German short stories for beginners
One continuous story in 13 chapters. Deniz leaves Istanbul, lands in Cologne and builds a new life in German: a flatmate, a language course, a job fair, a broken phone and one wonderfully curious neighbour. Each chapter is written for a specific stage of the A1 and A2 journey, so you always read with words you have already learned.
Your reading journey
Pass the word quiz at the end of a chapter to complete it. Your progress is saved on this device only.
Level A1
Chapter 1 Der erste Tag in Köln The First Day in Cologne A1 Course days 1 to 5 100 words Completed Chapter 2 Kaffee und Kuchen bei Familie Weber Coffee and Cake with the Weber Family A1 Course days 6 to 10 100 words Completed Chapter 3 Der volle Kalender The Full Calendar A1 Course days 11 to 15 100 words Completed Chapter 4 Ein türkisches Abendessen für die Webers A Turkish Dinner for the Webers A1 Course days 16 to 20 100 words Completed Chapter 5 Der erste Tag im Sprachkurs The First Day at the Language Course A1 Course days 21 to 25 100 words Completed Chapter 6 Die Fahrt nach München The Trip to Munich A1 Course days 26 to 30 100 words Completed Chapter 7 Papiere, Post und Telefon Paperwork, Post and Phone Calls A1 Course days 31 to 35 100 words CompletedThe bridge from A1 to A2
Chapter 8 Die Berufsmesse The Job Fair A1/A2 Course days 36 to 40 99 words CompletedLevel A2
Chapter 9 Die Prüfung und der Ausflug The Exam and the Day Trip A2 Course days 41 to 45 100 words Completed Chapter 10 Krank in der Wohnung Sick at Home A2 Course days 46 to 50 100 words Completed Chapter 11 Das kaputte Handy The Broken Phone A2 Course days 51 to 55 100 words Completed Chapter 12 Ein ganz normaler Tag A Perfectly Normal Day A2 Course days 56 to 60 100 words Completed Chapter 13 Ein Jahr später One Year Later A2 Course days 61 to 64 72 words CompletedWant grammar instead? Try the free A1 grammar test or the A2 grammar test: instant answers with an explanation for every task.
How these stories work
Most German readers throw new words at you on every page. These stories do the opposite. The 13 chapters follow the German with Levels course: chapter 1 uses only the vocabulary from the first five days of A1, chapter 2 adds the next five days, and so on until day 64 at the end of A2. When you read a chapter at the right moment, you understand almost every sentence, and that feeling is what keeps you reading.
Every chapter comes in three parts: the story in simple German, a full English translation you can show or hide paragraph by paragraph, and the complete list of that chapter's target words. At the end, a short word quiz checks whether the new vocabulary stuck. Pass it and the chapter is marked as completed on your journey map.
You can read everything here for free without an account. If you want the full method, the German with Levels app teaches these same words day by day and adds listening, speaking and grammar practice on top.
Frequently asked questions
Are these stories good for complete beginners?
Yes. Chapter 1 is written with only the first 100 words of the A1 course, which you can pick up in a few days. If German is completely new to you, start with the first 100 German words guide or day 1 of the app, then come back and read chapter 1.
Do I need the app to use the stories?
No. Every chapter is free on this website, with translations, word lists and quizzes. The app follows the same day structure, so app users can read each chapter as a reward after finishing the matching days.
What level are the stories?
Chapters 1 to 7 are level A1, chapter 8 bridges A1 and A2, and chapters 9 to 13 are level A2. Each chapter shows the exact course days it covers, and the language never runs ahead of them.
How is my reading progress saved?
Progress lives in your browser on this device: no account, no email, nothing leaves your browser. If you clear your browser data, the journey map starts fresh.
Start learning German today
Words first, then grammar. Calm, structured lessons for A1 and A2.