The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 12
A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it.
Un homme qui se marie sans connaître Bunbury passe un temps très fastidieux.
JACK.
JACK.
That is nonsense. If I marry a charming girl like Gwendolen, and she is the only girl I ever saw in my life that I would marry, I certainly won't want to know Bunbury.
C'est absurde. Si j'épouse une fille charmante comme Gwendolen, et qu'elle est la seule fille que j'aie jamais vue dans ma vie que je voudrais épouser, je n'aurai certainement pas envie de connaître Bunbury.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
Then your wife will. You don't seem to realise, that in married life three is company and two is none.
Alors votre femme, elle, voudra le connaître. Vous ne semblez pas réaliser que dans la vie conjugale, trois font bonne compagnie et deux font la solitude.
JACK.
JACK.
[Sententiously.] That, my dear young friend, is the theory that the corrupt French Drama has been propounding for the last fifty years.
[Sentencieusement.] C'est là, mon cher jeune ami, la théorie que le corrompu Drame français expose depuis cinquante ans.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
Yes; and that the happy English home has proved in half the time.
Oui ; et que l'heureux foyer anglais a prouvée en deux fois moins de temps.
JACK.
JACK.
For heaven's sake, don't try to be cynical. It's perfectly easy to be cynical.
Pour l'amour du ciel, n'essayez pas d'être cynique. Il est parfaitement facile d'être cynique.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
My dear fellow, it isn't easy to be anything nowadays. There's such a lot of beastly competition about. [The sound of an electric bell is heard.] Ah! that must be Aunt Augusta. Only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnerian manner. Now, if I get her out of the way for ten minutes, so that you can have an opportunity for proposing to Gwendolen, may I dine with you to-night at Willis's?
Mon cher ami, il n'est pas facile d'être quoi que ce soit de nos jours. Il y a une concurrence tellement abominable. [On entend le son d'une sonnette électrique.] Ah ! ce doit être Tante Augusta. Seuls les parents, ou les créanciers, sonnent jamais de cette manière wagnérienne. Maintenant, si je l'écarte pendant dix minutes, afin que vous puissiez avoir l'occasion de faire votre demande à Gwendolen, puis-je dîner avec vous ce soir chez Willis ?
JACK.
JACK.
I suppose so, if you want to.
Je suppose que oui, si vous le souhaitez.
ALGERNON.
ALGERNON.
Yes, but you must be serious about it. I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.
Oui, mais vous devez le prendre au sérieux. Je déteste les gens qui ne prennent pas les repas au sérieux. C'est tellement frivole de leur part.
[Enter Lane.]
[Entrée de Lane.]
LANE.
LANE.
Lady Bracknell and Miss Fairfax.
Lady Bracknell et Miss Fairfax.
[Algernon goes forward to meet them. Enter Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen.
[Algernon s'avance pour les accueillir. Entrent Lady Bracknell et Gwendolen.
Vocabulary
- Un
- Indefinite article, masculine singular: 'a' or 'an'
- homme
- Adult male human being; man
- qui
- Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs
- marie
- Third-person singular of 'se marier': to get married
- sans
- Preposition meaning 'without'
- connaître
- To know or be acquainted with someone or something
- passe
- Third-person singular of 'passer': to spend time
- un
- Indefinite article, masculine singular: 'a' or 'an'
- temps
- Time; also weather depending on context
- très
- Adverb meaning 'very', intensifying adjectives or adverbs
- fastidieux
- Tedious, boring, or tiresome; causing weariness
- C'
- Contracted form of 'ce': it, this, that
- est
- Third-person singular of 'être': is
- absurde
- Adjective meaning ridiculous, illogical, or absurd
- Si
- Conjunction meaning 'if'; introduces conditional clauses
- j'
- Contracted form of 'je': I, first-person singular pronoun
- épouse
- First-person singular of 'épouser': to marry someone
- une
- Indefinite article, feminine singular: 'a' or 'an'
- fille
- Girl or daughter; young female person
- charmante
- Feminine adjective meaning charming, delightful, or enchanting
- comme
- Conjunction or preposition meaning 'like' or 'as'
- et
- Coordinating conjunction meaning 'and'
- qu'
- Contracted conjunction 'que': that, which, whom
- elle
- Third-person feminine singular pronoun: she or her
- la
- Definite article or pronoun, feminine singular: the or her
- seule
- Feminine adjective meaning alone, only, or solitary
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction: that, which, whom
- aie
- First-person singular subjunctive of 'avoir': to have
- jamais
- Adverb meaning never or ever depending on context
- vue
- Past participle of 'voir': seen; also means sight or view
- dans
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'
- ma
- Possessive adjective, feminine singular: my
- vie
- Noun meaning life; one's existence or lifetime
- je
- First-person singular subject pronoun: I
- voudrais
- Conditional of 'vouloir': would like or would want
- épouser
- Infinitive verb meaning to marry someone
- n'
- Contracted negation particle 'ne', used before vowels
- aurai
- First-person singular future of 'avoir': will have
- certainement
- Adverb meaning certainly, definitely, or surely
- pas
- Negation particle used with 'ne' to mean 'not'
- envie
- Desire or urge; used in 'avoir envie de': to want
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'
- Alors
- Adverb or conjunction meaning then, so, or well
- votre
- Possessive adjective, second-person plural or formal: your
- femme
- Woman or wife; adult female person
- voudra
- Third-person singular future of 'vouloir': will want
- le
- Definite article or pronoun, masculine singular: the or him
- Vous
- Second-person plural or formal singular pronoun: you
- ne
- Negation particle used with 'pas' to mean 'not'
- semblez
- Second-person plural of 'sembler': to seem or appear
- réaliser
- To realize, accomplish, or carry out something
- conjugale
- Adjective meaning conjugal, relating to marriage or spouses
- trois
- Cardinal number three
- font
- Third-person plural of 'faire': make or do
- bonne
- Feminine adjective meaning good or fine
- compagnie
- Company; the state of being with others
- deux
- Cardinal number two
- solitude
- State of being alone; loneliness or isolation
- là
- Adverb meaning there or here; indicating location
- mon
- Possessive adjective, masculine singular: my
- cher
- Adjective meaning dear, beloved, or expensive
- jeune
- Adjective meaning young or youthful
- ami
- Noun meaning friend; male companion
- théorie
- Noun meaning theory; a system of ideas or explanations
- corrompu
- Adjective meaning corrupt, depraved, or morally degraded
- Drame
- Drama; a serious theatrical play or genre
- français
- Adjective or noun meaning French; relating to France
- expose
- Third-person singular of 'exposer': to expose or present
- depuis
- Preposition meaning since or for a period of time
- cinquante
- Cardinal number fifty
- ans
- Plural of 'an': years of age or duration
- Oui
- Affirmative response meaning yes
- l'
- Contracted definite article 'le' or 'la' before vowel
- heureux
- Adjective meaning happy, fortunate, or content
- foyer
- Home, hearth, or household; domestic center
- anglais
- Adjective or noun meaning English; relating to England
- a
- Third-person singular of 'avoir': has
- prouvée
- Feminine past participle of 'prouver': proved or demonstrated
- en
- Preposition or pronoun meaning in, on, or of it
- fois
- Time or instance; used in expressions of frequency
- moins
- Adverb meaning less or fewer; comparative reduction
- Pour
- Preposition meaning for, in order to, or on behalf of
- amour
- Noun meaning love; strong affection or romantic feeling
- du
- Contracted article 'de le': of the or some
- ciel
- Sky or heaven; used in exclamations like 'for heaven's sake'
- essayez
- Second-person plural imperative of 'essayer': try or attempt
- d'
- Contracted preposition 'de' before a vowel: of or to
- être
- Infinitive of the verb to be
- cynique
- Adjective meaning cynical; distrustful of human sincerity
- Il
- Third-person masculine singular pronoun: he or it
- parfaitement
- Adverb meaning perfectly or absolutely
- facile
- Adjective meaning easy or simple
- Mon
- Possessive adjective, masculine singular: my
- il
- Third-person masculine singular pronoun: he or it
- quoi
- Interrogative pronoun meaning what; used in exclamations
- ce
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning this or that
- soit
- Third-person singular subjunctive of 'être': be or may be
- nos
- Possessive adjective, first-person plural: our
- jours
- Plural of 'jour': days
- y
- Pronoun meaning there or referring to a previously mentioned place
- concurrence
- Competition or rivalry between parties
- tellement
- Adverb meaning so much or to such a degree
- abominable
- Adjective meaning abominable, dreadful, or extremely unpleasant
- On
- Indefinite pronoun meaning one, we, or people in general
- entend
- Third-person singular of 'entendre': to hear
- son
- Possessive adjective, third-person singular: his, her, or its
- sonnette
- Small bell or doorbell used to signal arrival
- électrique
- Adjective meaning electric or electrical
- Ah
- Interjection expressing realization, surprise, or understanding
- doit
- Third-person singular of 'devoir': must, should, or owes
- Tante
- Noun meaning aunt; female relative, parent's sister
- Seuls
- Masculine plural adjective meaning only or alone
- les
- Definite article, plural: the
- parents
- Parents or relatives; family members
- ou
- Coordinating conjunction meaning or
- créanciers
- Creditors; people to whom a debt is owed
- sonnent
- Third-person plural of 'sonner': to ring a bell
- cette
- Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning this or that
- manière
- Manner, way, or style of doing something
- Maintenant
- Adverb meaning now or at the present moment
- si
- Conjunction meaning if; introduces conditional clauses
- écarte
- Third-person singular of 's'écarter': to step away or withdraw
- pendant
- Preposition meaning during or for a period of time
- dix
- Cardinal number ten
- minutes
- Plural of 'minute': units of time, sixty seconds each
- afin
- Conjunction used in 'afin de/que': in order to or so that
- vous
- Second-person plural or formal singular pronoun: you
- puissiez
- Second-person plural subjunctive of 'pouvoir': can or may
- avoir
- Infinitive meaning to have; auxiliary verb in French
- occasion
- Opportunity or occasion; a favorable moment
- faire
- Infinitive meaning to do or to make
- demande
- Request or proposal; 'faire sa demande' means to propose marriage
- à
- Preposition meaning to, at, or in
- puis-je
- Inverted first-person singular of 'pouvoir': may I
- dîner
- To dine; to have dinner; also the noun meaning dinner
- avec
- Preposition meaning with
- soir
- Evening or tonight; the latter part of the day
- chez
- Preposition meaning at or to someone's home or establishment
- Je
- First-person singular subject pronoun: I
- suppose
- First-person singular of 'supposer': to suppose or assume
- oui
- Affirmative response meaning yes
- souhaitez
- Second-person plural of 'souhaiter': to wish or desire
- mais
- Coordinating conjunction meaning but
- devez
- Second-person plural of 'devoir': must, should, or have to
- prendre
- Infinitive meaning to take or to have something
- au
- Contracted article 'à le': to the or at the
- sérieux
- Adjective or noun meaning serious or seriousness
- déteste
- First-person singular of 'détester': to detest or hate
- gens
- People; a group of persons in general
- prennent
- Third-person plural of 'prendre': take or treat something
- repas
- Meal; an occasion when food is eaten
- frivole
- Adjective meaning frivolous, trivial, or lacking seriousness
- leur
- Possessive adjective or pronoun meaning their or to them
- part
- Share or part; in 'de leur part': on their part
- Entrée
- Entry or entrance; stage direction indicating someone enters
- s'
- Contracted reflexive pronoun 'se' before a vowel
- avance
- Third-person singular of 's'avancer': to move forward or approach
- pour
- Preposition meaning for, in order to, or on behalf of
- accueillir
- Infinitive meaning to welcome or greet someone
- Entrent
- Third-person plural of 'entrer': they enter; stage direction
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