The Prince — Page 7

Vocabulary

Pourtant

However; nevertheless; used to introduce a contrast

dans

In; inside; within a place or context

le

The; masculine singular definite article in French

duc

Duke; a high-ranking European nobleman

est

Is; third-person singular of être (to be)

en

In; on; used to indicate state or manner

réalité

Reality; the actual state of things

cité

Cited; mentioned as an example or reference

comme

As; like; in the capacity of

type

Type; example; a representative instance of something

de

Of; from; a very common French preposition

l'

The; elided definite article before a vowel

homme

Man; an adult male human being

qui

Who; that; a relative or interrogative pronoun

s'

Himself/herself; elided reflexive pronoun before vowel

élève

Rises; elevates oneself; climbs in status or rank

grâce

Thanks to; grace; by means of something favorable

à

To; at; in; a fundamental French preposition

la

The; feminine singular definite article in French

fortune

Fortune; luck; wealth or favorable circumstances

des

Of the; some; plural partitive or possessive article

autres

Others; other people; the rest of them

et

And; a basic coordinating conjunction in French

tombe

Falls; collapses; descends from a position of power

avec

With; together with; in the company of

eux

Them; masculine plural stressed pronoun in French

suit

Follows; pursues; adheres to a course of action

toutes

All; every; feminine plural of tout

les

The; plural definite article for all genders

voies

Ways; paths; courses of action available

que

That; which; a conjunction or relative pronoun

on

One; we; people; indefinite subject pronoun

pourrait

Could; might; conditional form of pouvoir

attendre

To expect; to wait for; to anticipate something

d'

Of; from; elided preposition before a vowel

un

A; one; masculine singular indefinite article

prudent

Prudent; cautious; showing careful good judgment

sauf

Except; save for; excluding one particular thing

celle

The one; that one; feminine singular demonstrative pronoun

sauverait

Would save; conditional of sauver, to rescue

préparé

Prepared; ready; having made advance arrangements

éventualités

Eventualities; possible future events or contingencies

se

Himself; herself; reflexive pronoun for third person

produit

Occurs; happens; takes place; also means product

lorsque

When; at the time that; introducing a temporal clause

ses

His; her; its; third-person singular possessive adjective

capacités

Capacities; abilities; skills or aptitudes someone possesses

échouent

Fail; are unsuccessful; do not achieve the goal

tirer

To pull; to draw; to get oneself out of trouble

affaire

Affair; matter; a situation or business deal

exclame

Exclaims; cries out; declares something emphatically

ce

This; it; a demonstrative pronoun or adjective

n'

Not; elided negative particle used before a vowel

était

Was; imperfect tense of être, to be

pas

Not; second part of French negation ne...pas

sa

His; her; its; feminine singular possessive adjective

faute

Fault; mistake; blame attributed to someone

mais

But; however; introducing a contrasting idea

une

A; one; feminine singular indefinite article

fatalité

Fatality; fate; an unavoidable destined misfortune

extraordinaire

Extraordinary; exceptional; beyond what is ordinary

imprévue

Unforeseen; unexpected; not anticipated in advance

À

At; to; on; preposition indicating time or place

mort

Death; the end of life; dying

fut

Was; simple past (passé simple) of être

envoyé

Sent; dispatched to a location for a purpose

pour

For; in order to; indicating purpose or reason

observer

To observe; to watch carefully; to monitor events

élection

Election; the process of choosing by vote

son

His; her; its; masculine singular possessive adjective

successeur

Successor; one who follows another in a position

il

He; it; masculine third-person singular subject pronoun

y

There; a pronoun replacing a previously mentioned place

vit

Saw; passé simple of voir, to see

trompé

Deceived; misled; having been fooled by someone

au

To the; at the; contraction of à and le

point

Point; degree; to the extent of doing something

laisser

To let; to allow; to leave something to happen

choix

Choice; selection; the act of choosing between options

du

Of the; some; contraction of de and le

Collège

College; here the College of Cardinals selecting pope

porter

To carry; to bring; here to cast or direct a vote

sur

On; upon; over; a French preposition of position

cardinaux

Cardinals; senior Catholic Church officials electing pope

ayant

Having; present participle of avoir, to have

plus

More; most; no longer; a versatile French adverb

raisons

Reasons; motives; justifications for an action or belief

craindre

To fear; to be afraid of someone or something

commentant

Commenting; remarking upon; offering observations about something

cette

This; that; feminine singular demonstrative adjective

dit

Says; said; third-person singular of dire, to say

celui

The one; he who; masculine singular demonstrative pronoun

croit

Believes; thinks; third-person singular of croire

nouvelles

New; news; feminine plural of nouveau, meaning recent

faveurs

Favors; acts of kindness; privileges granted to someone

amèneront

Will bring; will cause; future tense of amener

grands

Great; large; important; masculine plural of grand

personnages

Figures; personages; important or notable individuals

oublier

To forget; to fail to remember something past

anciennes

Old; former; ancient; feminine plural of ancien

blessures

Wounds; injuries; hurts inflicted on someone

trompe

Deceives; misleads; tricks; third person of tromper

lui-

Him-; himself; part of the reflexive emphatic pronoun

même

Same; even; himself; used for emphasis in French

ne

Not; first part of French negation ne...pas

arrêta

Stopped; halted; passé simple of arrêter

avant

Before; prior to; in advance of an event

avoir

To have; infinitive of the verb avoir

ruiné

Ruined; destroyed; having caused complete downfall of someone

C'

It is; this is; elided form of ce before est

auprès

Near; close to; beside; in the vicinity of

alors

Then; at that time; so; therefore in French

pontife

Pontiff; the pope; supreme head of the Catholic Church

commençait

Was beginning; imperfect of commencer, to start

entreprise

Enterprise; undertaking; a major project or venture

contre

Against; opposed to; in conflict with something

qu'

That; which; elided conjunction before a vowel

mena

Led; conducted; passé simple of mener, to lead

bien

Well; good; successfully; a common French adverb

fit

Did; made; passé simple of faire, to do

nombre

Number; a quantity; many instances of something

aventures

Adventures; ventures; bold or risky undertakings

principalement

Mainly; principally; above all other considerations

caractère

Character; nature; the distinctive qualities of a person

impétueux

Impetuous; rash; acting with sudden forceful energy

référence

Reference; allusion; a mention pointing to something else

pape

Pope; the head of the Roman Catholic Church

moralise

Moralizes; draws a moral lesson from a situation

ressemblance

Resemblance; similarity; likeness between two things

entre

Between; among; linking two things or people

Fortune

Fortune; luck personified as a governing force

femmes

Women; wives; adult female human beings

conclut

Concludes; infers; draws a final conclusion from argument

c'

It; this; elided demonstrative pronoun before est

audacieux

Audacious; bold; daring beyond ordinary limits

plutôt

Rather; instead; somewhat; preferably over another option

saura

Will know how; future of savoir, to know

conquérir

To conquer; to win; to gain control over something

garder

To keep; to guard; to maintain possession of something

deux

Two; the number two; both of two things