Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 9
Clerval: I was myself when young; but that wears out in a very short time."
Clerval: Yo era así cuando era joven; pero eso se desvanece en muy poco tiempo."
M. Krempe had now commenced an eulogy on himself, which happily turned the conversation from a subject that was so annoying to me.
El señor Krempe había comenzado entonces un elogio de sí mismo, que afortunadamente desvió la conversación de un tema que me resultaba tan molesto.
Clerval had never sympathised in my tastes for natural science; and his literary pursuits differed wholly from those which had occupied me.
Clerval nunca había compartido mis aficiones por las ciencias naturales; y sus intereses literarios diferían por completo de los que me habían ocupado a mí.
He came to the university with the design of making himself complete master of the oriental languages, and thus he should open a field for the plan of life he had marked out for himself.
Llegó a la universidad con el propósito de dominar por completo las lenguas orientales, y así abrir un campo para el plan de vida que había trazado para sí mismo.
Resolved to pursue no inglorious career, he turned his eyes toward the East, as affording scope for his spirit of enterprise.
Resuelto a no seguir una carrera ignominiosa, volvió sus ojos hacia el Oriente, como terreno propicio para su espíritu emprendedor.
The Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit languages engaged his attention, and I was easily induced to enter on the same studies.
Las lenguas persa, árabe y sánscrita captaron su atención, y yo me dejé llevar con facilidad a emprender los mismos estudios.
Idleness had ever been irksome to me, and now that I wished to fly from reflection, and hated my former studies, I felt great relief in being the fellow-pupil with my friend, and found not only instruction but consolation in the works of the orientalists.
La ociosidad siempre me había resultado penosa, y ahora que deseaba huir de la reflexión y odiaba mis antiguos estudios, sentí un gran alivio al ser condiscípulo de mi amigo, y encontré no solo instrucción sino también consuelo en las obras de los orientalistas.
I did not, like him, attempt a critical knowledge of their dialects, for I did not contemplate making any other use of them than temporary amusement.
Yo no intenté, como él, alcanzar un conocimiento crítico de sus dialectos, pues no contemplaba hacer de ellos otro uso que el de un entretenimiento pasajero.
I read merely to understand their meaning, and they well repaid my labours.
Leía simplemente para comprender su significado, y ellos recompensaron bien mis esfuerzos.
Their melancholy is soothing, and their joy elevating, to a degree I never experienced in studying the authors of any other country.
Su melancolía es reconfortante, y su alegría edificante, en un grado que nunca había experimentado al estudiar a los autores de ningún otro país.
Vocabulary
- Yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning I
- era
- Past tense of 'ser'; was or used to be
- así
- Adverb meaning in this way or like this
- cuando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning when
- joven
- Adjective or noun meaning young or young person
- pero
- Conjunction meaning but, introducing contrast
- eso
- Neutral demonstrative pronoun meaning that thing
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or passive verbs
- desvanece
- Third person singular; fades away or disappears
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at
- muy
- Adverb meaning very, intensifying adjectives or adverbs
- poco
- Adjective or adverb meaning little or a small amount
- tiempo
- Noun meaning time or weather
- El
- Definite article masculine singular meaning the
- señor
- Noun meaning mister, sir, or gentleman
- había
- Imperfect form of haber; had, used in past perfect
- comenzado
- Past participle of comenzar; begun or started
- entonces
- Adverb meaning then or at that time
- un
- Indefinite article masculine singular meaning a or an
- elogio
- Noun meaning praise, eulogy, or compliment
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or about
- sí
- Reflexive pronoun meaning himself, herself, or itself
- mismo
- Adjective meaning same or himself emphasizing identity
- que
- Conjunction or relative pronoun meaning that or which
- afortunadamente
- Adverb meaning fortunately or luckily
- desvió
- Preterite of desviar; diverted or redirected something
- la
- Definite article feminine singular meaning the
- conversación
- Noun meaning conversation or discussion between people
- tema
- Noun meaning topic, theme, or subject matter
- me
- First person singular object pronoun meaning me
- resultaba
- Imperfect of resultar; turned out to be or seemed
- tan
- Adverb meaning so or as, used in comparisons
- molesto
- Adjective meaning annoying, bothersome, or uncomfortable
- nunca
- Adverb meaning never or not ever
- compartido
- Past participle of compartir; shared with others
- mis
- Possessive adjective plural meaning my
- aficiones
- Noun plural meaning hobbies, interests, or pastimes
- por
- Preposition meaning for, by, through, or because of
- las
- Definite article feminine plural meaning the
- ciencias
- Noun plural meaning sciences or academic disciplines
- naturales
- Adjective plural meaning natural, relating to nature
- y
- Conjunction meaning and, connecting words or phrases
- sus
- Possessive adjective plural meaning his, her, or their
- intereses
- Noun plural meaning interests or financial interests
- literarios
- Adjective plural meaning literary, relating to literature
- diferían
- Imperfect of diferir; differed or were different from
- completo
- Adjective meaning complete, total, or full
- los
- Definite article masculine plural meaning the
- habían
- Imperfect plural of haber; had, used in past perfect
- ocupado
- Past participle of ocupar; occupied or kept busy
- a
- Preposition indicating direction, recipient, or personal object
- mí
- Prepositional first person pronoun meaning me
- Llegó
- Preterite of llegar; arrived or came to a place
- universidad
- Noun meaning university or higher education institution
- con
- Preposition meaning with, indicating accompaniment or means
- el
- Definite article masculine singular meaning the
- propósito
- Noun meaning purpose, intention, or goal
- dominar
- Infinitive verb meaning to master or dominate something
- lenguas
- Noun plural meaning languages or tongues
- orientales
- Adjective plural meaning eastern or Oriental
- abrir
- Infinitive verb meaning to open or start something
- campo
- Noun meaning field, countryside, or area of activity
- para
- Preposition meaning for, in order to, or toward
- plan
- Noun meaning plan, scheme, or organized intention
- vida
- Noun meaning life or way of living
- trazado
- Past participle of trazar; traced, outlined, or planned
- Resuelto
- Adjective or participle meaning resolved or determined
- no
- Adverb meaning no or not, indicating negation
- seguir
- Infinitive verb meaning to follow or continue something
- una
- Indefinite article feminine singular meaning a or an
- carrera
- Noun meaning career, race, or course of study
- ignominiosa
- Adjective meaning ignominious, shameful, or disgraceful
- volvió
- Preterite of volver; turned or returned to something
- ojos
- Noun plural meaning eyes
- hacia
- Preposition meaning toward or in the direction of
- Oriente
- Noun meaning the East or Orient as a region
- como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning as, like, or how
- terreno
- Noun meaning terrain, ground, or field of activity
- propicio
- Adjective meaning favorable, propitious, or suitable
- su
- Possessive adjective singular meaning his, her, or its
- espíritu
- Noun meaning spirit, soul, or mindset
- emprendedor
- Adjective meaning entrepreneurial, enterprising, or ambitious
- Las
- Definite article feminine plural meaning the
- persa
- Adjective or noun meaning Persian, relating to Persia
- árabe
- Adjective or noun meaning Arabic or Arab
- sánscrita
- Adjective meaning Sanskrit, ancient Indian language
- captaron
- Preterite of captar; captured or attracted attention
- atención
- Noun meaning attention or care given to something
- yo
- First person singular pronoun meaning I
- dejé
- Preterite of dejar; let, allowed, or stopped doing
- llevar
- Infinitive verb meaning to carry, take, or lead
- facilidad
- Noun meaning ease, facility, or natural ability
- emprender
- Infinitive verb meaning to undertake or embark on something
- mismos
- Adjective plural meaning same or the very ones
- estudios
- Noun plural meaning studies or academic subjects
- La
- Definite article feminine singular meaning the
- ociosidad
- Noun meaning idleness, laziness, or lack of activity
- siempre
- Adverb meaning always or every time
- resultado
- Noun meaning result, outcome, or consequence
- penosa
- Adjective meaning painful, distressing, or troublesome
- ahora
- Adverb meaning now or at this moment
- deseaba
- Imperfect of desear; wanted or wished for something
- huir
- Infinitive verb meaning to flee or escape from something
- reflexión
- Noun meaning reflection, thought, or contemplation
- odiaba
- Imperfect of odiar; hated or used to hate
- antiguos
- Adjective plural meaning old, ancient, or former
- sentí
- Preterite of sentir; felt an emotion or sensation
- gran
- Adjective meaning great or big before a noun
- alivio
- Noun meaning relief or alleviation of discomfort
- al
- Contraction of a and el meaning at the or upon
- ser
- Infinitive verb meaning to be, permanent or essential state
- condiscípulo
- Noun meaning fellow student or classmate
- mi
- Possessive adjective singular meaning my
- amigo
- Noun meaning friend or close companion
- encontré
- Preterite of encontrar; found or encountered something
- solo
- Adjective or adverb meaning only, alone, or just
- instrucción
- Noun meaning instruction, education, or training
- sino
- Conjunction meaning but rather, used after negation
- también
- Adverb meaning also, too, or as well
- consuelo
- Noun meaning consolation, comfort, or solace
- obras
- Noun plural meaning works, books, or literary productions
- orientalistas
- Noun plural meaning orientalists, scholars of Eastern cultures
- intenté
- Preterite of intentar; tried or attempted to do something
- él
- Third person singular pronoun meaning he
- alcanzar
- Infinitive verb meaning to reach, achieve, or attain
- conocimiento
- Noun meaning knowledge or understanding of something
- crítico
- Adjective meaning critical or analytical in nature
- dialectos
- Noun plural meaning dialects or regional language varieties
- pues
- Conjunction meaning since, well, or because
- contemplaba
- Imperfect of contemplar; contemplated or was considering doing
- hacer
- Infinitive verb meaning to do or make something
- ellos
- Third person plural pronoun meaning they or them
- otro
- Adjective or pronoun meaning other or another
- uso
- Noun meaning use, usage, or practical application
- entretenimiento
- Noun meaning entertainment, amusement, or pastime
- pasajero
- Adjective meaning passing, fleeting, or temporary
- Leía
- Imperfect of leer; was reading or used to read
- simplemente
- Adverb meaning simply or just, without complication
- comprender
- Infinitive verb meaning to understand or comprehend something
- significado
- Noun meaning meaning or significance of a word
- recompensaron
- Preterite of recompensar; rewarded or compensated efforts
- bien
- Adverb meaning well or good in performance
- esfuerzos
- Noun plural meaning efforts or attempts at something
- Su
- Possessive adjective singular meaning his, her, or its
- melancolía
- Noun meaning melancholy, sadness, or deep pensiveness
- es
- Third person singular present of ser; is
- reconfortante
- Adjective meaning comforting, reassuring, or heartening
- alegría
- Noun meaning joy, happiness, or gladness
- edificante
- Adjective meaning edifying, uplifting, or morally instructive
- grado
- Noun meaning degree, grade, or level of something
- experimentado
- Past participle of experimentar; experienced or felt something
- estudiar
- Infinitive verb meaning to study or learn academically
- autores
- Noun plural meaning authors or writers of works
- ningún
- Adjective meaning no or not any before a noun
- país
- Noun meaning country or nation
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