Mystery
Drei Versuche für die Uhr
Three Tries for the Clock
Start reading6 words to learn · 4 min · A1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
German short stories
Original short stories written for adult learners: small mysteries, comedies and everyday drama set in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Every story is about a 5-minute read and comes at A1, A2 and B1, so you can read the same story at the level that fits you.
More stories
6 stories- ComedyDer falsche KofferThe Wrong Suitcase3 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- RomanceDie Tram und der SchalThe Tram and the Scarf4 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- ComedyDie BüropflanzeThe Office Plant4 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- Slice of lifeNachtschicht mit LotteNight Shift with Lotte4 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
- MysteryDer Schlüssel im KellerThe Key in the Cellar3 minA1 · A2 · B1 · DE · EN
Why stories help you learn German
A story gives you a reason to keep reading: you want to know what happens. That keeps you in the German longer than a list of example sentences ever could, and the grammar and vocabulary repeat naturally along the way.
Every story here is written for adults. The stakes are small and human: a found key, a wrong cake, an awkward dinner. No children's language, and nothing distressing.
Each story is one situation with one turn, told in about five minutes of reading at your level. Start one level below where you think you are, read the whole story once without help, then turn on the English meaning to check the sentences you were not sure about.
The levels follow the CEFR scale that German courses and exams use. A1 keeps to short main clauses and the most common words; A2 adds a little more detail; B1 reads like normal, accessible German. The natural German version and the English original are on the same page.