White nights, and other stories — Page 6

Vocabulary

Si

si — If; used to introduce a conditional clause

une

yn — A/an; feminine indefinite article

fenêtre

fənɛtʁ — Window; an opening in a wall for light

s'

s — Reflexive pronoun; oneself, used before vowel

ouvrait

uvʁɛ — Was opening; imperfect tense of ouvrir

après

apʁɛ — After; following in time or order

que

kə — That/than/which; versatile conjunction or pronoun

de

də — Of/from; preposition indicating possession or origin

délicats

delika — Delicate; fine, subtle, or fragile in nature

doigts

dwa — Fingers; digits of the human hand

blancs

blɑ̃ — White; having the color of snow or milk

comme

kɔm — Like/as; used for comparison or similarity

neige

nɛʒ — Snow; frozen precipitation that falls in flakes

avaient

avɛ — Had; third person plural imperfect of avoir

tapé

tape — Tapped/typed; struck lightly or repeatedly on surface

sur

syʁ — On/upon; preposition indicating position above surface

la

la — The; feminine definite article

vitre

vitʁ — Pane of glass; windowpane in a frame

et

e — And; conjunction linking words or clauses

tête

tɛt — Head; upper part of the human body

d'

d — Of/from; elided form of de before vowel

jolie

ʒɔli — Pretty; attractive or pleasing in appearance

fille

fij — Girl/daughter; young female person

se

sə — Reflexive pronoun; oneself, himself, herself, themselves

penchait

pɑ̃ʃɛ — Was leaning; bending forward or to one side

dehors

dəɔʁ — Outside; in or to the exterior

appelant

aplɑ̃ — Calling; summoning someone by voice or signal

un

œ̃ — A/an; masculine indefinite article

marchand

maʁʃɑ̃ — Merchant/vendor; person who sells goods

ambulant

ɑ̃bylɑ̃ — Itinerant; traveling from place to place to sell

avec

avɛk — With; in the company or possession of

des

de — Some; plural indefinite article or partitive

pots

po — Pots; containers used for plants or cooking

fleurs

flœʁ — Flowers; colorful blossoms of a plant

aussitôt

osito — Immediately; right away, without delay

je

ʒə — I; first person singular subject pronoun

m'

m — Me/myself; elided first person reflexive pronoun

imaginais

imaʒinɛ — Was imagining; picturing something in the mind

ces

se — These/those; demonstrative adjective for plural nouns

n'

n — Not; elided negative particle before vowel

étaient

etɛ — Were; third person plural imperfect of être

pas

pa — Not; second part of French negation ne...pas

achetées

aʃte — Bought; feminine plural past participle of acheter

simplement

sɛ̃pləmɑ̃ — Simply; in a plain or straightforward manner

pour

puʁ — For/in order to; preposition of purpose or intention

profiter

pʁɔfite — To take advantage of; to benefit from something

du

dy — Of the; contracted masculine definite partitive article

printemps

pʁɛ̃tɑ̃ — Spring; season between winter and summer

dans

dɑ̃ — In/inside; preposition indicating location within something

les

le — The; plural definite article for masculine and feminine

logements

lɔʒmɑ̃ — Dwellings/apartments; places where people live

étouffants

etufɑ̃ — Stifling; suffocatingly hot or lacking fresh air

ville

vil — City/town; an urban settlement or municipality

mais

mɛ — But; conjunction introducing a contrast or exception

parce

paʁsə — Because; part of parce que, giving a reason

qu'

k — That/because; elided form of que before vowel

ils

il — They; third person masculine plural subject pronoun

allaient

alɛ — Were going; imperfect tense of aller, third plural

tous

tus — All/everyone; totality of persons or things

très

tʁɛ — Very; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb

bientôt

bjɛ̃to — Soon; in a short time from now

partir

paʁtiʁ — To leave/depart; to go away from a place

à

a — To/at/in; preposition of direction or location

campagne

kɑ̃paɲ — Countryside; rural area outside of cities

pourraient

puʁɛ — Could; conditional tense of pouvoir, third plural

emporter

ɑ̃pɔʁte — To take along; to carry something away with oneself

eux

ø — Them; stressed third person masculine plural pronoun

Qui

ki — Who/which; relative or interrogative pronoun

plus

ply — More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree

est

ɛ — Is; third person singular present of être

fis

fi — Made/did; first person singular simple past of faire

tels

tɛl — Such; of that kind or degree, plural form

progrès

pʁɔɡʁɛ — Progress; advancement or improvement in a skill

ma

ma — My; feminine singular possessive adjective

nouvelle

nuvɛl — New/novel; something recent or not previously known

singulière

sɛ̃ɡyljɛʁ — Singular/peculiar; remarkable or unusual in character

sorte

sɔʁt — Sort/kind; a type or category of something

investigation

ɛ̃vɛstiɡasjɔ̃ — Investigation; systematic inquiry or examination of something

pouvais

puvɛ — Could; first person singular imperfect of pouvoir

distinguer

distɛ̃ɡe — To distinguish; to tell apart or perceive clearly

correctement

kɔʁɛktəmɑ̃ — Correctly; in an accurate or proper manner

rien

ʁjɛ̃ — Nothing; not anything, absence of all things

l'

l — The; elided definite article before a vowel

air

ɛʁ — Air/manner; atmosphere or someone's expression/bearing

chacun

ʃakœ̃ — Each one/everyone; every individual person separately

quelle

kɛl — Which/what; feminine interrogative or exclamative adjective

villa

villa — Villa; a large country or suburban residence

été

ete — Been/summer; past participle of être or summer season

il

il — He/it; third person masculine singular subject pronoun

résidait

ʁezidɛ — Was residing; living in a place, imperfect tense

Les

le — The; plural definite article for all genders

habitants

abitɑ̃ — Inhabitants; people who live in a particular place

îles

il — Islands; land masses surrounded by water

ou

u — Or; conjunction presenting an alternative choice

route

ʁut — Road/route; a path or way for traveling

distinguaient

distɛ̃ɡɛ — Were distinguished; stood out, imperfect third plural

par

paʁ — By/through/per; preposition of means or manner

élégance

eleɡɑ̃s — Elegance; refined grace in appearance or manner

recherchée

ʁəʃɛʁʃe — Studied/refined; deliberately sophisticated or elaborate

leurs

lœʁ — Their; plural possessive adjective for all genders

manières

manjɛʁ — Manners; ways of behaving in social situations

élégants

eleɡɑ̃ — Elegant; tastefully stylish in dress or manner

costumes

kɔstym — Costumes/suits; sets of clothing worn by people

beaux

bo — Beautiful/handsome; plural of beau, aesthetically pleasing

équipages

ekipaʒ — Carriages/crews; horse-drawn vehicles or a vehicle's crew

lesquels

lekɛl — Which; masculine plural relative or interrogative pronoun

rendaient

ʁɑ̃dɛ — Were going/rendering; imperfect tense of rendre, third plural

en

ɑ̃ — In/by/as; preposition or pronoun with multiple uses

visiteurs

vizitœʁ — Visitors; people who go to see a place or person

endroits

ɑ̃dʁwa — Places/spots; specific locations or areas

éloignés

elwaɲe — Remote/distant; far away from a central point

impressionnaient

ɛ̃pʁɛsjɔnɛ — Were impressing; making a strong effect on others

au

o — At the/to the; contracted masculine definite article

premier

pʁəmje — First; ordinal number indicating the very first

regard

ʁəɡaʁ — Look/glance; a gaze or way of looking

leur

lœʁ — Their/to them; possessive adjective or indirect pronoun

raisonnable

ʁɛzɔnabl — Reasonable; sensible, fair, and based on good judgment

digne

diɲ — Dignified/worthy; having or showing self-respect and worth

le

lə — The; masculine singular definite article

touriste

tuʁist — Tourist; person traveling for leisure or sightseeing

île

il — Island; piece of land surrounded by water

pouvait

puvɛ — Could; third person singular imperfect of pouvoir

être

ɛtʁ — To be; fundamental verb expressing existence or identity

reconnu

ʁəkɔny — Recognized; identified as known, past participle of reconnaître

son

sɔ̃ — His/her/its; masculine singular possessive adjective

gaieté

ɡɛte — Gaiety; cheerful liveliness or merriness of spirit

irrépressible

iʁepʁɛsibl — Irrepressible; impossible to restrain or control