Pitman's Commercial Spanish Grammar (2nd ed.)
Chapter 14
14. Setting aside the (prescindiendo del) fact that he is behind with his payments, he does us great harm by running down (desacreditando) our goods.
15. Winter has set in (principiado) and heavy cloths are in great request.
16. I have set my mind on (me he decidido á) this venture.
17. A movement has been set on foot (iniciado) to bring about the revision of the bye-laws.
LESSON XXXIX. (Lección trigésima nona.)
THE VERB.
All intransitive verbs in Spanish are conjugated with the auxiliary verb _haber_, as--
Ha venido: He has or is come.
A verb that governs an infinitive through a certain preposition, as--
Convenimos en hacerlo: We agreed upon doing it.
should drop the preposition when a finite verb follows.
N.B.--Many such verbs, however, may preserve the preposition even before a finite mood, as--
Convenimos que, _or_ en que, lo hiciesen: We agreed that they should do it.
When the subject of a verb is a collective noun, the verb is placed in the singular (see Lesson XXXII for exception).
When a compound subject _follows_ the verb, this may agree in number and person with the first subject only, as--
Nos ha llegado la circular y los impresos que la acompañaban: We received the circular and the printed matter which accompanied it.
The ambiguity between a Reflexive verb plural and a Reciprocal verb is avoided thus--
Se comprometen á sí (á sí mismos--emphatic): They commit themselves.
Se comprometen el uno al ótro, _or_ los unos á los otros: They commit each other.
A Reflexive verb is that in which the second pronoun of the same person as the subject, is the _direct object_ of the action, as--
Ellos se comprometen: They commit themselves.
But when the second pronoun stands for the indirect object, the verb is only intransitive pronominal, as--
Él se procuró un empleo: He procured for himself an employment.
=The Passive Voice=.
The Passive voice formed with _ser_ occurs much less in Spanish than in English.
When the "doer" is not expressed the active voice with _se_ generally takes its place, as--
Los niños se aman _or_ Se ama[189] á los niños: Children are loved.
[Footnote 189: Notice Sing. number.]
When the "doer" is mentioned the following construction is often used--
Á estos niños los aman sus padres: These children are loved by their parents.
The English present participle used substantively is rendered in Spanish by a noun or by the infinitive mood of the verb generally preceded by the definite article, as--
El cambio de las condiciones: The changing of the terms. El cambiar las condiciones: The changing of the terms.
Su comunicación á las autoridades de la Aduana, El escribir _or_ el haber escrito él á las autoridades de la Aduana: His writing to the custom-house authorities.
El vender á crédito á largos plazos no es un principio sano: Selling on credit with long terms is not a sound practice.
Prefiero comprar disponible (_or_ las compras de disponible): I prefer spot buying.
=_The English gerund following "by" is translated by the gerund without preposition or by the infinitive preceded by _con_, as--_=
Depositando (_or_ con depositar) sus acciones se puso en perfecta regla: By depositing his shares, he put himself in order.
The Spanish verbal forms ending in _ante_ and _iente_, as: Amante (lover), tratante (dealer), dependiente (clerk), etc., used to be termed "present participles," and the analogous forms "amando" (loving), "tratando" (treating), "dependiendo" (depending), etc., "gerunds," but this has now taken the place of both forms, used as verbs, and the forms in _ante_ and _iente_ are classed as other parts of speech, according to their meaning, as--
Amante de la música (_adj._): Fond of music. Un tratante en trigos (_noun_): A dealer in wheat. Un dependiente de comercio (_noun_): A commercial clerk. Durante la exposicion (_prep._): During the exhibition. Mediante su ayuda (_prep._): By means of his help. No obstante que vino (_conj._): Notwithstanding his coming. ¡Corriente! (_interj._): All right! done!
=Huir= (to flee).[190]
_Pres. Indic._, Huyo, huyes, huye ... huyen. _Pres. Subj._, Huya, huyas, huya, huyamos, huyáis, huyan.
[Footnote 190: Model for all verbs ending in "uir" (with "u" sounded).]
VOCABULARY.
=acabado=, finish (cloth) =acudir=, to have recourse, to attend, to run to =á las claras=, plainly, clearly =apresto=, size, also finish (cloth) =aprovecharse=, to take advantage =bomba de doble efecto=, double-acting pump =burlarse=, to make fun of, to trifle with =chucherías=, pretty trifles *=convenir en=, to agree to =engañifas=, tricks =escandaloso=, scandalous, shocking =granjearse=, to win over *=hacer ver=, to show *=herir=, to wound, to cut (fig.) =mediar=, to come between, to intervene, to take place in the meantime *=no tener pelo de tonto=, not to be a simpleton =quitar=, to take away *=reducir á un mínimo=, to reduce to a minimum, to minimise *=saber á punto fijo=, to know for certain =sospechar=, to suspect =suave=, soft, mellow, gentle =subsanar=, to correct, to rectify =tacto=, feel (_n._), touch (_n._) =voluntad=, will, goodwill, favour
EXERCISE 1 (77).
Translate into English--
1. Á mí no me venga con estas engañifas que no tengo pelo de tonto.
2. Me hace regalos de algunas chucherías para granjearse mi voluntad y aprovecharse después.
3. ¿Sabe V. á punto fijo que son estas sus intenciones?
4. Mediaron algunas cosillas que me han hecho sospechar algo de eso y de mí nadie se burla.
5. V. debe de equivocarse y sólo por sospechas no debe quitarle su amistad.
6. Estas hermosas calderas de alta presión las han construido en Inglaterra y estas bombas de doble efecto las han importado de los Estados Unidos.
7. El conceder él mayores facilidades á los compradores le ha hecho conseguir una extensa clientela.
8. Con uniformarse á mis disposiciones (orders, instructions) él cumplirá con su deber y yo quedaré mas contento.
9. No soy amante de disputas, mis dependientes podrán asegurarle que durante mi larga carrera y no obstante que no faltaron ocasiones, no acudí una sola vez á los Tribunales.
EXERCISE 2 (78).
Translate into Spanish--
1. The long and short of the matter is that (en pocas palabras) we had agreed he was to do it.
2. This is nothing short of dishonesty (esto se llama falta de honradez, nada menos).
3. No matter what he will say (diga lo que dijere) I am sure he will have to pay.
4. The estimate and the sketches attached reached us just in (á) time.
5. The cloth was run (plegada) in pieces of 20 yds. exactly, the consequence being that some pieces were found by the customer to be with cuts (cortes).
6. It is of no use (es inútil) our struggling any longer (por más tiempo) against adversity.
7. Your writing in that strain (en aquel tono) shows plainly that their action has cut you to the quick (profundamente).
8. By selling in time he managed (logró) to minimise the loss.
9. The shocking abuses that existed under the monarchy are being (se van) corrected by the Republican Government.
10. We shall show them that our firm is not to be trifled with.
11. These stuffs are too heavily sized and the finish is not sufficiently mellow.
12. Their feel is not clothy (no tienen bastante cuerpo al tacto).
13. This defect will be made right in future deliveries.
LESSON XL. (Lección cuadragéseima.)
THE VERB (_contd._).
As in English, several past participles may be used with an active meaning, as--
Un hombre leído: A well-read man (for a man who has read much and well).
The following are some examples--
Agradecido (grateful) Atrevido (bold, daring) Bien hablado (a courteous speaker) Callado (taciturn) Cansado (tiresome) Comedido (thoughtful, considerate) Corrido[191] (acute, artful) Divertido (amusing) Entendido (experienced, conversant) Experimentado (experienced, expert) Sufrido (patient)
[Footnote 191: With a passive meaning it is "abashed."]
=The Tenses=.
The periphrastic or progressive conjugation: "I am buying," "I was selling," "I shall be buying," etc., exists in Spanish with the following differences from English:--
In the present and the past it is used, but only when the action embraces a certain length of time, otherwise the simple form "I buy," "I sold" _(imperf. indic.)_ must be used, as--
Fulano se arrojaba por la ventana (_not_ se estaba arrojando).
The Spanish Academy gives this example as of an action more or less instantaneous: So-and-So was throwing himself out of the window.
The periphrastic form is inadmissible unless one is _actually engaged_ in the action, as:
Hoy como con mi amigo (_not_ "estoy comiendo," because not actually engaged in the action): To-day I am dining with my friend.
In the future this construction is permissible only in such cases as--
Cuando venga mañana, yo estaré escribiendo: To-morrow when he comes, I shall be writing.
The periphrastic form never happens with the verb _ir_ (to go), and seldom with _venir_ (to come).
The English present perfect (preterite compuesto) "I have done" is often used in Spanish for the past definite "I did," when the period of time in which the action took place is not specified.
The Spanish Academy gives--
Siempre que he ido á Madrid he visitado el Prado _for_ Whenever I went to Madrid I visited the Prado.
We even find "ayer he hecho esto ó aquello" for "yesterday I did this or that," and this is accounted for by the "nearness" of the period elapsed. Although colloquially this does not sound at all so badly as in English, well-educated Spaniards will take care to avoid it.
The second or bye-form of the imperfect subjunctive may be used also for the conditional mood, as--
Se lo diera si lo tuviese _instead of_ se lo daría, etc.: I should give it to him if I had it.
It is also found (in books, not in conversation) for the compound imperfect indicative, especially after _que_, as--
Los consejos que le diera (_for_ que le había dado): The advice which I had given him.
In old Spanish, and even now in poetry, we find it used for every one of the compound past tenses.
=General Observations=.
The verb "to come" should be rendered in Spanish by _ir_ when the person is not in the place in question at the time of speaking or writing, as--
¿Quiere V. venir aquí á mi casa mañana? Will you come here to my house to-morrow?
Hoy estoy indispuesto pero mañana iré á verle: To-day I am unwell (out of sorts), but to-morrow I shall come to see you.
La vi escribir: I saw her writing; viz., I saw her write.
La vi escribiendo: I saw her writing; viz., whilst she was writing.
The emphatic word in an English sentence is often and more elegantly translated by a paraphrase in Spanish--
¿Es verdad que ha comprado los géneros? _Has_ he bought the goods?
¿Es él quien ha comprado los géneros? Has _he_ bought the goods?
¿De veras ha comprado los géneros? Has he _bought_ the goods?
¿Pues son los géneros lo que ha comprado? Has he bought _the goods_?
Esta transacción hubo de arruinarle: This transaction was within an ace of ruining him.
"I believe myself to be clever," etc., is not translated "Yo me creo ser hábil," but "Yo me creo (_or_ considero) hábil," or "Yo creo ser hábil," or "Creo que soy hábil."
=Decir (to say, to tell)=.
_Pres. Part_., Diciendo. _Past Part_., Dicho. _Pres. Indic_., Digo, dices, dice,--,--, dicen. _Pres. Subj_., Diga, digas, diga, digamos, digáis, digan. _Imp. Mood_, Dí ... _Past Def. Indic_., Dije, dijiste, dijo, dijimos, dijisteis, dijeron. _Future Indic_., Diré, dirás, dirá, diremos, diréis, dirán.
VOCABULARY.
=agrupación=, group, muster =aislado=, isolated, hedged in =alcalde=, mayor =arreglo amistoso=, friendly understanding =capataz=, foreman =carta de naturaleza=, certificate of naturalization =cifras=, figures *=dar pasos=, to take steps =dedicarse=, to devote oneself =derechos protectores=, protective duties =diputación= provincial, provincial council =elaborar=, to elaborate =genio=, temper =inquietarse=, to feel uneasy *=no tenerlas todas consigo=, to feel uneasy *=irse en rodeos=, to beat about the bush =labor indígena=, native labour =pequeñeces=, trifling matters =perspectivas=, prospects =plan=, plan[192] (idea) =proyecto=, project, scheme =repasar=, to go through =resultado=, result =(de) resultas de=, in consequence of, as a result of =vecino=, inhabitant, ratepayer[193] =vuelta de correo (á), (by) return of post
[Footnote 192: Plan, sketch = "Plano."]
[Footnote 193: Vecino = ratepayer who has acquired certain rights after a certain period of residence.]
EXERCISE 1 (79).
Translate into English--
1. Las leyes de España declaran: Son españoles todas las personas nacidas en territorio español, los hijos de padre ó madre españoles aunque hayan nacido fuera de España, y los extranjeros que hayan obtenido del Gobierno Español carta de naturaleza, ó sean vecinos de cualquier pueblo de España.
2. Añaden que los extranjeros pueden establecerse y dedicarse libremente á sus profesiones en territorio español; pero ningún extranjero puede ejercer en España cargo alguno que represente autoridad.
3. Los miembros del Concejo ó cabildo ó ayuntamiento ó corporación municipal se llaman Concejales ó regidores.
4. En España el alcalde de Madrid es nombrado libremente por el Gobierno; el alcalde de las localidades cuya población no baje de 6,000 habitantes es nombrado por el Gobierno de entre los concejales, los demás alcaldes son nombrados por el voto de su compañeros concejales.
5. Los cargos concejiles son gratuitos.
6. La Diputación Provincial es la agrupación de los varios municipios de cada provincia, y se reúne dos veces al año en la capital de la provincia.
EXERCISE 2 (80).
Translate into Spanish--
1. The foreman is grateful for his master's kindness.
2. The Director is elaborating a bold scheme for establishing, in a foreign country hedged in by protective duties, a factory worked by native labour under an English manager (gerente) and experienced English instructors.
3. If this plan reaches concretion (se verifica) he will be going abroad shortly, when he will find that his agents will be taking already the preliminary steps.
4. The Director himself is coming towards us, he will tell you more about it.
5. I am going to attend to several trifling matters which however want looking after (hay que cuidar).
6. Whenever (siempre que) I decided on (he decidido) a thing, I have always acted on my decision (la he puesto en ejecución).
7. I tell you if I had a larger stock, I should feel rather uneasy at (con) the prospects of the market.
8. Come and see me to-morrow at my office and we shall come (llegaremos) to a friendly understanding without beating about the bush.
9. He told me the figures did not compare well with (no eran buenas en comparación de) those of last year.
10. Please go through the accounts again and tell me the result by return of post.
11. Short reckonings make long friends (las cuentas claras y el chocolate espeso).
12. He lost money as a result of his bad temper.
LESSON XLI. (Lección cuadragésima primera.)
THE VERB (_contd._).
_Ser_ and _Estar_. Such expressions as "Smoking is prohibited," etc., are translated either "Es prohibido fumar" or "Está prohibido fumar." Both translations are grammatically correct ("Está prohibido fumar" is the general expression in this particular case).
If we say "Es prohibido fumar," we are referring to the "doer" of the action: "Es prohibido _por la ley, por la policia, por los jefes_, etc., etc."--a case of passive voice.
If we say "Está prohibido fumar" we have no "doer" in our mind, but only the thing itself = a case of "a condition of things" resulting from the action (the prohibition).
=EXAMPLE--=
El fumar es prohibido por el jefe, por esto está prohibido fumar en nuestro despacho: Smoking is prohibited by our employer (viz., our employer prohibits smoking), therefore it is not allowed in our office.
_The above example is given for the sake of illustration by contrast; in practice, of course, such oddities are avoided._
The English expressions, "It is I, you, he, we, they, who ..." must be rendered in Spanish by "Soy yo, es V., somos nosotros, etc., quien _or_ quienes ..."; i.e., the English impersonal "it is" must be made personal in Spanish.
We said that verbs may have a different government in the two languages, as--
Colgar de un clavo: To hang on a nail.
Entrar en una casa: To enter a house.
This, one of the points for which rules cannot be laid, belongs to the idiom of the language, and practice is the only master (see Appendix V for a list of the most conspicuous differences) In reading, together with the meaning of a verb, _ascertain its government._
Some peculiarities of Spanish verbs--
_Acabar de_, followed by an infinitive, translates the English "to have just," followed by a past participle, as--
Acaba de flotarse una sociedad: A company has just been floated.
_Acertar á_, followed by an infinitive, translates "to happen," as--
Acertaron á pasar cuando ella estaba asomada á la ventana: They happened to pass when she was looking out of the window.
Acertó a ser viernes aquel día: That day happened to be a Friday.
_Alegrarse de, Celebrar_--"to be glad to," "to rejoice at."
Me alegro mucho de la noticia; Celebro mucho la noticia: I am glad of the news.
(Before an infinitive _de_ is omitted after "alegrarse," as: Me alegro decirle: I am glad to tell you.)
_Caber_ (see Lesson XXX) is used figuratively in many locutions--
No cabe en nosotros tal acción: We are not capable of such an action.
No cabe en sí de gozo: He is beside himself with joy.
Le cupo el premio gordo: it was his lot or luck to get the chief prize.
No se puede saber lo que le cabrá á uno en suerte: One cannot know what one's lot will be.
Esta tela es de calidad que no cabe más: This cloth is perfection itself.
No caber en sí: To be puffed up with pride.
=Ir= (to go).
_Pres. Part._, Yendo.[194] _Pres. Indic._, Voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van. _Pres. Subj._, Vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan. _Imper. Mood_, Ve ... vayamos _or_ vamos ... _Imperf. Indic._, Iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban. _Past Def. Indic._, Fuí, fuiste, fué, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron.
[Footnote 194: No word in Spanish commences with "ie." Hence the change into "ye."]
=Oir= (to hear).
_Pres. Indic._, Oigo.
Salir (to go out).
_Pres. Indic._, Salgo. _Pres. Subj._, Salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgáis, salgan. _Imp. Mood_, Sal . . . _Fut. Indic._, Saldré, saldrás, saldrá, saldremos, saldréis, saldrán.
VOCABULARY.
=arrancar=, to wrench, to squeeze out =biblioteca=, public library =codicia=, greed, covetousness *=darsele á uno de una cosa=, to matter =desgraciado=, unfortunate =deslumbrar=, to dazzle =factura simulada=, pro forma invoice =fiesta del comercio=, bank holiday =fomento=, development, encouragement *=hacer impresión=, to impress =hacienda=, finance, property =(no) perdonar nada=, to leave no stone unturned =próxima=, near, approaching *=regir=, to rule, to govern, to control =sacar=, to pull out, to get out =sin perjuicio de=, excepting *=tener a su cargo=, to have in charge *=tener en poco=, to think little of
EXERCISE 1 (81).
Translate into English--
1. El Gobierno en España se compone de ocho ministerios.
2. El Ministerio de Estado trata de las relaciones de España con los demás Estados y corresponde al "Foreign Office" inglés.
3. El de Gracia y Justicia tiene á su cargo todos los asuntos relativos á la Administración de Justicia y alorden eclesiástico.
4. El de la Guerra que es lo mismo que nuestro "War Office."
5. El de Hacienda, el Ministerio de Marina, el Ministerio de la Gobernación (Ministry of the Interior) que vigila y dirige todos los negocios y asuntos propios del Gobierno y administración civil del Estado, así generales como locales, sin perjuicio de las atribuciones de los ayuntamientos y Diputaciones provinciales, el Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of P. Works) que rige todo lo relative á la agricultura, industria, comercio, obras, públicas, montes (forests), minas, y estadísticas.
6. Este corresponde más ó menos al inglés "Board of Trade;" y el Ministerio de Instrucción Pública y Bellas Artes que tiene á su cargo cuanto se refiere á la enseñanza, bellas artes, archivos, bibliotecas, y museos, y que representa aproximadamente al "Board of Education."
EXERCISE 2 (82).
Translate into Spanish--
1. It is I who shall leave for Paris (saldré para) now that the matter is arranged.
2. I am going out as I hear somebody calling me.
3. Go, but do not be long.
4. Yesterday you went for a few minutes but it was an hour before you returned (no volvió antes de).
5. We have just heard of his approaching visit to England.
6. It happened to be on a bank holiday and our offices (oficinas) were of course closed on that day.
7. We shall be glad if you will kindly instruct (dé instrucciones á) your cashier to pay our account.
8. We have the pleasure of enclosing the pro forma invoices.
9. I am incapable of so much greed.
10. I am sorry to have to tell you that the cargo by the s.s. "Maria" was lost through the vessel stranding (por haber varado) on (en) the Spanish coast.
11. Coming back from having seen (á vuelta de haber visto) the machine working (en función) he told us how favourably impressed he had been.
12. He was dazzled by the brilliant prospects set before him.
13. This is nothing to me.
14. There is nothing or very little to be got out of that firm.
15. I have left no stone unturned to squeeze something out of this unfortunate business but it has been of no avail.
16. He thinks nothing of our work.
LESSON XLII. (Lección cuadragésima segunda.)
THE VERB (_contd_.).
_Caer_ has several idiomatic uses--
Este vestido le cae bien: This dress fits her well. Caer en gracia: To fall into the good graces of one. La puerta cae á oriente: The door is on the east side. Ya caigo, ya caigo en ello: Now I understand. Caerse redondo: To fall flat.
_Dar_--
Dar en el clavo (= acertar): To hit it. Dar por concedido, dar de barato: To grant for the sake of argument. Lo doy por bueno: I consider it as good. Dar los naipes: To deal cards. Dar la enhorabuena, el pésame, los buenos días: To congratulate, to condole with, to wish good day. Dar la hora: To strike the hour. Dar en caprichos: To give oneself up to whims. Dar en un error: To incur an error. Darse preso: To give oneself up. Darse al estudio: To apply or devote oneself to study. Dar á creer: To make believe. Dar con una persona: To come across a person. No se me da nada: I do not care a bit. Ahí me las den todas: I do not care a bit.
Many other idioms are formed with _dar_ for which a good dictionary should be consulted.
_Dejar de_--to cease from, to omit, to fail to.
Dejemos de hablar: Let us cease talking. Dejó de hacerme la remesa que me había prometido: He omitted to send me the remittance he promised me. No dejaré de ejecutar su orden: I shall not fail to execute your order.
_Echar_ (to throw) forms also many idioms for which the dictionary should be consulted--
Echar á correr, á reir, etc.: To start running, laughing, etc. Echar á perder: To spoil, to ruin. Echar de beber: To pour out drink. Echar de ver: To perceive, to notice. Esto se echa de ver: This is obvious. Echar menos or de menos: To miss, to feel the want of. Echar la llave, el cerrojo, la tranca: To lock, to bolt, to bar (the door). Echar la culpa: To lay the blame. Echar mano: To lay hold, to lay hands upon. Echar un cigarillo, un puro: To smoke a cigarette, a cigar.
_Estar_--"to be."
Estar en que: To be of opinion. Estar por: To be in favour of. Estar para: To be on the point of. Estar por hacer: To be yet to be done.
_Faltar_--"to fail," "to be wanting."
Faltó a la promesa: He failed to his promise. Me faltan cinco duros: I am short of five dollars. N.B.--"Me hacen falta cinco duros" is "I need five dollars."