Spanish Composition Part 1

Spanish Composition.

by Edith J. Broomhall.

PREFACE

This book aims to teach Spanish idiom. The greatest hindrance to the use of idiomatic Spanish lies in the failure to realize that common English words have various Spanish meanings.

To meet this difficulty, the notes and exercises of _Spanish Composition_ are focused on the errors beginners most frequently make.

For instance, attention is drawn to the fact that words like _up_, _down_, _out_, _in_, _away_ are usually included in the Spanish verb, which is often entirely different from the English expression. Thus, while "to get" is _obtener_, "to get up" is _levanta.r.s.e_.

Of course the treatment cannot be exhaustive, but enough examples are given to show the pupil the necessity of _thinking_ before translating even the commonest words and phrases. The aim has been to give a simple and specific discussion of everyday expressions rather than to try to cover the entire field of Spanish idiom.

About two hundred and fifty quotations from famous Spanish authors ill.u.s.trate the various idioms and acquaint the learner with the great names of Spanish literature.

I wish to express my hearty thanks to Dr. Harry Kurz of Carleton College, and to my colleagues in the Minneapolis High Schools, Senor Fernando Garcia and Senor Julius Arrieta, who have read the work either in ma.n.u.script or in proof.

EDITH J. BROOMHALL.

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

January, 1921.

LESSON I

_El trabajo es buen companero de la esperanza._[1]

--MARTiNEZ SIERRA.

=1.= English _to be_ is generally translated into Spanish by =ser= or =estar=, the former with the general idea of permanency, the latter indicating temporary state. Location is _always_ expressed by =estar=.

_I, who was white, am also brown, because the sun has kissed me._

=Yo, que era blanca, estoy tambien morena, porque el sol me ha besado.=--MARTiNEZ SIERRA.

(_a_) In expressions referring to the weather _to be_ is rendered by =hacer=, _to make_, the descriptive adjective becoming in Spanish a noun of corresponding meaning.

_It was suffocatingly hot._

=Hacia un calor sofocante.=--PALACIO VALDeS.

_It was very cold in the city to-day._

=Hacia mucho frio hoy en la ciudad.=

_Note._--In all such expressions _very_ must be translated =mucho=, since =calor=, =frio=, etc., are nouns.

(_b_) When used with a predicate adjective indicating mental or physical state, _to be_ is translated by =tener=, the adjective changing to a noun of corresponding meaning.

The commonest of these expressions are _to be hungry_, _thirsty_, _hot_, _cold_, _sleepy_, _afraid_, _right_, _careful_, _jealous_, which are rendered =tener hambre=, =sed=, =calor=, =frio=, =sueno=, =miedo=, =razon=, =cuidado=, =celos=.

_Uncle is right. That can't hurt him._

=Tiene razon el tio. Eso no puede hacerle mal.=--RAMOS CARRIoN.

_While I am so cold I don't want to go out._

=Mientras tengo tanto frio no quiero salir.=

_I wasn't hungry but I was very sleepy._

=No tenia hambre pero tenia mucho sueno.=

_Note._--In all similar expressions _so_ is rendered =tanto=. Cf.

note to (_a_) above.

(_c_) Many phrases consisting of the verb _to be_ and an adjective denoting age or dimension are translated by =tener= and a noun. Such are _to be old_, _wide_, _long_, _high_, etc., rendered =tener edad=, =anchura=, =longitud=, =alt.i.tud=. Note also _to be to blame_, _one's fault_, =tener la culpa=; _to be successful_, =tener exito=.

_How old are these children?_

=Que edad tienen estos ninos?=

_The ribbon is two inches wide._

=La cinta tiene dos pulgadas de anchura.=

(_d_) _To be at_ meaning _to attend_ is translated =asistir a=.

_There were not many at the meeting last night._

=No asistian muchos a la reunion de anoche.=

(_e_) _To be worth_ is translated =valer=. _To be worth while_ is =valer la pena=.

_I don't know how much it is and it isn't worth while to ask._

=No se cuanto vale y no vale la pena de preguntar.=

=2.= =EXERCISES=

(_a_) 1. Hacia tanto calor que no podiamos dormir aunque teniamos mucho sueno. 2. Ya no tenemos miedo de nada. 3. Dice que tiene mucho frio. 4.

Nos preguntaron si teniamos hambre. 5. Usted cree que este hombre tiene razon. Pues yo creo que no la tiene. 6. La mesa tiene cuatro pies de longitud y tres de anchura. 7. Yo no tengo la culpa de que no asistieron al teatro anoche. 8. Digale que tendre mucho gusto en aceptar su amable invitacion y asistir al concierto. 9. Ha hecho tanto frio hoy como si fueramos en el mes de diciembre. 10. Estoy seguro de que usted tendra mucho exito.