War and Peace — Page 1

English → Spanish CHAPTER I Level 8/10

"Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of the Buonapartes.

—Bien, Príncipe, así que Génova y Lucca son ahora simples propiedades familiares de los Buonaparte.

But I warn you, if you don't tell me that this means war, if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist—I really believe he is Antichrist—I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend, no longer my 'faithful slave,' as you call yourself!

Pero le advierto que si no me dice que esto significa la guerra, si todavía intenta defender las infamias y los horrores perpetrados por ese Anticristo —realmente creo que es el Anticristo—, no quiero saber nada más de usted y ya no es mi amigo, ya no es mi «fiel esclavo», ¡como usted mismo se llama!

But how do you do?

¿Pero cómo está usted?

I see I have frightened you—sit down and tell me all the news."

Veo que lo he asustado: siéntese y cuénteme todas las novedades.

It was in July, 1805, and the speaker was the well-known Anna Pávlovna Schérer, maid of honor and favorite of the Empress Márya Fëdorovna.

Era en julio de 1805, y quien hablaba era la bien conocida Anna Pávlovna Schérer, dama de honor y favorita de la emperatriz Márya Fëdorovna.

With these words she greeted Prince Vasíli Kurágin, a man of high rank and importance, who was the first to arrive at her reception.

Con estas palabras saludó al príncipe Vasíli Kurágin, un hombre de alto rango e importancia, que fue el primero en llegar a su recepción.

Anna Pávlovna had had a cough for some days.

Anna Pávlovna llevaba varios días con tos.

She was, as she said, suffering from la grippe; grippe being then a new word in St. Petersburg, used only by the elite.

Estaba, según decía, sufriendo de la grippe; grippe era entonces una palabra nueva en San Petersburgo, utilizada solo por la élite.

All her invitations without exception, written in French, and delivered by a scarlet-liveried footman that morning, ran as follows:

Todas sus invitaciones sin excepción, escritas en francés y entregadas esa mañana por un lacayo con librea escarlata, decían lo siguiente:

"If you have nothing better to do, Count (or Prince), and if the prospect of spending an evening with a poor invalid is not too terrible, I shall be very charmed to see you tonight between 7 and 10—Annette Schérer."

«Si no tiene nada mejor que hacer, Conde (o Príncipe), y si la perspectiva de pasar una velada con una pobre inválida no le resulta demasiado terrible, estaré encantada de verle esta noche entre las 7 y las 10. —Annette Schérer.»

"Heavens! what a virulent attack!" replied the prince, not in the least disconcerted by this reception.

—¡Cielos! ¡Qué ataque tan virulento! —respondió el príncipe, sin desconcertarse en lo más mínimo por esta recepción.

Vocabulary

Bien: Good or well; expresses agreement or satisfaction.
Príncipe: Prince; a male member of a royal family.
así: Thus, so, or in this way; indicates manner.
que: That, which, or who; common conjunction and relative pronoun.
Génova: Genoa; a major port city in northwestern Italy.
y: And; basic coordinating conjunction connecting words or phrases.
Lucca: Lucca; a historic city in Tuscany, Italy.
son: Are; third person plural present tense of ser.
ahora: Now; refers to the present moment in time.
simples: Simple or mere; lacking complexity or importance.
propiedades: Properties or estates; things owned by someone.
familiares: Family-related; belonging or pertaining to a family.
de: Of or from; basic preposition indicating possession or origin.
los: The; masculine plural definite article.
Pero: But; conjunction indicating contrast or contradiction.
le: Him, her, or you; indirect object pronoun in Spanish.
advierto: I warn; first person singular of advertir.
si: If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothetical clause.
no: No or not; basic negation word in Spanish.
me: Me; first person singular reflexive or object pronoun.
dice: Says or tells; third person singular of decir.
esto: This; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby.
significa: Means or signifies; third person singular of significar.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
guerra: War; armed conflict between nations or groups.
todavía: Still or yet; indicates continuation of a state.
intenta: Tries or attempts; third person singular of intentar.
defender: To defend; to protect or justify something or someone.
las: The; feminine plural definite article.
infamias: Infamies; shameful or disgraceful acts or behaviors.
horrores: Horrors; extremely shocking or frightening things or events.
perpetrados: Perpetrated; committed, referring to crimes or terrible acts.
por: By, for, or through; versatile preposition in Spanish.
ese: That; masculine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
Anticristo: Antichrist; figure representing ultimate evil or opposition to Christ.
realmente: Really or truly; adverb emphasizing truth or sincerity.
creo: I believe or think; first person singular of creer.
es: Is; third person singular present tense of ser.
el: The; masculine singular definite article in Spanish.
quiero: I want or love; first person singular of querer.
saber: To know; refers to knowing facts or information.
nada: Nothing; indicates absence or negation of any thing.
más: More; indicates greater quantity, degree, or additional amount.
usted: You; formal second person singular pronoun in Spanish.
ya: Already, now, or anymore; indicates time or emphasis.
mi: My; first person singular possessive adjective.
amigo: Friend; a person one knows well and trusts.
fiel: Faithful or loyal; devoted and trustworthy to someone.
esclavo: Slave; a person owned and forced to work.
como: Like, as, or how; used for comparison or manner.
mismo: Same or himself; emphasizes identity or sameness.
se: Himself, herself, itself; reflexive pronoun in Spanish.
llama: Is called or calls; third person singular of llamar.
cómo: How; interrogative adverb asking about manner or condition.
está: Is; third person singular of estar, indicating state.
Veo: I see; first person singular present tense of ver.
lo: Him, it, or so; direct object pronoun or neuter article.
he: I have; auxiliary verb used to form perfect tenses.
asustado: Frightened or scared; past participle of asustar.
siéntese: Sit down; formal imperative command of sentarse.
cuénteme: Tell me; formal imperative command of contar.
todas: All; feminine plural adjective indicating entirety.
novedades: News or novelties; new happenings or interesting developments.
Era: Was or it was; imperfect tense of ser indicating past state.
en: In, on, or at; basic preposition indicating location or time.
julio: July; the seventh month of the year.
quien: Who; relative pronoun referring to a person.
hablaba: Was speaking; imperfect tense of hablar indicating ongoing past action.
era: Was; imperfect tense of ser for past descriptions.
bien: Well or good; adverb indicating manner or quality.
conocida: Known or well-known; past participle of conocer.
dama: Lady; a woman of noble rank or social standing.
honor: Honor; high respect, esteem, or a privileged position.
favorita: Favorite; a preferred or most-liked person or thing.
emperatriz: Empress; a female ruler or wife of an emperor.
Con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
estas: These; feminine plural demonstrative adjective.
palabras: Words; units of language used in speech or writing.
saludó: Greeted; third person singular preterite of saludar.
al: To the; contraction of a and el in Spanish.
príncipe: Prince; a male member of a royal family.
un: A or an; masculine singular indefinite article.
hombre: Man; an adult male human being.
alto: High or tall; describes great height or elevated status.
rango: Rank; a position or level in a hierarchy.
e: And; variant of y used before words starting with i.
importancia: Importance; the quality of being significant or valuable.
fue: Was or went; preterite of ser or ir.
primero: First; indicates the initial position in a sequence.
llegar: To arrive; to reach a destination or place.
a: To or at; basic preposition indicating direction or location.
su: His, her, its, your, their; possessive adjective in Spanish.
recepción: Reception; a social gathering or formal welcoming event.
llevaba: Had been carrying or had been; imperfect of llevar.
varios: Several or various; indicates more than one or two.
días: Days; plural of día, units of time.
con: With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means.
tos: Cough; the act of coughing or a coughing condition.
Estaba: Was; third person singular imperfect of estar.
según: According to; preposition indicating source or basis of information.
decía: Was saying; third person singular imperfect of decir.
sufriendo: Suffering; present participle of sufrir.
grippe: Grippe; old French-derived term for influenza or flu.
entonces: Then or at that time; indicates sequence or consequence.
una: A or an; feminine singular indefinite article.
palabra: Word; a single unit of language or speech.
nueva: New; recently created, introduced, or not previously known.
San: Saint; honorific title for a canonized religious figure.
Petersburgo: Petersburg; city in Russia, former imperial capital.
utilizada: Used; past participle of utilizar, indicating usage.
solo: Only or alone; indicates exclusivity or solitude.
élite: Elite; the most select or privileged group in society.
Todas: All; feminine plural adjective indicating entirety or every.
sus: His, her, your, their; plural possessive adjective.
invitaciones: Invitations; written or spoken requests to attend an event.
sin: Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something.
excepción: Exception; something excluded from a general rule or statement.
escritas: Written; feminine plural past participle of escribir.
francés: French; relating to France or its language.
entregadas: Delivered or handed over; feminine plural past participle of entregar.
esa: That; feminine singular demonstrative adjective or pronoun.
mañana: Morning or tomorrow; refers to the early part of day.
lacayo: Lackey or footman; a male servant in formal livery.
librea: Livery; a uniform worn by servants of a household.
escarlata: Scarlet; a bright red color.
decían: Said or read; third person plural imperfect of decir.
siguiente: Following or next; coming immediately after something else.
Si: If; introduces a conditional clause or hypothesis.
tiene: Has or have; third person singular of tener.
mejor: Better or best; comparative of bueno indicating superior quality.
hacer: To do or make; fundamental verb of action in Spanish.
Conde: Count; a noble title ranking below marquess.
o: Or; conjunction indicating an alternative option or choice.
perspectiva: Prospect or perspective; a possibility or point of view.
pasar: To spend or pass; refers to time or movement.
velada: Evening gathering; a social event held at night.
pobre: Poor; lacking wealth or evoking sympathy.
inválida: Invalid or infirm; a person weakened by illness.
resulta: Turns out or results; third person singular of resultar.
demasiado: Too much or too; indicates excess of degree or quantity.
terrible: Terrible; extremely bad, unpleasant, or causing distress.
estaré: I will be; first person singular future of estar.
encantada: Delighted or enchanted; very pleased to meet or see someone.
verle: To see you; infinitive ver combined with formal pronoun le.
esta: This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective.
noche: Night; the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
entre: Between or among; preposition indicating a range or middle position.
Cielos: Heavens; exclamation expressing surprise or astonishment.
Qué: What or what a; exclamatory or interrogative word.
ataque: Attack; a sudden onset of illness or aggressive action.
tan: So or such; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb.
virulento: Virulent; extremely severe, hostile, or aggressive in nature.
respondió: Responded; third person singular preterite of responder.
desconcertarse: To become flustered; to lose composure or feel unsettled.
mínimo: Minimum or least; the smallest possible degree or amount.

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