Language through Literature

Chameleon


Там не посмотрели бы в закон, а моментально — не дыши!

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Show the English

There they wouldn't go looking into the law — in a flash: breathe no more!

Where it stands

Где же у вас ум? Where are your wits?

Попадись этакая собака в Петербурге или Москве, то знаете, что было бы? If a dog like that turned up in Petersburg or Moscow, do you know what would happen?

Ты, Хрюкин, пострадал и дела этого так не оставляй… You, Hryukin, have suffered damages, and don't let this business drop…

Нужно проучить! They must be taught a lesson!

The words in this sentence

там
there
не
not
посмотре́ли
looked, had a look (past pl) — посмотреть
бы
would (conditional particle)
в
in, into
зако́н
law
а
and, but (conjunction)
момента́льно
instantly, in a flash
дыши́
breathe! (imper of дышать) — дышать

А. П. Чехов, «Хамелеон», 1884 · sentence 37 of 53

This is one sentence of «Хамелеон» — 53 sentences long, and the whole story reads like this: every word glossed where it stands, the English out of your eyeline until you ask for it. Free, no account.

Open «Хамелеон» in the reader → Read it whole, English under every line →