Читать книгу Spanish Composition - Edith J. Broomhall - Страница 6

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El día es para trabajar, por eso hay luz. [2]

—Tomayo y Baus.

3. The verb to ask has five common translations. Meaning to question or to inquire it is rendered preguntar.

"Are you asleep, Captain?" the widow asked, greatly alarmed.

¿Duerme Vd., Capitán?—le preguntó muy alarmada la viuda.—PEDRO DE ALARCÓN.

A girl came to the door asking for him.

Vino a la puerta una muchacha preguntando por él.—LOS QUINTERO.

(a) To ask for, beg, is translated pedir a.

He had slipped into the kitchen to ask the cook for something to eat.

Se había deslizado en la cocina para pedir algo que comer a la cocinera.—BLASCO IBÁÑEZ.

Note.—With pedir the thing asked for is the direct object, the person of whom it is asked is the indirect, and is introduced by a. Cf. English, "We begged a dollar from father."

(b) To ask in the sense of to request is rendered by pedir or rogar, the latter being the more formal. Both verbs require the subjunctive in the dependent verb.

I asked the children not to make so much noise.

Pedí a los niños que no hiciesen tanto ruido.

I asked Mr. Blanco to come and see me.

Le rogué al señor Blanco que me viniese a ver (a visitar).

(c) To ask, invite is rendered convidar or invitar.

They have asked us to dinner.

Nos han convidado (invitado) a comer con ellos.

(d) To ask questions is rendered hacer preguntas.

And finally he asked himself the same question, wondering that it had not occurred to him before.

Y por fin se hizo la misma pregunta, extrañando que no se le hubiera ocurrido antes la idea.—BLASCO IBÁÑEZ.

4. English for as a preposition is rendered by para or por. It is omitted before a non-emphatic personal pronoun object and after many verbs.

He bought it for me yesterday.

Me lo compró ayer.

He bought it for me (for my sake).

Lo compró por mí.

Wait for me.

Espéreme.

Ask for it.

Pídalo.

Look for them.

Búsquelos.

(a) For is rendered para when it expresses destination, purpose, use, future time, and to introduce a qualifying phrase.

This is the train for Madrid.

Este es el tren para Madrid.

She has enough money for her clothes.

Tiene bastante dinero para sus vestidos (prendas de vestir).

This is a machine for cutting leather.

Ésta es una máquina para cortar cuero.

I have an appointment for to-morrow.

Tengo cita para mañana.

She plays the piano well for her age.

Toca el piano bien para su edad.

(b) Expressing exchange, cause, motive, or duration of time, for is rendered por.

I gave him twenty-five dollars for his bicycle.

Le dí veinticinco duros por su bicicleta.

For months at a time we did not see him.

Por meses enteros no le habíamos visto.

They set fire to the house for fun.

Por burla pegaron fuego a la casa.

We could not see the house for the smoke.

No podíamos ver la casa por el humo.

5. EXERCISES

(a) 1. La señora pregunta por la señorita. 2. Ruéguele que me lo mande. 3. Pídame Vd. todo lo que quiera. 4. ¿Cuándo parte Vd. para Europa? 5. Para su edad es un muchacho muy intelligente. 6. No sé contestar a todas las preguntas que me hacen estos chicos. 7. Le dí mi gramática española por su libro de lectura. 8. Para el almuerzo he comprado tocino. 9. Lo hace todo por sus hermanos y no saben agradecérselo. 10. Murió por la patria como yo muriera por ella.

(b) 1. I shall ask them to come and see me in the country. 2. I promised my mother that I would ask you for some of your beautiful roses. 3. Ask the children if they are hungry. 4. I will ask his mother to ask him for it. 5. Shall we ask them to dinner for the day after to-morrow? 6. Will you wait for me while I look for it? (For will you say Quiere Vd.) 7. This is the book father bought for me in London. 8. It is a beautiful book for the price. 9. If it wasn't for the dust, we could see the horses. 10. Some friends have asked me to go to the theater with them this evening. 11. In Spanish they call a typewriter a "machine for writing." 12. They will sing for joy when they receive this news.