VOCABULARY.
=abacá=, Manilla hemp =calcetines=, half-hose, socks =cáñamo=, hemp =cancelar=, to cancel =coger=, to catch *=conseguir=, to succeed in =contado (al)=, (in) cash =dificultad=, difficulty =un dineral=, a mint of money =encogerse=, to shrink =equivocarse=, to be mistaken =la gente=, the people =mecanismo=, mechanism, contrivance =medias=, stockings, hose =ocurrir=, to happen =perfeccionar=, to perfect =persona=, person =por mas que=, however much, whatever *=probar=, to prove, to attempt, to try =pruebo, etc=., I try, etc. *=reconvenir=, to reprimand =repasar=, to look over *=saber=, to know =se, sabes, sabe, etc=., I know, etc. =sepa, sepas, sepa, etc=., I may know, *=ser menester=, to be necessary =telefonear=, to telephone =trabajo=, work =yute=, jute
EXERCISE 1 (47).
Translate into English—
1. Es conveniente (proper) y aun absolutamente necesario que se acabe esta cuestión.
2. Es cierto que se acabará.
3. Es posible que suba el mercado; tal vez suba más de lo que se crea.
4. Es el único cliente que no haya pagado su factura.
5. Es menester pues escribirle y apremiarle para que cumpla con su deber (to fulfil his duty).
6. Antes que escriba V., repase sus libros para que no haya miedo de que haya ocurrido alguna equivocación (mistake).
7. Á menos que pague le citaremos ante los Tribunales (we shall summon him) de miedo que otros sean pagados con nuestro dinero.
8. Por más que V. diga, las medias, calcetines, y guantes no son iguales á las muestras que sirvieron de base (as a basis) al contrato.
9. Sin que V. me lo diga lo haré, salvo que intervenga algun contratiempo (any hitch should happen) y con tal que, ínterin (in the meantime) llegue su remesa.
10. Sea que llegue, sea que no, V. debería hacerlo aunque le fuese en ello todo su capital (all your capital were at stake).
11. Telefonee V. cuando quiera.
12. Celebrare lo haga luego que le sea posible.
13. Así como sepa algo le telefoneare.
14. Enviaría las zarazas si estuviese seguro que no me viniera (imp. subj. of venir) después con quejas.
15. No creo que cueste muy cara esta seda.
16. No me parece que salio ventajosa aquella transacción.
EXERCISE 2 (48).
Translate into Spanish—
1. It is impossible for us to obtain the goods.
2. He spoke as if he were sure of it.
3. I may (es posible que) accept your price, provided you pay cash.
4. It is certain the white shirtings have shrunk too much in bleaching (en el blanqueo).
5. He insisted until he paid him something and now he will continue to insist until he pays him something more.
6. The foreign correspondent (el corresponsal de lenguas extranjeras) did his work so that his employer was satisfied.
7. Write clearly so that people may read your writing (su letra) without difficulty.
8. Whenever I spoke to him he was very polite, therefore, I shall put (diré) a word in his favour whenever I can do so.
9. I reprimanded him notwithstanding that he was my son, and I shall do so whenever it is necessary in spite of his being now a man.
10. The first to come was the office-boy (muchacho, hortera [joc.]), and he will be the last to go (á salir).
11. The first firm that attempts it will burn its fingers (se cogerá los dedos).
12. He was the only one who understood us.
13. He is not the only one who is mistaken.
14. They will not be the only persons who will be mistaken.
15. Whoever succeeds in perfecting this contrivance will be sure to make (es seguro que hará) a mint of money.
16. We shall be thankful if you will cancel our order for flax, hemp, Manilla hemp and jute.
LESSON XXV.
(Lección vigésima quinta.)
THE TENSES.
The Tenses in Spanish being mostly used as in English, we shall only call attention to such of the principal differences between the two languages as have not yet been treated.
=Present—=
The English emphatic Present, "I do say," must be expressed by "Lo digo en efecto," "lo digo de veras," "lo digo sí."
"I do" with a verb understood after, as "Do you understand? I do" is translated by "Sí," "Sí, señor," or "Sí entiendo."
"Are you an engineer? Yes, I am"; "He is generous with me, and I am with him"; "He is my surety, and I am his"; must be translated by "Es V. ingeniero? Sí, lo soy"; "Es generoso conmigo y yo lo soy con él"; "Él es mi fiador y yo lo soy suyo."
=Past—=
The English language has one form of Simple Past—I wrote.
In Spanish this is translated by—
Yo escribía (Imperf. Indic.) or
Yo escribí (Past Definite), according to sense.
It is most important to learn the difference between the Imperfect Indicative and the Past Definite (or Preterite), because these two tenses admit of no compromise in Spanish.
The =Imperfect Indicative=[146] describes an action or state which was present when another past action took place, or another past state existed.
[Footnote 146: Or Descriptive Past.]
The =Past Definite= or =Preterite=[147] narrates an event.[148]
[Footnote 147: Or Narrating Past (this is why it is often called the
Historical Past).]
[Footnote 148: "Napoleon I died in 1821" is an event. "I fell" is grammatically also an event.]
Consequently, it will be understood that whilst the Past Def. refers to "one point of time" or "several =separate= points of time," the Imperfect embraces a whole indefinite period.
The following examples will show clearly the different functions of these two tenses—
Le escribí una vez (or dos o tres veces) mientras él viajaba en Argentina: I wrote to him once (or two or three times) whilst he travelled[149] in Argentina.
[Footnote 149: Travelled—was travelling, but notice that in Spanish we would also have the progressive form—"estaba viajando.">[
Encontré á Luis, quien llevaba levita negra: I met Louis, who wore[150] a black frock-coat.
[Footnote 150: Wore—was wearing. Here in Spanish the progressive form "estaba llevando" would not be admissible because there is no real progressive action.]
Hacía grandes negocios cuando residía en Chile: I had a large business when I resided in Chili.
Los Cartagineses eran un pueblo comercial y emprendedor: The
Carthagenians were a commercial and enterprising people.
Él estaba allí cuando yo llegué: He was there when I arrived.
Él leía al entrar yo en el bufete del abogado: He was reading when I entered the lawyer's office.
En Inglaterra trabajaba[151] ocho horas cada día: In England I worked (used to work) eight hours a day.
[Footnote 151: As will be seen, the English "was" followed by a pres. part. or the expression "used to be" may always be rendered by the Spanish Imperfect, but the Spanish progressive form also exists: "Estaba leyendo" (he was reading), and "used to" has its equivalent "solía":—"Solía trabajar 8 horas" (he used to work 8 hours).]
Cada mes recibiamos nuestro sueldo: Each month we received (used to receive) our pay.
Ayer cerré el contrato: Yesterday I signed the contract.
Las pipas de vino resultaron averiadas: The casks of wine were damaged.
Trabajé en Inglaterra 5 años[152]; Viví dos años en Londres y tres en Manchester: I worked 5 years in England; I lived two years in London and three in Manchester.
[Footnote 152: This is "a period of time," but it is definite.]
As will be seen in all the examples of the Imperfect, the action or state is described as "existing in the past."