Grandmother’s childhood
A short text in Urdu 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. Grandmother was born in a small village. In childhood she herded goats and carried water along the village lane. In…
Text
- دادی چھوٹے گاؤں میں پیدا ہوئیں۔ بچپن میں وہ بکریاں چراتی اور گاؤں کی گلی میں پانی لاتی۔ ان دنوں گاؤں میں اسکول نہیں تھا۔ شادی کے بعد وہ شہر آ گئیں اور نوکری ملی۔ اب وہ پرانی تصویر دکھا کر بچپن کی باتیں سناتی ہیں۔dadi chhote gaon main paida huin. bachpan main wo bakrian charti aur gaon ki gali main pani lati. un dinon gaon main skul nahin tha. shadi ke bad wo sheher a gain aur naukri mili. ab wo purani taswir dikha kar bachpan ki batelin sunati hain.Grandmother was born in a small village. In childhood she herded goats and carried water along the village lane. In those times there was no school in the village. After the wedding she moved to the city and found work. Now she shows old photographs and tells of her childhood.
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 was grandmother born?
- What did she do in childhood?
- Why did she not study?
- What does she do now?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Urdu?
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.