Little Women — Page 4

Vocabulary

se

Reflexive pronoun meaning herself, himself, or oneself

redressa

Straightened up or sat up again

aussitôt

Immediately, at once, right away

mit

Past tense of mettre: put or placed

les

Definite plural article meaning the

mains

Hands, the body parts at the end of arms

dans

Preposition meaning in or inside

ses

Possessive adjective meaning his, her, or its

poches

Pockets, small fabric compartments in clothing

et

Conjunction meaning and

commença

Began or started doing something

à

Preposition meaning to, at, or in

siffler

To whistle or to hiss

Ne

Negative particle used with pas to negate verbs

fais

Do or make (imperative or present tense)

pas

Negative particle meaning not, used with ne

ça

Informal pronoun meaning that or it

C'

Contraction of ce before est, meaning it is

est

Third person singular of être, meaning is

tellement

So much, to such a degree, so very

garçonnier

Tomboyish, behaving like a boy

bien

Well, good, or very, used as adverb

pour

Preposition meaning for or in order to

que

Conjunction or pronoun meaning that or which

je

First person singular pronoun meaning I

le

Definite masculine singular article meaning the

Je

First person singular pronoun meaning I

déteste

Detest or hate intensely (first person singular)

filles

Girls or daughters (feminine plural noun)

grossières

Rude, coarse, or vulgar (feminine plural adjective)

mal

Badly or poorly (adverb); also evil or pain

élevées

Raised or brought up (past participle, feminine plural)

hais

Hate or detest (first person singular present)

mijaurées

Affected, prim women who put on airs

prétentieuses

Pretentious or conceited (feminine plural adjective)

minaudières

Simpering, coquettish women who act affectedly

Les

Definite plural article meaning the

oiseaux

Birds (masculine plural noun)

leurs

Their (possessive adjective, plural form)

petits

Small or little (masculine plural adjective)

nids

Nests, structures birds build for eggs

s'

Reflexive pronoun se before a vowel sound

accordent

Agree, harmonize, or get along together

chanta

Sang (past simple tense of chanter)

la

Definite feminine singular article meaning the

pacificatrice

Peacemaker, one who brings peace (feminine noun)

avec

Preposition meaning with

une

Indefinite feminine singular article meaning a

expression

Expression, a look or phrase conveying meaning

si

So or such (adverb of degree); also if

comique

Comic, funny, or amusing (adjective)

deux

Two (cardinal number)

voix

Voices or voice (feminine noun, singular and plural)

acerbes

Harsh, sharp, or biting (plural adjective)

adoucirent

Softened or mellowed (past simple, third person plural)

en

Preposition meaning in, into, or as

rires

Laughs or laughter (masculine plural noun)

beccades

Pecks or squabbles, small quarrelsome exchanges

prirent

Took (past simple, third person plural of prendre)

fin

End or conclusion (feminine noun)

cette

Demonstrative adjective meaning this or that (feminine)

fois

Time or occurrence as in this time

Vraiment

Really, truly, or genuinely (adverb)

vous

You (plural or formal second person pronoun)

méritez

Deserve or merit (second person plural present)

toutes

All (feminine plural pronoun or adjective)

d'

Contracted form of de before a vowel

être

To be (infinitive of the verb être)

grondées

Scolded or reprimanded (past participle, feminine plural)

dit

Said (past simple or present of dire)

commençant

Beginning or starting (present participle of commencer)

faire

To do or to make (infinitive)

leçon

Lesson or lecture given to someone

sa

His or her (feminine singular possessive adjective)

manière

Manner, way, or style of doing something

de

Preposition meaning of, from, or about

grande

Big, tall, or great (feminine singular adjective)

sœur

Sister (feminine noun)

Tu

You (informal second person singular pronoun)

es

Are (second person singular of être)

assez

Enough or quite, sufficient in degree

abandonner

To abandon or give up something

tes

Your (plural possessive adjective, informal)

manières

Manners or behaviors in social situations

garçon

Boy or waiter (masculine noun)

te

You or yourself (second person singular object pronoun)

conduire

To behave, drive, or conduct oneself

mieux

Better (comparative adverb of bien)

Cela

That (demonstrative pronoun, more formal than ça)

n'

Negative particle ne contracted before a vowel

avait

Had (imperfect tense of avoir, third person singular)

tant

So much or so many (adverb of quantity)

importance

Importance or significance (feminine noun)

quand

When (conjunction or adverb of time)

étais

Were (imperfect of être, first or second person)

petite

Small, little, or young (feminine singular adjective)

mais

But (conjunction indicating contrast or opposition)

maintenant

Now, at the present time (adverb)

portes

Wear or carry (second person singular present)

cheveux

Hair (masculine plural noun referring to head hair)

relevés

Put up or raised (past participle, masculine plural)

devrais

Should or ought to (conditional of devoir)

souvenir

To remember or recall; also a souvenir

jeune

Young (adjective describing age or youth)

fille

Girl or daughter (feminine singular noun)

suis

Am (first person singular of être)

Et

And (conjunction connecting words or clauses)

fait

Made or done (past participle of faire)

relever

To put up or raise (hair or something fallen)

mes

My (plural possessive adjective, first person)

moi

Me or I (stressed first person pronoun)

porterai

Will wear or carry (future tense, first person)

nattes

Braids or plaits of hair (feminine plural noun)

jusqu'

Until or up to (preposition contracted before vowel)

vingt

Twenty (cardinal number)

ans

Years (as in years of age)

écria

Exclaimed or cried out (past simple of s'écrier)

arrachant

Tearing off or snatching away (present participle)

résille

Hair net used to hold hair in place

laissant

Letting or leaving (present participle of laisser)

retomber

To fall back down or tumble down again

crinière

Mane of hair, like a lion's thick mane

châtaine

Chestnut brown (adjective for hair color)

l'

Definite article le or la contracted before vowel

idée

Idea or thought (feminine noun)

devoir

To have to, must; also duty or homework

grandir

To grow up or get bigger

devenir

To become (infinitive verb)

Mademoiselle

Miss, a title for an unmarried young woman

porter

To wear, carry, or bear something

longues

Long (feminine plural adjective)

robes

Dresses or gowns (feminine plural noun)

avoir

To have (infinitive of the verb avoir)

air

Air, look, or appearance (masculine noun)

aussi

Also, too, or as (adverb of comparison)

guindé

Stiff, starchy, or overly formal in manner

qu'

Contracted form of que before a vowel

un

Indefinite masculine article meaning a or one

aster

Aster, a type of daisy-like flower

déjà

Already or even now (adverb of time)

pénible

Painful, tiresome, or difficult to endure

toute

All or every (feminine singular adjective)

façon

Way, manner, or fashion of doing something

j'

Contracted form of je before a vowel

aime

Love or like (first person singular present)

jeux

Games or plays (masculine plural noun)

occupations

Activities, pastimes, or occupations (plural noun)

des

Indefinite plural article or contraction of de les

garçons

Boys (masculine plural noun)

ne

Negative particle used with pas to negate verbs

peux

Can or am able to (first person singular)

me

Me or myself (first person object pronoun)

remettre

To get over or recover from something

ma

My (feminine singular possessive adjective)

déception

Disappointment or letdown (feminine noun)

c'

Contraction of ce before est, meaning it

pire

Worse or worst (comparative or superlative adjective)

jamais

Never or ever (adverb of time)

car

Because or for (causal conjunction)

meurs

Die or am dying (first person singular of mourir)

envie

Desire or urge; avoir envie means to want

aller

To go (infinitive of the verb aller)

battre

To fight, beat, or strike

aux

Contraction of à les, meaning at the or to the

côtés

Sides or beside someone (masculine plural noun)

Papa

Dad or papa (informal word for father)

rester

To stay or remain in a place

maison

House or home (feminine noun)

tricoter

To knit (making fabric with needles and yarn)

comme

Like, as, or such as (conjunction or preposition)

vieille

Old (feminine adjective describing age)

femme

Woman or wife (feminine noun)

ennuyeuse

Boring or tedious (feminine singular adjective)