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

Chapter 7

Chapter 73,374 wordsPublic domain

=acabar de=, to have just =accesorio=, accessory =activo y pasivo=, assets and liabilities =antiguo=, old, ancient =avería=, particular, particular average =balance=, balance, balance sheet =bastar=, to suffice, to be enough =biela=, connecting rod =caldera=, boiler =cilindros=, cylinders =citar=, to quote, to mention a passage =*convenir=, to agree, to suit =cotizar=, to quote prices =cuenta de ganancias y pérdidas=, profit and loss account =dejar=, to leave, to let =disposición (á su)=, (at your) disposal =durar=, to last =el engranaje=, the gearing =entregar=, to deliver =equipo=, equipment =es decir, ó sea= viz., namely =á saber= viz., namely =franco de porte=, carriage paid =grifo=, cock (machinery) =hasta la fecha=, (made up) to date =huelga=, strike =imprevisto=, unforseen =á la izquierda=, to the left =llegar á ser=, to become, to contrive to be =*mantenerse=, to be maintained =máquina=, machine, engine =mercerizar=, to mercerize =para con=, towards =transporte seguido=, carriage forward =porte pagadero al destino=, carriage forward =presentar=, to present =proveer=, to provide =provisto (proveído)=, provided =semejante=, similar =*sentir=, to be sorry, to feel =sin embargo=, however =soportes, coginetes=, bearings =tornillos=, screws =transporte pagado=, carriage paid =tubos=, tubes =válvula=, valve =el volante=, the fly-wheel =y pico= (=veinte y pico=, etc.), odd, (twenty odd, etc.)

EXERCISE 1 (33).

Translate into English--

1. La marca (the make) de estas máquinas y calderas es una de las más antiguas.

2. Son fabricadas en Inglaterra por los Srs. Fulano y Cía.

3. Están aquí para su inspección y están todas provistas de sus accesorios: cilindros, volantes, bielas, soportes, engranajes, válvulas y tornillos.

4. ¿No se fabrican también en Francia máquinas semejantes?

5. Sí, Señor, estas á la izquierda son francesas y son buenas máquinas.

6. Es cierto sin embargo que las inglesas son mejores y que están en primera línea en la industria mundial.

7. Los Srs. Fulano y Cía. han llegado á ser los primeros entre los constructores que han comprendido que se podían entregar máquinas excelentes á un precio relativamente bajo.

8. Para no citar más que un ejemplo de la importancia de esta casa basta decir que son suyas las 1,000 máquinas y pico que se han exportado últimamente para Italia y la Argentina.

9. Soy feliz de saberlo.

10. Son fabricantes ricos y al mismo tiempo generosos para con los que son pobres é infelices.

11. Compraré diez fardos de Estampados Mercerizados si me los deja V. á 5-3/16 d. por yarda.

12. Está bien; ¡está convenido!

EXERCISE 2 (34).

Translate into Spanish--

1. We have just received your Price List, but we are sorry to say your prices are too dear.

2. The cylinders and boilers are now ready.

3. Every engine is sent out with its complete equipment, viz., tubes, valves, cocks, etc.

4. The Directors are preparing a balance sheet to be laid before (para presentar á) the company at the next ordinary general meeting.

5. It will show the assets and liabilities and a profit and loss account made up to date.

6. There will also be a report on the position and transactions of the company.

7. It is your action which has done us more harm (daño) than anything else (cualquier otra cosa[120]).

8. It is we (somos nosotros) who are tired of our agreement (convenio).

9. The goods are at your disposal.

10. We think the shares will be inactive (flojas).

11. The demand for steel, iron and copper was very steady (firme) but it is probable that it will not last.

12. Are you rich? No, I am poor but I am happy.

13. Our quotations will be maintained except in case of strikes or other unforeseen circumstances.

14. The four bales of linens will be delivered to you carriage paid, but the boilers and (y sus) accessories you will receive (los recibirán) carriage forward.

15. The whole (todo) will be insured with particular average.

[Footnote 120: Or: _=que nada más=_.]

LESSON XVIII. (Lección décima octava.)

TRANSITIVE VERBS.

A verb is Transitive when its action passes from the subject of the action to the object.

=Transitive Verbs= are divided into--

=1. Active= (when the subject of the verb stands for the doer or agent of the action), as--

Renovamos nuestros ofrecimientos de servicios: We renew our offers of services.

=2. Passive= (when the subject of the verb stands for the real object of the action, viz., when it suffers the action instead of doing it), as--

Los ofrecimientos de sus servicios nos fueron renovados en su último escrito: His offers of services were renewed to us in his last letter.

The Passive voice in Spanish is formed with the verb _ser_ as above, or by using the =active voice= with the pronoun _se_, as--

Se nos renovaron los ofrecimientos de sus servicios: His offers, etc.

Active verbs become reflexive when their subject and object are the same person or thing, as--

Nos lisonjeamos poderlos servir por lo mejor de sus intereses: We flatter ourselves that we can serve them to the best of their interests.

Reflexive verbs in the plural are also reciprocal, as--

Nos comprendemos: We understand each other.

Nos escribimos muy frecuentemente: We write to each other very frequently.

"Uno á otro" and "los unos á los otros" may be added for greater clearness, as--

Procuramos convencernos (á nosotros mismos). We try to convince ourselves (each other).

Procuramos convencernos (el uno al otro). We try to convince ourselves (each other).

The direct object of a transitive verb,[121] if a proper name of a person or place, must be preceded by _á_, as--

Vimos al Señor Guillermo: We saw Mr. William. Visitamos á Francia[122]: We visited France.

[Footnote 121: With the exception of "Tener."]

[Footnote 122: But not geographical names preceded by the article, as: Avistamos La Habana (we sighted Havana).]

Á is also generally used before any noun =indicating= a person,[123] as--

Empleamos á este corresponsal: We employ this correspondent.

[Footnote 123: This part of the rule is not very strict, as we find it sometimes omitted before persons, and at others used before names of things, as: El hecho precedió á la palabra (the action preceded the word).]

But _á_ should be avoided whenever it would engender confusion, or when the verb governs an accusative and a dative at the same time, as--

Enviamos nuestro dependiente: We send our clerk.

Recomendamos el Sr. Pérez á nuestro fabricante: We recommend Mr. Pérez to our manufacturer.

Á is also omitted when the noun following it does not refer to a particular individual, but to =any= individual of a certain class, as--

Busco criado: I am looking for a servant.

Juan no quiere socios en su empresa: John does not want any partners in his undertaking.

Verbs whose root ends in _ll_ or _ñ_ take =e= and =o= instead of _ie_ and _io_, as--

[Footnote 124: The Imperf. and Fut. Subj. follow the Past Def.]

Verbs in whose conjugations _i_ should come =unstressed= between two vowels change the unstressed _i_ into =y=, as--

+----------------------------------+ | =Creer= (to believe). | +----------------------------------+ |_Pres. Part._, Creyendo. | |_Past Def._, Creyó ... creyeron.| +----------------------------------+

But the _Imperf. Indic._: creía, creías, creía, creíamos, creíais, creían.

Verbs ending in _zar_ change the _z_ into =c= before =e= (because, with very few exceptions, _z_ is not used in modern Spanish before _e_ or _i_), as--

+---------------------------------------------------------+ | =Gozar= (to enjoy). | +---------------------------------------------------------+ |_Pres. Subj._, Goce, goces, goce, gocemos, gocéis, gocen.| |_Past. Def._, Gocé ... | +---------------------------------------------------------+

VOCABULARY.

=abedul=, birch =abeto=, fir =adjunto=, herewith =agradable=, agreeable, pleasant =arpillera=, bagging =asegurar=, to insure =atribuir=, to attribute =el billar=, billiards =bola=, ball =calzado=, footwear =camas, armazones de cama=, bedsteads =carne seca=, jerked beef =chalecos=, vests =consignación=, consignment =correas=, belts, belting (machinery) =corresponsal=, correspondent =egoísta=, selfish =encaminar=, to forward =entrar en el dique=, to dock (ships) =fresno=, ash =garbanzos=, Spanish or chick peas =á grande velocidad=, by passenger train =guisantes=, green peas =habas=, broad beans =haya=, beech =hortalizas=, green vegetables =instruir=, to instruct =judías=, French beans =latón=, brass =la leche=, the milk =loza=, crockery =á pequeña velocidad=, by slow train =pino=, pine =plomo=, lead =porcelana=, china =productos químicos=, chemicals =roble, encina=, oak =rotura=, breakage =semestre=, half-year =suprimir=, to suppress, to leave out =tacos=, billiard-cues =el viaje=, the journey =zinc=, zinc

EXERCISE 1 (35).

Translate into English--

1. Estimamos en mucho á nuestros corresponsales y los servimos de la mejor manera posible.

2. Comunica el capitán del vapor "Ríos" que el jueves, al medio día, se hallaba á seiscientas millas de Veracruz, sin novedad (all well).

3. Hoy publica la Gaceta dos cuadros estadísticos (statistical tables) formados por la Dirección general (Board) del Instituto Geográfico y Estadístico, que expresan el movimiento de pasajeros por mar habido en nuestro puerto durante el semestre pasado, y por los cuales se viene en conocimiento (we can see) de la emigración é inmigración española.

4. Desde el día 1° de Enero próximo satisfará (will pay) el calzado extranjero 10% más de derecho de importación.

5. Una comisión de Agricultores de Valencia visitó ayer tarde (yesterday evening) al Presidente del Consejo (the Premier) para pedirle que se suprima el impuesto sobre el transporte de hortalizas que establece la nueva ley.

6. Tiñendo estas telas con anilina se aumenta el coste de seis céntimos por metro.

7. Bulleron[125] la leche y la esterilizaron.

8. Gocemos de las libertades á que tenemos derecho pero no abusemos de ellas.

9. Ellos creyeron lo que les dijimos (we said to them) y ya no nos atribuyen intenciones egoístas.

10. El Sr. Moreno sale para un viaje de negocios y visitará á Santo Domingo y la Habana.

11. He visto los Alpes y el Pirineo pero no el Himalaya.

12. He visitado á España.

[Footnote 125: "To boil" is generally _hervir_. Bullir is given as an example of the conjugation.]

EXERCISE 2 (36).

Translate into Spanish--

1. Kindly see Mr. Marino and inform him that we shall soon send him a consignment of timber, consisting of ash, beech, birch, fir, pine and oak.

2. We shall instruct our correspondent at Bilbao to forward to Vitoria the brass, lead, tin (estaño), and zinc he holds (tiene) at our disposal.

3. By the boat (steamer) leaving (que sale) this week, we shall ship to your consignment the bagging, belting, and bedsteads.

4. The "María" docked yesterday with a cargo of broad beans, French beans, green peas, and Spanish or chick peas.

5. She also brings a parcel of jerked beef and canned tongues (lenguas en latas).

6. I have a friend who is a dealer in billiard tables, balls and cues.

7. The candles and chemicals have been despatched last week.

8. We flatter ourselves that we shall shortly be able to write to each other pleasanter letters.

9. We have insured the china and crockery free of particular average (franco de), but we insured them against breakage at a (al) premium of 4%.

10. Herewith please find claim (reclamo) for loss through (por) damage in your last shipment of clocks and watches.

11. Please send by slow train the coats, vests, and trousers and, by passenger train, the remainder of the articles.

LESSON XIX. (Lección décima nona.)

INTRANSITIVE VERBS.

Intransitive verbs express a state, as "to live," "to sleep," or an action that does not go beyond the doer, as "to go," "to walk."

The Spanish language abounds in Intransitive Pronominal verbs, i.e., verbs conjugated, same as the reflexive verbs, with a double pronoun =of the same person= all through, as--

=Quejarse= (to complain).

_Pres. Indic._, Yo me quejo, tú te quejas, él se queja, nosotros nos quejamos, vosotros os quejáis, ellos se quejan.

_Fut. Indic._, Yo me quejaré, tú te quejarás, él se quejará, etc.

These, of course, must not be confused with the Reflexive verbs. In the reflexive verb, we have an action that passes from the doer and falls on the doer itself, as--

Yo me amo: I love myself.

Whilst in a neuter pronominal the action =does not go beyond the doer=.

=Intransitive Pronominal Verbs= are of three kinds--

1. Those which are always pronominal, as--

[Footnote 126: Some of these verbs may be also Transitive verbs with a modified meaning, as: Alegrar (to gladden), Maravillar (to surprise), Proponer (to propose). Here the pronominal form marks the difference between Transitive and Intransitive.]

2. A few which, when used pronominally, have their meaning intensified or more or less modified, as--

3. Many which may be used pronominally or otherwise without any appreciable or definable modification of meaning, as--

Estar, estarse (to be) Quedar, quedarse (to remain) Casar (_con_), casarse (_con_), (to marry) Pensar, pensarse (to think) Yo pienso, _or_ me pienso que sí (I think so) Me escapó de la memoria _or_ (it escaped my memory). Se me escapó de la memoria (it escaped my memory).

In the case of this third kind, students should not indulge freely in the pronominal form, but should wait until they see it in the reading of good books, because, although the meaning is practically the same in all cases, still there are "finesses" of shade which practice alone can teach.

=Irregular Verbs=.

We shall give only those Primary Tenses which are irregular and the Derivative Tenses when they are not formed regularly from the Primary Tenses from which they are derived[127]--

[Footnote 127: For Primary and Derivative Tenses see Synopsis at the end.]

[Footnote 128: And its group; see Appendix VI.]

VOCABULARY.

=agitarse=, to agitate (_n._) =algo=, something, anything (_interrog._) =amenaza=, threat =anticipación=, anticipation =anticipar=, to anticipate =anticipo=, advance =arduo=, arduous, difficult =baja=, decline =bajo cubierta=, underdeck =botones=, buttons =callar=, to be silent, to abstain from saying =camaradas=, comrades =cepillo=, brush =cinta=, ribbon =cortarse=, to cut oneself, to stop short =damascos=, damasks =definitivo=, definite =descuidar=, to neglect =ejecutar=, to execute =encaje de cortinas=, curtain lace =espantarse=, to be frightened =estiva=, stowage =*imponer=, to impose =impuesto=, imposed =lienzo adamascado=, diaper =pasas=, raisins =patronos=, masters, employers of workmen =prisa=, haste, hurry =*producir=, to produce =produje=, I produced =produjeron=, they produced =razón= (=á razón de=), at the rate of =reglamento=, regulations =sobre cubierta=, on deck =sobre estadías=, demurrage =sobrecargarse=, to overload oneself =tonelada=, ton =*traer=, to bring, to carry =traje=, I brought, I carried =tranquilo=, quiet =uvas=, grapes =vista= (=á la=), at sight

EXERCISE 1 (37).

Translate into English--

1. Nuestros obreros se quejan del nuevo reglamento impuesto por los Patronos.

2. No se avergüenzan de decir que se arrepienten de no haber declarado la huelga hace quince días y se alegran que sus camaradas en Francia se agitan por el día de trabajo de ocho horas.

3. Este problema se va haciendo cada día mas arduo.

4. Voy á escribir una carta y después me iré.

5. ¿Porqué ríe V.?

6. Se ríe de mí sin duda porque no me espanto por sus amenazas, pero yo sé bien lo que me hago (what I do) y V. no sabe lo que se dice.

7. Este fabricante se entiende muy bien de paños.

8. Nunca he visto á un hombre activo dormirse en medio de su trabajo.

9. Quédese V. aquí, estése tranquilo y no piense á nada, su primo se acuerda con V., me pienso verle esta tarde, y tal vez llegaremos á un acuerdo común y definitivo.

10. No deseo que piense V. que descuido la ejecución de sus órdenes á la mayor brevedad (as soon as possible).

11. Con la prisa me he corrido y he dicho algo que habría debido callar.

12. Después de haber principiado á hablar muy bien se cortó y no pudo hallar palabras para continuar.

EXERCISE 2 (38).

Translate into Spanish--

1. You have anticipated my wishes.

2. A further (nueva) decline in prices is anticipated (se prevé).

3. We overloaded ourselves with stocks in anticipation (en la esperanza) of large orders.

4. To pay in anticipation.

5. Thanking you in anticipation (anticipando las gracias, _or_ agradeciéndoles de antemano) we remain.

6. The news from the East (Levante) produced a bad effect on the market.

7. To this effect (con este fin) I wrote him to draw (que girase) at sight.

8. Our efforts have all been to no effect (en balde).

9. His plans have been carried into effect (llevados á cabo).

10. The sailing vessel (velero) carried 800 tons of grapes and raisins, 600 under and 200 on deck.

11. She used 5 lay days in loading (la carga), having therefore 3 days left (quedándole), so that (así que) we do not think we shall have to pay demurrage.

12. The captain paid for stowage at the rate of 1s. per ton.

13. The advance on account (á cuenta) of freight is £120.

14. I wonder if everything will be in order? (¿Estará todo en orden?)

15. I send you several patterns of curtain-lace, damasks, diapers, ribbons, buttons, and brushes.

LESSON XX. (Lección vigésima.)

IMPERSONAL VERBS.

Impersonal verbs are those which are only conjugated in the 3rd pers. sing, of all the tenses.[129]

[Footnote 129: They are so called because they have no person or thing as their subject.]

The principal =Impersonal Verbs= are--

Llover-llueve (to rain, it rains) Granizar (to hail) Helar-hiela (to freeze, it freezes) Lloviznar (to drizzle) Nevar-nieva (to snow, it snows) Relampaguear (to lighten) Tronar-truena (to thunder, it thunders) Alborear (to dawn) Amanecer (to dawn) Anochecer (to grow dark)

The subject (generally understood) of Impersonal verbs is _ello_. Sometimes we find the words _Dios_ or _el día_ expressed as subjects, as--

Amanecerá Dios y veremos: Let us wait for the morning and then we shall see.

Amaneció el día: The day dawned.

_Amanecer_ and _anochecer_ may be used as personal verbs, as--

Amanecimos en Madrid y anochecimos en Guadalajara: We were in Madrid at daybreak and at nightfall in Guadalajara.

Tú anocheciste bueno y amaneciste malo: You passed the night well, but you had a bad morning.

Many ordinary verbs are used sometimes impersonally, as--

Bastar (to suffice). Convenir (to suit). Parecer (to appear). Faltar[130] (to be wanting). Hacer falta (to be wanted). Suceder[131] (to happen).

[Footnote 130: As a personal verb, it means also "to fail."]

[Footnote 131: As a personal verb, it means also "to succeed."]

EXAMPLES--

Basta ganar la vida: It is enough to earn a living.

No conviene explotar esta mina: It does not pay to exploit this mine.

No parece justo que se aprovechen de este modo: It does not seem right that they should take advantage in this way.

Falta hacer algunos arreglos: Some arrangements are still wanting.

Sucedió que se declaró en quiebra: It happened that he filed his petition in bankruptcy.

In the sentences:

Me bastan diez libras: £10 are enough for me. Me parecen justas sus razones: His reasons seem to me to be right. Le sucedieron muchas desgracias: Many misfortunes happened to him.

the verb is =personal=, and this accounts for its being in the plural. In "me bastan diez libras," "diez libras" is the subject.

The verb is impersonal when referring to a whole statement, as--

(Ello) es necesario: It is necessary.

Of _Haber_ and _Hacer_ as impersonal verbs, we have treated in Lesson VIII and Lesson XVI.

We add here that _Hacer_ is used impersonally before certain nouns to denote the state of the weather or of the temperature, as--

Hace calor, frío, lluvia, viento, sol, etc.: It is warm, cold, rainy, windy, sunny, etc.

_Valer_ used impersonally = "to be better," as--

Más vale así: It is better so.

Expressions like "¿Qué se dirá?" or "¿qué dirán?" (What will people say?) may also be called impersonal uses of the verb.

[Footnote 132: Only 6 verbs in Spanish do not end in _o_ in the 1st pers. sing., pres. indic., viz., Doy (I give), Soy (I am), Estoy (I am), Voy (I see), He (I have), Sé (I know).]

VOCABULARY.