How to process an x-column text file to get a y-column one?

I have a text file: a aa aaa b bb bbb c cc ccc d dd ddd e ee eee f ff fff g gg ggg h hh hhh i ii iii j jj jjj How can I process it and get a 2 column file like this: a aa aaa b bb bbb c cc ccc d dd ddd e ee eee f ff fff g gg ggg h hh hhh i ii iii j jj jjj Or a three column file like this: a aa aaa b bb bbb c cc ccc d dd ddd e ee eee f ff fff g gg ggg h hh hhh i ii iii j jj jj I prefer to get awk solution but other solutions are welcomed too.