← Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus

Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 4

English → Spanish Chapter 12 Level 7/10

This was indeed a godlike science, and I ardently desired to become acquainted with it.

Esta era, en verdad, una ciencia divina, y ardorosamente deseaba llegar a conocerla.

But I was baffled in every attempt I made for this purpose.

Pero me vi frustrado en cada intento que hice con este propósito.

Their pronunciation was quick, and the words they uttered, not having any apparent connection with visible objects, I was unable to discover any clue by which I could unravel the mystery of their reference.

Su pronunciación era rápida, y las palabras que proferían, al no tener ninguna conexión aparente con objetos visibles, me impedían descubrir ninguna pista con la que pudiera desentrañar el misterio de su significado.

By great application, however, and after having remained during the space of several revolutions of the moon in my hovel, I discovered the names that were given to some of the most familiar objects of discourse;

Sin embargo, con gran dedicación, y tras haber permanecido en mi cabaña durante el transcurso de varias revoluciones de la luna, descubrí los nombres que se daban a algunos de los objetos más habituales del discurso;

I learned and applied the words, _fire, milk, bread,_ and _wood._

Aprendí y apliqué las palabras _fuego_, _leche_, _pan_ y _madera_.

I learned also the names of the cottagers themselves.

Aprendí también los nombres de los propios habitantes de la cabaña.

The youth and his companion had each of them several names, but the old man had only one, which was _father._

El joven y su compañera tenían cada uno varios nombres, pero el anciano tenía solo uno, que era _padre_.

The girl was called _sister_ or _Agatha,_ and the youth _Felix, brother,_ or _son_.

A la chica la llamaban _hermana_ o _Agatha_, y al joven _Félix_, _hermano_ o _hijo_.

I cannot describe the delight I felt when I learned the ideas appropriated to each of these sounds and was able to pronounce them.

No puedo describir el deleite que sentí cuando aprendí las ideas asociadas a cada uno de estos sonidos y fui capaz de pronunciarlos.

I distinguished several other words without being able as yet to understand or apply them, such as _good, dearest, unhappy._

Distinguí varias otras palabras sin ser capaz todavía de entenderlas o aplicarlas, tales como _bueno_, _querido_, _infeliz_.

"I spent the winter in this manner.

«Pasé el invierno de esta manera.

The gentle manners and beauty of the cottagers greatly endeared them to me; when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathised in their joys.

Los dulces modales y la belleza de los habitantes de la cabaña me los hicieron muy queridos; cuando estaban tristes, yo me sentía abatido; cuando se alegraban, yo compartía sus alegrías.

Vocabulary

era
Past tense of 'ser'; meaning 'was' or 'were'.
verdad
Noun meaning 'truth' or 'reality'.
ciencia
Noun meaning 'science' or 'knowledge'.
divina
Adjective meaning 'divine,' 'heavenly,' or 'godly'.
ardorosamente
Adverb meaning 'ardently,' 'passionately,' or 'fervently'.
deseaba
Past imperfect of 'desear'; meaning 'desired' or 'wished'.
llegar
Verb meaning 'to arrive' or 'to reach'.
conocerla
Verb phrase meaning 'to know it' or 'to learn it'.
vi
Past tense of 'ver'; meaning 'saw' or 'found myself'.
frustrado
Adjective meaning 'frustrated' or 'thwarted'.
intento
Noun meaning 'attempt' or 'try'.
hice
Past tense of 'hacer'; meaning 'I did' or 'I made'.
propósito
Noun meaning 'purpose,' 'goal,' or 'intention'.
pronunciación
Noun meaning 'pronunciation' or 'manner of speaking'.
rápida
Adjective meaning 'fast,' 'quick,' or 'rapid' (feminine).
palabras
Noun meaning 'words' or 'speech'.
proferían
Past imperfect of 'proferir'; meaning 'uttered' or 'spoke'.
tener
Verb meaning 'to have' or 'to hold'.
ninguna
Adjective meaning 'no,' 'none,' or 'not any' (feminine).
conexión
Noun meaning 'connection' or 'link'.
aparente
Adjective meaning 'apparent,' 'obvious,' or 'seeming'.
objetos
Noun meaning 'objects' or 'things'.
visibles
Adjective meaning 'visible' or 'observable'.
impedían
Past imperfect of 'impedir'; meaning 'prevented' or 'hindered'.
descubrir
Verb meaning 'to discover' or 'to uncover'.
pista
Noun meaning 'clue,' 'track,' or 'hint'.
pudiera
Subjunctive past of 'poder'; meaning 'could' or 'might'.
desentrañar
Verb meaning 'to unravel,' 'to figure out,' or 'to decipher'.
misterio
Noun meaning 'mystery' or 'secret'.
significado
Noun meaning 'meaning,' 'significance,' or 'sense'.
Sin
Preposition meaning 'without'.
embargo
Used in 'sin embargo' meaning 'however' or 'nevertheless'.
gran
Adjective meaning 'great' or 'big' (before a noun).
dedicación
Noun meaning 'dedication,' 'devotion,' or 'commitment'.
tras
Preposition meaning 'after' or 'behind'.
haber
Auxiliary verb meaning 'to have' in compound tenses.
permanecido
Past participle of 'permanecer'; meaning 'remained' or 'stayed'.
cabaña
Noun meaning 'cabin,' 'hut,' or 'cottage'.
durante
Preposition meaning 'during' or 'throughout'.
transcurso
Noun meaning 'course' or 'passage' of time.
varias
Adjective meaning 'several' or 'various' (feminine plural).
revoluciones
Noun meaning 'revolutions,' 'rotations,' or 'cycles'.
luna
Noun meaning 'moon'.
descubrí
Past tense of 'descubrir'; meaning 'I discovered' or 'I found'.
nombres
Noun meaning 'names' or 'nouns'.
daban
Past imperfect of 'dar'; meaning 'gave' or 'called'.
algunos
Adjective meaning 'some' or 'a few' (masculine plural).
habituales
Adjective meaning 'usual,' 'habitual,' or 'common'.
discurso
Noun meaning 'speech,' 'discourse,' or 'conversation'.
Aprendí
Past tense of 'aprender'; meaning 'I learned' or 'I studied'.
apliqué
Past tense of 'aplicar'; meaning 'I applied' or 'I used'.
_fuego_
Noun meaning 'fire' or 'flame'.
_leche_
Noun meaning 'milk'.
_pan_
Noun meaning 'bread'.
_madera_
Noun meaning 'wood' or 'timber'.
propios
Adjective meaning 'own,' 'proper,' or 'personal' (plural).
habitantes
Noun meaning 'inhabitants,' 'residents,' or 'dwellers'.
joven
Noun or adjective meaning 'young person' or 'young'.
compañera
Noun meaning 'companion,' 'partner,' or 'female friend'.
tenían
Past imperfect of 'tener'; meaning 'they had' or 'they possessed'.
varios
Adjective meaning 'several,' 'various,' or 'a few'.
anciano
Noun or adjective meaning 'old man' or 'elderly'.
tenía
Past imperfect of 'tener'; meaning 'had' or 'possessed'.
solo
Adjective or adverb meaning 'alone,' 'only,' or 'just'.
_padre_
Noun meaning 'father' or 'parent'.
chica
Noun meaning 'girl' or 'young woman'.
llamaban
Past imperfect of 'llamar'; meaning 'they called' or 'named'.
_hermana_
Noun meaning 'sister'.
_hermano_
Noun meaning 'brother'.
_hijo_
Noun meaning 'son' or 'child'.
puedo
Present tense of 'poder'; meaning 'I can' or 'I am able'.
describir
Verb meaning 'to describe' or 'to depict'.
deleite
Noun meaning 'delight,' 'pleasure,' or 'joy'.
sentí
Past tense of 'sentir'; meaning 'I felt' or 'I experienced'.
aprendí
Past tense of 'aprender'; meaning 'I learned' or 'I acquired'.
ideas
Noun meaning 'ideas,' 'thoughts,' or 'concepts'.
asociadas
Adjective meaning 'associated,' 'linked,' or 'connected' (feminine plural).
sonidos
Noun meaning 'sounds' or 'tones'.
fui
Past tense of 'ser' or 'ir'; meaning 'I was' or 'I went'.
capaz
Adjective meaning 'capable,' 'able,' or 'competent'.
pronunciarlos
Verb phrase meaning 'to pronounce them' or 'to say them'.
Distinguí
Past tense of 'distinguir'; meaning 'I distinguished' or 'I identified'.
sin
Preposition meaning 'without'.
ser
Verb meaning 'to be' (permanent or essential qualities).
todavía
Adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'even now'.
entenderlas
Verb phrase meaning 'to understand them' or 'to comprehend them'.
aplicarlas
Verb phrase meaning 'to apply them' or 'to use them'.
tales
Adjective meaning 'such' or 'like that' (plural).
_bueno_
Adjective meaning 'good' or 'kind'.
_querido_
Adjective meaning 'dear,' 'beloved,' or 'loved'.
_infeliz_
Adjective meaning 'unhappy,' 'unfortunate,' or 'miserable'.
Pasé
Past tense of 'pasar'; meaning 'I spent' or 'I passed'.
invierno
Noun meaning 'winter'.
manera
Noun meaning 'manner,' 'way,' or 'method'.
dulces
Adjective meaning 'sweet,' 'gentle,' or 'kind' (plural).
modales
Noun meaning 'manners,' 'behaviors,' or 'ways'.
belleza
Noun meaning 'beauty' or 'attractiveness'.
hicieron
Past tense of 'hacer'; meaning 'they made' or 'they did'.
queridos
Adjective meaning 'dear,' 'beloved,' or 'cherished' (plural).
estaban
Past imperfect of 'estar'; meaning 'they were' (temporary state).
tristes
Adjective meaning 'sad' or 'sorrowful' (plural).
sentía
Past imperfect of 'sentir'; meaning 'felt' or 'experienced'.
abatido
Adjective meaning 'downcast,' 'dejected,' or 'depressed'.
alegraban
Past imperfect of 'alegrar'; meaning 'they rejoiced' or 'cheered up'.
compartía
Past imperfect of 'compartir'; meaning 'shared' or 'participated in'.
alegrías
Noun meaning 'joys,' 'happiness,' or 'pleasures'.
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