On Liberty — Page 8

Vocabulary

nous

We, us; first person plural pronoun

dit

Says, said; third person singular of dire

dans

In, inside; common preposition of location or time

sa

His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective

que

That, which, than; conjunction or relative pronoun

fit

Made, did; third person singular past tense of faire

une

A, an; feminine indefinite article

réparation

Reparation, compensation, amends for a wrong done

substantielle

Substantial, significant, considerable in amount or importance

pour

For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose or reason

le

The; masculine singular definite article

malheur

Misfortune, unhappiness, bad luck, disaster

dont

Of which, whose; relative pronoun replacing de plus noun

il

He, it; third person masculine singular subject pronoun

était

Was, were; third person singular imperfect of être

responsable

Responsible, accountable for something or someone

en

In, by, while; preposition or adverbial pronoun

amenant

Bringing, leading; present participle of amener

l'

The; elided definite article before vowel or silent h

auteur

Author, writer, creator of a literary or artistic work

lésé

Wronged, injured, harmed; past participle of léser

à

To, at, in; general purpose preposition very frequently used

accepter

To accept, to agree to receive something offered

la

The; feminine singular definite article

moitié

Half; one of two equal parts of a whole

des

Of the, some; plural partitive or contracted article

livres

Pounds (sterling); also means books in another context

qu'

That, which; elided form of que before vowel

lui

Him, her, to him, to her; third person singular pronoun

offrait

Was offering, offered; imperfect tense of offrir

Mme

Mrs., Madam; abbreviation for Madame, female honorific

comme

As, like, how; conjunction or adverb of comparison

je

I; first person singular subject pronoun

ai

Have; first person singular present tense of avoir

mourut

Died; third person singular simple past of mourir

après

After, following; preposition indicating sequence in time

sept

Seven; cardinal number

ans

Years; plural of an, used for age and duration

joyeuse

Joyful, happy, cheerful; feminine adjective

vie

Life; existence of a living being

commune

Common, shared, joint; feminine adjective meaning together

avec

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association

son

His, her, its; masculine singular possessive adjective

mari

Husband; a woman's male spouse

et

And; basic coordinating conjunction

fut

Was; third person singular simple past of être

enterrée

Buried, interred; feminine past participle of enterrer

L'

The; elided definite article before vowel

inscription

Inscription, engraved text on a monument or tombstone

écrivit

Wrote; third person singular simple past of écrire

tombe

Tomb, grave; place where a person is buried

est

Is; third person singular present tense of être

trop

Too, too much; adverb indicating excess

caractéristique

Characteristic, typical, distinctive feature or quality

être

To be; fundamental auxiliary and copular verb

omise

Omitted, left out; feminine past participle of omettre

Son

Her, his; possessive adjective referring to a person

grand

Great, large, big; adjective indicating size or importance

cœur

Heart; organ or metaphor for feelings and emotions

aimant

Loving, affectionate; present participle of aimer

âme

Soul, spirit; inner essence or immaterial part of person

noble

Noble, elevated, distinguished in character or rank

intellect

Intellect, mind, capacity for rational thought and understanding

clair

Clear, bright, lucid; adjective describing clarity

puissant

Powerful, mighty, strong; adjective of great force

original

Original, unique, unconventional; not copied or derivative

complet

Complete, full, thorough; lacking nothing, entire

firent

Made, did; third person plural simple past of faire

d'

Of, from; elided preposition de before vowel

elle

She, her; third person feminine singular subject pronoun

guide

Guide, leader; one who shows the way or directs

soutien

Support, backing, prop; moral or material assistance

instructrice

Female instructor, teacher; one who educates others

sagesse

Wisdom, good sense; quality of being wise and judicious

exemple

Example, model; illustrative instance or role model

bonté

Goodness, kindness; quality of being morally good

seule

Only, sole, alone; feminine adjective meaning unique or single

joie

Joy, delight, happiness; feeling of great pleasure

terrestre

Earthly, terrestrial; relating to the earth or worldly life

ceux

Those, the ones; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun

qui

Who, which, that; relative or interrogative pronoun

avaient

Had; third person plural imperfect tense of avoir

bonheur

Happiness, good fortune; state of well-being and contentment

appartenir

To belong; to be part of a group or person

Aussi

Also, too, as well; adverb of addition or consequence

ardente

Ardent, passionate, fervent; feminine adjective of intensity

tout

All, every, everything; adjective or pronoun of totality

bien

Good, well; noun or adverb referring to what is beneficial

public

Public; relating to the community or society at large

généreuse

Generous, giving; feminine adjective of liberality

dévouée

Devoted, dedicated; feminine adjective showing commitment

envers

Toward, towards; preposition indicating attitude or direction

tous

All, everyone; masculine plural pronoun or adjective

entouraient

Surrounded; third person plural imperfect of entourer

influence

Influence, effect; power to affect others' thoughts or actions

s'

Himself, herself, itself; elided reflexive pronoun se

fait

Made, done; past participle of faire

sentir

To feel, to sense, to smell; perception verb

nombre

Number, quantity; count of things or people

plus

More, most; adverb of comparison or addition

grandes

Great, large; feminine plural adjective of grand

avancées

Advances, progress; forward developments or achievements

époque

Era, epoch, period; a specific time in history

se

Himself, herself, itself, themselves; reflexive pronoun

fera

Will make, will do; third person singular future of faire

celles

Those; feminine plural demonstrative pronoun

encore

Still, yet, again; adverb of continuity or repetition

venir

To come; verb of motion toward the speaker

S'

If; elided conjunction si before vowel

existait

Existed; third person singular imperfect of exister

ne

Not; first part of French negation construction

serait

Would be; third person singular conditional of être

ce

This, that, it; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

quelques

A few, some; adjective indicating a small number

semblables

Similar, alike, like; adjective expressing resemblance

au

To the, at the; masculine singular contracted article

sien

His, hers; masculine singular possessive pronoun

cette

This, that; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

terre

Earth, land, ground; the physical world we inhabit

déjà

Already, yet; adverb indicating prior occurrence

devenue

Become; feminine past participle of devenir

Paradis

Paradise, heaven; ideal state of perfect happiness

tant

So much, so many; adverb of great quantity or degree

espéré

Hoped for; past participle of espérer

Ces

These, those; plural demonstrative adjective

lignes

Lines; rows of written text or marks

prouvent

Prove, demonstrate; third person plural present of prouver

intensité

Intensity, strength; degree of force or feeling

du

Of the, some; masculine singular contracted article

sentiment

Feeling, sentiment, emotion; subjective inner experience

craint

Fears, dreads; third person singular present of craindre

pas

Not; second part of French negation, or a step

verbiage

Verbiage, wordiness; excessive use of words

abondant

Abundant, excessive, plentiful; present in great quantity

mais

But; adversative coordinating conjunction

elles

They, them; third person feminine plural subject pronoun

aussi

Also, too; adverb meaning in addition or likewise

pouvait

Could, was able to; imperfect tense of pouvoir

imaginer

To imagine, to picture; to form a mental image of

quel

What, which; masculine singular interrogative adjective

effet

Effect, result, impact; consequence of an action

cela

That, it; demonstrative pronoun referring to something

produirait

Would produce; third person singular conditional of produire

sur

On, upon, over; preposition of position or topic

autrui

Others, other people; formal pronoun for other persons

réputation

Reputation, standing; general opinion held about a person

survivre

To survive, to outlive; to continue existing after something

démonstrations

Demonstrations, displays; outward shows of feeling or proof

autres

Others, other; adjective or pronoun referring to different ones