Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave — Page 4

Vocabulary

Assim

So, thus; in this way or manner

que

That, which, who; common conjunction and pronoun

ele

He; third-person singular masculine pronoun

tomou

Took; past tense of tomar, to take

seu

His, her, your, its; possessive pronoun

lugar

Place, spot, position; a location or seat

repleto

Full of, filled with; completely packed or brimming

de

Of, from; very common Portuguese preposition

esperança

Hope; a feeling of expectation and desire

e

And; basic coordinating conjunction in Portuguese

admiração

Admiration, wonder; feeling of respect and awe

eu

I; first-person singular subject pronoun

me

Me, myself; first-person singular object pronoun

levantei

I stood up; past tense of levantar, to rise

declarei

I declared; past tense of declarar, to state

fama

Fame, renown; widespread recognition or reputation

revolucionária

Revolutionary; relating to or causing a revolution

jamais

Never, ever; strong negation emphasizing impossibility

fizera

Had made/done; past perfect of fazer, to do

um

A, an, one; indefinite article or numeral

discurso

Speech, discourse; a formal public address

mais

More, most; comparative adverb indicating greater degree

eloquente

Eloquent; fluent, persuasive, and expressive in speech

em

In, at, on; common Portuguese preposition of location

prol

Benefit, favor; used in phrase em prol de, for

da

Of the; contraction of de and the article a

liberdade

Freedom, liberty; the state of being free

do

Of the; contraction of de and the article o

aquele

That (over there); demonstrative pronoun or adjective

acabávamos

We had just; imperfect of acabar, to finish

ouvir

To hear, to listen; verb of auditory perception

dos

Of the; contraction of de and plural article os

lábios

Lips; the fleshy parts surrounding the mouth

daquele

From that; contraction of de and aquele

fugitivo

Fugitive; a person who has escaped or fled

perseguido

Pursued, hunted; someone being chased or oppressed

Era

Was; third-person singular imperfect of ser, to be

o

The; masculine singular definite article

acreditava

Believed; imperfect tense of acreditar, to believe

naquele

In that; contraction of em and aquele

momento

Moment; a brief, specific point in time

é

Is; third-person singular present of ser, to be

acredito

I believe; first-person present of acreditar

ainda

Still, yet, even; adverb of continuation or emphasis

hoje

Today; the current day, the present time

Lembrei

I reminded; past tense of lembrar, to remind

ao

To the; contraction of preposition a and article o

público

Audience, public; a group of people gathered together

perigo

Danger, peril; a situation involving risk or threat

cercava

Surrounded; imperfect tense of cercar, to surround

esse

This, that; demonstrative pronoun referring to nearby thing

jovem

Young person, youth; someone of young age

se

Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun in Portuguese

havia

Had; third-person imperfect of haver, to have

libertado

Freed, liberated; past participle of libertar, to free

sozinho

Alone, by oneself; without help or company

no

In the; contraction of em and masculine article o

Norte

North; the northern direction or region

até

Until, even, up to; preposition indicating extent

mesmo

Even, same, itself; used for emphasis or equality

solo

Soil, ground; the earth or land surface

Pais

Fathers, parents; used here as Pilgrim Fathers

Peregrinos

Pilgrims; early settlers who traveled for religious freedom

entre

Among, between; preposition indicating position or relation

os

The; masculine plural definite article in Portuguese

descendentes

Descendants; people descended from a particular ancestor

ancestrais

Ancestors, ancestral; relating to those from past generations

revolucionários

Revolutionaries; people who support or lead a revolution

apelei

I appealed; past tense of apelar, to appeal

a

To, the; preposition or feminine singular article

eles

They, them; third-person plural masculine pronoun

perguntando

Asking; gerund of perguntar, to ask a question

permitiriam

Would allow; conditional of permitir, to permit

alguma

Some, any; feminine indefinite adjective or pronoun

vez

Time, occasion; instance of something happening

fosse

Were, would be; past subjunctive of ser/ir

reconduzido

Returned, brought back; past participle of reconduzir

à

To the; contraction of preposition a and article a

escravidão

Slavery; the state of being enslaved or owned

com

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means

lei

Law; a rule established by authority or custom

ou

Or; disjunctive conjunction presenting alternatives

sem

Without; preposition indicating absence or lack

constituição

Constitution; a body of fundamental governing laws

A

The; feminine singular definite article in Portuguese

resposta

Answer, response; a reply to a question or request

foi

Was, went; past tense of ser or ir

unânime

Unanimous; agreed upon by everyone without exception

tons

Tones; the quality or character of a sound

trovão

Thunder; the loud noise accompanying lightning

NÃO

No, not; a strong negative response or refusal

Vós

You (plural); archaic second-person plural pronoun

socorrereis

You will rescue; future of socorrer, to help

protegereis

You will protect; future of proteger, to protect

como

As, like, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison

irmão

Brother; a male sibling or fellow member

residente

Resident; a person who lives in a place

velho

Old; having lived or existed for a long time

Estado

State; a political unit or governmental territory

Baía

Bay; a body of water partly enclosed by land

SIM

Yes; an affirmative response or agreement

gritou

Shouted; past tense of gritar, to shout or yell

toda

All, every, whole; adjective indicating totality

massa

Mass, crowd; a large body of people together

uma

A, an, one; feminine indefinite article or numeral

energia

Energy; power and intensity of action or expression

tão

So, such; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs

impressionante

Impressive, striking; causing admiration or strong impact

tiranos

Tyrants; cruel rulers who use power oppressively

implacáveis

Relentless, merciless; unable to be appeased or stopped

sul

South; the direction or region below north

linha

Line; a boundary, row, or drawn mark

quase

Almost, nearly; very close to but not quite

poderiam

Could, would be able; conditional of poder, to be able

ter

To have; auxiliary or main verb of possession

ouvido

Heard; past participle of ouvir, to hear

aquela

That; feminine demonstrative pronoun or adjective

poderosa

Powerful, mighty; having great strength or influence

explosão

Explosion, outburst; a sudden release of energy or emotion

sentimento

Feeling, sentiment; an emotional state or reaction

reconhecido

Recognized; past participle of reconhecer, to recognize

nela

In it, in her; contraction of em and ela

compromisso

Commitment, pledge; a promise or obligation undertaken

determinação

Determination; firmness of purpose and strong resolve

invencível

Invincible; impossible to defeat or overcome

parte

Part, side; a portion of a whole or group

daqueles

From those; contraction of de and aqueles

expressaram

Expressed; past tense of expressar, to express

trair

To betray; to act dishonestly against someone's trust

anda

Walks, wanders; third-person singular of andar

errante

Wandering, errant; moving without fixed direction or home

mas

But; conjunction expressing contrast or exception

esconder

To hide, to conceal; to keep out of sight

proscrito

Outlaw, exile; a person banished or declared illegal

suportar

To bear, endure; to tolerate difficulty or hardship

firmemente

Firmly, steadfastly; in a resolute and determined manner

as

The; feminine plural definite article in Portuguese

consequências

Consequences; results or effects of an action

Ficou

Stayed, became; past tense of ficar, to remain

imediatamente

Immediately; without delay, at once, right away

gravado

Engraved, recorded; past participle of gravar, to record

forma

Form, way, manner; a shape or means of doing

profunda

Deep, profound; having great depth or intensity

minha

My; feminine first-person singular possessive adjective

mente

Mind; the seat of thought, memory, and consciousness

Sr

Mr.; abbreviation of Senhor, a title of respect