திரை உடைஞ்சு போச்சு
A short in Tamil 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. Yesterday my phone fell, and the screen shattered. I went to the workshop. There I was told: it can be repaired, but…
Text
- நேற்று என் போன் கீழே விழுந்தது, திரை உடைஞ்சு போச்சு. நான் ஒரு பட்டறைக்கு போனேன். அங்கே ஒரு ஆள் சொன்னார்: இதை சரி பண்ணலாம், ஆனா திரையை மாத்தணும்னு. நான் கேட்டேன், எவ்வளவு நேரம் ஆகும்? அவர் ரெண்டு மணி நேரம்னு சொன்னார். விலை கொஞ்சம் அதிகம், ஆனா புது போன் வாங்குறது ரொம்ப விலை. மாலையில நான் திரும்ப போனேன், போன் இப்ப நல்லா வேலை செய்யுது.nēṟṟu eṉ pōṉ kīḻē viḻundadu, tirai uḍaiñcu pōccu. nāṉ oru paṭṭaṟaikku pōṉēṉ. aṅgē oru āḷ soṉṉār: idai sari paṇṇalām, āṉā tiraiyai māttaṇumṉu. nāṉ kēṭṭēṉ, evvaḷavu nēram āgum? avar reṇḍu maṇi nēramṉu soṉṉār. vilai koñcam adigam, āṉā pudu pōṉ vāṅguṟadu romba vilai. mālaiyila nāṉ tirumba pōṉēṉ, pōṉ ippa nallā vēlai seyyudu.Yesterday my phone fell, and the screen shattered. I went to the workshop. There I was told: it can be repaired, but the screen must be replaced. I asked how long it would take. He answered, two hours. The price is a little high, but buying a new phone is much more expensive. In the evening I returned; now the phone works well.
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 happened to the phone?
- What did they say at the workshop?
- How long did the repair take?
- Why did he not buy a new phone?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Tamil?
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.