia
Belief, conviction; something accepted as true or real
entretejida
Interwoven, intertwined, woven together into a unified whole
todos
All, everyone, every one without exception
proyectos
Projects, plans, organized undertakings aimed at a goal
aparta
Separates, sets apart, moves away from the ordinary
caminos
Paths, roads, ways or routes taken to reach somewhere
comunes
Common, ordinary, shared by or typical of most people
hombres
Men, people, human beings in general
incluso
Even, including; used to emphasize an addition or surprise
mar
Sea; large body of salt water, smaller than ocean
salvaje
Wild, savage, untamed, not domesticated or civilized
punto
Point, spot, dot; a specific location or moment
descubrir
To discover, to find something previously unknown
volviendo
Returning, turning back; gerund of 'volver'
consideraciones
Considerations, reflections, matters carefully thought over
queridas
Dear, beloved; affectionate term addressing loved ones
Volveré
I will return; first person singular future of 'volver'
veros
To see you (plural); infinitive 'ver' with clitic pronoun
después
After, afterwards, later in time or sequence
haber
To have; auxiliary verb used to form compound tenses
atravesado
Crossed, traversed, passed through a space or territory
inmensos
Immense, vast, enormous in size or extent
mares
Seas; plural of 'mar,' large bodies of salt water
regresado
Returned, come back; past participle of 'regresar'
cabo
Cape, headland; point of land projecting into water
meridional
Southern, meridional; relating to the south or southern regions
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