LingoflyThe barbershop and the workshop
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 Saturday morning I went to the barbershop, because my hair was very long. I asked for a short haircut, and the…
Text
- Շաբաթ առաւօտեան գացի վարսավիրանոց, որովհետեւ մազերս շատ երկար էին։ Կարճ սանրուածք խնդրեցի, եւ վարսավիրը քսան վայրկեանի մէջ աւարտեց։ Ետքը կօշիկներս տարի արհեստանոց՝ նորոգելու։ Վարպետը ըսաւ, որ կրունկը պէտք է փոխարինել, եւ ատիկա պիտի տեւէ երկու օր։ Ճանապարհին լուացքատուն մտայ եւ վերարկուս թողուցի։ Երեկոյեան հասկցայ, որ մէկ օրուան մէջ երեք գործ ըրած եմ՝ բաւական լաւ շաբաթ։shapat' arravodean katsi varsaviranots, vorovhedev mazers shad yergar ein Garj sanruadzk' khntretsi, yev varsavirə k'san vayrgeani mech avardets Yedk'ə goshigners dari arhesdanots norokelu Varbedə əsav, vor grungə bedk' e p'okharinel, yev adiga bidi deve yergu or Janabarhin luatsk'adun mday yev verargus t'oghutsi Yeregoyean hasgtsay, 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.