The barbershop and the workshop
A short in Western 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. On Saturday morning I went to the barbershop, because my hair was very long. I asked for a short haircut, and the…
Text
- Շաբաթ առաւօտեան երթացայ վարսաւիրանոց, որովհետեւ մազերս շատ երկար էին: Կարճ սանրուածք խնդրեցայ, եւ վարսաւիրը քսան րոպէին աւարտեց: Հետո կոշիկներս տարայ արհեստանոց՝ նորոգելու: Վարպետը ըսաւ, որ կրունկը պէտք է փոխարինել, եւ դա պիտի տեւէ երկու օր: Ճանապարհին լուացքատուն մտայ եւ վերարկուս թողեցայ: Երեկոյան հասկացայ, որ մէկ օրուան մէջ երեք գործ ըրած եմ՝ բաւական լաւ շաբաթ:shapat' arravodean yert'atsay varsaviranots, vorovhedev mazers shad yergar ein Garj sanruadzk' khntretsay, yev varsavirə k'san robein avardets Hedo goshigners daray arhesdanots norokelu Varbedə əsav, vor grungə bedk' e p'okharinel, yev ta bidi deve yergu or Janabarhin luatsk'adun mday yev verargus t'oghetsay Yeregoyan hasgatsay, vor meg oruan mech yerek' kordz əradz em pavagan lav shapat'On Saturday morning I went to the barbershop, because my hair was very long. I asked for a short haircut, and the barber finished in twenty minutes. Then I took my shoes to a workshop to be repaired. The repairman said the heel had to be replaced and it would take two days. On the way I dropped in at the laundromat and left my coat. In the evening I realized that in one day I had done three things — quite a good Saturday.
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 go to the barbershop?
- What did the repairman say about the shoes?
- What did the narrator leave at the laundromat?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Western 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.