Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 3

Vocabulary

Là

la — There; indicates a place or position

se

se — Reflexive pronoun meaning himself, herself, itself

tenait

tuh-neh — Was standing; held (past imperfect of tenir)

un

uhn — A, an; indefinite article masculine singular

homme

om — Man; adult male human being

d'

d — Of, from; contracted preposition before vowel

une

ün — A, an; indefinite article feminine singular

proportion

pro-por-syon — Proportion; ratio or balance between elements

physique

fee-zeek — Physical; relating to the body or appearance

et

eh — And; conjunction linking words or phrases

stature

sta-tür — Stature; height or importance of a person

imposante

am-po-zahnt — Imposing; impressive and commanding in appearance

parfaite

par-fet — Perfect; flawless, without any defects

intellect

an-teh-lekt — Intellect; capacity for rational thought and reasoning

richement

reesh-mah — Richly; in an abundant or lavish manner

doué

dweh — Gifted, talented; naturally endowed with abilities

éloquence

eh-lo-kahns — Eloquence; persuasive and expressive use of language

naturelle

na-tü-rel — Natural; existing without artificial influence

prodigieuse

pro-dee-zhyuz — Prodigious; remarkably extraordinary in degree or extent

dont

dohn — Whose, of which; relative pronoun indicating possession

l'

l — The; definite article before vowel or silent h

âme

ahm — Soul; the spiritual or immaterial part of a person

était

eh-teh — Was; past imperfect of être (to be)

manifestement

ma-nee-fest-mah — Manifestly, obviously; clearly and evidently visible

créée

kreh-eh — Created; brought into existence (feminine past participle)

à

ah — At, to; preposition indicating location or direction

peine

pen — Barely, hardly; with difficulty or scarcely

peu

puh — Little, few; small amount or degree

inférieure

an-feh-ryur — Inferior, lower; below in rank or quality

aux

oh — To the, at the; contraction of à + les

anges

ahnzh — Angels; spiritual heavenly beings above humans

pourtant

poor-tah — Yet, however; conjunction expressing contrast or contradiction

esclave

es-klav — Slave; person legally owned and controlled by another

oui

wee — Yes; affirmative response or confirmation

fugitif

fü-zhee-teef — Fugitive; person who has escaped or fled captivity

tremblant

trahm-blah — Trembling, shaking; quivering from fear or cold

pour

poor — For; preposition indicating purpose or benefit

sa

sa — His, her, its; possessive adjective singular feminine

sécurité

seh-kü-ree-teh — Security, safety; state of being free from danger

osant

o-zah — Daring; present participle of oser, to dare

croire

krwar — To believe; to hold something as true

que

kuh — That, which; conjunction or relative pronoun

sur

sür — On, upon; preposition indicating surface or location

le

luh — The; definite article masculine singular

sol

sol — Soil, ground; the surface of the earth

américain

a-meh-ree-kan — American; relating to or from the United States

il

eel — He, it; third person masculine singular pronoun

trouverait

troo-vuh-reh — Would find; conditional tense of trouver

seul

sul — Only, alone; single or without others

blanc

blah — White; a white person or the color white

prêt

preh — Ready, willing; prepared to do something

lui

lwee — Him, to him; indirect or stressed pronoun

venir

vuh-neer — To come; to move toward a place or person

en

ah — In, of it; preposition or pronoun of location

aide

ed — Help, assistance; support given to someone in need

tout

too — All, every; indicating completeness or entirety

prix

pree — Price, cost; the amount paid or at any cost

par

par — By, through; preposition indicating means or agent

amour

a-moor — Love; deep affection or devotion toward someone

de

duh — Of, from; preposition indicating origin or belonging

Dieu

dyuh — God; the supreme divine being in monotheistic religion

humanité

ü-ma-nee-teh — Humanity; all human beings collectively; human kindness

Capable

ka-pabl — Capable; having the ability or skill to do something

hautes

oht — High, lofty; elevated in degree or importance (feminine plural)

réalisations

reh-a-lee-za-syon — Achievements, accomplishments; things successfully completed

tant

tah — So much, as much; to such a great degree

qu'

k — That, as; conjunction before vowel (que contracted)

être

etr — To be; fundamental verb of existence or identity

intellectuel

an-teh-lek-tüel — Intellectual; relating to the mind and reasoning ability

moral

mo-ral — Moral; relating to principles of right and wrong

n'

n — Not; negative particle before vowel (ne contracted)

ayant

eh-yah — Having; present participle of avoir (to have)

besoin

buh-zwan — Need; a requirement or necessity for something

culture

kül-tür — Culture; education, refinement, and intellectual development

comparativement

kom-pa-ra-teev-mah — Comparatively; in relation to something else by comparison

modeste

mo-dest — Modest; moderate, not excessive or extravagant

faire

fer — To make, to do; general-purpose action verb

ornement

or-nuh-mah — Ornament; a decorative addition that enhances beauty

la

la — The; definite article feminine singular

société

so-syeh-teh — Society; a community of people sharing common values

bénédiction

beh-neh-deek-syon — Blessing; a gift of divine favor or good fortune

race

ras — Race; a group of people sharing common ancestry

loi

lwa — Law; a rule enacted by governing authority

du

dü — Of the; contraction of de + le

pays

peh-ee — Country, land; a nation or territory

voix

vwa — Voice; sound produced in speaking or singing

peuple

pupl — People, nation; a body of persons sharing nationality

les

leh — The; definite article plural masculine or feminine

termes

term — Terms; words or expressions used in a specific context

code

kod — Code; a system of laws or written regulations

esclavage

es-kla-vazh — Slavery; the system of owning people as property

bien

byan — Well, indeed; adverb confirming or intensifying a statement

bête

bet — Beast, animal; a non-human creature; also means stupid

somme

som — Sum; a total amount; also: in short, in brief

meuble

mubl — Piece of furniture; movable property or chattel

malgré

mal-greh — Despite, in spite of; regardless of an obstacle

Un

uhn — A, one; indefinite article or numeral masculine

ami

a-mee — Friend; a person one has affection and trust for

cher

sher — Dear, close; cherished or expensive depending on context

persuada

per-swa-da — Persuaded; convinced someone to do something (past simple)

M.

muh-syuh — Mr.; abbreviation of Monsieur, title for a man

prendre

prahndr — To take; also to give (a speech) in context

parole

pa-rol — Speech, word; spoken language or the floor to speak

devant

duh-vah — Before, in front of; preposition of position or audience

convention

kon-vahn-syon — Convention; a formal assembly or meeting of people

Il

eel — He; third person masculine singular subject pronoun

s'

s — Reflexive pronoun before vowel; himself or herself

avança

a-vah-sa — Advanced, stepped forward; moved toward the front

vers

ver — Toward, towards; preposition of direction or movement

estrade

es-trad — Platform, podium; raised stage for speakers or performers

avec

a-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or manner

hésitation

eh-zee-ta-syon — Hesitation; a pause due to uncertainty or shyness

gêne

zhen — Embarrassment, discomfort; self-conscious unease in a situation

compagnes

kom-pan-yuh — Companions; feminine companions or accompaniments (here figurative)

inévitables

ee-neh-vee-tabl — Inevitable; impossible to avoid or prevent

esprit

es-pree — Mind, spirit; intellect or wit of a person

sensible

sah-seebl — Sensitive; emotionally perceptive or easily affected

placé

pla-seh — Placed, put; positioned in a particular situation

dans

dah — In, inside; preposition indicating location within something

position

po-zee-syon — Position; a place, situation, or circumstance one occupies

aussi

o-see — Also, so; conjunction or adverb of addition or degree

nouvelle

noo-vel — New; something recently encountered or unfamiliar (feminine)

Après

a-preh — After; preposition or conjunction indicating sequence in time

excusé

ek-skü-zeh — Excused, apologized for; past participle of excuser

son

soh — His, her, its; possessive adjective before singular noun

ignorance

ee-nyo-rahns — Ignorance; lack of knowledge or education

avoir

a-vwar — To have; auxiliary and main verb of possession

rappelé

ra-puh-leh — Recalled, reminded; brought something back to mind

auditoire

o-dee-twar — Audience; a group of listeners at a speech or event

pauvre

povr — Poor; lacking resources, money, or opportunities

école

eh-kol — School; an institution for learning and education

cœur

kur — Heart; the organ; also seat of emotions and feelings

humains

ü-man — Human; relating to people or humankind (plural)

entreprit

ah-truh-pree — Undertook, set about; began a task (past simple)

narrer

na-reh — To narrate, to tell; to recount a story or events

quelques

kel-kuh — Some, a few; a small number of things

faits

feh — Facts; things known to be true or that occurred

propre

propr — Own; belonging specifically to oneself (before noun)

histoire

ees-twar — History, story; a narrative of past events or life

au

oh — To the, at the; contraction of à + le

fil

feel — Thread; au fil de means in the course of

discours

dees-koor — Speech, discourse; a formal address delivered to an audience

donna

do-na — Gave; past simple of donner, to give

nombreuses

nom-bruz — Numerous, many; a large number of (feminine plural)

pensées

pah-seh — Thoughts, ideas; reflective ideas expressed by a speaker

nobles

nobl — Noble; lofty, admirable in character or quality

des

deh — Some, of the; partitive or plural indefinite article

réflexions

reh-flek-syon — Reflections, observations; thoughtful remarks or considerations

saisissantes

seh-zee-sahnt — Striking, gripping; powerfully impressive and thought-provoking