The Tale of Benjamin Bunny — Page 1

Vocabulary

LE

The (masculine singular definite article)

CONTE

A short story or tale, often for children

DE

Of, from; common French preposition

LAPIN

A rabbit; common small furry animal

PAR

By, through; preposition indicating agent or means

AUTEUR

An author or creator of a literary work

LA

The (feminine singular definite article)

QUEUE

A tail or line of people waiting

renouvelé

Renewed; updated or extended, as a copyright

AUX

To the, at the; contraction of à and les

ENFANTS

Children; young human beings, plural of enfant

PART

Part, share; a portion of something larger

DU

Of the; contraction of de and le

VIEUX

Old; adjective describing something or someone aged

M

Abbreviation for Monsieur, meaning Mister

Un

A, an; masculine singular indefinite article

matin

Morning; the early part of the day

un

A, an; masculine singular indefinite article

petit

Small, little; adjective describing small size

lapin

A rabbit; a small furry burrowing animal

était

Was; third person singular imperfect of être

assis

Seated, sitting; past participle of asseoir

sur

On, upon; preposition indicating position above

talus

An embankment or sloped bank of earth

Il

He, it; third person masculine singular pronoun

dressa

Raised, pricked up; past simple of dresser

les

The; plural definite article for both genders

oreilles

Ears; the organs used for hearing, plural

et

And; basic coordinating conjunction linking elements

écouta

Listened; past simple of écouter, to listen

le

The; masculine singular definite article

d'

Of, from; elided form of de before vowel

poney

A pony; a small breed of horse

cabriolet

A light two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage

avançait

Was advancing, moving forward; imperfect of avancer

la

The; feminine singular definite article

route

A road or route used for travel

conduit

Driven, led; past participle of conduire

par

By; preposition indicating agent or means

à

To, at, in; common French preposition

côté

Side; the lateral part or edge of something

de

Of, from; very common French preposition

lui

Him, to him; third person singular pronoun

assise

Seated, sitting; feminine past participle of asseoir

Mme

Abbreviation for Madame, meaning Mrs or Ma'am

avec

With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means

son

His, her, its; possessive adjective singular

plus

More; adverb used in comparisons or negation

beau

Beautiful, handsome; adjective for attractiveness

bonnet

A bonnet or hat, especially a woman's cap

Dès

As soon as, from; preposition indicating immediacy

qu'

That, when; elided conjunction before a vowel

ils

They; third person masculine plural subject pronoun

furent

Were; third person plural past simple of être

passés

Passed, gone by; plural past participle of passer

Lapin

Rabbit; small burrowing mammal kept as pet

descendit

Descended, came down; past simple of descendre

en

In, by, while; preposition or gerund marker

glissant

Sliding, slipping; present participle of glisser

partit

Left, departed; past simple of partir

sautillant

Hopping, skipping; present participle of sautiller

bondissant

Leaping, bounding; present participle of bondir

cabriolant

Frolicking, cavorting; present participle of cabrioler

rendre

To render, return, or pay; infinitive verb

visite

A visit; the act of going to see someone

sa

His, her, its; feminine singular possessive adjective

famille

Family; a group of related people living together

qui

Who, which, that; relative or interrogative pronoun

habitait

Lived, resided; third person imperfect of habiter

dans

In, inside; preposition indicating location within

bois

A wood or forest; area of trees

derrière

Behind, at the back of; preposition or adverb

jardin

A garden; cultivated outdoor space for plants

Ce

This, that; demonstrative adjective or pronoun

plein

Full of; adjective meaning completely filled

terriers

Burrows or dens dug by animals underground

soigné

Well-kept, neat; adjective meaning carefully maintained

sablonneux

Sandy; adjective describing soil with lots of sand

tous

All, everyone; plural pronoun or adjective

vivaient

Lived; third person plural imperfect of vivre

tante

Aunt; the sister of one's parent

ses

His, her, its; plural possessive adjective

cousins

Cousins; children of one's aunt or uncle

vieille

Old; feminine adjective describing an elderly person

veuve

A widow; a woman whose husband has died

elle

She, her; third person feminine singular pronoun

gagnait

Was earning; third person imperfect of gagner

vie

Life; the state of being alive

tricotant

Knitting; present participle of tricoter

des

Some, of the; plural indefinite article

mitaines

Mittens; fingerless gloves or thumbed hand coverings

manchettes

Cuffs; decorative wrist coverings on sleeves

laine

Wool; soft fiber from sheep used for knitting

j'

I; elided first person singular subject pronoun

ai

Have; first person singular of avoir

acheté

Bought; past participle of acheter, to buy

une

A, an; feminine singular indefinite article

paire

A pair; a set of two matching items

jour

Day; a period of twenty-four hours

bazar

A bazaar or market; a place selling various goods

Elle

She; third person feminine singular subject pronoun

vendait

Was selling; third person imperfect of vendre

aussi

Also, too; adverb indicating addition or similarity

herbes

Herbs or plants; vegetation used for cooking or medicine

du

Of the, some; contraction of de and le

thé

Tea; a hot drink made from infused leaves

romarin

Rosemary; an aromatic herb used in cooking

c'

It is; elided form of ce before est

est

Is; third person singular present of être

ainsi

Thus, so, in this way; adverb of manner

que

That, which, than; conjunction or relative pronoun

nous

We, us; first person plural pronoun

appelons

Call, name; first person plural present of appeler

lavande

Lavender; a fragrant purple-flowering aromatic plant

Le

The; masculine singular definite article

n'

Not; elided negative particle used with pas

avait

Had; third person singular imperfect of avoir

pas

Not; negative adverb used with ne

très

Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs

envie

Desire, urge; a strong wish to do something

voir

To see; infinitive of the verb voir

contourna

Went around; past simple of contourner

sapin

A fir tree; a coniferous evergreen tree

faillit

Almost did; past simple of faillir, to nearly do

tomber

To fall; infinitive meaning to drop or tumble

cousin

A cousin; child of one's aunt or uncle

tout

All, quite, completely; adjective or adverb

seul

Alone, only; adjective meaning by oneself

l'

The; elided definite article before a vowel

air

Air, appearance; look or manner of a person

souffrant

Suffering, unwell; present participle of souffrir

enveloppé

Wrapped, enveloped; past participle of envelopper

mouchoir

A handkerchief; a cloth for wiping one's nose

poche

A pocket; a small pouch sewn into clothing

coton

Cotton; a soft natural fiber used in fabric

rouge

Red; the color of blood or ripe strawberries