Little Women — Page 1

English → Fr CHAPTER ONE Level 6/10

PLAYING PILGRIMS

JOUER AUX PÈLERINS

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

« Noël ne sera pas Noël sans cadeaux », grommela Jo, allongée sur le tapis.

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

« C'est tellement affreux d'être pauvre ! » soupira Meg, regardant sa vieille robe.

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

« Je ne trouve pas juste que certaines filles aient plein de jolies choses, et d'autres filles rien du tout », ajouta la petite Amy, avec un reniflement indigné.

"We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth contentedly from her corner.

« Nous avons Père et Mère, et nous nous avons les unes les autres », dit Beth avec contentement depuis son coin.

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, "We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a long time."

Les quatre jeunes visages sur lesquels brillait la lumière du feu s'illuminèrent à ces paroles joyeuses, mais s'assombrirent de nouveau quand Jo dit tristement : « Nous n'avons pas Père, et nous ne l'aurons pas pendant longtemps. »

She didn't say "perhaps never," but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.

Elle ne dit pas « peut-être jamais », mais chacune l'ajouta silencieusement en pensée, songeant à Père loin d'elles, là où se déroulaient les combats.

Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, "You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army.

Personne ne parla pendant une minute ; puis Meg dit d'un ton changé : « Vous savez, la raison pour laquelle Mère a proposé de ne pas avoir de cadeaux ce Noël, c'est parce que l'hiver va être difficile pour tout le monde ; et elle pense que nous ne devrions pas dépenser d'argent pour notre plaisir, alors que nos hommes souffrent tant dans l'armée.

We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly.

Nous ne pouvons pas faire grand-chose, mais nous pouvons faire nos petits sacrifices, et nous devrions le faire de bon cœur.

But I am afraid I don't," and Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.

Mais j'ai bien peur de ne pas le faire », et Meg secoua la tête, en pensant avec regret à toutes les jolies choses qu'elle voulait.

"But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that.

« Mais je ne pense pas que le peu que nous dépenserions servirait à grand-chose. Nous avons chacune un dollar, et l'armée ne serait pas beaucoup aidée si nous le donnions.

Vocabulary

JOUER: zhoo-AY — To play (a game, instrument, or role).
AUX: oh — Contraction of 'à les'; to the, at the.
PÈLERINS: PEH-leh-ran — Pilgrims; people on a religious or long journey.
Noël: no-EL — Christmas; annual Christian holiday celebrated in December.
ne: nuh — Negation particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs.
sera: suh-RA — Will be; future tense of 'être' (to be).
pas: pah — Not; negation word paired with 'ne'.
sans: sahn — Without; preposition indicating absence of something.
cadeaux: ka-DOH — Gifts; presents given on special occasions.
grommela: grom-LAH — Grumbled; muttered in discontent or complaint.
allongée: ah-lon-ZHAY — Stretched out; lying down at full length.
sur: sür — On; preposition indicating position atop something.
le: luh — The; masculine singular definite article.
tapis: ta-PEE — Rug or carpet laid on the floor.
C': say — Contraction of 'ce'; it or this before vowel.
est: ay — Is; third-person singular present tense of 'être'.
tellement: tel-MAHN — So much; to such a degree, intensifier.
affreux: ah-FRUH — Awful; dreadful, extremely unpleasant or terrible.
d': duh — Of or from; elided preposition before a vowel.
être: EH-truh — To be; fundamental linking or auxiliary verb.
pauvre: POH-vruh — Poor; lacking money or material possessions.
soupira: soo-pee-RA — Sighed; exhaled deeply expressing sadness or relief.
regardant: ruh-gar-DAHN — Looking at; present participle of 'regarder'.
sa: sah — Her or his; feminine singular possessive adjective.
vieille: vyay — Old; feminine adjective describing aged or worn things.
robe: rob — Dress; a one-piece garment worn by women.
Je: zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
trouve: troov — Find; first-person singular of 'trouver', to find.
juste: zhüst — Fair or just; morally right and equitable.
que: kuh — That; conjunction or relative pronoun linking clauses.
certaines: ser-TEN — Certain; some specific (feminine plural) girls or things.
filles: fee — Girls; young female persons or daughters.
aient: ay — Have; subjunctive form of 'avoir' (to have).
plein: plan — Full or lots of; an abundance of something.
de: duh — Of; preposition indicating belonging or quantity.
jolies: zhoh-LEE — Pretty; feminine plural adjective meaning attractive or lovely.
choses: shohz — Things; objects or matters of any kind.
et: ay — And; conjunction linking words or clauses together.
autres: oh-truh — Others; different or additional people or things.
rien: ryan — Nothing; not anything at all.
du: dü — Of the; contracted masculine singular partitive article.
tout: too — All or everything; totality of something.
ajouta: ah-zhoo-TA — Added; past tense of 'ajouter', to add or remark.
la: lah — The; feminine singular definite article.
petite: puh-TEET — Little or small; feminine adjective for small size.
avec: ah-VEK — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
un: uhn — A or an; masculine singular indefinite article.
reniflement: ruh-nee-fluh-MAHN — Sniff or sniffle; sound made through the nose.
indigné: an-dee-NYAY — Indignant; feeling or showing anger at unfairness.
Nous: noo — We; first-person plural subject pronoun.
avons: ah-VON — Have; first-person plural present tense of 'avoir'.
Père: pair — Father; male parent or paternal figure.
Mère: mair — Mother; female parent or maternal figure.
les: lay — The; plural definite article for masculine and feminine.
unes: ün — Ones; feminine plural pronoun meaning some of them.
dit: dee — Said; past tense of 'dire', to say.
contentement: kon-tent-MAHN — Contentment; a state of peaceful satisfaction and happiness.
depuis: duh-PWEE — From or since; preposition indicating starting point in time.
son: son — Her, his, or its; possessive adjective for singular noun.
coin: kwan — Corner; a small sheltered spot or angle of a room.
Les: lay — The; plural definite article.
quatre: KAH-truh — Four; the cardinal number between three and five.
jeunes: zhuhn — Young; adjective describing people of youth.
visages: vee-ZAZH — Faces; the front parts of people's heads.
lesquels: lay-KEL — Which; relative pronoun referring to plural masculine nouns.
brillait: bree-YAY — Was shining; imperfect tense of 'briller', to shine.
lumière: lü-MYAIR — Light; the natural agent that makes things visible.
feu: fuh — Fire; flames producing heat and light.
s': s — Reflexive pronoun; elided form of 'se' before vowel.
illuminèrent: ee-lü-mee-NAIR — Lit up; past tense of 'illuminer', to illuminate.
à: ah — To or at; preposition indicating direction or location.
ces: say — These or those; plural demonstrative adjective.
paroles: pa-ROL — Words; spoken expressions or lyrics of a song.
joyeuses: zhwah-YUHZ — Joyful; feminine plural adjective meaning happy and cheerful.
mais: may — But; conjunction introducing contrast or exception.
assombrirent: ah-som-BREER — Darkened; became gloomy or shadowed, past tense.
nouveau: noo-VOH — New or again; adjective or adverb meaning anew.
quand: kahn — When; conjunction or adverb of time.
tristement: treest-MAHN — Sadly; adverb meaning in a sorrowful manner.
n': n — Elided negation particle 'ne' before a vowel.
l': l — Elided definite article 'le' or 'la' before vowel.
aurons: oh-RON — Will have; first-person plural future of 'avoir'.
pendant: pahn-DAHN — During or for; preposition indicating a period of time.
longtemps: lon-TAHN — A long time; extended duration of time.
Elle: el — She; third-person feminine singular subject pronoun.
peut-être: puh-TEH-truh — Perhaps or maybe; adverb expressing uncertainty.
jamais: zha-MAY — Never; adverb meaning at no time at all.
chacune: sha-KÜN — Each one; feminine pronoun referring to each individually.
silencieusement: see-lahn-syuhz-MAHN — Silently; adverb meaning without making any sound.
en: ahn — In or by; preposition or pronoun with varied uses.
pensée: pahn-SAY — Thought; an idea formed in the mind.
songeant: son-ZHAHN — Thinking or musing; present participle of 'songer'.
loin: lwan — Far away; distant in space or distance.
elles: el — They; third-person feminine plural subject pronoun.
là: lah — There; adverb indicating a place at a distance.
où: oo — Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place.
se: suh — Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun.
déroulaient: day-roo-LAY — Were unfolding; imperfect tense, events taking place.
combats: kom-BAH — Battles or fights; armed conflicts or struggles.
Personne: pair-SON — Nobody or no one; indefinite pronoun meaning no person.
parla: par-LA — Spoke; simple past tense of 'parler', to speak.
une: ün — A or one; feminine singular indefinite article.
minute: mee-NÜT — Minute; unit of time equal to sixty seconds.
puis: pwee — Then; adverb indicating what happens next in sequence.
ton: ton — Tone or your; can mean voice tone or possessive.
changé: shahn-ZHAY — Changed; past participle of 'changer', to change.
Vous: voo — You; second-person plural or formal singular pronoun.
savez: sa-VAY — Know; second-person plural present of 'savoir'.
raison: ray-ZON — Reason; cause or logical justification for something.
pour: poor — For; preposition indicating purpose or intended recipient.
laquelle: la-KEL — Which; feminine relative pronoun referring to a noun.
a: ah — Has; third-person singular present of 'avoir'.
proposé: pro-po-ZAY — Proposed or suggested; past participle of 'proposer'.
avoir: ah-VWAR — To have; infinitive of the fundamental auxiliary verb.
ce: suh — This or that; demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
c': say — It is; elided form of 'ce' before a vowel.
parce: par-SUH — Because; part of 'parce que', giving a reason.
hiver: ee-VAIR — Winter; the coldest season of the year.
va: vah — Goes or is going; third-person singular of 'aller'.
difficile: dee-fee-SEEL — Difficult; hard to do, understand, or endure.
monde: mond — World or people; the earth or society in general.
elle: el — She or her; third-person feminine singular pronoun.
pense: pahns — Thinks; third-person singular present of 'penser'.
devrions: duh-VRYON — Should; first-person plural conditional of 'devoir'.
dépenser: day-pahn-SAY — To spend; to use money for purchasing things.
argent: ar-ZHAHN — Money or silver; currency used for transactions.
notre: NOH-truh — Our; first-person plural possessive adjective.
plaisir: pleh-ZEER — Pleasure; enjoyment or satisfaction from an activity.
alors: ah-LOR — Then or so; adverb or conjunction indicating consequence.
nos: noh — Our; plural possessive adjective for plural nouns.
hommes: om — Men; adult male human beings.
souffrent: soo-fruh — Suffer; third-person plural present of 'souffrir'.
tant: tahn — So much; adverb indicating a great degree.
dans: dahn — In or inside; preposition indicating location within.
armée: ar-MAY — Army; a large organized military land force.
pouvons: poo-VON — Can; first-person plural present of 'pouvoir'.
faire: To do or make; very common infinitive verb.
grand: grahn — Great or big; adjective meaning large in size or degree.
chose: shohz — Thing; an object or matter of some kind.
petits: puh-TEE — Small or little; masculine plural adjective for size.
sacrifices: sa-kree-FEES — Sacrifices; things given up for a greater good.
bon: bon — Good; adjective meaning of high quality or kindness.
cœur: kur — Heart; the organ or seat of emotion and feeling.
Mais: may — But; conjunction expressing contrast or reservation.
j': zhuh — I; elided form of 'je' before a vowel.
ai: ay — Have; first-person singular present of 'avoir'.
bien: byan — Well or very; adverb of manner or intensifier.
peur: pur — Fear; an unpleasant emotion caused by danger.
secoua: suh-koo-AH — Shook; simple past of 'secouer', to shake.
tête: tet — Head; the upper part of the human body.
pensant: pahn-SAHN — Thinking; present participle of 'penser', to think.
regret: ruh-GRAY — Regret; sadness over something missed or lost.
toutes: toot — All; feminine plural pronoun meaning every one of them.
qu': kuh — That; elided conjunction before a vowel.
je: zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun.
peu: puh — Little; a small amount or degree of something.
dépenserions: day-pahn-suh-RYON — Would spend; first-person plural conditional of 'dépenser'.
servirait: sair-vee-RAY — Would serve; third-person singular conditional of 'servir'.
dollar: doh-LAR — Dollar; a unit of currency used in some countries.
serait: suh-RAY — Would be; third-person singular conditional of 'être'.
beaucoup: boh-KOO — A lot or much; adverb indicating a large quantity.
aidée: ay-DAY — Helped; feminine past participle of 'aider', to help.
si: see — If or so; conjunction of condition or intensifying adverb.
donnions: doh-NYON — Were giving; first-person plural imperfect of 'donner'.

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