The new jacket
A short text in Arabic at level A2. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. The old jacket is too small for me, and I go to the shop. I try on a black jacket, but it is narrow. Then I try on a…
Text
- سترة قديمة صغيرة عليّ, فأذهب إلى المتجر. أقيس سترة سوداء, لكنها ضيقة. ثم أقيس سترة زرقاء: المقاس مناسب والسعر رخيص. آخذها وأنا سعيد. في البيت ألبسها مع بنطال جديد.сутра кадиима сагиира алеййи, фа-узхабу иля аль-матджар. акиису сутрат саудаа, лякиннха дайика. сумма акиису сутрат заркааʾ: аль-микаас мунаасиб ва-с-сиʿр рахис. аахузуха ва-ана саʿид. фи аль-бейт албасуха маʿа бантаал джадид.The old jacket is too small for me, and I go to the shop. I try on a black jacket, but it is narrow. Then I try on a blue one: the size fits, and the price is not expensive. I take it — I am happy. At home I wear it with new trousers.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- What is wrong with the old jacket?
- Why did the first jacket not fit?
- Why did he buy the blue one?
- What does he wear the jacket with at home?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Arabic?
A2. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.