The housewarming
A short in Kazakh 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. Last Saturday our neighbor held a housewarming. We came early and helped set the table. The children blew up balloons…
Text
- Өткен сенбіде көршіміз үй жылыту тойын жасады. Біз ерте бардық та, дастарқан жаюға көмектестік. Балалар ауа шарын үрледі, есікке гирлянда ілді. Қонақтар кіргенде аяқкиімін шешті: бізде әдет солай. Ең үлкен кісі төрге отырды, кейін ізгі тілегін айтты. Ұлттық тағам мен кәмпит үстелге қатар қойылды, ал біз ақшалай сыйлық бердік. Кешке дейін отырдық, кетерде үй иесіне алғыс айттық.Last Saturday our neighbor held a housewarming. We came early and helped set the table. The children blew up balloons and hung a garland on the door. When the guests came in, they took off their shoes: that is our custom. The eldest sat at the head of the table and then gave his kind wishes. The national dish and sweets were set on the table side by side, and we gave money as a gift. We sat until evening, and leaving, we thanked the host of the house.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- What was the occasion?
- What did the guests do when they came in?
- Who gave the kind wishes?
- What did the narrator and his family give?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Kazakh?
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.