IDIOMATIC COMMENTARY
N.B. In studying the commentary the student should underline in the text the idiomatic expressions here indicated, including those to which he is referred back in the Reviews. As irregular verb-forms are introduced with special frequency, it would be well to keep the list of irregular verbs at hand for reference. The italicized words are those that are especially idiomatic.
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1. Lo hizo antes de llegar (cf. 53). 2. Nunca tomó lo ajeno. 3. Se puso de rodillas. 4. ¿Qué se le ofrece a V.? |
He did it before arriving. He never took what belonged to others. He got down on his knees. What do you wish? |
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5. Me pongo triste. 6. Vino hace tres días. Hacía tres días que estaba aquí. Ocho días hace. 7. Lo ofrezco al que presente las señas (cf. 47). 8. Se echó a llorar. 9. Aquí se habla español. |
I become sad. He came three days ago. He had been here for three days. It is a week. I offer it to the one who will present the description. He began to cry. Spanish is spoken here. |
N.B. The reflexive is frequently used as a substitute for the passive.
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10. Roba a los pasajeros. 11. Dió con el libro. 12. Vuelvo a hablar. |
He robs the passengers. He hit upon the book. I speak again. |
[Page 3] (Review 6, 11, 8, 3).
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13. Hace ocho días. Hacía quince días. 14. Es de Enrique. 15. Será de él (cf. note 8, 6). Lo habrá dicho. Lo diría. 16. Estaba trabajando. 17. Se sonrió. |
It is a week. It was a fortnight. It belongs to Henry. It must be his. It probably is his. He must have said it. He was working. He smiled. |
N.B. The reflexive form is often used in Spanish without reflexive value.
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18. Mi hijo está aquí. ¿Estás aquí? ¡hijo mió! No ví jamás obras suyas. No ví jamás sus obras. 19. No tengo gana de hacerlo. 20. Es de los nuestros. |
My son is here. Are you here, my son? I never saw any works of his. I never saw his works. I have no desire to do it. He is one of us. |
[Page 4.] (Review 6).
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21. Se ríe de todo (cf. 17). 22. En seguida se fué. 23. Los demás. Por lo demás. Las demás mujeres. 24. Se puso de mal humor (cf. 5). 25. Siete u ocho. Seis o siete. 26. Lo hizo en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. 27. Amadlo. Amaos (cf. note 30, 5). 28. ¿De qué se trata? 29. Me tendió la mano (cf. note 4,5). 30. Se lo digo a V. (cf. note 4, 6). No pudo dárselo. |
He laughs at everything. He went off immediately. The others. As for the rest. The rest of the women. He became ill-humored. Seven or eight. Six or seven. He did it in an instant. Love him. Love each other. What is the question? He held out his hand to me. I tell you it. He could not give it to him. |
[Page 5.] (Review 13, 12).
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31. Se puso a cavilar. 32. Voy a hacerlo. Iba a hablar. 33. Pasado mañana vendrá. 34. Quedaremos en lo dicho. 35. Según supo después. 36. Por allí va. Por aquí. 37. De vez en cuando viene. |
He began to reflect. I am going to do it. He was going to speak. He will come day after to-morrow. We will abide by what we have said. According to what he learned later. Thereabouts he goes. Hereabouts. From time to time he comes. |
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38. A fuerza de trabajar. 39. A eso (or cosa) de las diez. A las cinco. A la una y media. 40. Habla (familiar form). No hables (cf. note 6, 7). 41. ¿En qué piensa V.? |
By dint of laboring. At about ten o'clock. At five o'clock. At half-past one o'clock. Speak! Don't speak! Of what are you thinking? |
[Page 7.] (Review 32, 18, 35).
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42. ¿Qué quiere decir? 43. Todo el que habla. 44. Se hablan unos a otros. 45. No tiene hambre. Tenía frío. 46. Se parece a mí. Me parece (a mí). 47. Mi libro y el de mi hermana. Mi madre y la de V. (cf. 7). 48. Estará dentro de la casa. |
What does he mean? Every one who speaks. They speak to each other. He is not hungry. I was cold. He resembles me. It seems to me. My book and my sister's. My mother and yours. He must be inside the house. |
[Page 8.] (Review 44, 30, 11, 15, 7).
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49. A poco se fué (cf. 142). 50. De pronto vino. 51. Lo dijo repetidas veces. |
In a little while he went off. Suddenly he came. He said it many times. |
[Page 9.] (Review 20).
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52. V. se equivocaba. 53. Después de hablarle. Al decir esto, se fué. |
You were mistaken. After speaking to him. On saying this, he went off. |
N.B. In Spanish the infinitive is used after prepositions instead of the present participle as in English.
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54. Soy un héroe. Somos unos héroes. Oyó unos tiros. 55. Poco a poco. 56. Era de día. |
I am a hero. We are heroes. He heard some shots. Little by little. It was day. |
[Page 10.] (Review 53, 13, 39, 28).
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57. Acabo de llegar. Acababa de hablar. 58. Desde luego se fué. 59. Debo hablar. Debía hablar. Debí hablar. Él debía de ser (conjectural). 60. Me despedí de él. 61. Vino otro. |
I have just arrived. I had just spoken. He went away immediately. I must (or am to) speak. I was to speak. I had to speak. It must have been he. I took leave of him. Another came. |
[Page 11.] (Review 9, 32, 53, 36).
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62 Luego que vine. 63. Detrás de la casa está (cf. 48). |
As soon as I came. It is behind the house. |
[Page 12.] (Review 61, 53, 6, 13).
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64. Se volvió loco. 65. Lo mataron a golpes. 66. Tuvo que hacerlo. 67. Tenga V. cuidado. 68. Delante de la casa. 69. No cabe duda. |
He went mad. They killed him with blows. He had to do it. Take care. In front of the house. There is no doubt. |
| 70. Se fué al día siguiente. | He went away next day. |
[Page 14.] (Review 6, 12).
| 71. No hace calor; hace frío (cf. 45). | It is not warm; it is cold. |
[Page 15.] (Review 61, 18, 30, 12, 53, 54).
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72. ¡Que venga! 73. Lo siento mucho. |
Let him come! I deeply regret it. |
[Page 16.] (Review 61, 59, 39).
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74. Debajo de otro árbol (cf. 61). 75. Digámoslo así. 76. Isabel y Carlos. Carlos e Isabel. 77. He aquí el libro. Helo aquí. |
Under another tree. Let us say it thus. Isabella and Charles. Charles and Isabella. Here is the book. Here it is. |
N.B. He aquì is equivalent to the French voici, voilà.
[Page 17.] (Review 9, 22, 42, 39, 70).
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78. Soy yo. 79. Me voy. Se fué. 80. Hay tres amigos. Hubo un hombre. Un hombre como los hay en África. 8l. En cuanto a mí. 82. Vámonos (cf. note 31, 4). 83. Después de eso. |
It is I. I am going away. He went away. There are three friends. There was a man. A man such as there are in Africa. As for me; as far as I am concerned Let us go away. After that. |
[Page 18.] (Review 39, 66, 7, 15, 16).
| 84. Hice fuego. | I fired. |
[Page 19.] (Review 53, 48, 32, 41).
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85. Una idea cualquiera. Cualquier hombre. 86. Soy músico (sastre, etc.). |
Some idea or other. Any (or every) man. I am a musician (tailor, etc.). |
[Page 20.] (Review 18, 41, 29, 1, 48).
| 87. Dió voces. | He shouted. |
[Page 21.] (Review 29, 39, 23, 48, 80, 18, 15, 83).
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88. Sigo hablando. Siguió hablando. |
I go on talking. He continued talking. |
[Page 22.] (Review 15, 39, 53, 22, 54, 32).
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89. Me acuerdo de eso. 90. Dormía. Se durmió. 91. Dió la una (cf. 39). 92. A su alrededor. 93. ¿Qué ha sido de él? 94. ¿Qué hacer? |
I remember that. He slept. He fell asleep. It struck one. Around him. What has become of him? What is (or was) to be done? |
[Page 23.] (Review 64, 86, 50, 72).
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95. Hace falta una corneta. 96. No bien dejé de hablar. Déjate de monadas. 97. Se levantó. |
A cornet is lacking, or is needed. No sooner did I cease to speak. Cease your grimaces. He rose. |
[Page 24.] (Review 48, 13, 8, 27).
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98. Ha de ir (cf. note 3, 3). 99. Vino a dármelo. |
He must (or is to) go. He came to give it to me. |
N.B. The infinitive expressing purpose is regularly preceded by para, but after verbs of motion by a.
[Page 25.] Review 77, 47, 64, 29, 88).
[Page 26.] (Review 9, 61).
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100. No encuentra nada que admirar. 101. Cerca del lecho. |
He finds nothing to admire. Near the bed. |
[Page 27.] (Review 77, 23, 14, 81, 9, 47, 18).
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102. Aquél es desgraciado, éste es feliz. |
The former is wretched, the latter is happy. |
[Page 28.] Review 15, 61, 97, 89).
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103. Tal vez. 104. Hay que hacerlo. |
Perhaps. It is necessary to do it. |
[Page 29.] (Review 12, 9, 98).
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105. No le hizo caso. 106. No está ya en el mundo. Ya no está aquí. He is no longer here. |
He paid no attention to him. He is no longer in the world. He is no longer here. |
[Page 30.] (Review 23, 27, 7).
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107. No tengo nada que ver con él. 108. He aquí en lo que piensa. Eso es de lo que hablaba. |
I have nothing to do with him. That is what he is thinking of. That is what he was talking of. |
[Page 31.] (Review 1, 15, 12, 79, 82, 46).
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109. Le tocó hablar primero. Me toca hacer esto. 110. Mi mujer siempre tenía razón. |
It fell to him to speak first. It is my duty to do this. My wife was always right. |
[Page 32.] (Review 1, 78, 106, 80, 62, 46).
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111. Ahora bien. 112. Lo hice de nuevo. 113. Lo hizo otra vez. |
Now then! I did it again. He did it a second time. |
[Page 33.] (Review 39, 15, 61).
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114. A fuer de legítimo boticario. 115. Vino un tal García. 116. Con el libro o sea con el manuscrito. 117. A las nueve en punto (cf. 39) 118. Yo me encargo de ello. 119. Tuvo más de veinte. 120. Ya lo creo. |
After the manner of a genuine apothecary. A certain García came. With the book or with the manuscript. At nine o'clock sharp. I will undertake it. He got more than twenty. I quite believe it. |
[Page 34.] (Review 98, 9).
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121. Nos pasamos a los carlistas. 122. Les dió de comer. 123. Ni uno vendrá. |
We went over to the Carlist party. He gave them a dinner (or something to eat). Not one will come. |
[Page 35.] (Review 15, 9, 6, 46, 7, 23, 99, 80).
| 124. Diez franceses, todos ellos oficiales. | Ten Frenchmen, all of them officers. |
[Page 36.] (Review 12, 119, 101, 6, 61, 97).
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125. Vino el mismo rey. 126. Viene ahora mismo. 127. Me doy por vencido. |
The king himself came. He is coming even now. I acknowledge myself conquered. |
[Page 37.] (Review 17, 15, 99, 6, 75, 80, 21, 53).
[Page 38.] (Review 28, 15, 83, 35, 88, 12).
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128. Vamos a ver (cf. 138). 129. Estuvo a la izquierda. 130. Anduvo a ciegas. 131. Cada cual seguía respondiendo. |
Let us see. He was on the left side. He went blindly. Each one went on answering. |
[Page 39.] (Review 129, 54, 53, 116).
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132. Es decir que vendré. 133. En tanto que lo hacía. En tanto. En esto. 134. ¿Qué hora es? |
That is to say I will come. While he was doing it. During this time. At this moment. What time is it? |
[Page 40.] (Review 39, 97, 72, 133, 53, 48, 112).
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135. Se puso de pie (cf. 143). 136. Lo hicieron pedazos. 137. Se dejó ver. |
He stood erect. They tore it into pieces. He let himself be seen. |
N.B. The dependent infinitive often has passive value.
[Page 41.] (Review 53, 72, 32, 133, 119, 27, 124, 40).
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138. A ver cómo lo hace (cf. 128). ¡A ver! 139. Vino en pos de mí 140. No tengo para qué hacerlo. 141. Dió un paso atrás. |
Let us see how he does it. Let us see! Here! Come! He came after me (or in my tracks) I have no reason for doing it. He took a step backward. |
[Page 42.] (Review 23, 3, 9).
| 142. De allí a poco murió (cf. 49). | He died a little time after that. |
[Page 43.] (Review 32, 9, 78, 71, 39).
[Page 44.] (Review 95, 101, 72, 138, 40, 32, 23, 123, 39, 56, 132, 99).
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143. Caminaba a pie (cf. 135). 144. Lo hizo a fin de irritarme. 145. Eso no hace al caso. |
He went on foot. He did it in order to anger me. That is not to the point. |
[Page 45.] (Review 129, 80, 15, 110, 7, 72, 133, 137, 105).
| 146. Se fué el año pasado. | He went off last year. |
[Page 46.] (Review 40, 9, 53, 137, 32, 96).
| 147. Me dió a entender. | He gave me to understand. |
[Page 47.] (Review 68, 119, 80, 47, 25, 81, 16).
[Page 48..] (Review 27, 119, 47, 59, 80, 98).
| 148. O algo por el estilo. | Or something of the kind. |
[Page 49.] (Review 30, 141, 53, 65).
| 149. Cuento con él. | I count on him. |
[Page 50.] (Review 83).
| 150. Como íbamos diciendo. | As we were saying. |
[Page 51.] (Review 83, 133, 53, 113, 98, 80).
[Page 52.] (Review 53, 29, 133, 74, 80, 99, 61).
| 151. Se vestía lujosa y elegantemente. | He dressed luxuriously and elegantly. |
[Page 53.] (Review 3, 53, 135, 113).
| 152. Cual si hubiese visto. | As if he had seen. |
[Page 54.] (Review 88, 113, 81, 12, 77).
| 153. No tengo nada que hacer. | I have nothing to do. |
[Page 55.] (Review 40, 53, 32, 61).
| 154. A mi ver es así. | In my opinion it is thus. |
[Page 56.] (Review 16, 99, 88, 150).
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155. Buenas noches. 156. ¡Qué diablo! (cf. note 62, 3). |
Good night! Zounds! The deuce! |
[Page 57.] (Review 50, 12, 52, 6).
[Page 58.] (Review 47, 15, 119, 99).
| 157. Ya ve V. (cf. 120). | Now you see. |
N.B. Ya is often merely emphatic.
| 158. ¿Qué le parece a V. eso? | How does that strike you? |
[Page 59.] (Review 101, 32, 53, 137, 38, 143, 83).
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159. A pesar de esto. 160. Me llamo Juan. 161. Volvió a los ocho días (cf. 49). 162. Anduvo desde Madrid hasta París. |
In spite of this. My name is John. He returned after a week. He walked from Madrid as far as Paris. |
[Page 60.] (Review 38, 29, 112, 53).
[Page 61.] (Review 16, 31).
| 163. Se asió de mi mano. | He seized my hand. |
[Page 62.] (Review 103, 41, 7, 53, 83, 22).
[Page 63.] (Review 12, 160, 133, 101, 61, 35, 50, 31).
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164. A pesar nuestro, lo oímos (cf. 159). 165. De cuando en cuando. |
In spite of ourselves, we heard it. From time to time. |
[Page 64.] (Review 66, 23, 5, 161, 8, 57).
[Page 65.] (Review 18, 6, 23, 53, 50, 133, 147, 59, 65).
[Page 66.] (Review 136, 30, 83, 62, 119).
| 166. Es cuanto tengo. | That is all I have. |
[Page 67.] (Review 29, 6, 28, 35, 9, 47).
[Page 68.] (Review 65, 122, 162, 61).
| 167. Me sirve de cocinero. | He serves me as cook. |
[Page 69.] (Review 76, 137, 9, 32, 5, 42, 66).
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168. Tiene tres años. 169. Lo conozco de nombre. |
He is three years old. I know him by name. |
[Page 70.] (Review 32, 70, 53, 31, 15, 59, 39).
[Page 71.] (Review 117, 160, 68, 18, 30, 133).
[Page 72.] (Review 98, 47, 8, 104, 31).
[Page 73.] (Review 32, 99, 79, 30, 81).
[Page 74.] (Review 160, 16, 59, 150, 58, 30).
[Page 76.] (Review 166, 47).
[Page 77.] (Review 148, 38, 41, 58, 35, 59).
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170. Me lo dió de balde. 171. Es hermosa, y rica por añadidura. |
He gave it to me gratis. She is beautiful, and rich into the bargain. |
[Page 78.] (Review 138, 40, 28, 82, 12, 148).
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172. ¿Tiene V. sueño? 173. ¿Qué tiene V.? No tengo nada. 174. Sabe V. leer? |
Are you sleepy? What is the matter with you? Nothing is the matter with me. Do you know how to read? |
[Page 79.] (Review 132, 15, 52, 35, 110, 12).
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175. Hace luna. 176. Venga V. en cuanto amanezca. |
The moon shines. Come as soon as day dawns. |
[Page 80.] (Review 159, 47, 66, 176, 73, 80).
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177. Voy a casa de mi tío. 178. Mañana estará de vuelta. 179. Vino el tal hombre. |
I am going to my uncle's house. He will be back to-morrow. The said man (or this same man) came. |
[Page 81.] (Review 14, 16, 104, 110, 39, 9).
| 180. Huele a hereje. | This smacks of heresy. |
[Page 82.] (Review 18, 144, 1, 30, 178, 88, 96).
[Page 83.] (Review 122, 72, 80).
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181. Echó al correo ambas cartas. 182. Tomábamos el sol. |
He mailed both letters. We were sunning ourselves. |
[Page 84.] (Review 15, 89, 6, 159, 40, 62, 135).
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183. Tres años hace que reside aquí. Tres años hacía que residía aquí. 184. No trató de hacerlo. |
He has been living here for three years. He had been living here for three years. He did not try to do it. |
[Page 85.] (Review 16, 91, 66, 79, 72, 39, 47).
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185. Se hizo soldado. Hecho ya un hombre. |
He became a soldier. Having already become a man. |
[Page 86.] (Review 160, 8).
| 186. El libro, o más bien manuscrito. | The book, or rather manuscript. |
[Page 87.] (Review 157, 28, 80, 66, 70, 178, 60).
[Page 88.] (Review 137, 57, 181).
| 187. He tenido noticias. | I have received news. |
[Page 89.] (Review 79, 59, 113, 93, 68, 76, 42).
| 188. La ventana da al jardín. | The window opens on the garden. |
[Page 90.] (Review 81,104,41,75,116,185,9,31,12).
[Page 91.] (Review 7, 106, 29, 47, 99).
[Page 92.] (Review 61, 12, 53, 31, 16, 40, 2, 99).
| 189. Pues bien, que venga (cf. 72). | Well then, let him come. |
[Page 93.] (Review 64, 21).
[Page 94.] (Review 66, 179, 8, 22, 96, 167, 60).
[Page 95.] (Review 12, 181, 40, 28, 59, 119).
[Page 96.] (Review 48, 27, 168, 15, 155).
| 190. Se le olvidaba. 191. Lloraba a lágrima viva 192. Por lo pronto. | He was forgetting. He was weeping bitterly. For the present. |
[Page 97.] (Review 53,57,21,160,92,99).
[Page 98.] (Review 32,167,17,174,79,103,158).
| 193. No tengo miedo. | I am not afraid. |
[Page 99.] (Review 17,149,66,95,50).
[Page 100.] (Review 114,155,120,15,109).
| 194. ¿Cómo va de salud? | How's your health? |
[Page 101.] (Review 125,9,179,22).
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195. Se viste a la francesa. 196. Vino a su vez. 197. Dista poco de aquí. |
He dresses himself in the French fashion. He came in his turn. It is not very far from here. |
[Page 102.] (Review 72,107,6,53,160,99,16).
[Page 103.] (Review 170, 141, 132).
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198. Me lo compró a mí. 199. Lo sé de cierto. |
He bought it of me. I know it quite certainly. |
[Page 104.] (Review 140, 82, 150).
[Page 105.] (Review 59, 30, 157, 15,115, 12, 14, 132).
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200. ¿No cae V.? 201. Dió principio al trabajo. 202. Lo hizo repetidas veces. |
Don't you understand? He made a beginning of the work. He did it several times. |
[Page 106.] (Review 66, 122, 99, 5).
[Page 107.] (Review 88, 133, 125).
| 203. Llamó a la puerta. | He knocked at the door. |
[Page 108.] (Review 32, 57, 83, 179, 69, 106, 157, 30).
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204. Es mejor de lo que yo creía. 205. Me habló al oído. |
It is better than I thought. He whispered to me. |
[Page 109.] (Review 98, 47, 88, 112, 99, 76).
[Page 110.] (Review 1, 12, 142, 53, 99, 103).
[Page 111.] (Review 77, 132).
[Page 112.] (Review 48, 167, 185, 32).
[Page 113.] (Review 64, 1, 7, 60, 77, 9, 46).
| 206. ¿Se pone el sol o sale? | Is the sun setting or rising? |
[Page 114.] (Review 12, 98, 92).
| 207. ¡Qué cielo tan hermoso! | What a lovely sky! |
[Page 115.] (Review 39, 77, 48).
| 208. Camina muy de prisa. | He goes very rapidly. |
[Page 116.] (Review 64, 47, 197, 12).
[Page 117.] (Review 61, 15).
[Page 118.] (Review 29, 32, 59, 132, 45).
[Page 119.] (Review 59, 97, 149, 56, 93, 77, 99, 207).
| 209. Por donde quiera que vaya. | Wherever he may go. |
[Page 120.] (Review 50, 22, 3).
[Page 121.] (Review 83, 113, 77, 54, 112, 61).
[Page 122.] (Review 96, 45, 57, 15).
[Page 123.] (Review 56, 15, 53, 99, 81).
| 210. ¿Es que ha empezado? | Has it begun (lit. is it (true) that it has begun)? |
[Page 124.] (Review 80, 59).
[Page 125.] (Review 60, 57, 48, 12, 33, 59).
[Page 126.] (Review 9, 209, 207).
[Page 127.] (Review 15, 16, 197, 101, 83).
| 211. No puedo más. | I can do (or stand) no more. |
[Page 128.] (Review 40, 18, 98, 112, 61, 9, 57, 53).
| 212. Lo perdí de vista. | I lost sight of it. |
[Page 129.] (Review 168, 85).
| 213. Iban por todas partes. | They went in every direction. |
(p143)