The misunderstood call
A short in Armenian 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. Yesterday I was called from an unknown number, and the connection was very bad. I said: hello, I'm listening, but the…
Text
- Երեկ ինձ զանգեցին անծանոթ համարից, և կապը շատ վատն էր: Ես ասացի՝ ալո, լսում եմ ձեզ, բայց ձայնը կտրվում էր: Մարդը ասաց իր անունը, և ես չլսեցի, ուստի խնդրեցի տառ առ տառ: Հետո ճշտեցի՝ ճի՞շտ եմ հասկացել, որ դուք վարպետն եք: Նա ասաց՝ այո, բանն այն է, որ վաղը չեմ կարող գալ: Ես հարցրի, թե ե՞րբ է հարմար, և նա առաջարկեց ուրբաթ, երեկոյան մոտ: Ասացի՝ ցավոք, ուրբաթ չեմ կարող, գուցե մեկ այլ անգամ: Վերջում պայմանավորվեցինք շաբաթ օրը և ասացինք՝ կապի մեջ ենք:Yerek indz zangetsin antsanot' hamarits, yev kapə shat vatn er. Yes asatsi — alo, lsum em dzez, bayts dzaynə ktrvum er. Mardə asats ir anunə, yev yes chlsetsi, usti khndretsi tarr arr tarr. Heto chshtetsi — chisht em haskatsel, vor duk' varpetn ek'? Na asats — ayo, bann ayn e, vor vaghə chem karogh gal. Yes hartsri, t'e yerb e harmar, yev na arrajarkets urbat', yerekoyan mot. Asatsi — tsavok', urbat' chem karogh, gutse mek ayl angam. Verjum paymanavorvetsink' shabat' orə yev asatsink' — kapi mej enk'.Yesterday I was called from an unknown number, and the connection was very bad. I said: hello, I'm listening, but the voice kept cutting out. The man said his name, and I didn't catch it, so I asked for it letter by letter. Then I clarified: did I understand correctly that you're the repairman? He said: yes, the thing is, I can't come tomorrow. I asked when it would be convenient, and he offered Friday, toward the evening. I said: unfortunately, I can't on Friday, maybe another time. In the end we agreed on Saturday and said: until we're in touch.
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 did the narrator ask to spell it out?
- Who did the caller turn out to be?
- What did the caller offer?
- What did they finally agree on?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Armenian?
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.