Read real stories without breaking the spell. One tap reveals what a word means here, in this sentence, so the story keeps moving.
Once upon a time there was a who lived on a planet larger than himself, and who had need of a friend. At sunset, the sky around his tiny world turned the color of honey. He listened to the wind cross the craters and wondered whether, somewhere beyond the bright horizon, another traveler was listening too. So he opened his book and left one page blank—for the story they might one day write together.
Érase una vez un que vivía en un planeta más grande que él, y que tenía necesidad de un amigo. Al atardecer, el cielo alrededor de su pequeño mundo se volvía color miel. Escuchaba al viento cruzar los cráteres y se preguntaba si, más allá del horizonte brillante, otro viajero también estaría escuchando. Entonces abría su libro y dejaba una página en blanco para la historia que quizá escribirían juntos.
Havia una vegada un que vivia en un planeta tan petit com ell, i que necessitava un amic. Al capvespre, el cel al voltant del seu petit món es tornava color de mel. Escoltava el vent travessar els cràters i es preguntava si, més enllà de l’horitzó brillant, un altre viatger també escoltava. Llavors obria el llibre i deixava una pàgina en blanc per a la història que potser escriurien plegats.
little prince
pequeño príncipe
Noun phraseA young or dear prince; “little” softens the title with affection.
In this sentence
There was a little prince who lived on a planet scarcely larger than himself.
Había un pequeño príncipe que vivía en un planeta apenas más grande que él.
Give me a little time.
Here “little” means a small amount—not affection.
Come here, my little friend.
Same word, warm and intimate—closer to our story.
Before a noun, “little” can mean size or affection—the sentence decides.
pequeño príncipe
little prince
Noun phraseA young or dear prince; “pequeño” makes him feel close, not only small.
In this sentence
Érase una vez un pequeño príncipe que vivía en un planeta apenas más grande que él.
Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet scarcely larger than himself.
Un pequeño detalle lo cambió todo.
Here “pequeño” is about importance—minor, not dear.
Duerme, mi pequeño.
Said to a child: tender, not literally tiny.
Pequeño changes with the noun: pequeña, pequeños, pequeñas.
petit príncep
little prince
Noun phraseA young or dear prince; “petit” often feels warm, not only small.
In this sentence
Hi havia una vegada un petit príncep que vivia en un planeta gairebé tan petit com ell.
Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet almost as small as himself.
Només cal una petita pausa.
“Petita” here is short in time—not affectionate.
Vine, petit meu.
Addressing someone dear—closer to the story’s tone.
Petit agrees with the noun: petita, petits, petites.
scarcely
apenas / casi no
AdverbOnly just; by a very small margin—often understates how close something is.
In this sentence
…who lived on a planet scarcely larger than himself…
…que vivía en un planeta apenas más grande que él…
She had scarcely finished when the door opened.
She had only just finished—timing, not size.
There was scarcely any bread left.
Almost none remaining.
Scarcely often pairs with comparative size (“scarcely larger”) to mean “only a little bigger.”
apenas
scarcely / only just
AdverbBy a narrow margin; “only just” larger—or almost not at all.
In this sentence
…vivía en un planeta apenas más grande que él…
…lived on a planet scarcely larger than himself…
Apenas llegué cuando empezó a llover.
I had only just arrived—timing.
Apenas hay luz.
There is almost no light.
With comparatives (apenas más grande), apenas means “only slightly,” not “hardly ever.”
gairebé
almost / nearly
AdverbVery nearly—here, the planet is almost as small as the prince.
In this sentence
…vivia en un planeta gairebé tan petit com ell…
…lived on a planet almost as small as himself…
Gairebé he acabat.
I’ve almost finished.
Gairebé no queda pa.
There is hardly any bread left.
Gairebé + tan + adjective + com compares near-equality, not “scarcely larger.”
Tap a highlighted phrase for meaning in context