War and Peace — Page 2
The aunt spoke to each of them in the same words, about their health and her own, and the health of Her Majesty, "who, thank God, was better today."
La tía le habló a cada uno de ellos con las mismas palabras, sobre su salud y la propia, y la salud de Su Majestad, «quien, gracias a Dios, estaba mejor hoy».
And each visitor, though politeness prevented his showing impatience, left the old woman with a sense of relief at having performed a vexatious duty and did not return to her the whole evening.
Y cada visitante, aunque la cortesía le impedía mostrar impaciencia, dejaba a la anciana con una sensación de alivio por haber cumplido con un deber fastidioso y no volvía a acercarse a ella en toda la velada.
The young Princess Bolkónskaya had brought some work in a gold-embroidered velvet bag.
La joven princesa Bolkónskaya había traído algo de labor en un bolso de terciopelo bordado en oro.
Her pretty little upper lip, on which a delicate dark down was just perceptible, was too short for her teeth, but it lifted all the more sweetly, and was especially charming when she occasionally drew it down to meet the lower lip.
Su bonito labio superior, en el que apenas se percibía un delicado vello oscuro, era demasiado corto para sus dientes, pero se levantaba con mayor dulzura, y resultaba especialmente encantador cuando ella lo bajaba de vez en cuando para unirlo al labio inferior.
As is always the case with a thoroughly attractive woman, her defect—the shortness of her upper lip and her half-open mouth—seemed to be her own special and peculiar form of beauty.
Como ocurre siempre con una mujer verdaderamente atractiva, su defecto —la brevedad de su labio superior y su boca entreabierta— parecía ser su forma propia y peculiar de belleza.
Everyone brightened at the sight of this pretty young woman, so soon to become a mother, so full of life and health, and carrying her burden so lightly.
Todos se animaban al ver a esta bella joven, que pronto sería madre, tan llena de vida y salud, y que llevaba su carga con tanta ligereza.
Old men and dull dispirited young ones who looked at her, after being in her company and talking to her a little while, felt as if they too were becoming, like her, full of life and health.
Los hombres mayores y los jóvenes apagados y desanimados que la miraban, tras estar en su compañía y hablar con ella un rato, sentían como si ellos también se estuvieran llenando, como ella, de vida y salud.
All who talked to her, and at each word saw her bright smile and the constant gleam of her white teeth, thought that they were in a specially amiable mood that day.
Todos los que hablaban con ella, y con cada palabra veían su radiante sonrisa y el brillo constante de sus dientes blancos, creían estar de un humor especialmente afable aquel día.
Vocabulary
- tía
- Female aunt or informal term for a woman
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him/her/you'
- habló
- Past tense of 'hablar'; spoke to someone
- cada
- Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every'
- uno
- Pronoun or number meaning 'one' or 'each one'
- mismas
- Feminine plural adjective meaning 'same'
- palabras
- Plural noun meaning 'words'
- sobre
- Preposition meaning 'about' or 'on top of'
- salud
- Noun meaning 'health'; also used as a toast
- la propia
- Expression meaning 'her own' or 'the very'
- Su Majestad
- Formal title meaning 'His' or 'Her Majesty'
- quien
- Relative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'whom'
- Dios
- Proper noun meaning 'God'
- estaba
- Imperfect form of 'estar'; was in a condition
- mejor
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'better' or 'best'
- hoy
- Adverb meaning 'today'
- visitante
- Noun meaning 'visitor' or 'guest'
- aunque
- Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'
- cortesía
- Noun meaning 'courtesy' or 'politeness'
- impedía
- Imperfect form of 'impedir'; was preventing or hindering
- mostrar
- Infinitive meaning 'to show' or 'to display'
- impaciencia
- Noun meaning 'impatience' or 'restlessness'
- dejaba
- Imperfect form of 'dejar'; was leaving or allowing
- anciana
- Noun or adjective meaning 'elderly woman'
- sensación
- Noun meaning 'sensation' or 'feeling'
- alivio
- Noun meaning 'relief' or 'alleviation of discomfort'
- haber
- Auxiliary infinitive meaning 'to have' (in compound tenses)
- cumplido
- Past participle of 'cumplir'; fulfilled or completed a duty
- deber
- Noun meaning 'duty' or 'obligation'; also 'must'
- fastidioso
- Adjective meaning 'annoying,' 'tedious,' or 'tiresome'
- volvía
- Imperfect form of 'volver'; was returning or doing again
- acercarse
- Reflexive infinitive meaning 'to approach' or 'to draw near'
- toda
- Adjective meaning 'all,' 'whole,' or 'entire'
- velada
- Noun meaning 'evening gathering' or 'soirée'
- joven
- Adjective or noun meaning 'young' or 'young person'
- princesa
- Noun meaning 'princess'
- había
- Imperfect form of 'haber'; had (auxiliary for past perfect)
- traído
- Past participle of 'traer'; brought something along
- algo
- Pronoun or adverb meaning 'something' or 'somewhat'
- labor
- Noun meaning 'needlework,' 'labor,' or 'task'
- bolso
- Noun meaning 'bag,' 'purse,' or 'handbag'
- terciopelo
- Noun meaning 'velvet,' a soft luxurious fabric
- bordado
- Noun or adjective meaning 'embroidered' or 'embroidery'
- oro
- Noun meaning 'gold,' a precious metal or color
- bonito
- Adjective meaning 'pretty,' 'nice,' or 'attractive'
- labio
- Noun meaning 'lip,' referring to part of the mouth
- superior
- Adjective meaning 'upper,' 'higher,' or 'superior'
- apenas
- Adverb meaning 'barely,' 'scarcely,' or 'hardly'
- percibía
- Imperfect of 'percibir'; was perceived or barely noticed
- delicado
- Adjective meaning 'delicate,' 'fine,' or 'sensitive'
- vello
- Noun meaning 'fine body hair' or 'fuzz'
- oscuro
- Adjective meaning 'dark,' 'dim,' or 'obscure'
- era
- Imperfect form of 'ser'; was (describing a permanent state)
- demasiado
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'too much' or 'excessive'
- corto
- Adjective meaning 'short' in length or duration
- dientes
- Plural noun meaning 'teeth'
- levantaba
- Imperfect of 'levantar'; was lifting or raising upward
- mayor
- Adjective meaning 'greater,' 'older,' or 'main'
- dulzura
- Noun meaning 'sweetness,' 'gentleness,' or 'tenderness'
- resultaba
- Imperfect of 'resultar'; turned out or appeared to be
- especialmente
- Adverb meaning 'especially' or 'particularly'
- encantador
- Adjective meaning 'charming,' 'delightful,' or 'enchanting'
- cuando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'
- bajaba
- Imperfect of 'bajar'; was lowering or going down
- vez
- Noun meaning 'time' or 'occasion' in a sequence
- unirlo
- Infinitive 'unir' plus pronoun; to join it together
- inferior
- Adjective meaning 'lower,' 'inferior,' or 'bottom'
- Como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as,' 'like,' or 'since'
- ocurre
- Present form of 'ocurrir'; happens or occurs regularly
- siempre
- Adverb meaning 'always' or 'every time'
- mujer
- Noun meaning 'woman' or 'wife'
- verdaderamente
- Adverb meaning 'truly,' 'really,' or 'genuinely'
- atractiva
- Adjective meaning 'attractive,' 'appealing,' or 'charming'
- defecto
- Noun meaning 'defect,' 'flaw,' or 'fault'
- brevedad
- Noun meaning 'brevity,' 'shortness,' or 'conciseness'
- boca
- Noun meaning 'mouth'
- entreabierta
- Adjective meaning 'half-open' or 'slightly ajar'
- parecía
- Imperfect of 'parecer'; seemed or appeared to be
- ser
- Infinitive meaning 'to be' (permanent or inherent qualities)
- forma
- Noun meaning 'form,' 'shape,' or 'way'
- peculiar
- Adjective meaning 'peculiar,' 'distinctive,' or 'unique'
- belleza
- Noun meaning 'beauty' or 'beautiful woman'
- Todos
- Pronoun or adjective meaning 'everyone' or 'all'
- animaban
- Imperfect of 'animar'; were cheering up or encouraging
- ver
- Infinitive meaning 'to see' or 'to watch'
- bella
- Adjective meaning 'beautiful' or 'lovely' (feminine)
- pronto
- Adverb meaning 'soon,' 'quickly,' or 'shortly'
- sería
- Conditional form of 'ser'; would be in the future
- madre
- Noun meaning 'mother'
- tan
- Adverb meaning 'so' or 'as' in comparisons
- llena
- Adjective meaning 'full,' 'filled,' or 'complete'
- vida
- Noun meaning 'life' or 'lifetime'
- llevaba
- Imperfect of 'llevar'; was carrying or wearing something
- carga
- Noun meaning 'load,' 'burden,' or 'cargo'
- tanta
- Adjective meaning 'so much' or 'such a great amount'
- ligereza
- Noun meaning 'lightness,' 'agility,' or 'carefreeness'
- hombres
- Plural noun meaning 'men' or 'people'
- mayores
- Plural adjective meaning 'older,' 'elderly,' or 'greater'
- jóvenes
- Plural noun or adjective meaning 'young people' or 'young'
- apagados
- Adjective meaning 'dull,' 'switched off,' or 'dispirited'
- desanimados
- Adjective meaning 'discouraged,' 'downhearted,' or 'dejected'
- miraban
- Imperfect of 'mirar'; were looking at or watching
- tras
- Preposition meaning 'after,' 'behind,' or 'following'
- estar
- Infinitive meaning 'to be' (temporary state or condition)
- compañía
- Noun meaning 'company,' 'companionship,' or 'firm'
- hablar
- Infinitive meaning 'to speak' or 'to talk'
- rato
- Noun meaning 'a while,' 'a short time,' or 'a moment'
- sentían
- Imperfect of 'sentir'; were feeling or sensing something
- como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'as,' 'like,' or 'how'
- si
- Conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether'
- también
- Adverb meaning 'also,' 'too,' or 'as well'
- estuvieran
- Imperfect subjunctive of 'estar'; were (hypothetical state)
- llenando
- Gerund of 'llenar'; filling up or becoming full
- hablaban
- Imperfect of 'hablar'; were speaking or talking to others
- palabra
- Noun meaning 'word' or 'promise'
- veían
- Imperfect of 'ver'; were seeing or noticing something
- radiante
- Adjective meaning 'radiant,' 'glowing,' or 'beaming'
- sonrisa
- Noun meaning 'smile'
- brillo
- Noun meaning 'shine,' 'gleam,' or 'brightness'
- constante
- Adjective meaning 'constant,' 'steady,' or 'persistent'
- blancos
- Plural adjective meaning 'white' or 'blank'
- creían
- Imperfect of 'creer'; were believing or thinking something
- humor
- Noun meaning 'mood,' 'humor,' or 'disposition'
- afable
- Adjective meaning 'affable,' 'friendly,' or 'pleasant'
- aquel
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (distant, masculine)
- día
- Noun meaning 'day'
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