War and Peace — Page 1
Anna Pávlovna's drawing room was gradually filling.
El salón de Anna Pávlovna se iba llenando gradualmente.
The highest Petersburg society was assembled there: people differing widely in age and character but alike in the social circle to which they belonged.
Allí se había reunido la más alta sociedad de Petersburgo: personas muy distintas en edad y carácter, pero iguales en el círculo social al que pertenecían.
Prince Vasíli's daughter, the beautiful Hélène, came to take her father to the ambassador's entertainment; she wore a ball dress and her badge as maid of honor.
La hija del príncipe Vasíli, la hermosa Hélène, vino a buscar a su padre para llevarlo a la recepción del embajador; llevaba un vestido de baile y su distintivo de dama de honor.
The youthful little Princess Bolkónskaya, known as la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg, * was also there.
La joven y pequeña princesa Bolkónskaya, conocida como la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg, * también estaba allí.
She had been married during the previous winter, and being pregnant did not go to any large gatherings, but only to small receptions.
Se había casado durante el invierno anterior y, estando embarazada, no asistía a grandes reuniones, sino únicamente a pequeñas recepciones.
Prince Vasíli's son, Hippolyte, had come with Mortemart, whom he introduced.
El hijo del príncipe Vasíli, Hippolyte, había llegado con Mortemart, a quien presentó.
The Abbé Morio and many others had also come.
El abate Morio y muchos otros también habían llegado.
* The most fascinating woman in Petersburg.
* La mujer más fascinante de Petersburgo.
To each new arrival Anna Pávlovna said, "You have not yet seen my aunt," or "You do not know my aunt?" and very gravely conducted him or her to a little old lady, wearing large bows of ribbon in her cap, who had come sailing in from another room as soon as the guests began to arrive; and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor to her aunt, Anna Pávlovna mentioned each one's name and then left them.
A cada recién llegado, Anna Pávlovna decía: «Aún no ha visto usted a mi tía» o «¿No conoce usted a mi tía?», y con gran solemnidad lo conducía hasta una ancianita que llevaba grandes lazos de cinta en la cofia, la cual había entrado majestuosamente desde otra habitación en cuanto los invitados comenzaron a llegar; y volviendo lentamente los ojos del visitante hacia su tía, Anna Pávlovna mencionaba el nombre de cada uno y luego los dejaba.
Each visitor performed the ceremony of greeting this old aunt whom not one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one of them cared about; Anna Pávlovna observed these greetings with mournful and solemn interest and silent approval.
Cada visitante cumplía con la ceremonia de saludar a aquella anciana tía a la que ninguno de ellos conocía, ninguno deseaba conocer y a ninguno le importaba; Anna Pávlovna observaba estos saludos con un interés grave y solemne, y con silenciosa aprobación.
Vocabulary
- salón
- A large room used for social gatherings or events.
- iba
- Imperfect past tense of 'ir'; was going or progressing.
- llenando
- Present participle of 'llenar'; filling up progressively.
- gradualmente
- Adverb meaning slowly and steadily over time.
- reunido
- Past participle of 'reunir'; gathered or assembled together.
- alta
- Feminine adjective meaning high, tall, or elite.
- sociedad
- Noun meaning society or social group of people.
- distintas
- Adjective meaning different or varied in character.
- edad
- Noun meaning age or period of life.
- carácter
- Noun meaning character or personality traits of a person.
- iguales
- Adjective meaning equal or the same in status.
- círculo
- Noun meaning circle or social group one belongs to.
- social
- Adjective relating to society or social interactions.
- pertenecían
- Imperfect form of 'pertenecer'; they belonged to something.
- hija
- Noun meaning daughter, a female child of a parent.
- príncipe
- Noun meaning prince, a male member of royalty.
- hermosa
- Adjective meaning beautiful or gorgeous in appearance.
- vino
- Preterite form of 'venir'; she came or arrived.
- buscar
- Infinitive verb meaning to look for or seek.
- llevarlo
- Infinitive 'llevar' plus pronoun; to take him somewhere.
- recepción
- Noun meaning a formal social reception or gathering.
- embajador
- Noun meaning ambassador, a diplomatic government representative.
- llevaba
- Imperfect of 'llevar'; she was wearing or carrying.
- vestido
- Noun meaning dress or outfit worn by a person.
- baile
- Noun meaning dance or ball, a social dancing event.
- distintivo
- Adjective meaning distinctive or characteristic in appearance.
- dama
- Noun meaning lady, a woman of high social standing.
- honor
- Noun meaning honor, respect, or high regard given.
- princesa
- Noun meaning princess, a female member of royalty.
- conocida
- Adjective meaning known or well-known to others.
- casado
- Past participle of 'casar'; married or having married someone.
- durante
- Preposition meaning 'during' a period of time.
- invierno
- Noun meaning winter, the coldest season of the year.
- anterior
- Adjective meaning previous or prior in time.
- estando
- Gerund of 'estar'; being in a state or condition.
- embarazada
- Adjective meaning pregnant, carrying a child.
- asistía
- Imperfect of 'asistir'; she attended or used to attend.
- reuniones
- Noun meaning meetings or gatherings of people together.
- sino
- Conjunction meaning 'but rather', correcting a previous statement.
- únicamente
- Adverb meaning only or exclusively, nothing else included.
- recepciones
- Noun meaning receptions, small formal social gatherings.
- llegado
- Past participle of 'llegar'; arrived or had arrived somewhere.
- presentó
- Preterite of 'presentar'; he introduced or presented someone.
- abate
- Noun meaning abbot or abbé, a Catholic clergy title.
- fascinante
- Adjective meaning fascinating or captivating to others.
- recién
- Adverb meaning recently or newly arrived or done.
- Aún
- Adverb meaning 'still' or 'yet', indicating continuation.
- tía
- Noun meaning aunt, a female relative of a family.
- conoce
- Present tense of 'conocer'; knows or is acquainted with.
- solemnidad
- Noun meaning solemnity or a grave, formal manner.
- conducía
- Imperfect of 'conducir'; she was leading or guiding him.
- ancianita
- Diminutive noun meaning a little old woman, endearing term.
- lazos
- Noun meaning ribbons, bows, or ties as decoration.
- cinta
- Noun meaning ribbon or band used for decoration.
- cofia
- Noun meaning a cap or bonnet worn on the head.
- cual
- Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'who' in context.
- majestuosamente
- Adverb meaning majestically, in a grand dignified manner.
- habitación
- Noun meaning room, an enclosed space inside a building.
- cuanto
- Conjunction meaning 'as soon as' or 'as much as'.
- invitados
- Noun meaning guests or invited people to an event.
- comenzaron
- Preterite of 'comenzar'; they began or started something.
- volviendo
- Gerund of 'volver'; turning or returning in action.
- lentamente
- Adverb meaning slowly, at a slow pace or rate.
- visitante
- Noun meaning visitor, someone who visits a place.
- mencionaba
- Imperfect of 'mencionar'; she was mentioning or naming.
- dejaba
- Imperfect of 'dejar'; she would leave or let go.
- cumplía
- Imperfect of 'cumplir'; fulfilled or carried out a duty.
- ceremonia
- Noun meaning ceremony, a formal ritual or social act.
- saludar
- Infinitive meaning to greet or say hello to someone.
- aquella
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' referring to something distant.
- anciana
- Noun or adjective meaning elderly woman or old lady.
- ninguno
- Pronoun meaning none or not one of them.
- conocía
- Imperfect of 'conocer'; knew or was acquainted with.
- deseaba
- Imperfect of 'desear'; desired or wished for something.
- conocer
- Infinitive meaning to know or become acquainted with.
- importaba
- Imperfect of 'importar'; it mattered or was important.
- observaba
- Imperfect of 'observar'; she was observing or watching.
- saludos
- Noun meaning greetings or salutations exchanged between people.
- interés
- Noun meaning interest or attention given to something.
- grave
- Adjective meaning serious, solemn, or grave in manner.
- solemne
- Adjective meaning solemn or formal and dignified in character.
- silenciosa
- Adjective meaning silent or quiet, making no sound.
- aprobación
- Noun meaning approval or acceptance of something done.
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