LingoflyJakitea eta ezagutzea
A text in Basque at level B1. The translation sits next to it for checking, not for support: at this level the text is read whole, and an unknown word is usually guessed from the sentence. To know and to be acquainted are not the same thing. I know Basque a little, but only superficially, not thoroughly.…
Text
- Jakitea eta ezagutzea ez dira gauza bera. Euskara pixka bat dakit, baina azalean besterik ez, sakonki ez. Zurrumurruak, aldiz, ahoz aho zabaltzen dira eta askotan gezurra dute barnean; horregatik, froga eskatu behar da beti. Daturik ez badago, susmoa besterik ez dago, eta susmoa ez da froga. Nik nahiago dut «ez dakit» esatea gezurra esatea baino: hori da jakiteko lehen urratsa.To know and to be acquainted are not the same thing. I know Basque a little, but only superficially, not thoroughly. Rumors, on the contrary, spread by word of mouth and often contain lies; so one must always demand proof. If there is no data, there is only a guess, and a guess is not proof. I prefer to say "I do not know" rather than tell a lie: that is the first step to knowledge.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- How does the author know Basque?
- How do rumors spread?
- What must always be demanded?
- What is the first step to knowledge?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Basque?
B1. That means: everyday topics are behind you, you know about three thousand words, and an unknown word is more often guessed from the sentence than looked up.
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.