Temporarily, then forever
A short in Serbian text at level B1. 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. I was born in a small town in the south and spent my whole childhood there. I finished school, found my first job at a…
Text
- Родио сам се у малом граду на југу и тамо провео цело детињство. Завршио сам школу, нашао први посао у фабрици и мислио да ћу остати заувек. Онда се све променило: сестра се преселила у иностранство и звала ме да дођем на годину дана. Отишао сам привремено, а остао пет година; у то време сам научио језик и засновао породицу. Сада, кад ме питају за планове за наредни период, кажем да још нисам одлучио, али да ствари иду набоље.Rodio sam se u malom gradu na jugu i tamo proveo celo detinjstvo. Završio sam školu, našao prvi posao u fabrici i mislio da ću ostati zauvek. Onda se sve promenilo: sestra se preselila u inostranstvo i zvala me da dođem na godinu dana. Otišao sam privremeno, a ostao pet godina; u to vreme sam naučio jezik i zasnovao porodicu. Sada, kad me pitaju za planove za naredni period, kažem da još nisam odlučio, ali da stvari idu nabolje.I was born in a small town in the south and spent my whole childhood there. I finished school, found my first job at a factory and thought I would stay forever. Then everything changed: my sister moved abroad and asked me to come for a year. I left temporarily and stayed five years; in that time I learned the language and started a family. Now, when people ask about my near-term plans, I say I haven't decided yet, but things are moving in a better direction.
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 he spend his childhood?
- Why did he leave?
- How long did he end up living abroad?
- What does he answer about his near-term plans?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Serbian?
B1. 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.