Language through Literature

One sentence of «Las medias de los flamencos»


Sentence 66 of 83 · Las medias de los flamencos, Horacio Quiroga, 1918

Al oir esto, los flamencos, llenos de miedo porque estaban descubiertos, quisieron volar; pero estaban tan cansados que no pudieron levantar una sola ala.

Hearing this, the flamingos, full of fear because they were found out, tried to fly; but they were so tired that they could not lift a single wing.

Every word in it

As printedDictionary formMeaning
Al alto the, at the (a + el)
oir oírto hear (v.)
esto estothis (neuter dem. pron.)
los elthe (masculine)
flamencos flamencoflamingo (n., m.)
llenos llenofull (adj.)
de deof, from (prep.)
miedo miedofear; tener miedo — to be afraid (n., m.)
porque porquebecause (conj.)
estaban estarto be — where a thing is, or how it is right now, against ser, what it is (v.)
descubiertos descubrirto discover, uncover (v.)
quisieron quererto want; to love (v.)
volar volarto fly (v.)
pero perobut (conj.)
tan tanso, as (adv.)
cansados cansadotired (adj.)
que quethat, which, who; than (conj./rel. pron.)
no nono, not (adv.)
pudieron poderto be able, can (v.)
levantar levantarto lift, raise; levantarse — to get up (v.)
una una, an, one (indef. art.)
sola soloalone; single (adj.)
ala alawing (n., f. — takes el: el ala)

Read «Las medias de los flamencos» 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 →

Cuentos de la selva, all eight tales · Horacio Quiroga