LingoflyA feast at a monastery
A short text in Western Armenian 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 Sunday our whole family went to Geghard — an ancient monastery in the mountains. On the way grandmother told why…
Text
- Կիրակի օրը ընտանիքով գացինք Գեղարդ՝ հին վանք սարերու մէջ։ Ճանապարհին տատիկս պատմեց, թէ ինչու է այդ օրը տօն։ Եկեղեցւոյ մէջ մոմ վառեցինք, եւ քահանան աղօթք կարդաց։ Դուրսը՝ խաչքարերու կողքին մարդիկ հիւրասիրութիւն կը բաժնէին։ Պապիկս ըսաւ, որ այս աւանդոյթը շատ հին է եւ ամէն տարի կը կրկնուի։ Վերադարձանք երեկոյեան, եւ ես փոքրիկ յուշանուէր մը բերի քրոջս համար։giragi orə əndanik'ov katsink' Keghart hin vank' sareru mech Janabarhin dadigs badmets, t'e inchu e ayt orə don Yegeghetsvoy mech mom varretsink', yev k'ahanan aghot'k' gartats Tursə khachk'areru goghk'in martig hyurasirut'yun gə pazhnein Babigs əsav, vor ays avantuyt'ə shad hin e yev amen dari gə grgnui Veratartsank' yeregoyean, yev yes p'ok'rig hushanuer mə peri k'rochs hamarOn Sunday our whole family went to Geghard — an ancient monastery in the mountains. On the way grandmother told why this day is a feast. In the church we lit candles, and the priest read a prayer. Outside, next to the khachkars, people were handing out treats. Grandfather said this custom is very ancient and repeats every year. We returned in the evening, and I brought a little souvenir for my sister.
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 the family go?
- What did they do in the church?
- What did the narrator bring for his sister?
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.