The Brothers Karamazov — Page 6

Vocabulary

Había

Past perfect auxiliary verb 'had' (third person singular)

muerto

Dead; past participle of 'morir' (to die)

de

Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'

repente

Suddenness; used in 'de repente' meaning 'suddenly'

en

Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'

una

Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine)

buhardilla

Attic or garret; small room under a roof

según

According to; depending on a version or source

versión

Version; a particular account or telling of events

tifus

Typhus; a serious infectious bacterial disease

o

Conjunction meaning 'or,' presenting an alternative

otra

Another; a different one (feminine form)

inanición

Starvation; severe weakness from lack of food

estaba

Was; imperfect tense of 'estar' (temporary state)

borracho

Drunk; a person intoxicated by alcohol

cuando

When; conjunction introducing a temporal clause

se

Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' 'itself'

enteró

Found out; learned about something (preterite tense)

la

Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine singular)

muerte

Death; the end of life

su

His, her, its, or their (possessive adjective)

esposa

Wife; a female spouse in a marriage

y

Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses

cuenta

They say; recounts or tells (third person singular)

que

That; conjunction or relative pronoun connecting clauses

salió

Went out; left a place (preterite of 'salir')

corriendo

Running; gerund of 'correr,' moving quickly on foot

a

Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'

calle

Street; a public road in a town or city

empezó

Began; started doing something (preterite of 'empezar')

gritar

To shout; to cry out loudly

alegría

Joy; a feeling of great happiness or delight

levantando

Raising; lifting upward (gerund of 'levantar')

las

Definite article meaning 'the' (feminine plural)

manos

Hands; the body parts at the end of arms

al

Contraction of 'a' and 'el,' meaning 'to the'

cielo

Sky or heaven; the expanse above or paradise

Señor

Lord or Mister; title of respect or divine address

ahora

Now; at this present moment in time

dejas

You let; allow someone to go (second person singular)

ir

To go; infinitive of the verb meaning to travel

tu

Your; possessive adjective (informal, second person singular)

siervo

Servant or serf; one who serves another humbly

paz

Peace; a state of calm, harmony, or tranquility

pero

But; conjunction expressing contrast or contradiction

otros

Others; different people or things (masculine plural)

dicen

They say; third person plural of 'decir'

lloró

Cried; wept tears (preterite of 'llorar')

sin

Without; preposition indicating absence of something

freno

Brake or restraint; something that checks or controls

como

Like or as; conjunction used in comparisons

un

Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine)

niño

Child or boy; a young male person

pequeño

Small or little; of limited size or age

tanto

So much; to such a degree or extent

gente

People; a group of human beings collectively

le

Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him' or 'her'

tenía

Had; imperfect tense of 'tener' (to have)

lástima

Pity; a feeling of sorrow for another's misfortune

pesar

Despite; grief or regret about something unfortunate

repulsión

Repulsion; a strong feeling of disgust or aversion

inspiraba

Inspired; aroused a feeling in others (imperfect tense)

Es

Is; third person singular present of 'ser'

muy

Very; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb

posible

Possible; capable of happening or being true

ambas

Both; referring to two things together (feminine)

versiones

Versions; multiple accounts or tellings of events

fueran

Were; imperfect subjunctive of 'ser,' expressing possibility

ciertas

Certain or true; confirmed as accurate (feminine plural)

alegrara

Rejoiced; imperfect subjunctive of 'alegrarse' (to be glad)

liberación

Liberation; the act of being set free from something

mismo

Same; identical or referring back to the subject itself

tiempo

Time or weather; a measured period or duration

llorara

Wept; imperfect subjunctive of 'llorar' (to cry)

por

For, by, or through; a versatile Spanish preposition

ella

She or her; third person feminine singular pronoun

lo

It or him; neuter or masculine direct object pronoun

había

Had; past perfect auxiliary (imperfect of 'haber')

liberado

Freed; past participle of 'liberar' (to liberate)

Por

For or by; preposition used in many expressions

general

General; usual or typical; also a military rank

personas

People; individual human beings or persons

incluso

Even; including something unexpected or extreme

malvadas

Evil or wicked; morally bad people (feminine plural)

son

Are; third person plural present tense of 'ser'

mucho

Much or a lot; indicating a large quantity or degree

más

More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree

ingenuas

Naive; innocent and unsuspecting (feminine plural)

sencillas

Simple; uncomplicated or straightforward (feminine plural)

corazón

Heart; the organ or center of emotion and feeling

suponemos

We suppose; we assume something to be the case

Y

And; conjunction linking words, phrases, or clauses

nosotros

We; first person plural subject pronoun

mismos

Ourselves; reflexive form emphasizing 'we' (masculine plural)

también

Also or too; indicating addition or agreement

somos

We are; first person plural present tense of 'ser'