War and Peace — Page 5

English → Fr CHAPTER I Level 8/10

À propos," she added, becoming calm again, "I am expecting two very interesting men tonight, le Vicomte de Mortemart, who is connected with the Montmorencys through the Rohans, one of the best French families.

« À propos, » ajouta-t-elle en se calmant de nouveau, « j'attends ce soir deux hommes très intéressants, le vicomte de Mortemart, qui est lié aux Montmorency par les Rohan, l'une des meilleures familles françaises.

He is one of the genuine émigrés, the good ones.

Il est l'un des vrais émigrés, les bons.

And also the Abbé Morio.

Et aussi l'abbé Morio.

Do you know that profound thinker?

Connaissez-vous ce profond penseur ?

He has been received by the Emperor.

Il a été reçu par l'Empereur.

Had you heard?"

L'aviez-vous entendu dire ? »

"I shall be delighted to meet them," said the prince.

« Je serai enchanté de les rencontrer », dit le prince.

"But tell me," he added with studied carelessness as if it had only just occurred to him, though the question he was about to ask was the chief motive of his visit, "is it true that the Dowager Empress wants Baron Funke to be appointed first secretary at Vienna?

« Mais dites-moi, » ajouta-t-il avec une négligence étudiée, comme si l'idée ne venait de lui venir qu'à l'instant, bien que la question qu'il allait poser fût le principal motif de sa visite, « est-il vrai que l'Impératrice douairière souhaite que le baron Funke soit nommé premier secrétaire à Vienne ?

The baron by all accounts is a poor creature."

Le baron est, à ce qu'on dit, un bien pauvre personnage. »

Prince Vasíli wished to obtain this post for his son, but others were trying through the Dowager Empress Márya Fëdorovna to secure it for the baron.

Le prince Vassili souhaitait obtenir ce poste pour son fils, mais d'autres s'efforçaient, par l'intermédiaire de l'Impératrice douairière Marya Fëdorovna, de le faire attribuer au baron.

Anna Pávlovna almost closed her eyes to indicate that neither she nor anyone else had a right to criticize what the Empress desired or was pleased with.

Anna Pavlovna ferma presque les yeux pour signifier que ni elle ni personne d'autre n'avait le droit de critiquer ce que l'Impératrice désirait ou approuvait.

"Baron Funke has been recommended to the Dowager Empress by her sister," was all she said, in a dry and mournful tone.

« Le baron Funke a été recommandé à l'Impératrice douairière par sa sœur », se contenta-t-elle de dire, d'un ton sec et mélancolique.

As she named the Empress, Anna Pávlovna's face suddenly assumed an expression of profound and sincere devotion and respect mingled with sadness, and this occurred every time she mentioned her illustrious patroness.

En prononçant le nom de l'Impératrice, le visage d'Anna Pavlovna prit soudainement une expression de dévotion et de respect profonds et sincères, mêlés de tristesse, et cela se produisait chaque fois qu'elle mentionnait son illustre protectrice.

Vocabulary

À: Preposition meaning 'at,' 'to,' or 'in.'
propos: Subject or topic; 'à propos' means 'by the way.'
ajouta-t-elle: She added, in inverted question form.
en: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'while.'
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'each other.'
calmant: Calming down; present participle of 'calmer.'
de: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about.'
nouveau: New; again when used in 'de nouveau.'
j': Contracted form of 'je,' meaning 'I.'
attends: I wait or I expect; first-person singular of 'attendre.'
ce: Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that.'
soir: Evening; the time after the afternoon.
deux: The number two.
hommes: Men; plural of 'homme.'
très: Adverb meaning 'very.'
intéressants: Interesting; plural masculine adjective.
le: Definite article meaning 'the' for masculine nouns.
vicomte: Viscount; a noble rank below a count.
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which.'
est: Is; third-person singular of 'être.'
lié: Linked or connected; past participle of 'lier.'
aux: Contraction of 'à les,' meaning 'to the' or 'with the.'
par: Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' or 'per.'
les: Definite article meaning 'the' for plural nouns.
l': Contracted definite article meaning 'the' before a vowel.
une: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one' for feminine nouns.
des: Plural indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'of the.'
meilleures: Best; feminine plural superlative of 'bon.'
familles: Families; plural of 'famille.'
françaises: French; feminine plural adjective of nationality.
Il: Personal pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it.'
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one' for masculine nouns.
vrais: True or real; masculine plural adjective.
émigrés: Emigrants, especially nobles who fled Revolutionary France.
bons: Good; masculine plural adjective.
Et: Conjunction meaning 'and.'
aussi: Also or too; adverb of addition.
abbé: Abbot or Catholic priest; a clerical title.
Connaissez-: Do you know; inverted form of 'connaître.'
vous: Pronoun meaning 'you,' formal or plural.
profond: Deep or profound; masculine adjective.
penseur: Thinker; someone who thinks deeply.
a: Has; third-person singular of 'avoir.'
été: Been; past participle of 'être.'
reçu: Received; past participle of 'recevoir.'
Empereur: Emperor; a male sovereign ruler.
aviez-: Had; inverted second-person plural of 'avoir.'
entendu: Heard; past participle of 'entendre.'
dire: To say or to tell; infinitive verb.
Je: First-person singular pronoun meaning 'I.'
serai: Will be; first-person singular future of 'être.'
enchanté: Delighted or enchanted; pleased to meet someone.
rencontrer: To meet or to encounter someone.
dit: Said; third-person singular past of 'dire.'
prince: Prince; a male member of royalty.
Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but.'
dites-: Tell; inverted imperative or interrogative of 'dire.'
moi: Me; stressed first-person singular pronoun.
ajouta-t-il: He added; inverted past tense of 'ajouter.'
avec: Preposition meaning 'with.'
négligence: Negligence or carelessness; deliberate casual manner.
étudiée: Studied or deliberate; feminine past participle of 'étudier.'
comme: As or like; conjunction of comparison.
si: If or as if; conditional conjunction.
idée: Idea or thought; feminine noun.
ne: Negation particle used with 'pas' or alone.
venait: Was coming; third-person singular imperfect of 'venir.'
lui: Him or her; stressed third-person pronoun.
venir: To come; common French infinitive verb.
qu': Contracted form of 'que,' meaning 'that' or 'than.'
à: Preposition meaning 'at,' 'to,' or 'in.'
instant: Instant or moment; a very brief period of time.
bien: Well or good; adverb of manner or degree.
que: Conjunction meaning 'that,' 'than,' or 'what.'
la: Definite article meaning 'the' for feminine nouns.
question: Question; an inquiry or matter under discussion.
il: He or it; third-person masculine singular pronoun.
allait: Was going; third-person singular imperfect of 'aller.'
poser: To ask or to place; infinitive verb.
fût: Were; third-person singular subjunctive of 'être.'
principal: Principal or main; most important masculine adjective.
motif: Motive or reason; the driving purpose behind an action.
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its.'
visite: Visit; the act of going to see someone.
est-: Is; inverted third-person singular of 'être.'
vrai: True or real; masculine singular adjective.
Impératrice: Empress; a female sovereign or emperor's wife.
douairière: Dowager; a widow holding a title from her late husband.
souhaite: Wishes or desires; third-person singular of 'souhaiter.'
baron: Baron; a low-ranking nobleman.
soit: Be; third-person singular subjunctive of 'être.'
nommé: Named or appointed; past participle of 'nommer.'
premier: First or primary; masculine singular ordinal adjective.
secrétaire: Secretary; an administrative or diplomatic official.
Le: Definite article meaning 'the' for masculine nouns.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one,' 'we,' or 'they.'
pauvre: Poor; lacking money or evoking pity.
personnage: Character or personage; a notable or fictional person.
souhaitait: Was wishing; third-person singular imperfect of 'souhaiter.'
obtenir: To obtain or get; infinitive verb.
poste: Post or position; a job or official appointment.
pour: Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to.'
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its.'
fils: Son; a male child.
mais: Conjunction meaning 'but.'
d': Contracted form of 'de,' meaning 'of' or 'from.'
autres: Others; plural adjective or pronoun meaning 'other.'
s': Reflexive pronoun contracted before a vowel.
efforçaient: Were striving; third-person plural imperfect of 's'efforcer.'
intermédiaire: Intermediary; a person acting as a go-between.
faire: To do or to make; common French infinitive verb.
attribuer: To attribute or assign; to grant something to someone.
au: Contraction of 'à le,' meaning 'to the' or 'at the.'
ferma: Closed; third-person singular simple past of 'fermer.'
presque: Almost or nearly; adverb of approximation.
yeux: Eyes; plural of 'œil.'
signifier: To signify or mean; to convey a particular meaning.
ni: Neither or nor; negative conjunction.
elle: She or her; third-person feminine singular pronoun.
personne: Person; or 'nobody' when used negatively.
autre: Other or another; adjective indicating difference.
n': Contracted negation particle before a vowel.
avait: Had; third-person singular imperfect of 'avoir.'
droit: Right; an entitlement or legal claim.
critiquer: To criticize; to express disapproval of something.
désirait: Was desiring; third-person singular imperfect of 'désirer.'
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or.'
approuvait: Was approving; third-person singular imperfect of 'approuver.'
recommandé: Recommended; past participle of 'recommander.'
sœur: Sister; a female sibling.
contenta-t-elle: She contented herself; inverted form of 'se contenter.'
ton: Tone or manner; the quality of someone's voice.
sec: Dry or curt; describing a brief, cold manner.
et: Conjunction meaning 'and.'
mélancolique: Melancholic or sad; expressing gentle sadness.
En: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'while,' or 'by.'
prononçant: Pronouncing; present participle of 'prononcer.'
nom: Name; the word by which someone is known.
visage: Face; the front part of the head.
prit: Took on; third-person singular simple past of 'prendre.'
soudainement: Suddenly; happening without warning or expectation.
expression: Expression; a look conveying a particular feeling.
dévotion: Devotion; deep dedication or religious reverence.
respect: Respect; esteem or admiration for someone.
profonds: Deep or profound; masculine plural adjective.
sincères: Sincere or genuine; plural adjective of authenticity.
mêlés: Mixed or blended; masculine plural past participle of 'mêler.'
tristesse: Sadness; a feeling of sorrow or melancholy.
cela: That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something distant.
produisait: Produced; third-person singular imperfect of 'produire.'
chaque: Each or every; adjective of distribution.
fois: Time or instance; used in expressions of frequency.
mentionnait: Mentioned; third-person singular imperfect of 'mentionner.'
illustre: Illustrious or famous; distinguished and well-known.
protectrice: Protectress or patron; a female who offers protection.

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →