LingoflyTwo cities, one life
A text in Western 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. I was born in a small city, and my childhood passed in my grandmother's garden. In my youth I dreamed of a big city. I…
Text
- Ես փոքր քաղաքի մը մէջ ծնած եմ, եւ մանկութիւնս տատիկիս այգիին մէջ անցած է։ Պատանեկութեանս տարիներուն մեծ քաղաքի մասին կ'երազէի։ Դպրոցն աւարտեցի եւ մայրաքաղաք տեղափոխուեցայ՝ սորվելու։ Առաջին աշխատանքս գտայ համալսարանէն ետք, եւ կեանքը արագ դարձաւ։ Անգամ մը, հին լուսանկարներ նայած ատեն, հասկցայ, որ շատ բան մոռցած եմ։ Այն ժամանակներուն մենք աւելի քիչ ունէինք, բայց աւելի շատ կը զրուցէինք։ Հիմա մտադրութիւն ունիմ վերադառնալու հայրենի քաղաքս, գոնէ ժամանակաւորապէս։ Դեռ չեմ որոշած, բայց եթէ ստացուի, մէկ տարի ետք հոն պիտի ըլլամ։yes p'ok'r k'aghak'i mə mech dznadz em, yev mangut'yuns dadigis aykiin mech antsadz e Badanegut'eans darinerun medz k'aghak'i masin g'erazei Tbrotsn avardetsi yev mayrak'aghak' deghap'okhvetsa sorvelu Arrachin ashkhadank's kday hamalsaranen yedk', yev gyank'ə arak tartsav Ankam mə, hin lusangarner nayadz aden, hasgtsa, vor shad pan morrtsadz em Ayn zhamanagnerun menk' aveli k'ich uneink', payts aveli shad gə zrutseink' Hima mdatrut'yun unim veratarrnalu hayreni k'aghak's, kone zhamanagavorabes Terr chem voroshadz, payts yet'e sdatsvi, meg dari yedk' hon bidi əllamI was born in a small city, and my childhood passed in my grandmother's garden. In my youth I dreamed of a big city. I finished school and moved to the capital to study. I found my first job after university, and life became fast. Once, looking through old photographs, I realized I had forgotten much. In those times we had less, but we talked more. Now I have the intention to return to my home city, if only for a while. I haven't decided yet, but if it works out, in a year I'll be there.
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 narrator's childhood pass?
- Why did he move to the capital?
- What did he realize looking at old photographs?
- What are his nearest plans?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Western 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.