Spanish Tales for Beginners (Cuentos en Español para Principiantes) by Dr. Elijah Clarence Hills - HTML preview

mar, m. or f. , sea; llover ámares, to rain in floods,rain buckets-full.

maraña, f. , jungle.

maravilla, f. , wonder, marvel; á las mil maravillas,wonderfully.

Maravillas, f. plur. ( prop.noun: lit. , miracles).

maravilloso -a, wonderful,marvelous.

marcar, to mark, stamp.

marco, m. , frame; marco dela puerta, doorway.

marcha, f. , march; ponerseen marcha, to start; sobrela marcha, on the spot.

marchar, to move away, go,walk; marcharse, to go(away).

marchitar, to wither, blight,mar.

marea, f. , tide.

Margot, f. ( prop. noun), Marget.

María, f. , ( prop. noun), Mary; María del Pilar, Mary ofthe Pillar ( an appellation ofthe Virgin Mary).

marido, m. , husband.

marinero, m. , sailor.

mariposa, f. , butterfly.

Mariquilla, f. ( dim. of Marica, which is, in turn, a dim. ofMaría), May, Molly.

Mariquita, f. , ( dim. of Marica, which is, in turn, a dim. ofMaría), May, Molly.

mármol, m. , marble.

marmota, f. , marmot ( thecommon European marmotis about the size of a rabbit.The American woodchuckand prairie dog belong tothe marmot family: themarmot hibernates).

marqués, -esa, m. and f. ,marquis, marchioness.

martes, m. , Tuesday.

Martínez ( prop. noun).

mártir, m. and f. , martyr.

martirio, m. , martyrdom; martirios, plur. , martyrdom.

marzo, m. , March.

mas, but; mas que no sea,even if it be not.

más ( comp. of mucho), more( or most), other, longer; ápoco más, a little moreand, almost; á más y mejor,more and more; á másno poder, to the utmost; más bien que, rather than; no más ... que, only, except; por más que, although; sin más que, without,except; sobre poco másó menos, very nearly.

mastín, m. , mastiff.

mata, f. , plant, bush, shrubbery.

matar, to kill.

mate, dull, lustreless; platamate, frosted silver.

materialmente, bodily.

materno -a, maternal.

matorrales, m. plur. , thicket.

matrimonio, m. , marriage,matrimony.

maullido, m. , mewing.

mayo, m. , May.

mayor ( comp. of grande),larger, largest; older, oldest;of age, chief; mayores, ancestors; altar mayor, highaltar.

mayorcito -a ( dim. of mayor),somewhat older ( or oldest).

mayoría, f. , majority; ser dela mayoría parlamentaria,to be a member of the rulingparty in parliament.

mazmorra, f. , undergroundprison.

me, me, to me; myself.

mecer(se), to stir, rock.

mecha, f. , wick.

media, f. , stocking.

mediano -a, moderate.

mediar, to be half gone, liebetween.

médico, m. , physician.

medida, f. , measure; á medidaque, in proportion as,while.

medio, m. , middle, means; por medio de, by means of; en medio, in the middle, inthe midst.

medio -a, half a, a half; lassiete y media, half-pastseven; media noche, midnight.

medir (i), to measure, size up.

meditar, to meditate, muse,plan; meditar en, to thinkof, plan.

medroso -a, timid, fearful.

mejilla, f. , cheek.

mejor ( comp. of bueno), better,best; ¡mejor! so muchthe better; á más y mejor,more and more; mejordicho, or rather; en lo mejor,in the best part.

melancolía, f. , melancholy; melancolías, plur. , melancholythoughts.

melancólicamente, sadly, in amelancholy way.

melancólico -a, melancholy; paseo de los Melancólicos,Melancólicos Boulevard, or Boulevard of the Melancholy.

melena, f. , hair; melenas, plur. , mane.

Melgarejo, m. ( prop. noun).

melodioso -a, melodious.

mella, f. , nick, gap.

memoria, f. , memory; memorias, plur. , regards, compliments; de memoria, bymemory, by heart.

mendigo -a, m. and f. , beggar.

menear, to shake.

menester, m. , necessity; esmenester, it is necessary.

menor ( comp. of pequeño),smaller, smallest; younger,youngest.

menos ( comp. of poco), less,least; (á) lo menos, por lomenos, at least; á menosque, unless; echar de menos,to miss; menos de, lessthan; no podía ( or pudo)menos de, he could nothelp.

menosprecio, m. , scorn, contempt.

mentalmente, mentally.

mente, f. , mind.

menudo -a, small, minute; ámenudo, often.

mercado, m. , market.

mercantil, commercial.

merced, f. , mercy; su merced,you, sir; Nuestra Señora delas Mercedes, Our Lady ofMercy ( a title or attribute ofthe Virgin Mary).

merecer, to deserve.

merino -a, merino ( a varietyof sheep, usually driven inflocks from one part ofSpain to another for pasturage).

mérito, m. , merit, worth.

mes, m. , month.

mesa, f. , table, table-land.

mesilla, f. ( dim. of mesa),little table.

mesita, f. ( dim. of mesa), littletable; mesita de escribir,small writing-table.

metal, m. , metal.

metálico -a, metallic.

meter, to put, place, keep; meterse á, to begin to, setone's self up as; meterseen, to get into.

metódico -a, regular, methodical.

metro, m. , meter (= 3 feet3-3/8 inches).

mezcla, f. , mixture, mortar.

mezclar, to mingle, mix; mezclarentre, to mingle in,join.

mezquino -a, contemptible,mean.

mi, my.

mí, me, myself.

miedo, m. , fear; tener miedo,to be afraid.

mientras (que), while, as longas; mientras más, the more; mientras más tarde, mejor,the later, the better; mientrastanto, in the meanwhile.

miércoles, m. , Wednesday.

mies, f. , crop, harvest.

miga, f. , crumb, fried bread.

Miguel, m. ( prop. noun), Michael( the archangel Michaelwas the traditionalchief of the heavenly host,that cast the Devil out ofHeaven).

mil, (one) thousand.

militar, military; m. , officer.

millón, m. , million.

millonario -a, m. and f. , millionaire.

mimbral, m. , osier thicket ( themimbre, "osier," is a kindof willow used for makingbaskets).

ministerio, m. , government,ministry.

minúsculo, m. , minute, small.

minuto, m. , minute.

mío -a, my, mine.

mirada, f. , gaze, look, glance.

mirador, m. , lookout ( on acity wall, bridge, etc. ), projectingbalcony.

mirar, to look, look at, lookin, watch, consider; ¡mira! look! see here!

misa, f. , mass; misa de requiem, requiem mass ( said,or sung, for the repose of adeparted soul).

miserable, wretched, miserable; esos miserables, thosewretches.

misericordia, f. , mercy.

mísero -a, wretched, miserable.

misión, f. , mission, duty.

mismo -a, same, self, himself,(herself, etc. ), very, own; lo mismo que ( or de), thesame (thing) as; un mismo,a single, one and the same; aquí mismo, right here.

misterio, m. , mystery; conmisterio, mysteriously.

misterioso -a, mysterious.

misticismo, m. , mysticism.

mitra, f. , miter.

modestamente, modestly.

modesto -a, modest.

modificación, f. , modification.

modo, m. , mode, way; ámodo de, like; de modoque, so that; de este modo,in this way; ¿de qué modo? how?

mofarse de, to mock.

mojadura, f. , wetting.

mojar, to wet; mojar las polainas: see polaina.

moler (ue), to grind, wearout.

molestar, to trouble.

molestia, f. , trouble, annoyance.

molino, m. , mill.

momento, m. , moment.

monarca, m. , monarch.

monje -a, m. and f. , monk,nun.

mono -a, m. and f. , monkey.

monótono -a, monotonous.

montaña, f. , mountain, upland,mountainous country.

montar, to mount, ride; montará caballo, to mount ( ahorse), ride horseback.

monte, m. , hill, wooded upland.

monumento, m. , monument.

morada, f. , dwelling, abode.

morador, -ora, m. and f. , inmate,inhabitant.

morder (ue), to bite.

morenito -a ( dim. of moreno),rather dark(-complexioned).

moreno -a, brown, dark; unamorena, a brunette.

moribundo -a, dying.

morir (ue), to die; morirse,to die, be dying; morir deviejo, to die of old age.

morisco -a, Moorish.

Moro -a, m. and f. , Moor.

mortífero -a, death-dealing,deadly.

mortificación, f. , mortification; con gran mortificaciónde, to the great mortificationof.

mortuorio -a, mortuary ( ofor pertaining to the dead).

moruno -a, Moorish.

mosca, f. , fly.

moscón, m. ( aug. of mosca),gad-fly.

mosquito, m. , gnat, mosquito.

Móstoles ( prop. noun).

mostrador, m. , counter.

mostrar (ue), to show.

mover (ue), to move, stir, stirup; moverse, to move,move about.

movible, moving, movable.

movimiento, m. , movement.

mozo -a, m. and f. , youth,maid; servant, waiter, porter.

muchacho -a, m. and f. , boy,girl; muchachos, m. plur. ,boys and girls, children.

muchedumbre, f. , multitude,throng.

muchísimo -a ( from mucho),very much.

mucho -a, much ( plur. ,many), abundant.

mucho ( adv. ), much, very,very well, greatly.

mudo -a, mute.

mueblaje, m. , furnishings,furniture.

mueca, f. , grimace, contortionof the face; hacermuecas, to make faces.

muelle, m. , wharf, dock.

muerdo, -es, -e, etc. : see morder.

muero, -es, -e, etc. , pres. ind.of morir.

muerte, f. , death.

muerto -a ( past part. of morir),dead, idle ( hours).

mujer, f. , woman, wife.

muleta, f. , crutch.

mulo -a, m. and f. , mule.

multitud, f. , large number,multitude.

mullido -a, soft.

mundano -a, worldly, mundane.

mundo, m. , world; todo elmundo, everybody.

muñeca, f. , wrist, doll.

muralla, f. , wall.

muriendo, pres. part. of morir.

murió, pret. ind., 3d pers.sing., of morir.

murmullo, m. , murmur; murmullos, plur. , murmuring.

murmurar, to murmur.

muro, m. , wall.

música, f. , music.

músico, m. , musician; músicomayor, leader ( or director)of a band of music.

musulmán, -ana, Mussulman,Mohammedan.

mutilar, to mutilate.

muy, very, very well, verymuch, very great.

N

nacer, to be born, grow ( aslight).

nacimiento, m. , birth; Nacimiento,representation ofChrist's Nativity ( scene representinga part of Bethlehem,with images of thosepresent at Christ's Nativity.These Nacimientos aremade for children at Christmas).

nación, f. , nation.

nacional, national.

nada, nothing; no... nada,not ... anything.

nada ( adv. ), not at all, by nomeans, by all means.

nadar, to swim.

nadie, no one, nobody.

nana, f. , mother, lullaby.

naranja, f. , orange.

Narciso, m. ( prop. noun),Narcissus.

nariz, f. , nose; narices, nostrils,nose.

narrar, to narrate, relate.

natal, native.

natural, natural.

naturaleza, f. , nature.

naufragar, to be wrecked.

navaja, f. , clasp-knife; navajade afeitar, razor.

nave, f. , nave ( body of achurch, extending from thechoir to the principal entrance.By extension, nave may designate the smallerlateral spaces parallel to theprincipal nave, and alsothe body of the transept).

navegante, m. , sailor, navigator.

navegar, to sail, navigate.

Navidad, f. , Christmas.

nazareno -a, Nazarene,Christian.

neblina, f. , mist.

necesario -a, necessary.

necesidad, f. , necessity.

necesitar, to need; necesitarde, to lack, need.

necio -a, foolish.

negar (ie), to deny, refuse; negarse á, to refuse to.

negocio, m. , business, deal.

negro -a, black, dark.

nervioso -a, energetic, nervous.

nevado -a ( past part. of nevar),covered with snow,snowy.

nevar (ie), to snow.

ni, neither, nor, (not) even; ni... ni, neither ... nor.

nido, m. , nest.

niebla, f. , haze, mist.

nieto -a, m. and f. , grandson,granddaughter; grandchild.

nieve, f. , snow.

ninguno -a, no, none, no one:no... ninguno, not ...any.

niñera, f. , nursemaid.

niñez, f. , childhood.

niño -a, m. and f. , child, littleboy, little girl; niña del ojo,pupil of the eye.

nivel, m. , level.

no, no, not.

noble, noble.

nocturno, m. , nocturne, eveningsong.

noche, f. , night; de noche, por la noche, at night; esta noche, tonight; medianoche, midnight; ser denoche, to be night; todaslas noches, every night.

nombre, m. , name, sake; denombre, by name.

norte, m. , north; del norte,northern.

nos, us, to us; ourselves.

nosotros -as, we; us.

nota, f. , note, tone.

notar, to note, notice.

noticia, f. , news, piece ofnews; noticias, news.

notificar, to notify (of).