LESSON VIII

¡Mira las estrellas! Cuentan cuentos dulces las estrellas y hacen compañía.[8]—MARTÍNEZ SIERRA.

19. The verb to look or look at is rendered mirar, the at remaining untranslated.

Looking through the window, I saw that my friend was looking at the flowers.

Mirando por la ventana, vi que mi amiga miraba las flores.

(a) To look (as if) is rendered parecer. The impersonal it looks as if may be translated según parece, or por lo visto.

You look very tired. It looks as if you had been working too hard.

Parece Vd. muy cansada. Ha trabajado Vd. demasiado según parece.

It looks as if he had determined to stop our talking.

Parece que se ha propuesto impedirnos hablar.—LOS QUINTERO.

(b) To look for or look up is translated buscar.

I don't know where they went. For my part I'm not looking for them.

Yo no sé a donde iban. Por mi parte no los busco.—JOSÉ MÁRMOL.

20. English little as an adjective of size is rendered pequeño, chico, or menudo.

We have just rented that little house across the street.

Acabamos de alquilar esa casa pequeña al otro lado de la calle.

Are the little folks coming too?

¿Vienen también la gente menuda?

(a) Denoting quantity little is rendered poco.

Why, you went to bed a little after ten!

¡Si te acostaste a poco más de las diez!—RAMOS CARRIÓN.

It is a matter of little importance.

Es asunto de poca importancia.

(b) As an adverb of degree little is rendered poco, algo, or un tanto.

The price is a little high, isn't it? A little, yes.

Es algo subido el precio, ¿no? Un tanto, si.

21. English there as an adverb is translated ahí, allí, or allá, the last being the form used with verbs of motion. Used with a verb that doesn't express motion, allá indicates approximate situation while allí always indicates definite situation.

I wonder where my hat can be. I left it there on the table.

¿Dónde estará mi sombrero? Lo dejé allí en la mesa.

I don't know where he has gone, but he went over there.

No se adónde habrá ido, pero se fué por allá.

(a) There is, there was, there will be, etc., are translated by the various tenses of haber, the verb always being in the singular.

There is one here now. There were two before.

Hay uno aquí ahora. Antes había dos.

There are absurdities in the spiritual life as in the natural.

Hay absurdos en la vida del espíritu como en la naturaleza.

—PÉREZ GALDÓS.

(b) There as an exclamatory word has many renderings which can best be learned by observation. Note the following examples.

There, there, don't cry! You'll wake mother.

¡Vamos, vamos, no llores! Despertarás a la madre.

There! I told you you would break it.

¡Ya se ve! Te dije que ibas a quebrarlo.

There's a beautiful house!

¡Vaya una casa hermosa!

22. EXERCISES

(a) 1. Dígale que yo voy allá en seguida. 2. ¡Vaya una muchacha guapa! ¿Quién es? 3. Parece que nunca van a terminar. 4. Habrá reunión allí mañana por la mañana. 5. Es muy chico. Me gustaría más si fuese un tantito más grande. 6. Parece que va a llover. Tal vez habrá tempestad. 7. Los chicos quieren ir a la playa, pero ya es un poco tarde para eso. 8. He perdido un guante. ¿Quieres volver a buscármelo? 9. ¡Mire Vd. cuánta gente hay en la calle! 10. Parece más joven, pero la verdad es que tiene algo más edad que yo.

(b) 1. Were you there when the accident occurred? 2. There were ten boys in the class. How many are there in your class? 3. Oh, look! There goes a deer. There's a pretty little animal! 4. We shall be there for an hour. We went there last year, too. 5. How does it look to you? I haven't looked at it well yet. 6. I need a little more milk. Who will go and get me some? 7. The little money that I had was not sufficient. 8. There had been a terrible storm and the little city had suffered not a little damage. 9. Look up these words in the dictionary. 10. Look out! (¡Cuidado!) There comes an automobile. There's a reckless driver (for you)!