Little Women — Page 12
Beth trotted to and fro between parlor kitchen, quiet and busy, while Amy gave directions to everyone, as she sat with her hands folded.
Beth iba y venía entre el salón y la cocina, tranquila y ocupada, mientras Amy daba instrucciones a todos, sentada con las manos cruzadas.
As they gathered about the table, Mrs. March said, with a particularly happy face, "I've got a treat for you after supper."
Cuando se reunieron alrededor de la mesa, la señora March dijo, con una cara especialmente feliz: «Tengo una sorpresa para vosotras después de la cena».
A quick, bright smile went round like a streak of sunshine.
Una sonrisa rápida y radiante recorrió la mesa como un rayo de sol.
Beth clapped her hands, regardless of the biscuit she held, and Jo tossed up her napkin, crying, "A letter! A letter! Three cheers for Father!"
Beth dio palmadas, sin importarle el panecillo que sostenía, y Jo lanzó su servilleta al aire, gritando: «¡Una carta! ¡Una carta! ¡Tres hurras por Padre!»
"Yes, a nice long letter. He is well, and thinks he shall get through the cold season better than we feared. He sends all sorts of loving wishes for Christmas, and an especial message to you girls," said Mrs. March, patting her pocket as if she had got a treasure there.
«Sí, una carta larga y hermosa. Está bien, y cree que pasará la temporada de frío mejor de lo que temíamos. Envía todo tipo de cariñosos deseos para la Navidad, y un mensaje especial para vosotras, chicas», dijo la señora March, dando palmaditas a su bolsillo como si guardara un tesoro allí.
"Hurry and get done! Don't stop to quirk your little finger and simper over your plate, Amy," cried Jo, choking on her tea and dropping her bread, butter side down, on the carpet in her haste to get at the treat.
«¡Date prisa y termina! No te pares a doblar el meñique y a sonreír con afectación sobre tu plato, Amy», gritó Jo, atragantándose con el té y dejando caer su pan, con el lado de la mantequilla hacia abajo, sobre la alfombra en su prisa por llegar a la sorpresa.
Beth ate no more, but crept away to sit in her shadowy corner and brood over the delight to come, till the others were ready.
Beth no comió más, sino que se escabulló para sentarse en su rincón sombrío y recrearse en el deleite que estaba por venir, hasta que las demás estuvieron listas.
"I think it was so splendid in Father to go as chaplain when he was too old to be drafted, and not strong enough for a soldier," said Meg warmly.
«Creo que fue muy admirable de parte de Padre ir como capellán cuando era demasiado mayor para ser reclutado y no era lo bastante fuerte para ser soldado», dijo Meg con entusiasmo.
"Don't I wish I could go as a drummer, a vivan—what's its name?
«¡Cómo me gustaría poder ir como tambor, una vivan... ¿cómo se llama?
Vocabulary
- iba
- Was going; imperfect tense of 'ir'
- y
- And; basic coordinating conjunction
- venía
- Was coming; imperfect tense of 'venir'
- entre
- Between or among; common preposition
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article
- salón
- Living room or large hall in a building
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article
- cocina
- Kitchen; room where food is prepared
- tranquila
- Calm or quiet; feminine adjective describing serenity
- ocupada
- Busy or occupied; feminine adjective for being engaged
- mientras
- While or meanwhile; temporal conjunction
- daba
- Was giving; imperfect tense of 'dar'
- instrucciones
- Instructions; directions given to guide someone
- a
- To or at; very common Spanish preposition
- todos
- Everyone or all; masculine plural indefinite pronoun
- sentada
- Seated; feminine past participle of 'sentar'
- con
- With; preposition indicating accompaniment or manner
- las
- The; feminine plural definite article
- manos
- Hands; plural of 'mano'
- cruzadas
- Crossed; feminine plural past participle of 'cruzar'
- Cuando
- When; temporal conjunction introducing a clause
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs
- reunieron
- They gathered or met; preterite of 'reunirse'
- alrededor
- Around; preposition indicating surrounding position
- de
- Of or from; very common Spanish preposition
- mesa
- Table; piece of furniture for dining or working
- señora
- Mrs. or madam; polite title for a woman
- dijo
- Said; preterite tense of 'decir'
- una
- A or an; feminine singular indefinite article
- cara
- Face; the front part of one's head
- especialmente
- Especially; adverb meaning particularly or above all
- feliz
- Happy; adjective describing a joyful state
- Tengo
- I have; first person singular present of 'tener'
- sorpresa
- Surprise; an unexpected event or piece of news
- para
- For; preposition indicating purpose or recipient
- vosotras
- You all; feminine second person plural pronoun
- después
- After or afterwards; adverb indicating later time
- cena
- Dinner; the evening meal
- Una
- A or an; feminine singular indefinite article
- sonrisa
- Smile; a pleased or happy facial expression
- rápida
- Quick or fast; feminine adjective describing speed
- radiante
- Radiant or beaming; adjective describing bright expression
- recorrió
- Traveled across or swept; preterite of 'recorrer'
- como
- Like or as; conjunction used for comparisons
- un
- A or an; masculine singular indefinite article
- rayo
- Lightning bolt or ray; flash of light
- sol
- Sun; the star at the center of our solar system
- dio
- Gave; third person preterite of 'dar'
- palmadas
- Claps; slapping hands together to make noise
- sin
- Without; preposition indicating absence of something
- importarle
- To matter to her; reflexive form of 'importar'
- panecillo
- Small bread roll; diminutive of 'pan'
- que
- That or which; very common conjunction or pronoun
- sostenía
- Was holding; imperfect tense of 'sostener'
- lanzó
- Threw or launched; preterite tense of 'lanzar'
- su
- His, her, or its; third person possessive adjective
- servilleta
- Napkin; cloth used for wiping mouth at meals
- al
- To the; contraction of 'a' and 'el'
- aire
- Air; the invisible gaseous substance around us
- gritando
- Shouting or yelling; present participle of 'gritar'
- carta
- Letter; a written message sent to someone
- Tres
- Three; the number 3
- hurras
- Cheers or hurrahs; exclamations of joy
- por
- For or by; preposition with multiple uses
- Padre
- Father; male parent or paternal figure
- Sí
- Yes; affirmative response particle
- larga
- Long; feminine adjective describing great length
- hermosa
- Beautiful or lovely; feminine adjective of admiration
- Está
- Is; third person singular present of 'estar'
- bien
- Well or good; common adverb or adjective
- cree
- Believes or thinks; third person singular of 'creer'
- pasará
- Will pass; future tense third person of 'pasar'
- temporada
- Season or period; a span of time
- frío
- Cold; adjective or noun describing low temperature
- mejor
- Better or best; comparative adjective or adverb
- lo
- It or him; masculine singular direct object pronoun
- temíamos
- We feared; imperfect tense of 'temer'
- Envía
- Sends; third person singular present of 'enviar'
- todo
- All or everything; indefinite pronoun or adjective
- tipo
- Type or kind; noun referring to a sort
- cariñosos
- Affectionate or loving; masculine plural adjective
- deseos
- Wishes or desires; plural noun for longing
- Navidad
- Christmas; the Christian holiday celebrated in December
- mensaje
- Message; a communication sent to someone
- especial
- Special; adjective meaning distinctive or particular
- chicas
- Girls; plural noun for young females
- dando
- Giving; present participle of 'dar'
- palmaditas
- Little pats; diminutive plural of 'palmada'
- bolsillo
- Pocket; small pouch in clothing for carrying items
- si
- If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
- guardara
- Were to keep or store; imperfect subjunctive of 'guardar'
- tesoro
- Treasure; something precious or highly valued
- allí
- There; adverb indicating a place away from speaker
- Date
- Give yourself; imperative reflexive form of 'darse'
- prisa
- Hurry; urgency or haste in doing something
- termina
- Finish or end; third person singular of 'terminar'
- No
- No or not; basic negation word
- te
- You; second person singular reflexive or object pronoun
- pares
- Stop; second person subjunctive of 'parar'
- doblar
- To fold or bend; infinitive verb
- meñique
- Pinky finger; the smallest finger on the hand
- sonreír
- To smile; infinitive of the verb 'sonreír'
- afectación
- Affectation; unnatural or pretentious behavior or manner
- sobre
- Over or on; preposition indicating position above
- tu
- Your; second person singular possessive adjective
- plato
- Plate or dish; flat vessel for serving food
- gritó
- Shouted; third person preterite of 'gritar'
- atragantándose
- Choking; present participle of 'atragantarse'
- té
- Tea; a hot beverage brewed from leaves
- dejando
- Leaving or letting; present participle of 'dejar'
- caer
- To fall; infinitive of the verb 'caer'
- pan
- Bread; baked food made from flour and water
- lado
- Side; the edge or surface of something
- mantequilla
- Butter; dairy fat spread on bread
- hacia
- Toward; preposition indicating direction of movement
- abajo
- Down or below; adverb indicating lower position
- alfombra
- Carpet or rug; floor covering in a room
- en
- In or on; common preposition of location
- llegar
- To arrive; infinitive meaning to reach a place
- no
- No or not; basic negation word
- comió
- Ate; third person preterite of 'comer'
- más
- More; adverb or adjective indicating greater quantity
- sino
- But rather; conjunction contrasting a negation
- escabulló
- Slipped away; preterite of 'escabullirse'
- sentarse
- To sit down; reflexive infinitive of 'sentar'
- rincón
- Corner; a secluded nook or angle of a room
- sombrío
- Gloomy or dim; adjective describing dark atmosphere
- recrearse
- To indulge or delight oneself; reflexive infinitive
- deleite
- Delight; great pleasure or joy
- estaba
- Was; imperfect tense third person singular of 'estar'
- venir
- To come; infinitive of a very common verb
- hasta
- Until or up to; preposition of limit or extent
- demás
- The rest or others; refers to remaining people
- estuvieron
- Were; third person plural preterite of 'estar'
- listas
- Ready; feminine plural adjective meaning prepared
- Creo
- I believe or think; first person present of 'creer'
- fue
- Was or went; preterite of 'ser' or 'ir'
- muy
- Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs
- admirable
- Admirable; worthy of admiration or respect
- parte
- Part; a portion or share of something
- ir
- To go; infinitive of a very common verb
- capellán
- Chaplain; a clergyman serving a military unit
- cuando
- When; temporal conjunction or adverb
- era
- Was; imperfect tense of 'ser'
- demasiado
- Too or too much; adverb indicating excess
- mayor
- Older or greater; comparative adjective of age
- ser
- To be; infinitive of essential copular verb
- reclutado
- Recruited or enlisted; past participle of 'reclutar'
- bastante
- Quite or enough; adverb indicating sufficient degree
- fuerte
- Strong; adjective describing physical or mental strength
- soldado
- Soldier; a person who serves in an army
- entusiasmo
- Enthusiasm; intense eagerness or interest in something
- Cómo
- How; interrogative adverb asking about manner
- me
- Me; first person singular object pronoun
- gustaría
- Would like; conditional tense of 'gustar'
- poder
- To be able to; modal infinitive expressing ability
- tambor
- Drum; a percussion instrument beaten with sticks
- vivan
- Long live; present subjunctive used as exclamation
- cómo
- How; interrogative adverb used in questions
- llama
- Is called; third person singular of 'llamarse'
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