Middlemarch — Page 9

English → Fr CHAPTER I. Level 9/10

Is it six calendar or six lunar months?"

Est-ce six mois civils ou six mois lunaires ?"

"It is the last day of September now, and it was the first of April when uncle gave them to you.

"C'est aujourd'hui le dernier jour de septembre, et c'était le premier avril quand oncle vous les a donnés.

You know, he said that he had forgotten them till then.

Vous savez, il a dit qu'il les avait oubliés jusque-là.

I believe you have never thought of them since you locked them up in the cabinet here."

Je crois que vous n'y avez jamais pensé depuis que vous les avez enfermés dans ce cabinet."

"Well, dear, we should never wear them, you know."

"Eh bien, chère amie, nous ne les porterions jamais, vous savez."

Dorothea spoke in a full cordial tone, half caressing, half explanatory.

Dorothea parla d'un ton pleinement cordial, mi-caressant, mi-explicatif.

She had her pencil in her hand, and was making tiny side-plans on a margin.

Elle tenait son crayon à la main et traçait de petits croquis dans une marge.

Celia colored, and looked very grave.

Celia rougit et prit un air très grave.

"I think, dear, we are wanting in respect to mamma's memory, to put them by and take no notice of them.

"Je pense, chère amie, que nous manquons de respect à la mémoire de maman en les mettant de côté sans y prêter attention.

And," she added, after hesitating a little, with a rising sob of mortification, "necklaces are quite usual now; and Madame Poincon, who was stricter in some things even than you are, used to wear ornaments.

Et," ajouta-t-elle, après une légère hésitation, avec un sanglot de mortification qui montait, "les colliers sont tout à fait courants maintenant ; et Madame Poincon, qui était plus stricte en certaines choses que vous ne l'êtes, portait des ornements.

And Christians generally—surely there are women in heaven now who wore jewels."

Et les chrétiens en général — il y a sûrement des femmes au paradis maintenant qui portaient des bijoux."

Celia was conscious of some mental strength when she really applied herself to argument.

Celia avait conscience d'une certaine vigueur intellectuelle lorsqu'elle s'appliquait vraiment à argumenter.

"You would like to wear them?" exclaimed Dorothea, an air of astonished discovery animating her whole person with a dramatic action which she had caught from that very Madame Poincon who wore the ornaments.

"Vous voudriez les porter ?" s'exclama Dorothea, un air de découverte étonnée animant toute sa personne d'un geste théâtral qu'elle avait emprunté à cette même Madame Poincon qui portait les ornements.

"Of course, then, let us have them out.

"Bien sûr, alors, sortons-les.

Why did you not tell me before?

Pourquoi ne me l'avez-vous pas dit avant ?

But the keys, the keys!

Mais les clés, les clés !

Vocabulary

Est: Third person singular of 'être'; means 'is'
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'it'
six: The number six
mois: Month or months of the year
civils: Civil; relating to ordinary citizens or calendar
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or' offering alternatives
lunaires: Relating to the moon; lunar
C': Contraction of 'ce' before a vowel; means 'it'
est: Third person singular of 'être'; means 'is'
aujourd'hui: Adverb meaning 'today' or 'this day'
le: Definite masculine singular article meaning 'the'
dernier: Adjective meaning 'last' or 'final'
jour: Noun meaning 'day'
de: Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
septembre: The ninth month of the year; September
et: Conjunction meaning 'and' connecting words or clauses
c': Contraction of 'ce' before vowel; means 'it'
était: Imperfect tense of 'être'; means 'was' or 'were'
premier: Adjective meaning 'first' in a sequence
avril: The fourth month of the year; April
quand: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'
oncle: Noun meaning 'uncle'; male parent's or mother's brother
vous: Second person plural or formal pronoun meaning 'you'
les: Definite plural article meaning 'the'
a: Third person singular of 'avoir'; means 'has'
donnés: Past participle of 'donner'; meaning 'given'
Vous: Second person plural or formal pronoun meaning 'you'
savez: Second person plural of 'savoir'; means 'you know'
il: Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'
dit: Third person singular of 'dire'; means 'says' or 'said'
qu': Contraction of 'que' before vowel; meaning 'that'
avait: Imperfect of 'avoir'; means 'had'
oubliés: Past participle of 'oublier'; meaning 'forgotten'
jusque: Preposition meaning 'until' or 'up to'
là: Adverb meaning 'there' indicating a place or time
Je: First person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'
crois: First person singular of 'croire'; means 'I believe'
que: Conjunction meaning 'that' introducing a subordinate clause
n': Contraction of 'ne' used in negation before vowel
y: Pronoun meaning 'there' or replacing a location phrase
avez: Second person plural of 'avoir'; means 'you have'
jamais: Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever' in negation
pensé: Past participle of 'penser'; meaning 'thought'
depuis: Preposition meaning 'since' or 'for' a duration
enfermés: Past participle of 'enfermer'; meaning 'locked away'
dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'inside'
cabinet: Small private room or office; cabinet
Eh: Interjection expressing mild surprise or emphasis
bien: Adverb meaning 'well'; also used as filler 'well then'
chère: Adjective meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'; feminine form
amie: Noun meaning 'friend'; feminine form
nous: First person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'
ne: Negative particle used with 'pas' or other negators
porterions: Conditional of 'porter'; means 'we would wear'
parla: Simple past of 'parler'; means 'spoke'
d': Contraction of 'de' before a vowel; meaning 'of' or 'from'
un: Indefinite masculine article meaning 'a' or 'one'
ton: Noun meaning 'tone' or 'manner of speaking'
pleinement: Adverb meaning 'fully' or 'completely'
cordial: Adjective meaning 'warm' and 'friendly' in manner
mi: Prefix meaning 'half' or 'semi'; used in compounds
caressant: Adjective meaning 'caressing' or 'tender' in tone
explicatif: Adjective meaning 'explanatory' or 'clarifying'
Elle: Third person feminine singular pronoun meaning 'she'
tenait: Imperfect of 'tenir'; means 'was holding'
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
crayon: Noun meaning 'pencil' used for writing or drawing
à: Preposition meaning 'at', 'to', or 'in'
la: Definite feminine singular article meaning 'the'
main: Noun meaning 'hand'; body part used for gripping
traçait: Imperfect of 'tracer'; means 'was drawing' or 'sketching'
petits: Adjective meaning 'small' or 'little'; masculine plural
croquis: Noun meaning 'sketches' or 'rough drawings'
une: Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'one'
marge: Noun meaning 'margin' of a page or document
rougit: Simple past of 'rougir'; means 'blushed' or 'reddened'
prit: Simple past of 'prendre'; means 'took'
air: Noun meaning 'look' or 'expression' on one's face
très: Adverb meaning 'very' intensifying an adjective
grave: Adjective meaning 'serious' or 'solemn'
pense: First or third person singular of 'penser'; means 'think'
manquons: First person plural of 'manquer'; means 'we lack' or 'miss'
respect: Noun meaning 'respect' or 'regard' for someone
mémoire: Noun meaning 'memory' or 'remembrance'
maman: Informal noun meaning 'mom' or 'mother'
en: Preposition meaning 'in', 'on', or 'by'
mettant: Present participle of 'mettre'; meaning 'putting' or 'placing'
côté: Noun meaning 'side'; used in 'de côté' meaning 'aside'
sans: Preposition meaning 'without'
prêter: Verb meaning 'to lend' or 'to pay' attention
attention: Noun meaning 'attention' or 'care'
Et: Conjunction meaning 'and' connecting clauses
ajouta: Simple past of 'ajouter'; means 'added' in speech
elle: Third person feminine singular pronoun meaning 'she'
après: Preposition or adverb meaning 'after'
légère: Adjective meaning 'slight' or 'light'; feminine form
hésitation: Noun meaning 'hesitation' or 'pause before speaking'
avec: Preposition meaning 'with'
sanglot: Noun meaning 'sob'; a convulsive catching of breath
mortification: Noun meaning 'humiliation' or 'deep embarrassment'
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'
montait: Imperfect of 'monter'; means 'was rising' or 'coming up'
colliers: Noun meaning 'necklaces' worn as jewelry
sont: Third person plural of 'être'; means 'are'
tout: Adjective or adverb meaning 'all', 'whole', or 'quite'
fait: Noun or past participle; here in 'tout à fait' meaning 'quite'
courants: Adjective meaning 'common' or 'current'; plural form
maintenant: Adverb meaning 'now' or 'at this moment'
Madame: Formal title for a woman; equivalent to 'Mrs.' or 'Ma'am'
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or in negation 'no longer'
stricte: Adjective meaning 'strict' or 'rigorous'; feminine form
certaines: Adjective meaning 'certain' or 'some'; feminine plural
choses: Noun meaning 'things' in a general sense
l': Contraction of 'le' or 'la' before vowel; meaning 'the'
êtes: Second person plural of 'être'; means 'you are'
portait: Imperfect of 'porter'; means 'was wearing' or 'carrying'
des: Indefinite plural article or 'de les' meaning 'some'
ornements: Noun meaning 'ornaments' or 'decorative accessories'
chrétiens: Adjective or noun meaning 'Christian'; masculine plural
général: Adjective meaning 'general'; in 'en général' meaning 'generally'
sûrement: Adverb meaning 'surely' or 'certainly'
femmes: Noun meaning 'women' or 'wives'
au: Contraction of 'à le' meaning 'at the' or 'to the'
paradis: Noun meaning 'paradise' or 'heaven'
portaient: Imperfect of 'porter'; means 'they were wearing'
bijoux: Noun meaning 'jewels' or 'jewelry'
conscience: Noun meaning 'conscience' or 'awareness'
certaine: Adjective meaning 'a certain' or 'some'; feminine singular
vigueur: Noun meaning 'vigor' or 'strength' of mind or body
intellectuelle: Adjective meaning 'intellectual'; feminine form
lorsqu': Conjunction meaning 'when' before a vowel sound
s': Reflexive pronoun contraction before vowel; meaning 'oneself'
appliquait: Imperfect of 'appliquer'; means 'was applying' or 'focusing'
vraiment: Adverb meaning 'truly' or 'really'
argumenter: Verb meaning 'to argue' or 'to reason' a point
voudriez: Conditional of 'vouloir'; means 'you would like'
porter: Verb meaning 'to wear' or 'to carry'
exclama: Simple past of 'exclamer'; means 'exclaimed'
découverte: Noun or adjective meaning 'discovery' or 'surprised'
étonnée: Past participle of 'étonner'; meaning 'astonished' or 'amazed'
animant: Present participle of 'animer'; meaning 'enlivening' or 'animating'
toute: Adjective meaning 'all' or 'whole'; feminine singular form
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'; feminine
personne: Noun meaning 'person'; also pronoun meaning 'nobody'
geste: Noun meaning 'gesture' made with the body or hands
théâtral: Adjective meaning 'theatrical' or 'dramatic'
emprunté: Adjective meaning 'borrowed' or 'affected' in manner
cette: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'; feminine
même: Adjective or adverb meaning 'same' or 'even'
Bien: Adverb meaning 'well'; also used as filler 'well then'
sûr: Adjective meaning 'sure' or 'certain'
alors: Adverb meaning 'then' or 'so' in consequence
sortons: First person plural imperative of 'sortir'; means 'let's go out'
Pourquoi: Interrogative adverb meaning 'why'
me: First person singular object pronoun meaning 'me'
pas: Negation particle used with 'ne'; means 'not'
avant: Preposition or adverb meaning 'before' in time
Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but' expressing contrast
clés: Noun meaning 'keys' used to open locks

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