LESSON XXXII

La libertad nunca puede ser por tiranos defendida ni propagada por esclavos.[32]—EMILIO CASTELAR.

98. The verb to want in the sense of to wish is translated by querer. Meaning to need, be in want of, it is rendered necesitar, tener menester, hacer falta a.

I want you to tell me at once.

Yo quiero que usted me lo diga en seguida.—ECHEGARAY.

I want another book. Have you any more?

Necesito (tengo menester, me hace falta) otro libro. ¿Tiene Vd. más?

They want three more chairs.

Necesitan otras tres sillas.

Note.—Observe the position of otras. The word otro regularly precedes a numeral.

99. In the conjunctive phrase either ... or, either is translated o. As a pronoun it is translated o el uno o el otro. At the end of a negative sentence either is rendered tampoco.

Either I'm much mistaken or this is going to cause talk.

O me engaño mucho o esto va a dar que hablar.

—EMILIA PARDO BAZÁN.

Do you want this pen or the fountain pen? Either will do.

¿Quiere Vd. esta pluma o la plumafuente?—O la una o la otra servirá.

And I don't think I'm a fool, either.

Y creo que no soy tonto, tampoco.—RAMOS CARRIÓN.

When either at the end of a negative sentence is used merely for emphasis, it is expressed by repeating the negative no.

I didn't do it, either!

¡No lo he hecho, no!

100. Neither is ni as a conjunction and equal to and ... either. As a pronoun it is ni el uno ni el otro. Standing as the first word in a sentence neither is translated tampoco.

I do not look into the mirror, neither to-day nor ever.

No miro en el espejo, ni hoy ni nunca.—ECHEGARAY.

He wouldn't help him, neither would he help me.

No quería ayudarle a él, tampoco quería ayudarme a mí.

I showed him the drawings. Neither of them pleased him.

Le mostré los dibujos. Ni el uno ni el otro le ha contentado.

101. The conjunction because is porque. The prepositional phrase because of is translated a causa de. Por with the infinitive is often used for porque with a clause, and may be used for a causa de when the object of the preposition is a participial phrase.

I won't give you any more because you have enough already.

No te daré más porque ya tienes bastante.

Because of the rain the country was flooded.

A causa de la lluvia estaba inundado el campo.

That tribe obeyed him and respected him because he was (because of his being) older.

Aquella caterva le obedecía y respetaba por ser él mayor.

—EMILIA PARDO BAZÁN.

102. EXERCISES

(a) 1. No quiero que Vds. me ofrezcan dinero. 2. No le he devuelto el dinero que tuvo a bien prestarme.—Ni yo tampoco. 3. O se lo ha llevado él o el hermano de él, pero ni el uno ni el otro quiere confesarlo. 4. ¿Qué necesita usted?—Un martillo para arrancar estos clavos. 5. O el uno o el otro libro la contentará. 6. Por haber caído tanta nieve no quiero que salgan los chicos esta mañana. 7. A causa de la huelga de los empleados del tranvía tuvimos que ir a pie. 8. O los nuevos o los viejos debe usted mandarme. 9. Yo quisiera conocer a ese señor porque me dicen que es de gran talento. 10. Por ser tan tarde, no querían los padres partir sin los niños.

(b) 1. Well, how many more do you want and how much do you want to pay for them? 2. Do you want to see the picture that they were talking about? 3. Either the father or the mother must be ill. 4. Neither of my friends can speak Spanish. 5. I have to serve as (de) interpreter because I speak the language fluently. 6. Because of the illness of my father, neither my mother nor I were able to go. 7. Because I have a cold, I want you to read this letter aloud to the others. 8. These plants want water. Do you want to water them now? 9. Have you seen either of my sons to-day? Yes. I just saw the older one with three other boys. 10. I want you to tell me what you want, either by telephone or by letter. 11. Neither her father nor her mother wanted her to go out, because it is so cold. She didn't want to go, either.