Moby Dick; Or, The Whale — Page 11

Vocabulary

En

In, on, or at; preposition indicating time or place

l'

Contracted definite article meaning 'the'

année

Year; a period of twelve months

quelques

Some, a few; indicates a small number

personnes

People, persons; human individuals

se

Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'themselves'

trouvaient

Were (located), found themselves; imperfect of trouver

sur

On, upon; preposition indicating position above

une

A, an; feminine indefinite article

haute

High, tall; describing great elevation or height

colline

Hill; a raised landform smaller than a mountain

à

To, at, in; versatile French preposition

observer

To observe, watch; to look at attentively

les

The; plural definite article for any gender

baleines

Whales; large marine mammals of the ocean

soufflant

Blowing, spouting; present participle of souffler

et

And; basic coordinating conjunction

jouant

Playing; present participle of jouer

unes

Ones; feminine plural pronoun used in l'une l'autre

avec

With; preposition indicating accompaniment

autres

Others; referring to additional people or things

quand

When; conjunction or adverb of time

d'

Of, from; contracted preposition before vowel

elles

They, them; third-person feminine plural pronoun

observa

Observed, remarked; past simple of observer

là

There; adverb indicating a place or location

montrant

Showing, pointing; present participle of montrer

la

The; feminine singular definite article

mer

Sea; large body of salt water

du

Of the; contracted masculine singular article

doigt

Finger; one of the digits of the hand

est

Is; third-person singular of être

un

A, an, one; masculine indefinite article

vert

Green; the color of grass and leaves

pâturage

Pasture, grazing land; field where animals graze

où

Where; relative or interrogative adverb of place

enfants

Children; young human beings, sons or daughters

de

Of, from; very common French preposition

nos

Our; first-person plural possessive adjective

petits

Little ones, young; small or young offspring

iront

Will go; third-person plural future of aller

chercher

To look for, seek; to search for something

leur

Their; third-person plural possessive adjective

pain

Bread; staple food made from flour and water

Histoire

History, story; account of past events

J'

I; first-person singular pronoun before vowel

ai

Have; first-person singular of avoir

construit

Built, constructed; past participle of construire

cottage

Cottage; small house, often in a rural setting

pour

For; preposition indicating purpose or recipient

moi

Me, myself; stressed first-person singular pronoun

même

Same, even, myself; used for emphasis

fait

Made, done; past participle of faire

portail

Gate, portal; large entrance door or gateway

forme

Shape, form; the outward appearance of something

Arc

Arch, arc; curved architectural or geometric shape

Gothique

Gothic; medieval architectural style with pointed arches

dressant

Erecting, setting up; present participle of dresser

os

Bone; hard connective tissue forming the skeleton

mâchoire

Jaw; the bone structure of the mouth

baleine

Whale; large marine mammal of the ocean

Contes

Tales, stories; short fictional or folk narratives

deux

Two; the cardinal number following one

fois

Times; instances or occurrences of an event

racontés

Told, narrated; past participle of raconter

Elle

She, her; third-person feminine singular pronoun

vint

Came; third-person singular past simple of venir

commander

To order, commission; to request something officially

monument

Monument; a structure built to commemorate someone

son

His, her, its; third-person singular possessive adjective

premier

First; ordinal number indicating position one

amour

Love; deep affection or romantic feeling

qui

Who, which; relative or interrogative pronoun

avait

Had; third-person singular imperfect of avoir

été

Been; past participle of être; also summer

tué

Killed; past participle of tuer

par

By, through; preposition indicating agent or means

dans

In, inside; preposition indicating location within

océan

Ocean; vast body of salt water covering Earth

Pacifique

Pacific; referring to the Pacific Ocean

il

He, it; third-person masculine singular pronoun

y

There, it; adverbial pronoun replacing a place

a

Has; third-person singular present of avoir

pas

Not; negative adverb used with ne

moins

Less, fewer; comparative adverb of quantity

quarante

Forty; the cardinal number forty

ans

Years; units of time, referring to age or duration

Non

No; negative response or denial

Monsieur

Mister, sir; polite title for an adult man

c'

It, that; contracted demonstrative pronoun ce

Baleine

Whale; large ocean-dwelling mammal

franche

Frank, true, genuine; honest and straightforward

répondit

Replied, answered; past simple of répondre

vu

Seen; past participle of voir

souffle

Breath, spout; air exhaled or blown out forcefully

projeté

Projected, spouted; past participle of projeter

paire

Pair; a set of two matching things

aussi

Also, too, as; adverb of addition or comparison

jolis

Pretty, nice; pleasant in appearance

arcs

Arches, arcs; curved shapes or structures

ciel

Sky, heaven; the expanse above the earth

qu'

That, than; conjunction or pronoun before vowel

Chrétien

Christian; a follower of the Christian faith

pourrait

Could, might; conditional of pouvoir

souhaiter

To wish, to desire; to express a hope

contempler

To contemplate, gaze at; to look at thoughtfully

vrai

True, real; corresponding to fact or reality

tonneau

Barrel, cask; a large cylindrical container

huile

Oil; a thick liquid used for fuel or cooking

ce

This, that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

gaillard

Fellow, strapping fellow; a strong or lively person

Le

The; masculine singular definite article

Pilote

Pilot; person who guides a ship or aircraft

journaux

Newspapers; daily printed publications with news

furent

Were; third-person plural past simple of être

apportés

Brought; past participle of apporter

nous

We, us; first-person plural pronoun

vîmes

Saw; first-person plural past simple of voir

Gazette

Gazette; an official or news publication

que

That, which, than; conjunction or relative pronoun

des

Some, of the; plural indefinite or partitive article

avaient

Had; third-person plural imperfect of avoir

introduites

Introduced; past participle of introduire, feminine plural

scène

Scene, stage; a setting or dramatic situation

bas

Low, down; opposite of high; below

Conversations

Conversations; spoken exchanges between people

Mon

My; first-person singular masculine possessive adjective

Dieu

God; the supreme divine being

passe

Passes, happens; third-person singular of passer

Je

I; first-person singular subject pronoun

répondis

Replied; first-person singular past simple of répondre

avons

Have; first-person plural present of avoir

éventrés

Disemboweled, gutted; past participle of éventer

Récit

Account, narrative; a spoken or written story

Naufrage

Shipwreck; destruction or sinking of a vessel

Baleinier

Whaling ship; a vessel used for hunting whales

attaqué

Attacked; past participle of attaquer

finalement

Finally, ultimately; at the end or last

détruit

Destroyed; past participle of détruire

grand

Great, large, big; of considerable size or importance

Cachalot

Sperm whale; large toothed whale of the ocean

Par

By, through, per; preposition indicating authorship or means

officier

Officer; a person holding a position of authority

navire

Ship, vessel; a large boat for ocean travel