Language through Literature

One sentence of «Le petit Chaperon rouge»


Sentence 14 of 34 · Le petit Chaperon rouge, Charles Perrault, 1697

— C’est votre fille, le petit Chaperon rouge, dit le Loup en contrefaisant sa voix, qui vous apporte une galette et un petit pot de beurre, que ma mère vous envoie.

“It is your granddaughter, Little Red Riding Hood,” said the Wolf, disguising his voice, “who is bringing you a cake and a little pot of butter that my mother is sending you.”

Where it stands

The sentences either side of it, each with its own page.

Le Loup ne fut pas longtemps à arriver à la maison de la mère-grand ; il heurte : toc, toc.

The Wolf was not long in reaching the grandmother’s house; he knocks: knock, knock.

— Qui est là ?

“Who is there?”

— La bonne mère-grand, qui était dans son lit, à cause qu’elle se trouvait un peu mal, lui cria : Tire la chevillette, la bobinette cherra.

The good grandmother, who was in bed because she was feeling a little unwell, called out to him: “Pull the peg, and the latch will fall.”

— Le Loup tira la chevillette, et la porte s’ouvrit.

The Wolf pulled the peg, and the door opened.

Every word in it

As printedDictionary formMeaning
C cethis, that; these, those (dem. adj.); it, that (pron.) — c’est, it is; ce qui, ce que — what
est êtreto be (v.); c’est — it is; also forms the past of some verbs: elle est venue — she came
votre votreyour (votre, vos) (det.)
fille filledaughter; girl (n., f.); jeune fille — girl, young woman; petite fille — little girl; ma fille — my child
le lethe (le, la, l’, les); him, her, it, them — as an object (art./pron.)
petit petitsmall, little (adj.); la petite — the little one
Chaperon chaperonhood (n., m.); le petit Chaperon rouge — Little Red Riding Hood
rouge rougered (adj.)
dit direto say, tell (v.); on aurait dit — you would have said; se dire — to say to oneself
Loup loupwolf (n., m.)
en enin, into; while (+ -ing) (prep.); of it, of them, some (pron.); en train de — in the middle of; s’en aller — to go away
contrefaisant contrefaireto imitate, disguise, counterfeit (v.)
sa sonhis, her, its (det.) — son, sa, ses; also le son, sound: à son de trompe; also bran (n., m.) — du son, rabbit bait
voix voixvoice (n., f.)
qui quiwho, which, that (rel./interr. pron.); à qui — to whom, whose; qui… qui — one… another
vous vousyou (pron.)
apporte apporterto bring (v.)
une una, an; one (art./num.); l’un… l’autre — the one… the other; les unes… les autres — some… others
galette galetteflat cake, griddle cake (n., f.)
et etand (conj.)
pot potpot, jar (n., m.)
de deof, from; some, any (prep./partitive art.) — du pain, de l’eau; pas de — no, not any; de… en… — from… to…
beurre beurrebutter (n., m.)
que quethat, which, whom; than; how…! (conj./rel. pron.); ne… que — only
ma monmy (mon, ma, mes) (poss. adj.)
mère mèremother (n., f.); ma bonne mère — good mother, to an old woman
envoie envoyerto send (v.); envoyer quérir — to send for

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Perrault and Daudet, all eight tales · Charles Perrault

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