[39.1] primer término. See the following diagram for this and other stage directions.
(The directions derecha and izquierda are given from the standpoint of the actors, not from that of the audience; they are feminine to agree with mano, understood.)
images not available
A—D: proscenio = front. (The part of the stage between its outer edge and the curtain.)
A—B: primera derecha = front, right.
B—C: segunda derecha = back, right.
D—E: primera izquierda = front, left.
E—F: segunda izquierda = back, left.
A—D—E—B: primer término = foreground.
C—F: foro = rear, back.
[39.2] el tinglado de la antigua farsa. In general, the language of Los intereses creados is modern; but by the use of well-chosen archaisms Benavente imparts to this play something of the spirit of the period in which the events are supposed to take place. The action of the piece is assigned to the beginning of the seventeenth century.
[39.3] el Puente Nuevo le Pont-Neuf (literally 'the New Bridge'). One of the oldest and most famous bridges in Paris; for a long time the most frequented spot in the city.
[39.4] Tabarín. Assumed name of Jean Salomon (c. 1584-1633), a celebrated street actor who gave performances in Paris, thereby winning lasting fame and attracting the attention of famous French authors; the name is adopted as a type of farcical comedian.
[39.5] que. Used instead of porque to mean 'for' or 'because'; it occurs repeatedly in this sense in Los intereses creados, and is, in general, common in all sorts of language, particularly in poetry; but porque more strongly expresses the idea of cause, whereas this que expresses an additional fact without stressing that fact as a cause.
[40.1] que. See preceding note.
[40.2] Lope de Rueda. A famous itinerant actor-manager and playwright of the middle of the sixteenth century; he is regarded as the founder of the modern Spanish theater.
Shakespeare. Linked with the old farces by such works as A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Molière. Influenced, particularly in his early plays, by the commedia dell'arte.
[40.3] guiñolesca. An adjective formed from the Spanish guiñol derived from the French guignol, meaning 'Punch' or 'the theater of Punch.'
[40.4] comedia del Arte. See page 118.
[40.5] italiano. We should expect italiana, in agreement with comedia; either italiano is a misprint, or it is attracted by the gender of the masculine Arte.
[41.1] diga. Subjunctive on account of the general command involved in the stage directions, which makes the relative clause indefinite.
[41.2] en... dado. The vocabulary should be examined whenever dar en occurs. Not only does this idiom mean 'hit upon,' 'chance upon,' or 'strike,' but it may also signify 'take a notion to.'
[41.3] Picardía. A noun of double meaning; as a common noun picardía denotes 'knavery' or 'roguery,' and as a proper noun Picardía is the name of an old province in Northern France centering in the valley of the Somme, and called Picardie (Picardy). In the thirteenth century there sprang up in Picardy a sect of heretics who became known as les picards, which came to mean 'rogues,' 'oath-breakers,' etc. François Villon alludes to them, and they were widely known.
[41.4] asiento. Another play on words, for asiento means 'seat' or 'bench'; hence the reference to the hardness of a seat in the galleys; hacer asiento is 'make a stop' or 'halt'; the pun is scarcely translatable.
[42.1] que, malvendiéndolos (freely translated) 'when, by selling them (even) at a loss.' Here que may be taken as a relative pronoun, direct object of malvendiendo; in this case los repeats que. Or we may assume that que is a relative pronoun having no grammatical connection with what follows (i.e. the phenomenon known as anacolouthon). This que might also be considered a conjunction introducing an additional statement that amounts to an objection ('but,' 'for,' 'when'). In any case the general meaning of the sentence is clear.
[42.4] así. Used as a conjunction; see vocabulary.
[44.2] llamasteis. As the modern form would be either llamaste or llamó (according to whether the speaker uses tú or usted), llamasteis is an archaism and properly corresponds to the archaic form of address vos. Here living Spanish requires (usted) llamó, or (tú) llamaste, if the speaker may appropriately use tú. Vos is confined to poetic style, and to solemn addresses, for instance, to God, to royalty, or to high dignitaries, etc.
Everywhere in Los intereses creados we find vos instead of usted and, consequently, vuestro etc. instead of su or de usted. With vos the verb must of course be in the true second person plural (e.g. llamáis). See the note on la antigua farsa, [39.2]. See Bello-Cuervo, §§ 234, 235.
[44.5] se. The reflexive makes estar connote stopping or delaying or standing.
[45.1] que. This que is elliptical. A natural English rendering is made possible if we use 'or.'
[46.1] soy con vosotros 'I'll attend to you presently.' A special locution; for, in general, we should expect estoy; but for this meaning soy is the correct living form. This phrase has usually a future sense. Here, the exact time expressed by soy may be present and may be future. This idiom must not be confused with estar con denoting locality.
[46.2] ¡Buena la hicisteis! (Ironically) 'That's a fine thing you've done!' For the feminine, see note [32.3].
[46.3] Ordenanzas. Ordinances or police regulations that required (and still require) Spanish innkeepers to report to the authorities within twenty-four hours of the arrival of a guest, his name, the place from which he comes, his business, and other details. A satisfactory statement of the law is to be found in the Novísima recopilación, Lib. III, Tit. XIX, Ley XXVII, 4. The Novísima recopilación is published in fairly convenient form in Alcubilla's Códigos antiguos de España (page 1011). Of course the date assigned to the action of Los intereses creados is anterior to 1805, the year of the formulation of the code just mentioned; but the legal requirement was approximately the same in the earlier time.
[46.4] ¡Veníos! The reflexive with intransitive verbs of motion is borrowed from a similar construction with transitive verbs (e.g. moverse, arrojarse, etc.) and does not appreciably change the meaning of the verb; it is probably to be regarded as a mere sign of spontaneity. See Bello-Cuervo, note 102.
[47.1] Aretino. Pietro Aretino (1492-1566), the most notorious literary blackmailer of the Italian Renaissance; also an author of ability. He was born in Arezzo (whence Aretino), but is more closely associated with Venice.
[48.1] ¡Pobres de ellos...! "When adjectives are used as interjections before personal pronouns de is interposed." Ramsey, § 1431. Translate 'Woe to them...!' Cf. [15.2].
[48.2] por melancólico. Supply ser and translate 'because it is sad.'
[48.3] ¿Sois vosotros? In English the verb is in the third person singular: 'Is it you?'
[49.1] hagan merced. An archaism corresponding to the modern hagan (ustedes) el favor.
[49.2] tengo dedicado. Tener and llevar are sometimes used instead of haber with the past participle, after the manner of auxiliaries; but they are not true auxiliaries, because the participle is treated as an adjective and therefore agrees with the object in gender and number. Tener really denotes possession and is more emphatic than haber.
[49.3] he menester. This expression, with haber as principal verb, is not unknown even in modern prose. In general, however, the use of haber as an independent verb is archaic.
[50.2] ha (más de un mes). In this sense hace is much more common than ha in modern Spanish.
[50.3] un. Very commonly used for una before a feminine word beginning with stressed a or ha; for this apocopation see Bello-Cuervo, § 156.
[51.1] mírese. Cf. [22.2]; the reflexive adds nothing that can be rendered into English; it is scarcely more than an ethical dative.
[51.2] ¿Cómo conocidos? 'How known?' 'What do you mean by known?' An elliptical expression, not impossible in colloquial English.
[52.3] vosotros... vos. An illustration of the distinction between the two pronouns; vosotros, the real plural, refers to the company attacking, while vos, the artificial plural, refers to the captain; for the singular form espada, see note [4.3].
[52.4] hará que se os trate 'he will have you treated.' Hacer followed by que and the subjunctive, meaning literally 'make that,' 'bring it about that,' is translated like hacer with the infinitive; que is suppressed.
[53.1] No he librado de mala 'I've had a narrow escape.' Librarse de buena means 'escape from danger.' The omission of the reflexive makes the expression briefer and more forceful. For the feminine mala (originally followed, perhaps, by ventura), see note [32.3].
[53.2] Agradeceros. Supply some verb such as puedo before the infinitive; the construction is permissible in English in certain cases; it makes it appear that the infinitive replaces the indicative. The statement thereby seems less personal.
[55.1] hay para. See vocabulary under haber (hay).
[55.2] ¡Que una dama se vea! 'To think that a lady should see herself!' Another elliptical sentence dependent upon some such expression as es posible.
[56.1] hasta emplearlo yo 'until I employed him.' Note that emplear is governed by hasta and that yo is its subject.
[56.3] ser llegado. A relic of the auxiliary ser with intransitive verbs of motion. This construction is common in Old Spanish, rare in Cervantes, and almost non-existent now. A few survivals occur even in prose, and of such survivals es llegado is perhaps the most common. See Bello-Cuervo, § 1119.
[56.4] no sería 'could not have been.' Conditional of probability in the past.
[56.5] la doña Sirena de mis veinte 'the doña Sirena that I was at the age of twenty.' Años must be supplied, as is clear from the succeeding speeches. Colombina pretends to suppose that some other word (e.g. amantes) might be intended.
[57.1] creyera. Imperfect subjunctive, substituted occasionally for the pluperfect when negation is strong.
[59.1] Con ser tal. Equivalent to 'although' and a dependent clause. With the infinitive con denotes means, cause, condition, or concession. In translating we use sometimes the present participle, and sometimes a dependent clause.
[59.2] no anduviera 'would not be.' When substituted for ser, andar usually implies continuance or permanence, and strengthens the statement.
[59.3] a no fiar tanto 'if he did not rely so much.' A + infinitive is commonly equivalent to a conditional clause.
[61.2] ¡Si así fuera siempre! 'If it were only always thus!'—a wish that cannot be realized.
[66.1] Ya se me tarda en verle. This idiom has a very archaic flavor. See vocabulary, under tardar.
[66.2] vendríais. An unusual construction; the subjunctive is the normal form after temer. It would appear that in this instance the verb has lost its emotional character, and has become almost equal to a verb of believing. The Dictionary of the Spanish Academy admits sospechar ('suspect') as a secondary meaning of temer.
[66.3] cómo vengo de sofocada 'how out of breath I come.' The use of cómo causes the insertion of de.
[68.1] habéis. This is a real plural, referring to Silvia and Leandro. Que may be taken as a conjunction meaning 'so that' or 'for.' If we consider que a relative pronoun, there is no proper antecedent for it; such a construction, however, would not be impossible in conversation.
[68.2] jorobas. Punch is usually represented as a hunchback.
[68.3] por esos mares (freely translated) 'on the high seas.' Ese at times assumes a peculiar meaning that defies literal translation. It refers in a vague way to something on a large scale familiar to everybody, but particularly familiar to the person addressed. Note the expression por esas calles de Dios and the name of the periodical Por esos mundos.
[72.1] no me importó menos perderme 'I cared less about being lost,' 'I didn't even mind being lost.' The preceding clause is in itself negative; menos makes the succeeding negative even stronger. Cf. the English 'I don't know and care less.'
[72.2] algo que fuera. Subjunctive in a relative clause with an indefinite antecedent.
[74.1] que 'until.' A conversational use of que for the full a que (i.e. hasta que).
[75.1] sigo. This verb frequently means 'follow,' but when used with the present participle, it should be translated 'continue' or 'go on.' In this use it emphasizes, even more strongly than ir, continuity of action.
[79.1] como. Note the use of como with the subjunctive in a conditional sense; see vocabulary.
[80.2] Decidme lo que sea. 'Tell me what has become.' The subjunctive is due to the indefiniteness of the relative clause (cf. English 'what may have become'), because Colombina is uncertain as to Leandro's fate. When followed by de the verb ser often takes the meaning 'become of.'
[83.1] todo lo enamorado y lo fiel y lo noble que tú quieras y ella pueda desear 'just as much in love and just as faithful and noble as you like and she can desire.' Lo is used idiomatically before an adjective followed by a clause with que; the adjective agrees with a following noun or pronoun. The usual translation ('how') is impossible here. Todo intensifies lo. For examples see Ramsey, § 1358.
[84.1] me acusó más de torpe. If, after de, we supply ser, the sentence becomes clear.
[85.1] ¿Piensas... son para olvidarlas? 'Do you think that the deeds of Mantua and Florence are (of a nature) to be forgotten?' Note that Spanish has the active infinitive (literally 'to forget them') where the passive is used in English. Las is superfluous in translation.
[85.2] Bolonia. The Italian city of Bologna, especially famous as a center of legal studies.
[85.3] considerandos... resultandos. Typical terms in legal documents (cf. the Doctor's speech, page 104, lines 1-7). Crispín, making fun of lawyers' language, uses the words as substantives and in the plural.
[89.1] haceos del doliente. An archaism; the modern idiom is hacerse el doliente.
[89.2] sabré. Supply hacer.
[93.1] summum jus, summa injuria. A Latin saying found in Cicero, De Officiis, 1, 10, 33, where it is quoted as proverbial. It means literally "extreme law (justice) is extreme injustice," and refers to cases where law is rigorously applied without regard to equity or to circumstances. As Cicero puts it (in De Officiis, just before the proverb quoted): "Injuries often exist through a certain chicanery and an over-adroit but malicious interpretation of the law." A similar phrase is found in Terence, Heauton Timoroumenos, vs. 796: jus summum saepe summa est malitia.
[93.2] Barbara, Celare, Dario, Ferioque, Baralipton. Terms invented by medieval scholastic logicians to help in remembering the various forms (technically, moods) of syllogisms. The words in themselves are meaningless. Their vowels represent different types of logical propositions. This jargon (possibly familiar to a few university graduates) is put in the Doctor's mouth for humorous effect; he is depicted as fond of displaying learning. A similar legal speech occurs in le Bourgeois gentilhomme by Molière, Act 2, Scene 6.
[94.2] las doce tablas. The twelve tables constituting the first written compilation of Roman Law, said by Livy and others to have been prepared in two sections (first ten tables, then two) in the fifth century B. C. (452 and later) by a decemvirate of which the principal member was Appius Claudius.
[94.3] Justiniano. Justinian (483-565) the best known of the rulers of the Eastern Roman Empire; he ordered the compilation of the great code corpus juris civilis ('body of the civil law').
Triboniano. Tribonian, a famous jurist, minister under Justinian and one of the leading compilers of the corpus juris civilis.
Emiliano y Triberiano. These names are used humorously. Benavente may have invented them, or he may have meant them as mistaken references of the Doctor to eminent jurists. Thus Emiliano might be Aemilius Papinianus, a Roman jurist who lived about 200 A.D., while Triberiano might relate to the senatusconsultum Trebellianum, ascribed to Trebellius Maximus, a consul in Rome under Nero.
[97.1] Quedaron suspensos... This speech, which may or may not be taken as incomplete, seems to refer to the accusers of Crispín and Leandro, and to mean 'They are taken aback.' It might also refer to the suspension of court proceedings. For the preterit, see note [8.1].
[98.1] Ved. A slight change has to be made in the translation, as is sometimes the case when ver is semi-exclamatory; translate 'look out' or 'be careful about'; cf. the English 'see to.'
[100.1] talión. A word existing also in English; it comes from the Latin talio and means 'retaliation,' or more precisely a penalty that consists in making a guilty man suffer the same injury that he caused.
[100.2] Equitas justicia magna est. The Latin form of the Spanish sentence immediately preceding.
[100.3] las Pandectas 'the Pandects.' The name given to the compendium or digest, the most important part of the corpus juris civilis, compiled by Justinian's orders.
[100.4] Triboniano con Emiliano Triboniano. The Doctor does not seem particularly clear in his references. He is, however, true to his dictatorial and showy character; see note [94.3].
[104.1] ¿De ley?—Oro de ley is gold approved by law and therefore standard; cf. 'legal tender.' Crispín makes a joke by assuming knowledge of such a thing in a man versed in the law.
Attention is called to the following remarks
1. The vocabulary is meant to give English equivalents of words and locutions as found in this book, and its scope is therefore limited. Only meanings actually encountered in the text are given except when the definition illustrates a rare or perplexing usage from which the student might be led to infer a general usage.
2. The aim has been to combine clearness and consistency, but when a choice between them has been necessary clearness has been preferred. Thus, if two or more parts of speech are represented by the same word, they are sometimes noted separately, and sometimes put under one heading.
3. When a word found in the text is used both as an adjective and as a substantive the meanings are placed under one heading (the adjective) if the English translation can be made by adding such a word as 'man' or 'person' to the adjective. Otherwise separate headings are allotted. If the word occurs only in the substantive sense, though ordinarily employed in Spanish as a well-known adjective, both meanings are stated.
4. Where abstract nouns are used in the plural an effort has been made to indicate possible translations both in the singular and in the plural if the literal translation does not admit a plural in English.
5. If the same word is used as an adjective and as an adverb separate entries are generally made. But in the case of such words as más, mucho, poco, tanto and todo the meanings are grouped under one heading, because the distinction between the parts of speech in idiomatic phrases is at best a shadowy one, and because the list of idioms is lengthy.
6. Proper nouns are translated only when the same or similar names exist in English.
7. The language to which a foreign word belongs is indicated by an abbreviation unless a reference to the notes follows.
8. References to the notes are limited to certain stage directions and to cases where for special reasons the meaning is not given in the vocabulary.
9. Reflexive verbs are treated variously. If a verb occurs both in its simple and in its reflexive form the translation of the simple form alone is given if the reflexive can be rendered by the English reflexive or by the passive. Otherwise both forms are translated. If a verb occurs only in the reflexive the simple form is not indicated unless it is essential to comprehension of the real meaning or to the avoidance of misunderstanding.
10. Idioms and phrases of various kinds are grouped in alphabetical order varied only in a few cases where one expression seems to belong naturally near another. Under verbs, forms containing the simple infinitive are given first; then come forms with the infinitive and reflexive, and last those where the verb is conjugated.
11. Wherever the word 'to' is merely 'a sign of the infinitive,' it is omitted.
A
a to, at, after, by, on, upon, according to, in, for, with, from;
not translated before personal direct object;
— no fiar tanto if he did not rely so much;
al + inf. = in, on, upon, while, etc. + pres. part. or a dependent clause with finite verb;
al pasar in passing, when you pass;
for meanings of numerous phrases and expressions containing
a, see Notes and other headings in this vocabulary
abatido, -a dejected, downcast
abatimiento m. dejection
abdicación f. renunciation
abierto, -a (from abrir) open;
—a opening into;
— de par en par wide open
ablandarse be softened, relent
abrazado, -a embracing;
see abrazar
abrazar embrace;
see abrazado
abrir open
abstenerse de refrain from
abstuviera see abstener
abuelo m. grandfather
abusar abuse;
— de abuse, presume upon
acabar end, finish;
— por end by;
acabo de + inf. I have just...
Academia f. Academy
acampar take quarters, take lodgings
acariciar caress
acaso perhaps;
si — well, perhaps
acción f. action
acepción f. acceptation, opinion, belief
aceptable acceptable
aceptar accept
acerca de about, concerning
acercarse approach
acertado, -a right, correct, proper;
andar — be right;
see acertar
acertar hit the mark, succeed;
see acertado
aciago, -a melancholy, sad
aclarar make clear
acobardarse become frightened, flinch
acoger receive;
—se a resort to
acomodarse a adapt oneself to, put up with
acompañamiento m. retinue
acompañar accompany, go with
aconsejar advise
acordarse (de) remember
acostaos (acostad + os)
acostarse lie down, go to bed
acostumbrar be accustomed;
—se accustom oneself, become accustomed
acreditar accredit, prove
actitud f. attitude
acto m. act
actor m. actor
actuación f. operation, proceeding
actual actual, present
actualmente actually, at present
acudir come;
— a come to, repair to, attend, have recourse to, resort to
acuerdo m. agreement;
de — con in agreement or accordance with;
estar de — be agreed, agree;
ponerse de — come to an agreement
acusar (de) accuse (of);
— de + adj. accuse (someone) of being
adaptar adapt
adecuado, -a suited
adelantado, -a advanced;
por — in advance
adelante ahead, forward, onward;
¡—! come in!;
más — further on, later;
salir — get out, emerge, escape;
seguir — go ahead, advance
ademán m. gesture, manner
además besides
adeudado, -a indebted, owed;
todo lo — all that is due
adiestrar train
admirable admirable
admirablemente admirably
admiración f. admiration;
admiraciones admiration, admiring remarks
admirar admire, wonder at
admitir admit, allow
Adonis m. Adonis (according to classical mythology, a beautiful youth; used as a type of masculine beauty)
adoptar adopt
adoptivo, -a adoptive, adopted
adorable adorable
adorar adore, worship
adquieren see adquirir
adquirir acquire, gain, secure
aduana f. customhouse
advertencia f. notice, warning
advertir notify, give notice, warn
advierta see advertir
adviert-o, -e see advertir
afán m. anxiety, eagerness;
tener tanto — be so eager
afectísimo, -a most affectionate, very affectionate, most sincere
afecto m. affection, feeling
aficionarse de become fond of
afirmar affirm, declare;
—se hold fast, take a firm hold
afortunadamente fortunately
afrentoso, -a ignominious
agasajar entertain
agasajo m. entertainment
agradecer be grateful or thankful for, thank, thank for
agradezcan see agradecer
agrado m. agreeableness, pleasure
agravio m. offense, insult, wrong
agrisado, -a grayish
agua f. water;
tomar las —s take the waters
aguantar endure, stand, put up with
aguardar await, wait for
agudeza f. sharpness, wittiness
aguileño, -a aquiline
¡ah! ah! oh!
¡— de la hostería!
¡— de la gente! etc. hallo there, hotel! hallo there, people! etc.
ahí there, here;
de — from there, from that situation
ahora now, presently;
de — of the present (moment);
hasta — till now; we'll see you again presently;
— mismo this very minute
ahorrar save, spare
airado, -a angry, furious;
mano airada assault and battery
aire m. air, demeanor;
darse —s put on airs
ajustar adjust, regulate
ala f. wing
alabanza f. praise, eulogy;
propia — self-praise
alargar lengthen, extend;
—se be prolonged;
—se en palabras say or talk too much
alargues see alargar
alarmar alarm
albergar lodge, shelter
alboroto m. disturbance, excitement, tumult
alcance m. reach;
al — de in or within reach of
aldabón m. large knocker, knocker (of a door)
aldeano, -a belonging to a village, rustic
alegrarse rejoice, be glad;
¡cuánto me alegro! how glad I am!
alegre gay, happy, joyous
alegría f. joy, gayety
algo something, anything; somewhat;
— de some, a certain amount of;
en — to some extent;
cobrarle a uno en — collect something from somebody;
para — for some purpose;
por — for some reason
alguacil m. constable
alguacilillo m. (dim. of alguacil) little constable, petty constable
alguien somebody, someone
algún, alguno, -a some, any;
alguna vez occasionally, now and then;
algunas veces sometimes;
— pron. some, someone
aliado m. ally
alimentar feed, nourish, support
aliviar relieve
alma f. soul, heart
almuerzo m. breakfast, lunch (first substantial meal of the day)
alondra f. lark
alrededor around, about;
a vuestro — around you
alterado, -a disturbed, wrought up; see alterar
alterar alter, change;
—se be stirred up, be disturbed; see alterado
altísimo, -a most lofty, very lofty
altivo, -a lofty, noble
alto, -a high, tall, eminent, upper;
en — on high
¡alto! halt!
altura f. height
alumno m. pupil, student
allegado m. friend, ally
allegado, -a related;
muy — closely related
allí there
amable amiable, sweet, kind
amanecer dawn;
al — at dawn
amante m. lover
amante loving
amantísimo, -a most loving, most affectionate
amar love
amargura f. bitterness
ambición f. ambition
ambicioso, -a ambitious
amenazar threaten;
— con + inf. threaten to
ameno, -a pleasing, delightful
amenudo often
amiga f. friend
amigo m. friend
amigote m. (aug. of amigo) dear friend, fine friend (ironical)
amistad f. friendship;
músicos y poetas de mi — musicians and poets of my acquaintance
amistosamente in a friendly manner
amo m. master
amoldarse a shape oneself to, conform to
amor love;
—es love affairs, love;
— propio self-love, self-esteem
amoroso, -a loving, affectionate, gentle
ampararse de shelter oneself in, take refuge in
amparo m. protection
amplio, -a ample, broad
ancho, -a broad
andanza f. event;
tristes —s bad fortune
andar go, walk, move; be;
— acertado be right;
— discreto be considerate;
no — con rodeos be too out-spoken, take too many liberties
andrajo m. rag, tatter
anduviera see andar
anduvimos see andar
angustia f. anguish, affliction
angustioso, -a tormenting, distressing
animal m. animal
animarse become animated or enlivened
animus (Lat.) spirit;
— belli war-like spirit
aniñar make childish
anoche last night
ante before;
— todo before all, above all
antecámara f. anteroom
antes adv. first, before, formerly, rather;
— que rather than;
— que todo first of all, above all;
— de prep. before;
— (de) que conj. before
anticipar anticipate;
—se a anticipate, forestall
Anticristo m. Antichrist
antiguo, -a ancient, old,
former; de — of old
antipático, -a disagreeable, unpleasant, repellent
antitético, -a antithetical, opposed
antítesis f. antithesis, contrast
antojarse take it into one's head, take a notion to;
a nuestros padres se les antoja our fathers take it into their heads
antología f. anthology
antorcha f. torch
anuncio m. announcement, advertisement
año m. year;
a los catorce —s at the age of fourteen years
apagar extinguish, allow to die away
aparecer appear
aparición f. appearance
aparte aside;
— de aside from
apasionarse become impassioned or excited;
— por become impassioned at, be enthusiastic about
apedrear stone, throw stones at
apenas adv. hardly, scarcely;
conj. scarcely, as soon as
aplazamiento m. postponement
apocado, -a low-spirited, discouraged
Apocalipsis m. Apocalypse
apogeo m. (greatest) height
aposento m. room, apartment
apreciar appreciate, esteem, value
apremiar press
aprender learn
apresurarse hurry, make haste, hasten
aprovechar profit by;
—se de take advantage of, profit by
aptitud f. aptitude, quality
apto, -a apt, fit, suited
apuesto, -a elegant, spruce
apurar exhaust
apuro m. want, trouble, affliction
aquel, -la that, former
aqu-él, -élla, -ello that one, the one, the former, that
aquí here;
por — over here, this way;
he — behold, here is
aquilatar examine, weigh
arboleda f. grove
arcaico, -a archaic
Aretino m. see note [47.1]
Arlequín m. Harlequin see page 119
arma f. arm, weapon;
dar —s a give arms to, give a handle to, play into the hands of
armado, -a armed;
a mano armada with arms, with violence
aroma m. perfume
arrastrar drag;
—se crawl
arreglar arrange
arreglo m. arrangement
arriba above, upstairs;
hacia — upward;
los de — those above;
para — and upward
arriesgar risk, venture
arrojar throw
arruinar ruin
arte m. (pl. f.) art, artistry, skill;
comedia del Arte see page 118
artificio m. workmanship, craft, artifice, pretense;
fuegos de — fireworks
asado m. roast
asaltar assault;
— a mano armada assault with arms, commit assault and battery upon
asegurar assure, assert, affirm;
—se make sure;
—se de assure oneself of, make sure of
asesinar murder, commit murder
asesino m. assassin, murderer
así adv. so, thus, of such a nature;
conj. even if;
un vestido — such a dress;
— como just like
asiento m. seat, bench, stop;
hacer — make a stop or halt
asistir a attend, be present at, witness
aspiración f. aspiration, ambition
aspirar aspire
astucia f. cunning
asunto m. matter, subject, affair, thing;
— concluido the matter is settled
asustar frighten, startle
atajar intercept, stop
atavío m. adornment, finery
atención f. attention;
llamar la — attract attention;
llamar más la — attract greater attention
atender a attend to, serve, heed
atenerse a abide by, stick to, depend upon
atento, -a attentive, courteous, polite
atractivo m. attraction, charm
atraer attract
atrapar catch
atreverse dare, venture;
— a mucho dare (to do) a great deal;
— a tanto dare (to do) so much, venture upon so much;
— contra dare to oppose;
see atrevido
atrevido, -a bold, daring;
see atreverse
atrevimiento m. boldness, daring, audacity
atributo m. attribute
atropellar trample upon, do violence to
atropello m. abuse, violence;
see atropellar
audaz bold
audiencia f. audience, hearing
auditorio m. audience
aumentar increase, grow
aumento m. increase
aun or aún yet, still, even, still more
aunque although, even if
aurora f. dawn
ausencia f. absence
ausentarse absent oneself, go away
automóvil m. automobile
autor m. author
autoridad f. authority
auxilio m. help, aid
avance see avanzar
avanzar advance, proceed, go ahead
avariento, -a miserly;
¡viejo —! old miser!
avaro, -a avaricious, niggardly;
un viejo — an old miser
avenencia f. agreement, compromise
aventajar surpass
aventura f. adventure
aventurero m. adventurer
avergonzarse de be ashamed of, blush for
averiguar investigate, find out
avestruz m. ostrich
avisar inform, notify
aviso m. notice, warning
avispar rouse, spur;
se va avispando he is becoming lively or clever
¡ay! oh! alas!
aya f. governess
ayer yesterday;
— por la tarde yesterday afternoon
azaroso, -a hazardous, dangerous
azul blue
B
bagaje m. baggage
¡bah! bah! pshaw!
bailar dance
bailarín m. dancer
baile m. dance, ball
bajar go down, come down, descend;
lower;
go toward the front of the stage
bajeza f. meanness, vileness
bajito, -a (dim. of bajo) short
bajo, -a low, despicable, vile
bajo adv. meanly, humbly;
prep. under
balbuceo m. stammering, stuttering;
fingir —s pretend to stammer (as if speaking like a child)
balcón m. balcony
balumba f. heap, pile, bulk
banda f. sash, scarf
bandido m. bandit
bandolero m. highwayman
Baralipton see note [93.2]
barato, -a cheap
barba f. beard
Barbara see note [93.2]
bárbaro, -a barbarous, barbaric
barbilindo m. well-shaved, well-groomed or effeminate man, milksop
base f. basis, foundation
bastante enough, sufficiently, very, much;
lo — enough, sufficiently
bastar suffice, be enough;
—le a uno con be satisfied to;
me basta con I'm satisfied to;
¡basta! enough!
¡basta de! enough of!
—se be sufficient unto oneself
batalla f. battle;
dar la — start the battle or struggle, cast the die
beber drink
bellaco m. rogue, swindler
bellacón m. (aug. of bellaco) big rogue, scoundrel
belleza f. beauty
belli (Lat.) of war;
animus — war-like spirit
bello, -a beautiful
bergante m. ruffian
besar kiss
Biblia f. Bible
bien m. good, welfare;
—es property, wealth
Bien adv. well;
— os está por you're in a fine fix for;
más — rather
blanca f. mite (name of old copper coin);
estar sin — be penniless;
sin soltar — without spending or paying a cent
blanco, -a white;
poner lo — negro make white seem black
blasfemia f. blasphemy
bobo m. fool
boceto m. sketch
boda f. wedding, marriage;
—s nuptials, wedding, marriage
Bolonia f. Bologna
bombarda f. bombard (an ancient piece of artillery)
bondad f. goodness, kindness
bondadoso, -a kind, generous
bonito, -a pretty, attractive, fine
borrar strike out, blot out, erase;
lo borrado what is blotted out
borrón m. blot
botarate m. madcap, booby
botella f. bottle
bravo, -a brave, severe, rude, forceful;
acogerse a lo — resort to force or violence
brazo m. arm
breve brief, short
bribón m. rogue, rascal
brillante brilliant
broma f. joke;
echarlo a — make a joke of it
buen(o), -a good, kind;
de buenas a primeras suddenly;
¡buena la hicisteis! that's a fine thing you've done!
¡ésta es buena! that's a good one!
¡bum! ¡bum! ¡bum! boom! boom! boom! (imitation of sound of artillery)
burla f. scoffing, mockery, jest, joke, fun;
de — in jest, in fun;
estar para —s be in a mood for jokes
burlar outwit, evade;
—se make fun;
—se de make fun of
burlón, -ona mocking, mischievous
busca f. search, pursuit;
en — de in search of;
en — nuestra in search of us
buscar look for, seek;
ir a — go to seek, go for
busquemos see buscar