_A quien se apresta a luchar no le abaten pesares._[29]
--EDUARDO MARQUINA.
=88.= English _self_ used reflexively is rendered by the Spanish
reflexive pronouns =me=, =te=, =se=, =nos=, =os=, =se=. Used as an
emphatic modifier _self_ is rendered =mismo= for all persons, changing
only for number and gender. =Mismo= may be used with a reflexive to
emphasize it.
_I hurt myself, as you yourself can see._
=Me he lastimado, como usted mismo puede ver.=
_Give the letter to him himself._
=Entregue la carta a él mismo.=--JOSÉ MÁRMOL.
_I am inclined to believe that the widow loves herself above all._
=Inclino a creer que la viuda ama a sí misma sobre todo.=
--JUAN VALERA.
_He hurts himself in order to annoy the rest._
=Es que se hace daño a sí mismo para dar un disgusto a los
demás.=--ECHEGARAY.
_Note._--=Mismo= may take the emphatic ending =-ísimo=. So =él mismísmo=
..., _the very ... himself_.
=89.= _Last_, meaning _the most recent of a series_, or _the final one of
a series_, is translated =último=. Meaning _the one just past_, it is
translated =pasado=.
_The last French invasion proves how difficult it is to attack our
independence._
=La última irrupción francesa prueba cuán difícil es atacar nuestra
independencia.=--EMILIO CASTELAR.
_We ourselves were there last week._
=Nosotros mismos estábamos allí la semana pasada.=
_I said to myself, "This will be the last time."_
=Dije para mí--Esta será la última vez.=
(_a_) The verb _to last_ is translated =durar=.
_Come! Be patient, for this will not last long._
=¡Vamos! Tenga usted paciencia, que esto no durará mucho.=
--PALACIO VALDÉS.
(_b_) _Last night_ is rendered =anoche= or =ayer por la noche=.
_They must have stolen them from me last night._
=Debieron de robármelas anoche.=--ALARCÓN.
(_c_) _At last_ is translated =al fin= or, more emphatically, =al fin y al
cabo=.
_At last! I was beginning to think that you were lost._
=¡Al fin y al cabo! Yo empezaba a creer que se había perdido usted.=
=90.= The verb _to tell_ has three common translations. Meaning simply _to
say to_ it is rendered =decir=. Meaning _to relate_ it is =contar=. Meaning
_to be effective_ it is rendered =producir efecto=.
_Tell me, grandfather, what is the name of the queen in your story?_
=Dime, abuelito, ¿cómo se llama la reina de tu cuento?=
--MARTÍNEZ SIERRA.
_I told them the terrible story of the miner._
=Les conté la espantosa narración del minero.=--ALARCÓN.
_It was a telling narrative._
=Fué una narración que produjo efecto.=
=91.= =EXERCISES=
(_a_) 1. Me dice que está lloviendo en este mismo momento. 2. Contaba a
los niños las aventuras de los conquistadores. 3. María se cortó hace
poco con ese cuchillo. 4. Lo hemos comprado para nosotros mismos, no
para ellos. 5. Bien podía ver que sus palabras habían producido efecto.
6. Esta es la última obra del insigne autor español Pérez Galdós. 7.
Murió el mes pasado. 8. Al fin han venido a contarme lo ocurrido. 9. La
mismísima madre de la niña no hubiera podido hacer más para salvarla.
10. Respeto a la inteligencia de las hormigas se cuentan muchas
anécdotas.
(_b_) 1. Please tell them that this is not the book that I need. 2. I
like to hear him tell how he learned to play the piano. 3. He knows how
to tell it in such a way that every word tells. 4. I myself had
forgotten all my troubles. 5. I was just saying to myself that it is
time to go. 6. The very general himself could not have done more. 7.
This is the last story that I am going to tell you. Last night you went
to bed too late. 8. I was just wondering (say, _asking myself_) whether
I was dreaming or not. 9. I'm going to take her the roses. I myself like
the lilies best. 10. At last, last week, I was able to buy the last one
that I needed.