Language through Literature

One sentence of «Le petit Chaperon rouge»


Sentence 32 of 34 · Le petit Chaperon rouge, Charles Perrault, 1697

— Ma mère-grand, que vous avez de grandes dents !

“Grandmother, what big teeth you have!”

Where it stands

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

— Ma mère-grand, que vous avez de grands yeux !

“Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”

— C’est pour mieux te voir, mon enfant !

“All the better to see you with, my child!”

— C’est pour te manger !

“They are to eat you with!”

Et, en disant ces mots, ce méchant Loup se jeta sur le petit Chaperon rouge, et la mangea.

And, saying these words, this wicked Wolf threw himself upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her up.

Every word in it

As printedDictionary formMeaning
Ma monmy (mon, ma, mes) (poss. adj.)
mère-grand mère-grandgrandmother (n., f.) — Perrault’s word
que quethat, which, whom; than; how…! (conj./rel. pron.); ne… que — only
vous vousyou (pron.)
avez avoirto have (v.); il y a — there is, there are; avoir beau + inf. — to do in vain; avoir peur — to be afraid
de deof, from; some, any (prep./partitive art.) — du pain, de l’eau; pas de — no, not any; de… en… — from… to…
grandes grandbig, tall, great (adj.); grand’mère — grandmother; grand seigneur — great lord; grand ouvert — wide open
dents denttooth (n., f.); à belles dents — with gusto

Read «Le petit Chaperon rouge» in the room → Every word glossed where it stands, the English a tap away. The whole tale is free and asks for no account.

← the sentence before the sentence after →

Perrault and Daudet, all eight tales · Charles Perrault

Free editorial texts and word lists are reference resources. Interactive learning starts with one beginner lesson, one opening story scene and one grammar discovery; a free account adds a second lesson. See what the subscription opens.