Sense and Sensibility — Page 6

English → Fr CHAPTER II. Level 7/10

To be tied down to the regular payment of such a sum, on every rent day, is by no means desirable: it takes away one's independence.

Être astreint au paiement régulier d'une telle somme, à chaque jour de loyer, n'est nullement souhaitable : cela ôte toute indépendance.

"Undoubtedly; and after all you have no thanks for it.

« Sans aucun doute ; et après tout, vous n'en recevez aucune reconnaissance.

They think themselves secure, you do no more than what is expected, and it raises no gratitude at all.

Ils se croient en sécurité, vous ne faites rien de plus que ce que l'on attend de vous, et cela ne suscite pas la moindre gratitude.

If I were you, whatever I did should be done at my own discretion entirely.

Si j'étais vous, tout ce que je ferais serait fait entièrement à ma propre discrétion.

I would not bind myself to allow them any thing yearly.

Je ne m'engagerais pas à leur accorder quoi que ce soit annuellement.

It may be very inconvenient some years to spare a hundred, or even fifty pounds from our own expenses."

Il pourrait être fort gênant, certaines années, de distraire cent, voire cinquante livres de nos propres dépenses. »

"I believe you are right, my love; it will be better that there should be no annuity in the case;

« Je crois que vous avez raison, mon amour ; il vaudra mieux qu'il ne soit question d'aucune rente ;

whatever I may give them occasionally will be of far greater assistance than a yearly allowance, because they would only enlarge their style of living if they felt sure of a larger income, and would not be sixpence the richer for it at the end of the year.

tout ce que je pourrais leur donner occasionnellement sera d'un bien plus grand secours qu'une allocation annuelle, car ils ne feraient qu'accroître leur train de vie s'ils étaient assurés d'un revenu plus important, et n'en seraient pas d'un sou plus riches à la fin de l'année.

It will certainly be much the best way.

Ce sera certainement de loin la meilleure façon de procéder.

A present of fifty pounds, now and then, will prevent their ever being distressed for money, and will, I think, be amply discharging my promise to my father."

Un présent de cinquante livres, de temps à autre, les empêchera d'être jamais dans la gêne, et constituera, je crois, un acquittement largement suffisant de ma promesse envers mon père. »

"To be sure it will.

« Assurément.

Indeed, to say the truth, I am convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them any money at all.

En vérité, à dire vrai, je suis intimement convaincue que votre père n'avait nullement l'idée que vous leur donniez de l'argent.

Vocabulary

Être: To be; fundamental French linking or auxiliary verb
astreint: Compelled or bound to fulfill an obligation
au: Contraction of à+le, meaning 'to the' or 'at the'
paiement: Payment; act of paying money owed
régulier: Regular, steady, occurring at fixed intervals
une: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
telle: Such, of this kind; feminine form of 'tel'
somme: Sum or amount of money
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'
chaque: Each, every; refers to individual items in a group
jour: Day; a 24-hour period
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'
loyer: Rent; money paid periodically for housing
est: Third-person singular of 'être', meaning 'is'
nullement: Not at all, in no way whatsoever
souhaitable: Desirable, worth wishing for
cela: That, this; demonstrative pronoun referring to something
ôte: Removes, takes away; third-person form of 'ôter'
toute: All, every, any; feminine singular form of 'tout'
indépendance: Independence; state of being free from outside control
Sans: Without; preposition indicating absence of something
aucun: No, none, not any; negative determiner
doute: Doubt; uncertainty about something
et: And; basic coordinating conjunction
après: After, following in time or order
tout: All, everything, every; very common French word
vous: You; second-person plural or formal pronoun
en: In, of it, some; versatile French preposition or pronoun
recevez: You receive; second-person plural of 'recevoir'
aucune: No, none; feminine form of negative determiner 'aucun'
reconnaissance: Gratitude, recognition, thankfulness for something received
Ils: They; third-person masculine plural subject pronoun
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'themselves' or 'each other'
croient: They believe or think; third-person plural of 'croire'
sécurité: Security, safety; state of being free from danger
ne: Negation particle used with 'pas' to negate verbs
faites: You do or make; second-person plural of 'faire'
rien: Nothing; negative indefinite pronoun
plus: More, no longer; common adverb of comparison or negation
que: That, than, what; versatile conjunction or relative pronoun
ce: This, that; demonstrative pronoun or determiner
on: One, we, they; indefinite third-person subject pronoun
attend: Expects or waits for; third-person singular of 'attendre'
suscite: Arouses, provokes, generates a feeling or reaction
pas: Not; negation particle used with 'ne'
la: The; feminine singular definite article
moindre: Least, slightest; superlative form of 'petit'
gratitude: Thankfulness, appreciation for kindness received
Si: If; conditional conjunction introducing hypothetical clauses
étais: I was or you were; imperfect form of 'être'
je: I; first-person singular subject pronoun
ferais: I would do or make; conditional of 'faire'
serait: Would be; conditional third-person singular of 'être'
fait: Done, made; past participle of 'faire'
entièrement: Entirely, completely, wholly without exception
ma: My; first-person singular feminine possessive adjective
propre: Own, clean; adjective meaning belonging to oneself
discrétion: Discretion; freedom to decide wisely and carefully
Je: I; first-person singular subject pronoun
engagerais: I would commit or pledge; conditional of 's'engager'
leur: Their, to them; possessive adjective or indirect pronoun
accorder: To grant, give, or allow something to someone
quoi: What; interrogative or relative pronoun after prepositions
soit: May be; subjunctive of 'être', also meaning 'either'
annuellement: Annually, once per year, on a yearly basis
Il: He, it; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun
pourrait: Could, might; conditional of 'pouvoir'
être: To be; infinitive of the fundamental French verb
fort: Very, strong; adverb meaning 'very' or adjective 'strong'
gênant: Embarrassing, inconvenient, awkward in a given situation
certaines: Certain, some; feminine plural of 'certain'
années: Years; plural of 'année', a calendar year
distraire: To divert, distract, or set aside money or attention
cent: One hundred; the number 100
voire: Indeed, even, or even more so; emphatic adverb
cinquante: Fifty; the number 50
livres: Pounds (currency or weight); plural of 'livre'
nos: Our; first-person plural possessive adjective
propres: Own; plural adjective meaning belonging to oneself
dépenses: Expenses, expenditures; money spent on various things
crois: I believe or think; first-person singular of 'croire'
avez: You have; second-person plural of 'avoir'
raison: Reason, right; avoir raison means to be right
mon: My; first-person singular masculine possessive adjective
amour: Love; deep affection for another person
il: He, it; third-person masculine singular subject pronoun
vaudra: Will be worth; future tense of 'valoir'
mieux: Better; comparative adverb of 'bien'
question: Question; matter or issue under discussion
rente: Annuity, regular income, or investment revenue
pourrais: I or you could; conditional of 'pouvoir'
donner: To give; to hand or provide something to someone
occasionnellement: Occasionally, from time to time, not regularly
sera: Will be; future tense third-person singular of 'être'
un: A, an, one; masculine indefinite article or numeral
bien: Good, well; common adverb or noun meaning 'good'
grand: Big, great, large; common French adjective
secours: Help, aid, assistance in time of need
allocation: Allowance, benefit, or financial grant given regularly
annuelle: Annual, yearly; feminine adjective related to the year
car: Because, for; causal coordinating conjunction
ils: They; third-person masculine plural subject pronoun
feraient: They would do or make; conditional plural of 'faire'
accroître: To increase, grow, or expand something over time
train: Train, pace, lifestyle; 'train de vie' means lifestyle
vie: Life; one's existence or way of living
étaient: They were; third-person plural imperfect of 'être'
assurés: Assured, certain, guaranteed; past participle of 'assurer'
revenu: Income, revenue; money received regularly
important: Important, significant, large in amount or degree
seraient: They would be; conditional plural of 'être'
sou: Small coin, penny; 'sans le sou' means penniless
riches: Rich, wealthy; plural adjective describing affluence
fin: End, conclusion; end of a period or sequence
année: Year; a full calendar year
Ce: This, that, it; demonstrative pronoun or adjective
certainement: Certainly, definitely, without any doubt
loin: Far, distant; adverb of place or degree
meilleure: Best, better; feminine superlative or comparative of 'bon'
façon: Way, manner, method of doing something
procéder: To proceed, act, or go about doing something
Un: A, an, one; masculine indefinite article
présent: Present, gift, now; current time or a given item
temps: Time, weather; fundamental French noun with dual meaning
autre: Other, another; adjective or pronoun indicating difference
les: The; plural definite article for masculine and feminine
empêchera: Will prevent; future tense of 'empêcher'
jamais: Never, ever; negative or emphatic temporal adverb
dans: In, inside, within; common French preposition of place
gêne: Financial difficulty, embarrassment, or discomfort
constituera: Will constitute or form; future tense of 'constituer'
acquittement: Discharge, fulfillment of a duty or debt
largement: Largely, amply, widely, more than sufficiently
suffisant: Sufficient, enough, adequate for a purpose
promesse: Promise; a commitment made to another person
envers: Toward, regarding, with respect to someone
père: Father; male parent
Assurément: Assuredly, certainly, without any doubt whatsoever
En: In, on, by; preposition or pronoun with varied uses
vérité: Truth; that which is true or factual
dire: To say, to tell; fundamental French verb of speech
vrai: True, real; adjective meaning truthful or genuine
suis: I am; first-person singular present of 'être'
intimement: Intimately, deeply, closely; in a profound inner sense
convaincue: Convinced, persuaded; feminine past participle of 'convaincre'
votre: Your; second-person singular or plural possessive adjective
avait: Had; third-person singular imperfect of 'avoir'
idée: Idea, thought, concept in one's mind
donniez: You gave or would give; imperfect or subjunctive of 'donner'
argent: Money or silver; very common French noun

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