People
Die Brüder Grimm und die Märchen
How the Brothers Grimm Turned Spoken Tales into a Study of Language
Read at A16 words to learn · 3 min
German reading practice
Short texts about German culture, history, places and daily life, written for learners. Every text comes at A1, A2 and B1. Read the level that fits you, check any sentence against its English meaning, and see which words are worth learning. The natural German version and the English original are there too.
A1
Very short sentences and the most common words. Start here if you are new to German.
A2
Short sentences, a little more detail, an occasional weil or dass.
B1
Normal but accessible German with subordinate clauses and some topic vocabulary.
More texts
Every text is readable in all five versions: A1, A2, B1, natural German, and English.
- CultureWarum beginnt das Oktoberfest im September?Why Does Oktoberfest Begin in September?2 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- ScienceWarum gibt es oft kein Tempo-Limit?Why Does Much of the Autobahn Have No Speed Limit?2 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- Daily lifeWarum kostet eine Flasche 25 Cent mehr?Why Does a German Bottle Cost 25 Cents More at Checkout?2 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- HistoryDie Berliner MauerWhy the Berlin Wall Was Built, and Why It Opened3 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- PlacesKönig Ludwig II. und NeuschwansteinWhy King Ludwig II Built Neuschwanstein Castle4 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
How to use these texts
Start one level below where you think you are. If a text feels easy, that is good: you are reading German without stopping. Move up when the easy level stops being work.
Read the whole text once without help. Then turn on the English meaning and read it again to check the sentences you were not sure about. Tap an underlined word to see its forms.
The quiz at the end works at every level, because the same facts are in every version. If you get a question wrong, read the explanation and find the sentence in the text.
The levels follow the CEFR scale that German courses and exams like the Goethe certificates use. A1 is the beginner level, A2 elementary, B1 intermediate.