A call not understood
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. Yesterday I received a call from an unknown number, and the connection was very bad. I said: hello, I can hear you, but…
Text
- Երեկ ինծի զանգեցին անծանոթ համարից, եւ կապը շատ վատն էր: Ես ասացի՝ ալո, կը լսեմ 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 կրնար գալ: Ես հարցրի, թե ե՞րբ է հարմար, եւ ան առաջարկեց ուրբաթ, երեկոյեան մօտ: Ասացի՝ ցավոք, ուրբաթ չեմ կրնար, գուցե մէկ այլ անգամ: Վերջում պայմանավորվեցինք շաբաթ օրը եւ ասացինք՝ կապի մէջ ենք:yereg indzi zanketsin andzanot' hamarits, yev gabə shad vadn er Yes asatsi alo, gə lsem tsez, payts tsaynə gdrvum er Martə asats ir anunə, yev yes chlsetsi, usdi khntretsi darr arr darr Hedo jshdetsi jishd em hasgatsel, vor tuk' varbedn ek' Na asats ayo, pann ayn e, vor vaghə chem grnar kal Yes hartsri, t'e yerp e harmar, yev an arrachargets urpat', yeregoyean mod Asatsi tsavok', urpat' chem grnar, kutse meg ayl ankam Verchum baymanavorvetsink' shapat' orə yev asatsink' gabi mech enk'Yesterday I received a call from an unknown number, and the connection was very bad. I said: hello, I can hear you, but the voice kept dropping. The man gave his name, and I didn't catch it, so I asked him to spell it. Then I clarified: have I understood correctly that you are the repairman? He said: yes, the point is that tomorrow I cannot come. I asked when it would suit him, and he suggested Friday, toward the evening. I said: unfortunately, on Friday I can't — maybe another time. In the end we agreed on Saturday and said: we'll be 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 have the name spelled?
- Who did the caller turn out to be?
- What did the caller suggest?
- What did they agree on in the end?
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.