LingoflyIf I had known
A text in Armenian 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. On Friday evening I decided to go to Gyumri, although the weather was getting worse. My friend said: “If I were you, I…
Text
- Ուրբաթ երեկոյան որոշեցի գնալ Գյումրի, չնայած որ եղանակը վատանում էր։ Ընկերս ասաց. «Քո տեղը լինեի, կսպասեի, ամենայն հավանականությամբ ձյուն կգա»։ Ես համառեցի, և արդյունքում երկու ժամ կանգնած մնացինք փակ ճանապարհին։ Եթե իմանայի, ամեն դեպքի համար կվերցնեի վերմակ և ջուր, բայց դա միայն հետո մտածեցի։ Հիմա, նախքան ճանապարհ ընկնելը, միշտ նայում եմ եղանակին. մեկ սխալը բավական էր։Urbat' yerekoyan voroshetsi gnal gyumri, chnayats vor yeghanakə vatanum er. Ənkers asats. «K'o teghə linei, kspasei, amenayn havanakanut'yamb dzyun kga». Yes hamarretsi, yev ardyunk'um yerku zham kangnats mnatsink' p'ak chanaparhin. Yet'e imanayi, amen depk'i hamar kvertsnei vermak yev jur, bayts da miayn heto mtatsetsi. Hima, nakhk'an chanaparh ənknelə, misht nayum em yeghanakin. mek skhalə bavakan er.On Friday evening I decided to go to Gyumri, although the weather was getting worse. My friend said: “If I were you, I would wait — most likely it will snow.” I insisted on my own, and as a result we stood for two hours on a closed road. If I had known, I would have taken a blanket and water just in case, but I thought of that only afterwards. Now, before setting out, I always check the weather: one mistake was enough.
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 did he decide to go?
- What did the friend advise?
- What happened as a result?
- What does he do now before a trip?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Armenian?
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.