The black coat
A short in Greek 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. I wanted a black coat, but my size was out. The shop assistant showed me a grey one and a brown one. The grey was too…
Text
- Ήθελα ένα μαύρο παλτό, αλλά δεν υπήρχε το μέγεθός μου. Η υπάλληλος μού έδειξε ένα γκρι και ένα καφέ. Το γκρι ήταν πολύ μακρύ, το καφέ πολύ στενό. Στο τέλος πήρα ένα μπλε μπουφάν, που δεν ήθελα καθόλου.íthela éna mávro paltó, alá den ipírkhe to méyethós mu. i ipálilos mu édikse éna gri ke éna kafé. to gri ítan polí makrí, to kafé polí stenó. sto télos píra éna ble bufán, pu den íthela kathóluI wanted a black coat, but my size was out. The shop assistant showed me a grey one and a brown one. The grey was too long, the brown too tight. In the end I took a blue jacket, which I hadn't wanted at all.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Why wasn't the black coat bought?
- What was wrong with the grey coat?
- What did the narrator buy in the end?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Greek?
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.