Un dinar de família
A short in Catalan text 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. Every first Sunday of the month the whole family lunches at grandma Rosa's: the clan comes at two, and nobody comes…
Text
- Cada primer diumenge de mes, tota la família dinem a casa de la iaia Rosa: la parentela arriba a les dues i ningú arriba tard. La iaia i la meva mare cuinen, el meu pare i el meu sogre posen la taula, i els bessons porten les cadires des del pati. La neboda petita menja amb la seva nina al costat del plat, i el menudet dorm una estona al cotxet abans del postre. Al mig de la taula, la meva sogra i la meva mare parlen de plantes, i els avis recorden la primera casa que van tenir. Després del cafè, els grans juguen a les cartes i els nens riuen als gronxadors del parc de davant. Abans de marxar, la iaia omple bosses de menjar per a tothom: ningú no marxa mai amb les mans buides.Every first Sunday of the month the whole family lunches at grandma Rosa's: the clan comes at two, and nobody comes late. Grandma and my mother cook, my father and my father-in-law set the table, and the twins carry chairs from the yard. The youngest niece eats with her doll next to her plate, and the little one sleeps a little in the stroller before dessert. In the middle of the table my mother-in-law and my mother talk about plants, and grandma and grandpa recall the first house they had. After coffee the elders play cards, and the children laugh on the swings in the park opposite. Before leaving grandma fills bags with food for everyone: nobody ever leaves with empty hands.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- When does the family gather for lunch at grandma's?
- What do the twins do before lunch?
- Who sleeps in the stroller before dessert?
- What does grandma do before the guests leave?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Catalan?
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.