The Ballad of the White Horse — Page 1

Vocabulary

Produit

Produced; created or manufactured by someone

par

By or through; indicates authorship or means

et

And; connects two words or phrases together

LA

The; feminine definite article in French

BALLADE

Ballad; a narrative poem or song with refrain

DU

Of the; contracted masculine definite article

CHEVAL

Horse; a large domesticated four-legged animal

BLANC

White; the color of snow or milk

Par

By; introduces the agent or author of something

Note

Note; a written remark or annotation

préliminaire

Preliminary; coming before the main content

Cette

This; feminine demonstrative adjective in French

ballade

Ballad; a lyrical narrative poem or song

n'

Not; negation particle contracted before vowel

a

Has; third person singular of avoir

pas

Not; negation particle used with ne

besoin

Need; a requirement or necessity for something

de

Of or from; a very common French preposition

notes

Notes; written remarks or annotations in text

historiques

Historical; relating to or concerning history

pour

For; a preposition indicating purpose or reason

la

The; feminine singular definite article in French

simple

Simple; easy, uncomplicated, or straightforward

raison

Reason; a cause or justification for something

qu'

That; subordinating conjunction contracted before vowel

elle

She or it; third person feminine singular pronoun

ne

Not; negation particle used with pas or other words

prétend

Claims or pretends; asserts something as true

être

To be; the infinitive of the verb être

historique

Historical; related to or based on real history

Tout

All or everything; totality of something

ce

This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

qui

Who or which; relative or interrogative pronoun

est

Is; third person singular present tense of être

franchement

Frankly; honestly or openly, without pretense

fictif

Fictional; invented, not based on real events

comme

Like or as; used for comparisons or examples

dans

In or inside; a very common French preposition

tout

Every or all; indicating totality or entirety

roman

Novel; a long fictional prose narrative work

en

In or by; a common French preposition

prose

Prose; ordinary written language without verse form

sur

On or about; a common French preposition

le

The; masculine singular definite article in French

passé

Past; a former period of time that has elapsed

vise

Aims at; targets or intends to achieve something

à

To or at; a very common French preposition

mettre

To put or place; to set something somewhere

valeur

Value; the worth or importance of something

tradition

Tradition; customs passed down through generations

plutôt

Rather; used to indicate preference or contrast

que

That or than; a conjunction or comparative word

l'

The; definite article contracted before a vowel

histoire

History or story; a narrative of past events

Le

The; masculine singular definite article in French

roi

King; a male monarch ruling a kingdom

une

A or an; feminine indefinite article in French

légende

Legend; a traditional story from the past

au

To the or at the; contracted masculine article

sens

Sense or meaning; the significance of something

où

Where or in which; a relative or question word

pourrait

Could; conditional form of pouvoir, to be able

c'

It is; contracted form of ce before est

est-à-dire

That is to say; used to clarify or explain

il

He or it; third person masculine singular pronoun

éventuellement

Possibly; might happen under certain conditions

un

A or one; masculine indefinite article in French

mensonge

Lie; a false statement intended to deceive someone

Mais

But; a conjunction indicating contrast or opposition

plus

More; indicates greater quantity or degree

large

Wide or broad; greater than average in scope

humain

Human; relating to people or human nature

les

The; plural definite article used for both genders

légendes

Legends; traditional stories passed down through time

sont

Are; third person plural present tense of être

choses

Things; objects or matters of any kind

importantes

Important; of great significance or consequence

son

His, her, or its; third person possessive adjective

sujet

Subject; the main topic or theme being discussed

culte

Cult or worship; devotion to a person or idea

d'

Of; preposition de contracted before a vowel

était

Was; third person singular imperfect tense of être

populaire

Popular; widely liked or known by many people

depuis

Since or for; indicating duration from a point

ténèbres

Darkness; deep shadows or obscurity, often figurative

du

Of the; contracted masculine definite article form

neuvième

Ninth; the ordinal number coming after eighth

siècle

Century; a period of one hundred years

jusqu'

Until or up to; preposition indicating limit

crépuscule

Twilight; the dim light just after sunset

s'

Oneself; reflexive pronoun contracted before vowel

approfondissait

Was deepening; becoming more profound or intense

vingtième

Twentieth; the ordinal number following nineteenth

C'

It; demonstrative pronoun contracted before est

entièrement

Entirely; completely, without any exception or omission

tant

So much or as long as; indicating degree or condition

je

I; the first person singular subject pronoun

traite

Treats or deals with; addresses a topic or subject

ici

Here; in this place or at this point

J'

I; contracted first person pronoun before vowel

écris

Write; first person singular present tense of écrire

ignorant

Ignorant; lacking knowledge about a particular subject

sauf

Except or unless; indicates an exclusion or condition

j'

I; contracted first person pronoun before a vowel

ai

Have; first person singular present tense of avoir

trouvé

Found; past participle of trouver, to find

encore

Still or again; indicates continuation or repetition

vivante

Alive; living, vibrant, or currently in existence

pays

Country or region; a land or geographic area

Je

I; the first person singular subject pronoun

donnerai

Will give; future tense of donner, to give

trois

Three; the number between two and four

exemples

Examples; instances used to illustrate a point

concis

Concise; brief and clearly expressed without excess

veux

Want; first person singular present tense of vouloir

dire

To say or tell; the infinitive of saying

Une

A or one; feminine indefinite article in French

relie

Links or connects; joins two things together

victoire

Victory; a success achieved in a battle or contest

ultime

Ultimate; final or most extreme in a series

vallée

Valley; a low area of land between hills

appelée

Called or named; past participle of appeler

Val

Vale or valley; a poetic word for a valley

Cheval

Horse; a large domesticated equine animal

Blanc

White; the lightest color, like snow or milk

vu

Seen; past participle of voir, to see

des

Some or of the; plural indefinite or partitive article

doutes

Doubts; feelings of uncertainty about something

cette

This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

peuvent

Can; third person plural present tense of pouvoir

valables

Valid; acceptable, legitimate, or well-founded

sais

Know; first person singular present of savoir

quand

When; an interrogative or conjunction of time

ni

Neither nor; used in negative constructions

commencé

Begun; past participle of commencer, to begin

suffit

Suffices; it is enough or adequate for purpose

ait

Has; subjunctive form of avoir, to have

quelque

Some; an indefinite adjective indicating a small amount

part

Part or somewhere; a portion or an unspecified place

se

Oneself; reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs

soit

Be; subjunctive form of être, to be

terminée

Finished; past participle of terminer, to end

avec

With; a preposition indicating accompaniment or means

moi

Me; stressed first person singular pronoun

car

Because or for; a conjunction giving a reason

cherche

Seeks or looks for; first person of chercher

seulement

Only or merely; limiting something to one thing

écrire

To write; the infinitive of the verb écrire

ouï-dire

Hearsay; information heard from others, not verified

faisaient

Were doing or made; imperfect tense of faire

vieux

Old; elderly or ancient, referring to age

balladistes

Balladeers; poets or singers who compose ballads