Grandmother’s childhood
A short text in Persian 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. Grandmother was born in a small village where there was only one shop. In childhood she worked at the garden bed…
Text
- مادربزرگ تو یک روستای کوچیک به دنیا اومد که فقط یک فروشگاه داشت. تو کودکی‌اش تو باغچه کار می‌کرد، علف هرز می‌کشید و دو تا بز می‌چروندید. مدرسه رو چهارده‌سالگی تموم کرد و زود اولین کارش رو شهر پیدا کرد. در آن زمان‌ها تلفن همراه نبود، پس هر هفته برای مادرش نامه می‌نوشت. در جوانی پدربزرگ را دید و سه سال بعد ازدواج کردند. الان عکس‌های قدیمی را نشونم می‌دهد و می‌گوید از آن سال‌ها خسته نمی‌شود.mâdarbâzârg tâ yek rustâye kuchik be dânyoâ âmâd ke fagat yek fârushgâh dâsht. tâ kudakiâsh tâ bâgche kâr mi-kerd, âlâfe harz mi-keshid va dâ tâ bâz mi-chârândid. mâdrese râ châhârdah-sâlâgi tamâm kerd va zud avvalin kâresh râ shahr peydâ kerd. dar ân zamânhâ telefâne hamrâh nebud, pâs har hâfte barâye mâdaresh nâme mi-nevesht. dar dzhâvâni padarbâzârg râ did va se sâle bâd ezdâvâzh kerdand. âlân âkshâye gadimi râ neshânâm mi-de va mi-ge az ân sâlhâ khaste nemi-she.Grandmother was born in a small village where there was only one shop. In childhood she worked at the garden bed, pulled out weeds and herded two goats. She finished school at fourteen and quickly found her first work in the city. In those times there were no mobile phones, so every week she wrote her mother a letter. In her youth she saw grandfather, and in three years they married. Now she shows me old photographs and says those years did not weary her.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- Where was grandmother born?
- What did she do in childhood?
- How did she keep in touch with her mother?
- What does she do now?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Persian?
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.