The repair shop on the corner
A short in Spanish 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. The washing machine broke on Thursday, and the water reached the hallway. I called the repair shop on the corner, they…
Text
- La lavadora se rompió el jueves y el agua llegó hasta el pasillo. Llamé al taller de la esquina y me dijeron que un técnico vendría por la tarde, pero llegó dos días después. Miró la máquina cinco minutos, cambió una pieza pequeña y me cobró más de lo que yo esperaba. Al menos ahora funciona, y el vecino de abajo ya no me pregunta por la mancha del techo.The washing machine broke on Thursday, and the water reached the hallway. I called the repair shop on the corner, they told me a technician would come in the afternoon, but he came two days later. He looked at the machine for five minutes, replaced a small part and charged me more than I expected. But now it works, and the neighbor below no longer asks me about the stain on his ceiling.
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 did the technician come?
- What did he do?
- Why was the neighbor below unhappy?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Spanish?
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.