LingoflyZenbat eta nola
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. Counting seems simple, but quantity needs many words. A group of ten people is not a dozen: only eleven, not twelve.…
Text
- Zenbatzea erraza dirudi, baina kopuruak hitz asko eskatzen ditu. Hamarkada bat lagun ez da dozena bat: hamaika besterik ez, hamabi ez. Prezioak bi bider igo dira azken urtean, baina salmentak heren bat besterik ez dira jaitsi. Dendariak begiz kalkulatzen du eta beti soberakin batekin erosten du: «Falta bada, bezeroa galdu da; sobera bada, bihar saltzen da». Bezeroen kopurua bikoiztu da urte honetan, eta hazkundea ikusten da herri osoko dendetan.Counting seems simple, but quantity needs many words. A group of ten people is not a dozen: only eleven, not twelve. Prices doubled over the last year, but sales fell only by a third. The trader estimates at a glance and always buys with a margin: "If there is a shortage — the client is lost; if there is a surplus — it will sell tomorrow." The number of clients doubled this year, and the growth is seen in the shops of the whole village.
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 a group of ten people equal to?
- What happened to the prices?
- How does the trader count?
- What does the trader say about a shortage?
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.