War and Peace — Page 9
"Arrange that affair for me and I shall always be your most devoted slave-slafe with an f, as a village elder of mine writes in his reports. She is rich and of good family and that's all I want."
«Arréglame ese asunto y seré siempre tu más devoto esclavo-esclafo con f, como escribe en sus informes un alcalde de aldea que tengo. Ella es rica y de buena familia, y eso es todo lo que quiero.»
And with the familiarity and easy grace peculiar to him, he raised the maid of honor's hand to his lips, kissed it, and swung it to and fro as he lay back in his armchair, looking in another direction.
Y con la familiaridad y la gracia desenvuelta que le eran propias, tomó la mano de la dama de honor, se la llevó a los labios, la besó y la balanceó de un lado a otro mientras se recostaba en su sillón, mirando hacia otro lado.
"Attendez," said Anna Pávlovna, reflecting, "I'll speak to Lise, young Bolkónski's wife, this very evening, and perhaps the thing can be arranged. It shall be on your family's behalf that I'll start my apprenticeship as old maid.
—Attendez —dijo Anna Pávlovna, reflexionando—, esta misma noche hablaré con Lise, la esposa del joven Bolkónski, y quizás el asunto pueda arreglarse. Será en nombre de tu familia que comenzaré mi aprendizaje de solterona.
Vocabulary
- Arréglame
- Fix or arrange something for me
- ese
- That, referring to a nearby object or matter
- asunto
- Matter, issue, or affair to be dealt with
- y
- And, a basic coordinating conjunction
- seré
- I will be, future tense of ser
- siempre
- Always, at all times without exception
- tu
- Your, possessive adjective for second person singular
- más
- More, indicating greater degree or quantity
- devoto
- Devoted, deeply loyal or dedicated to someone
- esclavo
- Slave, a person completely subservient to another
- con
- With, a preposition indicating accompaniment or means
- como
- Like or as, used for comparison or manner
- escribe
- Writes, third person singular present of escribir
- en
- In or on, a common Spanish preposition
- sus
- His, her, their, or your possessive adjective
- informes
- Reports or documents with detailed information
- un
- A or an, indefinite article masculine singular
- alcalde
- Mayor, the chief official of a town or city
- de
- Of or from, a very common Spanish preposition
- aldea
- Village, a small rural settlement or community
- que
- That or which, conjunction or relative pronoun
- tengo
- I have, first person singular present of tener
- Ella
- She, third person singular feminine subject pronoun
- es
- Is, third person singular present of ser
- rica
- Rich or wealthy, having abundant money or resources
- buena
- Good, feminine adjective describing positive quality
- familia
- Family, a group of related people living together
- eso
- That, neutral demonstrative pronoun referring to something
- todo
- All or everything, referring to the whole amount
- lo
- It or him, masculine direct object pronoun
- quiero
- I want or I love, from querer
- Y
- And, coordinating conjunction beginning a sentence
- la
- The, feminine singular definite article
- familiaridad
- Familiarity, ease and informality in social behavior
- gracia
- Grace or charm, elegant and pleasing manner
- desenvuelta
- Self-assured and uninhibited in manner or behavior
- le
- To him, to her, indirect object pronoun
- eran
- Were, third person plural imperfect of ser
- propias
- Own or characteristic, belonging naturally to someone
- tomó
- Took, third person singular preterite of tomar
- mano
- Hand, the body part at the end of the arm
- dama
- Lady, a woman of high social standing
- honor
- Honor, high respect and esteem given to someone
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or passive verbs
- llevó
- Carried or brought, third person singular preterite of llevar
- a
- To or at, a very common Spanish preposition
- los
- The, masculine plural definite article
- labios
- Lips, the two soft parts framing the mouth
- besó
- Kissed, third person singular preterite of besar
- balanceó
- Swayed or rocked gently from side to side
- lado
- Side, one of two opposite directions or parts
- otro
- Other or another, indicating a different one
- mientras
- While, indicating simultaneous actions occurring together
- recostaba
- Was leaning back, imperfect tense of recostar
- su
- His, her, its, or your possessive adjective
- sillón
- Armchair, a large comfortable chair with armrests
- mirando
- Looking or gazing, present participle of mirar
- hacia
- Toward, a preposition indicating direction or orientation
- dijo
- Said, third person singular preterite of decir
- reflexionando
- Reflecting or thinking carefully, present participle of reflexionar
- esta
- This, feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- misma
- Same, feminine adjective emphasizing identity or sameness
- noche
- Night, the dark period after sunset before dawn
- hablaré
- I will speak, future tense of hablar
- esposa
- Wife, a woman who is married to someone
- del
- Of the, contraction of de and el
- joven
- Young, adjective describing someone of little age
- quizás
- Perhaps or maybe, expressing possibility or uncertainty
- el
- He, masculine third person singular subject pronoun
- pueda
- Can or may, present subjunctive of poder
- arreglarse
- To be arranged or sorted out, reflexive infinitive
- Será
- It will be, third person singular future of ser
- nombre
- Name, a word used to identify a person
- comenzaré
- I will begin, future tense of comenzar
- mi
- My, first person singular possessive adjective
- aprendizaje
- Learning or apprenticeship, the process of acquiring knowledge
- solterona
- Spinster, an older woman who has never married
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →