A short beginner Persian reading about twin sisters and their differences, with pronunciation, English, key words and a quiz.
Reading practice: Mina and Mona
Study notes for this lesson. This original reading text uses the words for describing people and the negative subjunctive of Lesson 23. It is in standard written Persian. Read each sentence aloud, check the pronunciation, then cover the English column and read again.
Before you read, make two columns on a piece of paper, one for Mina and one for Mona. As you read, write each sister's features in her column.
Reading text
| Persian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| مینا و مونا خواهرهای دوقلو هستند. | /minâ va monâ khâharhâ-ye doghulu hastand./ | Mina and Mona are twin sisters. |
| آن‌ها خیلی شبیه هم هستند، اما فرق‌های زیادی هم دارند. | /ânhâ kheyli shabih-e ham hastand, ammâ farghhâ-ye ziyâdi ham dârand./ | They look very much alike, but they also have many differences. |
| قد مونا کمی بلندتر است و موهایش کوتاه است. | /ghad-e monâ kami bolandtar ast va muhâyash kutâh ast./ | Mona is a little taller, and her hair is short. |
| موهای مینا بلند است. | /muhâ-ye minâ boland ast./ | Mina's hair is long. |
| هر دو چشم‌های قهوه‌ای دارند. | /har do cheshmhâ-ye ghahvei dârand./ | Both have brown eyes. |
| مینا ساکت و خجالتی است و دوست دارد کتاب بخواند. | /minâ sâket va khejâlati ast va dust dârad ketâb bekhânad./ | Mina is quiet and shy, and she likes to read. |
| مونا اجتماعی و شلوغ است و هر روز ورزش می‌کند. | /monâ ejtemâ'i va sholugh ast va har ruz varzesh mikonad./ | Mona is sociable and lively, and she exercises every day. |
| شب‌ها مینا زود می‌خوابد، اما مونا دیر می‌خوابد. | /shabhâ minâ zud mikhâbad, ammâ monâ dir mikhâbad./ | At night Mina goes to bed early, but Mona goes to bed late. |
| مادرشان می‌گوید: «مونا، بهتر است این‌قدر دیر نخوابی.» | /mâdarashân miguyad: "monâ, behtar ast inghadr dir nakhâbi."/ | Their mother says, "Mona, you'd better not go to bed so late." |
| گاهی دوستانشان آن‌ها را اشتباه می‌گیرند. | /gâhi dustânashân ânhâ râ eshtebâh migirand./ | Sometimes their friends mix them up. |
| اما مینا و مونا با وجود این تفاوت‌ها بهترین دوست هم هستند. | /ammâ minâ va monâ bâ vojud-e in tafâvothâ behtarin dust-e ham hastand./ | But despite these differences, Mina and Mona are each other's best friend. |
Key words
- دوقلو (doghulu): twin(s)
- شبیه هم (shabih-e ham): like each other
- کمی (kami): a little
- قهوه‌ای (ghahvei): brown (literally "coffee-colored")
- خواندن (khândan): to read
- خوابیدن (khâbidan): to sleep, to go to bed
- اشتباه گرفتن (eshtebâh gereftan): to mix up, to mistake one for another
- با وجود (bâ vojud-e): despite
- تفاوت (tafâvot): difference
Grammar to notice
Sentence 9 has a negative subjunctive after بهتر است: نخوابی (nakhâbi), "(that) you don't sleep." Sentence 6 has a positive subjunctive after دوست دارد: بخواند (bekhânad). Sentence 3 uses the comparative بلندتر from Lesson 19.
After you read
- Use your two columns to say three differences between the sisters, each with اما: مینا … است، اما مونا … است.
- Give Mona one more piece of advice with بهتر است and a negative subjunctive.
Practice
-
Who is taller? قد کدام خواهر بلندتر است؟
Show answer
Mona. مونا.
-
What do the sisters have in common in appearance?
Show answer
Both have brown eyes. هر دو چشم‌های قهوه‌ای دارند.
-
What does Mina like to do? مینا دوست دارد چه کار کند؟
Show answer
Read books. کتاب بخواند.
-
What does their mother tell Mona? مادرشان به مونا چه می‌گوید؟
Show answer
That she'd better not go to bed so late. بهتر است این‌قدر دیر نخوابی.
-
What happens sometimes with their friends?
Show answer
Their friends mix them up. دوستانشان آن‌ها را اشتباه می‌گیرند.
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