White nights, and other stories — Page 6

English → Spanish Full Text Level 7/10

If a window opened after delicate fingers, white as snow, had tapped upon the pane, and the head of a pretty girl was thrust out, calling to a street-seller with pots of flowers--at once on the spot I fancied that those flowers were being bought not simply in order to enjoy the flowers and the spring in stuffy town lodgings, but because they would all be very soon moving into the country and could take the flowers with them.

Si una ventana se abría tras el golpeteo de unos dedos delicados, blancos como la nieve, sobre el cristal, y la cabeza de una linda muchacha asomaba llamando a un vendedor ambulante de macetas con flores, al instante imaginaba yo que esas flores no se compraban simplemente para disfrutar de ellas y de la primavera en los sofocantes alojamientos de la ciudad, sino porque muy pronto todos se trasladarían al campo y podrían llevarse las flores consigo.

What is more, I made such progress in my new peculiar sort of investigation that I could distinguish correctly from the mere air of each in what summer villa he was living.

Es más, progresé tanto en mi nueva y peculiar forma de investigación que podía determinar con exactitud, por el simple porte de cada persona, en qué villa de verano vivía.

The inhabitants of Kamenny and Aptekarsky Islands or of the Peterhof Road were marked by the studied elegance of their manner, their fashionable summer suits, and the fine carriages in which they drove to town.

Los habitantes de las islas Kamenny y Aptekarsky o de la carretera de Peterhof se distinguían por la elegancia estudiada de sus modales, sus elegantes trajes de verano y los finos carruajes en que se desplazaban a la ciudad.

Visitors to Pargolovo and places further away impressed one at first sight by their reasonable and dignified air; the tripper to Krestovsky Island could be recognized by his look of irrepressible gaiety.

Los visitantes de Pargolovo y de lugares más lejanos causaban buena impresión a primera vista por su aire sensato y digno; al excursionista que iba a la isla Krestovsky se le reconocía por su expresión de alegría incontenible.

Vocabulary

Si: Conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether' in Spanish.
una: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (feminine).
ventana: A window in a wall or building.
se: Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or passive verbs.
abría: Past imperfect of 'abrir'; was opening or used to open.
tras: Preposition meaning 'after' or 'behind' something.
golpeteo: A repeated tapping or knocking sound.
unos: Indefinite article meaning 'some' or 'a few' (masculine plural).
dedos: Fingers or toes on a hand or foot.
delicados: Delicate, fragile, or refined in quality or appearance.
blancos: White in color; plural masculine adjective.
como: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'like' or 'as.'
nieve: Snow; frozen precipitation falling from the sky.
sobre: Preposition meaning 'on,' 'over,' or 'about.'
cristal: Glass or crystal, a clear transparent material.
cabeza: The head, top part of the human body.
linda: Pretty, cute, or attractive (feminine adjective).
muchacha: A young girl or young woman.
asomaba: Was peeking out or leaning out to look.
llamando: Calling out to someone; present participle of 'llamar.'
vendedor: A seller or salesperson who sells goods.
ambulante: Itinerant, traveling from place to place to sell.
macetas: Flower pots used for growing plants indoors.
flores: Flowers, the blossoming part of a plant.
al: Contraction of 'a' and 'el,' meaning 'to the.'
instante: A moment or instant; a very brief time.
imaginaba: Was imagining or used to imagine something mentally.
esas: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' (feminine plural).
compraban: Were buying or used to buy; past imperfect of 'comprar.'
simplemente: Simply; in a simple or straightforward manner.
para: Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'toward.'
disfrutar: To enjoy or take pleasure in something.
ellas: Third-person feminine plural pronoun meaning 'they.'
primavera: Spring, the season between winter and summer.
sofocantes: Suffocating, stifling, or oppressively hot environments.
alojamientos: Lodgings or accommodations where people stay temporarily.
ciudad: A city, a large urban populated area.
sino: Conjunction meaning 'but rather' or 'but instead.'
porque: Conjunction meaning 'because,' giving a reason.
pronto: Soon; in a short amount of time.
todos: Everyone or all; refers to an entire group.
trasladarían: Would move or relocate to another place.
campo: The countryside or rural land outside a city.
podrían: They would be able to; conditional of 'poder.'
llevarse: To take something along when leaving a place.
consigo: With oneself; reflexive pronoun used for third person.
más: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'furthermore' in addition.
progresé: I progressed or advanced; past tense of 'progresar.'
tanto: Adverb meaning 'so much' or 'to such a degree.'
nueva: New (feminine adjective); something recently acquired or begun.
peculiar: Strange, unusual, or distinctive in character.
forma: Form, shape, or manner of doing something.
investigación: Research or investigation to discover new information.
podía: Was able to or could; past imperfect of 'poder.'
determinar: To determine or ascertain a fact or detail.
exactitud: Exactness, accuracy, or precision in measurement or judgment.
por: Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' 'for,' or 'per.'
simple: Simple, plain, or uncomplicated in nature.
porte: Bearing, posture, or manner of carrying oneself.
cada: Each or every; used to refer to individuals separately.
persona: A person, an individual human being.
qué: Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what' or 'which.'
villa: A villa or country house for vacation use.
verano: Summer, the warmest season of the year.
vivía: Was living or used to live; past imperfect of 'vivir.'
habitantes: Inhabitants or residents of a place or region.
islas: Islands; landmasses surrounded by water.
carretera: A road or highway used for vehicle travel.
distinguían: Were distinguished or stood out; past imperfect of 'distinguir.'
elegancia: Elegance; graceful and refined quality in appearance.
estudiada: Studied or deliberate; carefully affected in behavior.
sus: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'their,' or 'your.'
modales: Manners or social behavior in public situations.
elegantes: Elegant, stylish, or refined in appearance or behavior.
trajes: Suits or outfits; formal or tailored garments worn.
finos: Fine, high-quality, or refined (masculine plural adjective).
carruajes: Carriages; horse-drawn vehicles for passenger transport.
desplazaban: Were moving or traveling from one place to another.
visitantes: Visitors or guests who come to a place temporarily.
lugares: Places or locations in a general or specific sense.
lejanos: Far away, distant (masculine plural adjective).
causaban: Were causing or used to cause; past imperfect of 'causar.'
buena: Good (feminine adjective); of high quality or virtue.
impresión: An impression; effect produced on the mind or feelings.
primera: First (feminine adjective); the one before all others.
vista: View or sight; the act of seeing or a scene.
su: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'its,' or 'your.'
aire: Air; also an aura or manner someone carries themselves.
sensato: Sensible, reasonable, or prudent in judgment and behavior.
digno: Worthy or dignified; deserving respect and honor.
excursionista: An excursionist or day-tripper who makes short trips.
iba: Was going or used to go; past imperfect of 'ir.'
isla: An island; land completely surrounded by water.
le: Indirect object pronoun meaning 'him,' 'her,' or 'you.'
reconocía: Was recognizing; could identify by past imperfect of 'reconocer.'
expresión: An expression; showing feelings through face or words.
alegría: Joy or happiness; a feeling of great pleasure.
incontenible: Uncontainable or irrepressible; impossible to hold back.

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