Pitman's Commercial Spanish Grammar (2nd ed.)

Chapter 6

Chapter 63,527 wordsPublic domain

[Footnote 105: The Imperative Mood has only a separate form for the 2nd pers. sing. and plu. It has no 1st pers. sing. and the 1st pers. pl. and 3rd pers. sing. and pl. are taken from the Pres. Subj.

The 2nd pers. pl. is derived from the Infinitive Mood by changing the final _r_ into _d_--no exception.

The 2nd pers. sing. is the same as the _3rd pers. sing. of the Pres. Indicative_, with a few exceptions (among which are Haber, Tener, Ser).]

[Footnote 106: Given as a form only, as Haber has no Imperative Mood in modern Spanish, except in Héme, héte, héle, aquí, etc. (here I am, here thou art, here he is, etc.), and in some other rare cases.

N.B.--In Spanish there is no imperative negative, the Pres. Subj. negative being used instead, as--

=Hablar=. No hables (do not (thou) speak). No habléis (do not (you) speak).]

VOCABULARY.

=*acordarse=, to remember =me acuerdo=, I remember =se acuerda=, he remembers =cartera=, pocket-book, portfolio =contestar á, responder á=, to answer =*decir=, to say =*devolver=, to return, give back =devuelto=, given back =devuelvo=, I return, give back =digo=, I say =dice=, he says =dije=, I said =dijo=, he said =disgustado=, annoyed, disgusted, displeased =flojedad=, slackness =*hacer escala=, to call at (steamers) =mucho me gusta=, I am very glad =negativa=, refusal =notas (billetes) de banco=, bank notes =*oir=, to hear =*perder=, to lose =perdiendo=, losing =*querer=, to want, to be willing to have =quiero=, I want, I am willing to have =quiere=, he wants, he is willing to have =responder=,[107] to answer =*seguir=, to continue =sorpresa=, surprise

[Footnote 107: "Responder"; past part., "respuesto"--otherwise regular.]

EXERCISE 1 (27).

Translate into English--

1. ¿Quién respeta las leyes?

2. ¿Cuáles leyes?

3. Las de este país. ¿Qué dice V.?

4. Lo que V. oye (you hear).

5. Estos pañuelos y zarazas son cuales V. deseaba.

6. Mucho me gusta saberlo.

7. ¡Qué hermosas telas! ¡y baratas!

8. ¡Cuánto pide V. por ellas?

9 ¿Cuántos dividendos ha pagado esa Compañía? Tres.

10. ¿Cuántos dijo V. (did you say)?

11. Tres ó cuatro, no me acuerdo exactamente.

12. ¿Cúya cartera es esta?

13. Es la cartera de mi hermano, cuya cartera, como V. habrá sabido, la perdió con £500 en notas de banco y le fué devuelta.

14. ¿De quién es el cargamento cuyo conocimiento ha llegado?

15. Es mío.

16. ¿Qué libro es este? Es el mío.

17. Ha seguido la flojedad en los valores, perdiendo mucho el amortizable.

18. Hubo pocas (few) transacciones en general.

19. ¡Cuál lo hallamos!

20. ¡Absolutamente desanimado! ¡Qué lastima!

EXERCISE 2 (28).

Translate into Spanish--

1. What reduction can you make?

2. Twopence a yard.

3. Which of the two will you have (quiere V.)?

4. What orders did you give?

5. Whose goods are these?

6. What a surprise!

7. How much money did you receive?

8. How many lots of white shirting have you placed?

9. Did you answer all his letters?

10. If we bought (si comprásemos) the (colonial) produce dearer than the figure you indicated we should have to answer for it (seríamos responsables).

11. The cotton prints and union drills we sent you will answer your requirements (corresponderán a sus necesidades).

12. Mr. Pérez seems annoyed by your refusal.

13. I am very sorry (lo siento mucho _or_ infinito) but it is not my fault.

14. I could not accept the rebate under (en) the circumstances.

15. Has the steamer called at Málaga?

16. I believe she has (que sí).

LESSON XV. (Lección décima quinta.)

INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS.

(Those marked with an asterisk are Pronouns only.)

Alguno, *alguien (pronounced álguien), (some, somebody, anybody) *Algo, alguna cosa (something, anything) *Uno-a,-os-as (one, a person, some, some persons) Uno á otro (one another, each other) Uno ú otro (one or the other, either) Uno y otro, ambos, entrambos (both) Ni uno ni otro (neither the one nor the other) Ni uno (not a single one) Los otros, los demás (the others) Mismo (same, self) Cierto-a,-os-as (a certain, certain) Cada (each) *Cada uno, *cada cual (each, each one) Otro (other, another[108]) Todo (all, everything, every) Todos (everybody, all) Poco (little) Pocos (few) Unos pocos, unos cuantos (a few) Mucho-a,-os-as (much, many) Varios (several) Cualquiera (_sing._), Cualesquiera (_pl._), (any, whichever) *Quienquiera (_sing._), quienesquiera (_pl._), (any, whoever, whomever) *Cualquiera cosa (anything, whatever) Propio-a, os-as (own, self, same) Tal (_sing._), tales (_pl._ such a, such) *Fulano, zutano, mengano (So-and-So) Cuanto (todo lo que), (all that which) Cuantos (todos los que), (all those who) Ninguno (no one, nobody, not any) *Nada (nothing), *nadie (no one, nobody) *Quien ... quien, *cual ... cual (some ... some)

[Footnote 108: "Another" is "otro," not "un otro."]

_Cada_ is an adjective only, as--

Cada huelga de obreros daña la industria nacional: Each workmen's strike injures national industry.

_Alguien, algo, cada, nada, nadie_ are invariable, and the verb accompanying them is always singular, as--

Alguien hizo un error de pluma: Somebody made a slip of the pen.

Algo es mejor que el dinero, el honor: There is something better than money, honour.

¿Hay algo peor que la ingratitud? Is there anything worse than ingratitude?

Nada es absolutamente perfecto y nadie es infalible: Nothing is absolutely perfect and nobody is infallible.

Further difference in meaning between _alguien_ and _alguno_--

_Alguien_ refers to persons only, and cannot be followed by _de_. _Alguno_ to persons or things, and may be followed by _de_,[109] as--

Alguien _or_ Alguno se ha quejado: Somebody has complained.

Quiere naranjas y melocotones y yo tengo algunos: He wants oranges and peaches, and I have some.

Alguno de ellos lo hará: Someone amongst them will do it.

The English "any," "anything," are translated by _alguno, alguna cosa (algo)_ when interrogative; _ninguno, ninguna cosa (nada)_ when negative; and _cualquiera, cualquiera cosa_ when affirmative, as--

¿Quiere V. algún refresco ó algo que comer? Do you want any refreshments[110] or anything to eat?

No quiero ningunos Holandillos: I do not want any Hollands.

Cualquier(a) muchacho de escuela echaría de ver que estas Batistas Victoria son más ordinarias: Any schoolboy could see that these Victoria Lawns are of lower quality.

_Alguno_ and _Ninguno_ are left understood oftener than in English, as--

¿Comprará V. (algunos) títulos de la nueva emisión? Will you buy any stock of the new issue?

Él no pide consejos: He does not ask any advice.

When _nadie_ and _ninguno_, or any other =negative word=, as the adverb _nunca_ (never), etc., precede a verb, no other negative is required; but when they =follow= it, =no= (not) must precede the verb, as: No he visto á nadie _or_ á nadie he visto: I have seen nobody.

[Footnote 109: Same difference between _nadie_ and _ninguno_.]

[Footnote 110: In Spanish the singular is found instead of the plural, as: ¿Tiene V. algún libro que prestarme? (have you any books to lend me?).]

Verbs ending in _car_ or _gar_ change the _c_ and _g_ into =qu= and =gu= respectively before =e=, as--

[Footnote 111: The primary parts (except, of course, the Infinitive) will be omitted in future _when they are regular_. The derivative parts will also be omitted when they are _regularly formed from their primary parts_ according to the rules given. See synopsis at the end of the book.]

VOCABULARY.

=agricola=, agricultural =amontonar=, to pile up =apertura=, opening =bajar=, to lower, to go or come down =bonito=, pretty =comarca=, region, district (of a country) =detenidamente=, at length =duplicar=, to double, to duplicate =exigua=, slight, trifling =fábricas de algodón=, cotton mills =géneros alimenticios=, food stuffs =*hacer caso=, to take notice =hilador=, spinner =impuesto=, tax =(la) incertidumbre=, uncertainty =industria=, industry =legislatura=, parliamentary session =ligero=, light (_adj._), slight, small =limitación=, curtailment =(la) luz=, light (_n._) =*mantener=, to hold up, to maintain =mejora=, improvement =ministerio=, ministry =obligaciones=, debentures =olvidar=, to forget =para que=, so that =patria=, country, fatherland =preferible=, preferable =*prevalecer, reinar=, to prevail, to rule =subir=, to go or come up =tejedor=, weaver =timbre=, stamp =tomar la delantera á=, to take the start on. =trigo=, wheat =varios=, several =vinícola=, wine (_adj._)

EXERCISE 1 (29).

Translate into English--

1. Alguien pretende que se duplicará el impuesto del timbre sobre las acciones y obligaciones de las compañías anónimas y que habrá algunos que protestarán enérgicamente.

2. Algo hay de eso y uno y otro partido político se interesan de la cuestión pero ni uno de los periódicos locales echa luz sobre las intenciones del ministerio.

3. Los demás proyectos de ley con ciertas modificaciones se presentarán (will be introduced) en esta misma legislatura, y cada uno se discutirá detenidamente.

4. Se anuncian varias empresas industriales en grande escala.

5. Cuanto se hace es poco cuando se piensa en lo que se debería hacer para que nuestros competidores no nos tomen la delantera.

6. Cualquiera echa de ver (can see) eso.

7. Cuantos hay que miran al verdadero interés de su patria deben olvidar sus propios intereses en favor del fomento de la industria vinícola y agrícola de esta comarca.

8. Cada casa tiene su sistema propio.

9. Yo no imito á Fulano, Zutano y Mengano, soy cauto y evito los riesgos.

10. Negocio papel extranjero, pero sólo letras bancarias, ó de firmas de primera clase y con dos endosos, nada más.

EXERCISE 2 (30).

Translate into Spanish--

1. Somebody thinks that the imports of food-stuffs will increase.

2. Some wheat buyers take little notice of the higher American cable advices (las subidas que se han telegrafiado desde América).

3. Weavers and spinners are all holding up their prices.

4. Each week shows an improvement.

5. We hear the same reports (noticias) from all quarters (partes).

6. Neither of these machines will suit (conviene á) our requirements.

7. We accept these bills but refuse the others.

8. Anybody who has his own interests at heart will contribute to the realisation of the scheme.

9. I did all I could (podía) so that nothing should be lost (no se perdiera nada).

10. Some say the market will go up, some say it will go down, and such is the position that one does not know (no sabe) what to do.

11. Anything is preferable to this uncertainty.

12. I have not seen anything so pretty before.

13. Mail advices (los anuncios por la mala) from America report an abnormal (anormal) curtailment of production in the United States Cotton Mills.

14. They cannot take the risk of piling up stocks when the demand is so slight (exigua).

15. Foreign Bourses.--Berlin. A weak tone ruled at the opening. During the later dealings (operaciones posteriores) a slight (ligera) improvement was noticeable (se observó).

LESSON XVI. (Lección décima sexta.)

THE VERB.

The verb is a word by which we affirm something. It is the essential word in a sentence: without it (expressed or understood) no sentence can be construed.

Verbs are divided into Auxiliary, Transitive and Intransitive.

The Auxiliary verbs in Spanish are: Haber, Tener, Ser, Estar.

_Haber_ is a true auxiliary because it helps to form compound tenses[112] but it presents the following peculiarities--

1. It is used as an impersonal verb (as well as the verb _hacer_ which is given here for the sake of completeness) for expressions of time, as--

Dos años ha (_or_ ha dos años) _or_ hace dos años la exportación de los Caldos españoles estaba muy floreciente: Two years ago the exportation of Spanish wines and oils was very flourishing.

Ha dos años (_or_ hace dos años) que la casa Guillermo Fernandez y Cía está establecida en La Coruña como Comisionistas: The firm, G.F. & Co., has been established in Corunna as Commission Agents these last two years.

¿Cuanto tiempo ha (_or_ hace) que estudia V. el castellano? How long have you been studying Spanish?

[Footnote 112: The Past Part. following "haber" IS ALWAYS INVARIABLE.]

2. It is also used impersonally as "there to be" (French, "y avoir"), as--

Hay mucha pimienta, clavos, y canela en el mercado de Londres: There are much pepper, cloves, and cinnamon in the London market.

Sí, hubo muchas especias el año pasado también: Yes, there were many spices last year also.

Cuando estaba en El Cairo había miedo de que estallara algún motín: When I was in Cairo there was the fear of some riots breaking out.

(N.B.--Impersonal verbs are only used in the 3rd pers. singular.)

In English we have "there is" and "there are," because "there to be" is not used impersonally, the meaning being, e.g., "a man is there"; "two men are there." In Spanish, however, _haber_ is used impersonally and both "there is a man" and "there are two men" are translated "Hay un hombre," "Hay dos hombres."

It will be noticed that _Haber_ used for "there to be" makes _Hay_ instead of _Ha_ for the present indicative. All its other tenses remain unchanged: _había, hubo, habrá, habría_, etc.

_Hay que_ followed by an Infinitive (French "il faut"), it is necessary to ..., as--

Hay que tener mucho cuidado: It is necessary to be very careful. I, you, etc., must be very careful.

_Tener_ is generally a =principal= (viz., not an auxiliary) verb, used to denote possession; but it is used sometimes as an =auxiliary= instead of _haber_, as--

Tengo recibido su catálogo ilustrado y lista (or boletín) de precios: I have received your illustrated catalogue with price list.

Tenemos recibida[113] su apreciable carta de 20 del que rige (or del corriente): We have received your favour of the 20th inst.

¿Tiene V. recibidas las cotizaciones? Have you received the quotations?

Los presupuestos, que tenemos recibidos del Trapiche para nuestro Ingenio de la Habana: The estimates which we have received for the Sugar Mill for our Factory in Havana.

In all the preceding examples _tener_ used instead of _haber_ introduces an additional idea of "=possession=".

"He recibido su carta" might be followed, in Spanish, by "pero la he perdido" (but I have lost it). "Tengo recibida su carta" implies that the receiver holds it now.

[Footnote 113: The Past Part. following "tener" agrees in gender and number with the _direct object_.]

Sometimes this idea of possession is very distantly implied, as--

¿Qué me dice V.? tengo leído ese proyecto de Ley: What are you talking about? I have read that (Parliamentary) Bill.

Meaning that the effect of the reading is extant in the mind.

Colloquially the people will use _tener_ for _haber_ without any allusion to possession, but this should be avoided.

VOCABULARY.

=anteayer=, the day before yesterday =apresurar=, to hasten, to urge (_a._) =apresurarse=, to hasten (_n._) =apresurarse con sus órdenes=, to rush one's orders =árbol de eje=, axle shaft =cámara de comercio=, chamber of commerce =cigüeña, árbol de cigüeña, cigüeñal=, crank-shaft =compañía de ferrocarril=, railway company =con manchas=, (designs)--spot =con puntitas, con bolitas=, (designs) spot =contestar=, to answer, to reply =cuadritos=, (designs) checks =cuenta simulada=, pro forma account =culpa=, blame, fault =daño=, damage, injury, breakdown =de buena tinta=, from a good source =derecho=, right =duda=, doubt =equivocarse=, to be mistaken =existencias=, stocks of goods =expedidor=, sender =fecha de=, dated =listados=, (designs) striped =á listas, á rayas=, (designs) striped =malcontento=, uneasiness, discontent =mundial=, world (_adj._) =próximamente=, about, approximately =pues=, well =redactar=, to write out =repentinamente=, suddenly =representación exclusiva=, sole agency =responsabilidad=, responsibility =retardar=, to delay, to be delayed =*romperse=, to break (_n._) =roto=, broken =todavía=, yet =vivir=, to live, to reside =ya=, already

EXERCISE 1 (31).

Translate into English--

1. En la Asociación de Agricultores de España (Society of Spanish Agriculturists) dará mañana viernes á las seis y media de la tarde una conferencia (lecture) el ilustrado Sr. Fulano.

2. ¿Como mañana? ya la ha dado esta mañana.

3. No sabía que la había dado ya.

4. Pues tengo esta noticia de buena tinta y no hay duda que así es.

5. Tenemos recibida su estimada, fecha de anteayer.

6. Mucho tiempo ha que tengo proyectadas estas empresas.

7. Habrá un mes que me escribió y no le he contestado todavía.

8. La Cámara de Comercio de Londres votó, después de larga discusión, una protesta contra el nuevo Tratado de Comercio con Cuba y redactó una petición que será dirigida al gobierno.

9. El vapor inglés "Raleigh" que sale para Montevideo ha recibido un marconigrama anunciando que reina allí el malcontento político.

10. El aviador acaba de batir el "record" mundial de velocidad y distancia recorriendo (covering) ciento veintidós kilómetros en hora y media, á saber (namely) próximamente 80 kilómetros por hora.

11. No se equivoca V. en la interpretación de lo que hemos escrito acerca de las facturas simuladas.

12. El árbol de eje y el cigüeñal se han roto.

EXERCISE 2 (32).

Translate into Spanish--

1. Have you obtained the sole agency for (de) that firm?

2. Not yet, but I hope to get it.

3. How long have you been living in England?

4. Two weeks ago prices were so high that buyers were rushing their orders; now they have suddenly fallen to an unprecedented level (nivel sin precedente).

5. He has examined the samples and found that the designs of the light grounds (fondos claros) are not as ordered.

6. He also complains of the checks and stripes.

7. The spot muslins have been delayed owing to a breakdown in the works (la fábrica).

8. The senders are trying to throw the blame on (á) the Railway Company, but we have no right of claim (derecho de reclamar) against the latter (ésta); it is they who (son ellos quienes) must indemnify us for the loss.

9. It is a well-founded (bien establecida) and respectable firm and they will not deny their responsibility--there is no doubt about (de) that.

10. Is it long since you received their last (última) letter?

11. Have they been long established? (Hace mucho tiempo que....)

12. They have been for 15 years.

13. Our friends have large stocks but they say the market is looking up (mejorando).

LESSON XVII. (Lección décima séptima.)

"SER" AND "ESTAR."

=Ser= is used as a true auxiliary, when it forms the passive voice.

=Estar= is an auxiliary when it forms the progressive tenses, as

Estoy escribiendo (I am writing). Estaba escribiendo (he was writing).

The difficulty in the employment of _ser_ and _estar_ is, by some, unduly magnified. Others give the following rule--

_Ser_ denotes a permanent state. _Estar_ "temporary"

This rule should not be adopted because often it would not apply, as the following two examples will show--

Él es soldado porque se ha alistado por dos años: He is a soldier as he has enlisted for two years.

Aquellos montes están eternamente cubiertos de nieve: Those mountains are perpetually covered with snow.

The following simple and true rules will enable the student to understand the difference between _ser_ and _estar_ and to apply them correctly.

_Ser_ is used--

1. To form the Passive Voice, as--

El cartero trajo las cartas--_Active_: The postman brought the letters.

La carta fué traída[114] por el cartero--_Passive[115]_: The letter was brought by the postman.

[Footnote 114: The Past Part. following "Ser" and "Estar" agrees in gender and number with the subject of these verbs.]

[Footnote 115: Este cuarto es barrido todos los días (this room is swept every day) is passive voice, because we speak of the _action_ of sweeping, viz., somebody sweeps the room every day. Este cuarto está barrido--no voice; "barrido" is used as an adjective to denote _state_ or _condition_.]

2. To denote an inherent[116] quality, as--

La nieve es blanca: Snow is white. El hombre es mortal: Man is mortal.

[Footnote 116: Inherence = a fixed state of being in another body. A quality may be inherent "for the time being," as: Juan se ha alistado por dos años, entonces _es soldado_: John has enlisted for two years, then he is a soldier.]

_Estar_ is used to denote--

1. State in locality, viz., to be in a place, as--

Estoy aquí I am here. Londres está en Inglaterra: London is in England.

2. A condition, as--

Estoy candado: I am tired. Está enfermo: He is ill.

SUPPLEMENTARY RULES.

_Ser_ must be used--

1. Before any noun (even if an adjective or article intervenes), as--

Soy negociante: I am a merchant.

Es un corredor de cambios bien conocido: He is a well-known exchange broker.

Son buenos valores: They are good securities.

2. When "to be" is used to denote possession, as--

Los trapiches son de estos fabricantes: The sugar mills belong to these makers.

3. When "to be" us used impersonally, as--

Es necesario tomar medidas legales: It is necessary to take legal proceedings.

4. Before the words "Feliz," "Infeliz," "Pobre," and "Rico."[117]

[Footnote 117: These are not, strictly speaking, "inherent qualities," but they are spoken of as such.]

_Estar_ must, of course, be always used before Present Participles,[118] as--

Está activando sus esfuerzos: He is making still further efforts. Estamos extendiendo nuestras relaciones: We are extending our connection.

[Footnote 118: A Pres. Part. can only express a condition, not a quality.]

Verbs ending in _cer_, _cir_, _ger_ and _gir_ change the _c_ into =z= and the _g_ into =j= before _a_ or _o_ as--

Verbs ending in _guir_ and _quir_ change the _gu_ into =g= and the _qu_ into =c= before _a_ or _o_, as--

[Footnote 119: The only verb ending in _quir_.]

VOCABULARY.