White nights, and other stories — Page 15

Vocabulary

Aucune

oh-kün — No, not any; used to negate a noun

femme

fam — Woman; also means wife in certain contexts

au

oh — Contraction of à + le, meaning 'at the' or 'to the'

cœur

kur — Heart; the organ or seat of emotions

généreux

zhay-nay-ruh — Generous; willing to give freely to others

à

ah — Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'

moins

mwan — Less; used in comparisons or expressions like 'at least'

qu'

k — Shortened form of 'que', meaning 'that' or 'than'

elle

el — She; third-person singular feminine pronoun

ne

nuh — Negative particle used with pas, jamais, etc.

fût

fü — Imperfect subjunctive of être, meaning 'was/were'

stupide

stü-peed — Stupid; lacking intelligence or common sense

ou

oo — Or; conjunction connecting alternatives

qui

kee — Who or which; relative or interrogative pronoun

plus

plü — More; used in comparisons or negation

est

eh — Is; third-person singular present of être

contrariée

kon-trah-ree-ay — Annoyed or thwarted; feminine past participle of contrarier

par

par — By or through; preposition indicating means or agent

quelque

kel-kuh — Some; an indefinite adjective meaning 'a certain'

chose

shohz — Thing; a general noun referring to any object

ce

suh — This or that; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

moment-là

moh-mahn-lah — That moment; referring to a specific point in time

pourrait

poo-reh — Could; conditional form of pouvoir

se

suh — Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself' or 'himself/herself'

résoudre

ray-zoo-druh — To resolve or solve; to decide upon a course

vous

voo — You; second-person plural or formal pronoun

renvoyer

rahn-vwah-yay — To send back or dismiss someone

sans

sahn — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack

ces

say — These or those; plural demonstrative adjective

deux

duh — Two; the cardinal number 2

mots

moh — Words; plural of mot

que

kuh — That, which, or than; versatile conjunction or pronoun

demandez

duh-mahn-day — Ask or request; second-person plural present of demander

si

see — If or so; conditional conjunction or intensifier

timidement

tee-meed-mahn — Timidly; in a shy or hesitant manner

Mais

meh — But; conjunction indicating contrast or objection

dis-je

dee-zhuh — Said I; inverted first-person interjection form

Elle

el — She; third-person singular feminine subject pronoun

prendrait

prahn-dreh — Would take; conditional form of prendre

bien

byahn — Well or very; adverb of manner or intensifier

sûr

sür — Sure or certain; adjective expressing certainty

pour

poor — For; preposition indicating purpose or recipient

un

uhn — A or one; indefinite article or numeral

fou

foo — Crazy or mad; someone who is mentally unsound

Je

zhuh — I; first-person singular subject pronoun

me

muh — Me; first-person singular object or reflexive pronoun

fiais

fyeh — Trusted; imperfect of se fier, to rely on

ma

mah — My; first-person singular feminine possessive adjective

propre

proh-pruh — Own or clean; adjective meaning belonging to oneself

expérience

ex-pay-ryahns — Experience; knowledge gained through living or practice

connais

koh-neh — Know; first-person singular present of connaître

passablement

pah-sah-bluh-mahn — Tolerably or fairly well; moderately, to a reasonable degree

la

lah — The; feminine definite article

vie

vee — Life; the existence and experience of living beings

des

day — Some or of the; plural indefinite article or partitive

autres

oh-truh — Others; referring to different or additional people

Oh

oh — Oh; exclamation expressing surprise or emotion

merci

mair-see — Thank you; expression of gratitude

m'

m — Me; elided first-person object pronoun before vowel

écriai-je

ay-kree-ay-zhuh — I exclaimed; inverted passé simple interjection form

savez

sah-vay — Know; second-person plural present of savoir

pas

pah — Not; negative particle used with ne

venez

vuh-nay — Come; second-person plural present of venir

de

duh — Of, from, or some; very common French preposition

faire

fair — To do or make; fundamental infinitive verb

moi

mwah — Me; stressed first-person singular pronoun

J'

zh — I; elided first-person pronoun before a vowel

en

ahn — In, of it, or some; pronoun or preposition

suis

swee — Am; first-person singular present of être

ravie

rah-vee — Delighted; feminine adjective expressing great pleasure

dites-moi

deet-mwah — Tell me; imperative with pronoun, requesting information

comment

koh-mahn — How; interrogative adverb asking about manner

avez-vous

ah-vay-voo — Have you; inverted question form of avoir

deviné

duh-vee-nay — Guessed; past participle of deviner, to figure out

j'

zh — I; elided form of je before vowel sound

étais

ay-teh — Was; first-person imperfect of être

le

luh — The; masculine definite article

genre

zhahn-ruh — Type or kind; category or sort of person or thing

avec

ah-vek — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or association

enfin

ahn-fan — Finally or well; expressing conclusion or mild exasperation

jugez

zhü-zhay — Judge; second-person plural present or imperative of juger

digne

dee-nyuh — Worthy or dignified; deserving of respect or attention

d'

d — Of or from; elided form of de before a vowel

attention

ah-tahn-syohn — Attention; notice or careful consideration given

amitié

ah-mee-tyay — Friendship; a close and warm personal relationship

bref

bref — Brief or in short; summarizing what was just said

une

ün — A; feminine indefinite article

logeuse

loh-zhuz — Landlady; a woman who rents rooms to lodgers

comme

kohm — Like, as, or such as; comparison conjunction

dites

deet — Say or tell; second-person plural of dire

Qu'

k — What or that; elided form of que

est-ce

es-suh — Is it; interrogative structure used to form questions

a

ah — Has; third-person singular present of avoir

décidé

day-see-day — Decided; past participle of décider

aborder

ah-bor-day — To approach or address; to tackle a subject or person

Ce

suh — This or it; demonstrative pronoun

y

ee — There or it; pronoun replacing a place or thing

étiez

ay-tyay — Were; second-person plural imperfect of être

seule

sul — Alone; feminine adjective meaning by oneself

monsieur

muh-syuh — Mister or sir; polite form of address for a man

était

ay-teh — Was; third-person singular imperfect of être

trop

troh — Too or too much; adverb of excess

insolent

an-soh-lahn — Insolent; rude and disrespectful in behavior

il

eel — He or it; third-person singular masculine pronoun

fait

feh — Makes or does; third-person singular present of faire

nuit

nwee — Night; the dark period after sunset

Vous

voo — You; formal or plural second-person pronoun

devez

duh-vay — Must or have to; second-person plural present of devoir

admettre

ad-met-ruh — To admit or acknowledge; to accept something as true

c'

s — It; elided demonstrative pronoun before vowel

devoir

duh-vwahr — Duty or must; obligation or the verb to have to

Non

nohn — No; negative response or refusal

veux

vuh — Want; first-person singular present of vouloir

dire

deer — To say or tell; fundamental verb of speech

avant

ah-vahn — Before; preposition or adverb of time

l'

l — The; elided definite article before vowel sound

autre

oh-truh — Other; referring to a different person or thing

côté

koh-tay — Side; a lateral part or direction

aviez

ah-vyay — Had; second-person plural imperfect of avoir

intention

an-tahn-syohn — Intention; a plan or purpose behind an action

De

duh — Of or from; preposition

Vraiment

vreh-mahn — Really or truly; adverb expressing sincerity or surprise

sais

seh — Know; first-person singular present of savoir

répondre

ray-pon-druh — To answer or respond; to reply to a question

ai

eh — Have; first-person singular present of avoir

peur

pur — Fear; a feeling of anxiety or dread

Savez-vous

sah-vay-voo — Do you know; inverted question form of savoir

été

ay-tay — Been; past participle of être; also means summer

heureux

u-ruh — Happy; feeling or expressing joy and contentment

aujourd'hui

oh-zhoor-dwee — Today; this present day

marchais

mar-sheh — Was walking; first-person imperfect of marcher

chantant

shahn-tahn — Singing; present participle of chanter

sorti

sor-tee — Gone out; past participle of sortir

campagne

kahm-pah-nyuh — Countryside; rural landscape outside urban areas

n'

n — Not; elided negative particle before vowel sound

jamais

zhah-meh — Never or ever; negative or emphatic time adverb

connu

koh-nü — Known; past participle of connaître

tels

tel — Such; plural adjective indicating this kind or type

moments

moh-mahn — Moments; brief periods of time

bonheur

boh-nur — Happiness; a state of joy and well-being

peut-être

puh-tet-ruh — Perhaps or maybe; expressing possibility or uncertainty

mon

mohn — My; first-person singular masculine possessive adjective

imagination

ee-mah-zhee-nah-syohn — Imagination; the ability to form mental images or ideas

Pardonnez-moi

par-doh-nay-mwah — Pardon me; polite apology or request for forgiveness

allusion

ah-lü-zyohn — Allusion; an indirect reference to something

avait

ah-veh — Had; third-person singular imperfect of avoir

semblé

sahm-blay — Seemed; past participle of sembler

pleuriez

pluh-ryay — Were crying; second-person plural imperfect of pleurer

pouvais

poo-veh — Could; first-person imperfect of pouvoir

supporter

sü-por-tay — To bear or endure; to tolerate something difficult

cela

suh-lah — That; demonstrative pronoun referring to something

serrait

seh-reh — Was gripping; imperfect of serrer, to squeeze or tighten

Dieu

dyuh — God; the supreme being in religious belief