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Peter Pan — Page 3

English → Spanish Chapter X. Level 4/10

There was a fixed rule that they must never hit back at meals, but should refer the matter of dispute to Wendy by raising the right arm politely and saying, "I complain of so-and-so;" but what usually happened was that they forgot to do this or did it too much.

Había una regla fija de que nunca debían devolver los golpes en las comidas, sino que debían referir el asunto en disputa a Wendy levantando el brazo derecho cortésmente y diciendo: «Me quejo de fulano de tal;» pero lo que solía ocurrir era que se olvidaban de hacerlo o lo hacían demasiado.

"Silence," cried Wendy when for the twentieth time she had told them that they were not all to speak at once.

—Silencio —gritó Wendy cuando por vigésima vez les había dicho que no debían hablar todos a la vez.

"Is your mug empty, Slightly darling?"

—¿Está vacía tu taza, Slightly querido?

"Not quite empty, mummy," Slightly said, after looking into an imaginary mug.

—No del todo vacía, mamá —dijo Slightly, después de mirar dentro de una taza imaginaria.

"He hasn't even begun to drink his milk," Nibs interposed.

—Ni siquiera ha empezado a beber su leche —intervino Nibs.

This was telling, and Slightly seized his chance.

Esto era revelador, y Slightly aprovechó su oportunidad.

"I complain of Nibs," he cried promptly.

—Me quejo de Nibs —exclamó enseguida.

John, however, had held up his hand first.

Sin embargo, John había levantado la mano primero.

"Well, John?"

—¿Sí, John?

"May I sit in Peter's chair, as he is not here?"

—¿Puedo sentarme en la silla de Peter, ya que él no está aquí?

"Sit in father's chair, John!" Wendy was scandalised. "Certainly not."

—¡Sentarte en la silla del padre, John! —Wendy estaba escandalizada—. De ninguna manera.

"He is not really our father," John answered. "He didn't even know how a father does till I showed him."

—En realidad no es nuestro padre —respondió John—. Ni siquiera sabía cómo actúa un padre hasta que yo se lo enseñé.

This was grumbling. "We complain of John," cried the twins.

Eso era quejarse. —Nos quejamos de John —gritaron los gemelos.

Tootles held up his hand.

Tootles levantó la mano.

He was so much the humblest of them, indeed he was the only humble one, that Wendy was specially gentle with him.

Era con mucho el más humilde de todos, es más, era el único humilde, de modo que Wendy era especialmente amable con él.

"I don't suppose," Tootles said diffidently, "that I could be father."

—No creo —dijo Tootles con timidez— que yo pudiera ser el padre.

"No, Tootles."

—No, Tootles.

Once Tootles began, which was not very often, he had a silly way of going on.

Una vez que Tootles empezaba, lo que no ocurría muy a menudo, tenía una manera tonta de continuar.

Vocabulary

Había
There was/were; past imperfect of haber
regla
Rule, regulation, or principle to follow
fija
Fixed, set, or firmly established
nunca
Never; at no time whatsoever
debían
They should, were supposed to, or had to
devolver
To return something or give back
golpes
Blows, hits, or strikes with force
comidas
Meals or food servings eaten during the day
sino
But rather; used after a negative statement
referir
To refer, report, or relate a matter to someone
asunto
Matter, issue, or subject to be dealt with
disputa
Dispute, argument, or conflict between parties
levantando
Raising or lifting something upward
brazo
Arm; the upper limb of the human body
derecho
Right (direction); also straight or upright
cortésmente
Politely, courteously, in a well-mannered way
diciendo
Saying; present participle of decir
quejo
I complain; first person singular of quejarse
fulano
So-and-so; a placeholder name for an unspecified person
tal
Such, so, such a; used as an intensifier or placeholder
solía
Used to; past habitual action with soler
ocurrir
To occur, happen, or take place
olvidaban
They forgot; imperfect tense of olvidar
hacían
They did or made; imperfect tense of hacer
demasiado
Too much, excessively, more than needed
Silencio
Silence; quiet; command to stop making noise
gritó
Shouted, yelled; third person singular preterite of gritar
cuando
When; conjunction introducing a time clause
vigésima
Twentieth; ordinal number, feminine form
vez
Time, instance, or occasion of something
dicho
Said, told; past participle of decir
hablar
To speak, talk, or converse
todos
Everyone, all, everybody; masculine plural adjective
vacía
Empty, void; feminine adjective describing lack of contents
taza
Cup; a small container used for drinking
querido
Dear, beloved; term of endearment
todo
All, everything, complete; masculine singular form
mamá
Mom, mother; informal term for one's mother
dijo
Said, told; third person singular preterite of decir
después
After, afterwards, then; indicating sequence in time
mirar
To look at, watch, or observe something
dentro
Inside, within; indicating location interior
imaginaria
Imaginary, not real; feminine adjective
Ni
Not even, neither; negative conjunction
siquiera
Even, at least; used to emphasize negation
empezado
Started, begun; past participle of empezar
beber
To drink; to consume a liquid
leche
Milk; white liquid produced by mammals
intervino
Intervened, chimed in; preterite of intervenir
revelador
Revealing, telling; shedding light on a situation
aprovechó
Took advantage of; preterite of aprovechar
oportunidad
Opportunity, chance, favorable moment
exclamó
Exclaimed, cried out; preterite of exclamar
enseguida
Right away, immediately, without delay
Sin
Without; preposition indicating absence or lack
embargo
Sin embargo: however, nevertheless, nonetheless
levantado
Raised, lifted; past participle of levantar
mano
Hand; the end part of the arm
primero
First; ordinal number indicating the initial position
Puedo
I can, I am able to; first person of poder
sentarme
To sit down; reflexive infinitive of sentar
silla
Chair; a piece of furniture for sitting
ya
Already, now, or soon; temporal adverb
aquí
Here; in this place or location
Sentarte
To sit yourself; reflexive infinitive of sentar
padre
Father; male parent
escandalizada
Shocked, scandalized; feminine past participle of escandalizar
ninguna
No, none, not any; feminine negative adjective
manera
Way, manner, or method of doing something
realidad
Reality, truth; what actually exists or occurs
nuestro
Our; first person plural possessive adjective
respondió
Responded, answered; preterite of responder
sabía
Knew; third person singular imperfect of saber
cómo
How; interrogative or exclamative adverb
actúa
Acts, behaves; third person singular present of actuar
hasta
Until, even, up to; preposition or adverb
enseñé
I taught; first person singular preterite of enseñar
quejarse
To complain, grumble, or protest about something
quejamos
We complain; first person plural present of quejarse
gritaron
They shouted or yelled; preterite of gritar
gemelos
Twins; two siblings born at the same time
levantó
Raised, lifted; third person singular preterite of levantar
mucho
Much, a lot; indicating large quantity or degree
más
More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
humilde
Humble, modest; lacking arrogance or pride
único
Only, unique, sole; the one and only
modo
Way, mode, or manner of doing something
especialmente
Especially, particularly; to a greater degree
amable
Kind, friendly, pleasant in manner toward others
creo
I believe, I think; first person singular of creer
timidez
Shyness, timidity; quality of being easily intimidated
pudiera
Could, might be able to; imperfect subjunctive of poder
ser
To be; fundamental linking verb expressing essence
empezaba
Was beginning, used to begin; imperfect of empezar
ocurría
Was happening, used to occur; imperfect of ocurrir
menudo
A menudo: often, frequently, many times
tenía
Had; third person singular imperfect of tener
tonta
Foolish, silly, dumb; feminine adjective
continuar
To continue, keep going, carry on doing something
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