The Yellow Wallpaper — Page 4

English → Fr Full Text Level 6/10

" So we took the nursery, at the top of the house.

« Nous avons donc pris la chambre des enfants, au sommet de la maison.

It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine galore.

C'est une grande pièce aérée, presque tout un étage, avec des fenêtres qui donnent de tous côtés, et de l'air et du soleil à profusion.

It was nursery first and then playground and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls.

Ce fut d'abord une chambre d'enfants, puis une salle de jeux et un gymnase, je suppose ; car les fenêtres sont munies de barreaux pour les petits enfants, et il y a des anneaux et d'autres choses fixés dans les murs.

The paint and paper look as if a boys' school had used it.

La peinture et le papier peint ont l'air d'avoir été utilisés par une école de garçons.

It is stripped off—the paper—in great patches all around the head of my bed, about as far as I can reach, and in a great place on the other side of the room low down.

Il est arraché — le papier — en grandes plaques tout autour de la tête de mon lit, à peu près aussi loin que je peux tendre la main, et en un grand endroit de l'autre côté de la pièce, tout en bas.

I never saw a worse paper in my life.

Je n'ai jamais vu un papier peint aussi affreux de toute ma vie.

One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin.

Un de ces motifs tentaculaires et flamboyants commettant tous les péchés artistiques possibles.

It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate, and provoke study, and when you follow the lame, uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard-of contradictions.

Il est suffisamment terne pour égarer le regard qui essaie de le suivre, suffisamment marqué pour irriter constamment et inciter à l'étude, et lorsque l'on suit ses courbes boiteuses et incertaines sur une courte distance, elles se suicident soudainement — plongent sous des angles scandaleux, se détruisent en contradictions inouïes.

The color is repellant, almost revolting; a smouldering, unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight.

La couleur est repoussante, presque révoltante ; un jaune couvant, malpropre, étrangement délavé par la lumière du soleil qui tourne lentement.

It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others.

C'est un orange terne mais livide par endroits, une teinte de soufre maladive ailleurs.

No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long.

Pas étonnant que les enfants l'aient détesté ! Je le détesterais moi-même si je devais vivre longtemps dans cette pièce.

There comes John, and I must put this away,—he hates to have me write a word.

Voilà John qui arrive, et je dois ranger ceci, — il déteste me voir écrire le moindre mot.

Vocabulary

Nous: First person plural pronoun meaning 'we'.
avons: First person plural present of 'avoir', meaning 'have'.
donc: Conjunction meaning 'therefore' or 'so'.
pris: Past participle of 'prendre', meaning 'taken'.
la: Feminine definite article meaning 'the'.
chambre: A room, typically a bedroom in a house.
des: Plural indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'of the'.
enfants: Children; young people who are not yet adults.
au: Contraction of 'à le', meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
sommet: The top or summit of something, like a building.
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
maison: A house or home where people live.
C': Contraction of 'ce' before a vowel, meaning 'it' or 'this'.
est: Third person singular of 'être', meaning 'is'.
une: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'.
grande: Feminine adjective meaning large, big, or great.
pièce: A room within a house or apartment.
aérée: Well-ventilated, allowing fresh air to circulate freely.
presque: Adverb meaning 'almost' or 'nearly'.
tout: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'whole', or 'every'.
un: Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
étage: A floor or story in a building.
avec: Preposition meaning 'with'.
fenêtres: Windows; openings in a wall fitted with glass.
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
donnent: Third person plural of 'donner'; here means 'face' or 'overlook'.
tous: Masculine plural of 'tout', meaning 'all' or 'every'.
côtés: Sides; the lateral surfaces or directions of something.
et: Coordinating conjunction meaning 'and'.
l': Elided definite article meaning 'the' before a vowel.
air: The invisible gaseous substance we breathe; atmosphere.
du: Contraction of 'de le', meaning 'of the' or 'some'.
soleil: The sun; the star at the center of our solar system.
à: Preposition meaning 'at', 'to', or 'in'.
profusion: An abundance or large quantity of something.
Ce: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this', 'that', or 'it'.
fut: Simple past third person singular of 'être', meaning 'was'.
d': Elided preposition 'de', meaning 'of' or 'from'.
abord: Used in 'd'abord', meaning 'first' or 'at first'.
puis: Adverb meaning 'then' or 'next' in a sequence.
salle: A room or hall designated for a particular purpose.
jeux: Games or plays; activities done for amusement.
gymnase: A gymnasium; a room equipped for physical exercise.
je: First person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'.
suppose: To assume or guess something to be the case.
car: Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for'.
les: Plural definite article meaning 'the'.
sont: Third person plural of 'être', meaning 'are'.
munies: Feminine plural of 'muni'; equipped or fitted with something.
barreaux: Bars or rails, as on a window or crib.
pour: Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to'.
petits: Masculine plural adjective meaning 'small' or 'little ones'.
il: Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'.
y: Adverbial pronoun meaning 'there' or 'in it'.
a: Third person singular of 'avoir', meaning 'has' or 'there is'.
anneaux: Rings or hoops, often used as gymnastic equipment.
autres: Plural adjective meaning 'other' or 'others'.
choses: Things; general objects or matters.
fixés: Past participle of 'fixer'; attached or fastened in place.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'inside'.
murs: Walls; vertical structures forming sides of a room.
La: Feminine definite article meaning 'the'.
peinture: Paint or painting; a coat of color on a surface.
le: Masculine definite article meaning 'the'.
papier: Paper; material used for writing or covering walls.
peint: Past participle of 'peindre'; painted or coated with color.
ont: Third person plural of 'avoir', meaning 'have'.
avoir: Infinitive verb meaning 'to have'.
été: Past participle of 'être', meaning 'been'.
utilisés: Past participle of 'utiliser'; used or employed for a purpose.
par: Preposition meaning 'by' or 'through'.
école: A school; institution for educating children.
garçons: Boys; male children or young men.
Il: Third person masculine singular pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'.
arraché: Past participle of 'arracher'; torn off or ripped away.
en: Preposition meaning 'in', 'as', or 'by'; also a pronoun.
grandes: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'large' or 'big'.
plaques: Plates, slabs, or large pieces of material.
autour: Preposition or adverb meaning 'around' something.
tête: The head; the uppermost part of the human body.
mon: Masculine possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
lit: A bed; furniture used for sleeping or resting.
peu: Adverb meaning 'a little', 'few', or 'not much'.
près: Adverb or preposition meaning 'near' or 'close'.
aussi: Adverb meaning 'also', 'too', or 'as well'.
loin: Adverb meaning 'far' or 'far away'.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that', 'than', or 'what'.
peux: First person singular present of 'pouvoir', meaning 'can'.
tendre: To stretch or extend; also an adjective meaning tender.
main: The hand; the end part of the human arm.
grand: Masculine adjective meaning 'large', 'big', or 'great'.
endroit: A place or spot; a specific location.
autre: Adjective meaning 'other' or 'another'.
côté: A side; one of the surfaces or directions of something.
bas: Adjective or adverb meaning 'low' or 'down'.
Je: First person singular subject pronoun meaning 'I'.
n': Elided negative particle 'ne', used with 'pas' to negate.
ai: First person singular present of 'avoir', meaning 'have'.
jamais: Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever'.
vu: Past participle of 'voir', meaning 'seen'.
affreux: Adjective meaning 'horrible', 'dreadful', or 'hideous'.
toute: Feminine form of 'tout', meaning 'all' or 'entire'.
ma: Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'my'.
vie: Life; the existence of a living being.
Un: Masculine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
ces: Plural demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' or 'those'.
motifs: Patterns or decorative designs repeated on a surface.
tentaculaires: Adjective meaning tentacle-like, sprawling, or spreading.
flamboyants: Adjective meaning flamboyant, showy, or wildly elaborate.
commettant: Present participle of 'commettre'; committing an act or offense.
péchés: Sins or transgressions against rules or moral principles.
artistiques: Adjective meaning artistic, relating to art or aesthetics.
possibles: Adjective meaning 'possible' or 'imaginable'.
suffisamment: Adverb meaning 'sufficiently' or 'enough'.
terne: Adjective meaning dull, dim, or lacking brightness.
égarer: To mislead or cause someone to lose their way.
regard: A look or gaze; the act of looking at something.
essaie: Third person singular of 'essayer'; tries or attempts something.
suivre: To follow; to go after or trace a path.
marqué: Adjective meaning marked, noticeable, or clearly defined.
irriter: To irritate or annoy; to cause frustration or inflammation.
constamment: Adverb meaning 'constantly' or 'continuously'.
inciter: To incite or encourage someone toward an action.
étude: Study; the act of examining or learning something carefully.
lorsque: Conjunction meaning 'when' or 'at the time that'.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', or 'people'.
suit: Third person singular of 'suivre'; follows a path or pattern.
ses: Plural possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
courbes: Curves; lines that bend smoothly without sharp angles.
boiteuses: Feminine plural adjective meaning lame, limping, or unsteady.
incertaines: Feminine plural adjective meaning uncertain or irregular.
sur: Preposition meaning 'on', 'upon', or 'over'.
courte: Feminine adjective meaning 'short' in length or duration.
distance: The amount of space between two points or objects.
elles: Third person feminine plural pronoun meaning 'they'.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself', 'himself', or 'itself'.
suicident: Third person plural of 'se suicider'; they commit suicide.
soudainement: Adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'all at once'.
plongent: Third person plural of 'plonger'; they plunge or dive.
sous: Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath'.
angles: Angles; the space between two lines that meet.
scandaleux: Adjective meaning scandalous, shocking, or outrageous.
détruisent: Third person plural of 'détruire'; they destroy or ruin.
contradictions: Statements or elements that are mutually inconsistent.
inouïes: Feminine plural adjective meaning unheard-of or extraordinary.
couleur: Color; the visual property produced by different wavelengths.
repoussante: Feminine adjective meaning repulsive, disgusting, or repellent.
révoltante: Feminine adjective meaning revolting, outrageous, or offensive.
jaune: The color yellow; a bright warm primary color.
couvant: Present participle of 'couver'; smoldering, brooding, or incubating.
malpropre: Adjective meaning dirty, unclean, or slovenly.
étrangement: Adverb meaning 'strangely' or 'oddly'.
délavé: Adjective meaning faded, washed-out, or bleached.
lumière: Light; radiant energy that makes things visible.
tourne: Third person singular of 'tourner'; turns or becomes something.
lentement: Adverb meaning 'slowly' or 'at a slow pace'.
orange: The color orange; a warm color between red and yellow.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but' indicating contrast.
livide: Adjective meaning livid, pallid, or discolored.
endroits: Places or spots; specific locations or areas.
teinte: A tint or shade; a slight variation of a color.
soufre: Sulfur; a yellow chemical element with a strong odor.
maladive: Feminine adjective meaning sickly, morbid, or unhealthy.
ailleurs: Adverb meaning 'elsewhere' or 'in other places'.
Pas: Negative adverb meaning 'not' used with 'ne'.
étonnant: Adjective meaning astonishing, surprising, or amazing.
aient: Third person plural subjunctive of 'avoir', meaning 'have'.
détesté: Past participle of 'détester'; hated or strongly disliked.
détesterais: First person singular conditional of 'détester'; would hate.
moi-même: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'myself', emphasizing the first person.
si: Conjunction meaning 'if'; introduces a conditional clause.
devais: First person singular imperfect of 'devoir'; had to or was supposed to.
vivre: To live; to be alive or to reside somewhere.
longtemps: Adverb meaning 'for a long time'.
cette: Feminine demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' or 'that'.
Voilà: Exclamation meaning 'there it is' or 'here comes'.
arrive: Third person singular of 'arriver'; arrives or comes.
dois: First person singular of 'devoir'; must or have to.
ranger: To put away, tidy up, or store something neatly.
ceci: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' referring to something nearby.
déteste: Third person singular of 'détester'; hates or strongly dislikes.
me: First person singular object or reflexive pronoun meaning 'me'.
voir: To see; to perceive with the eyes.
écrire: To write; to put words on paper or a surface.
moindre: Adjective meaning 'least' or 'slightest'; the smallest amount.
mot: A word; a unit of language with meaning.

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