by Olly RichardsReading short stories in German is one of the best and most enjoyable ways to improve your language skills fast.
By reading in German — instead of learning endless rules — you gradually learn to think in German.
If you’re just looking for the best books of easy German stories to learn German, here’s what I recommend:
In this article, I’ll tell you exactly what you can expect from these easy German short story books, as well as explain why reading stories is such a powerful part of your language learning journey.
Why You Should Learn German Through Short Stories
You may have never considered learning German with stories. You might not even think it’s possible!
Yes, you could pick up a newspaper to try and learn about the German economy or a history book to learn German history, but your brain won't be very engaged with that material.
From all my years of teaching and learning languages myself (eight languages so far!) I’ve found that a language learning method based on input – stories in particular – is the most powerful of all.
Not only is learning with stories extremely effective, it’s fun and enjoyable too!
By removing the need for a lot of the so-called “study” – the textbook or classroom work you probably remember from school – you’ll find the day-to-day experience of language learning with stories to be rich and fulfilling, quite unlike anything you’ve tried in the past.
But why learn German with stories instead of other traditional study materials?
Stories are effective for German learners for a few reasons:
- Context – When reading stories, you’re learning new vocabulary and grammar in context. The result? You internalise the language naturally and develop an understanding of how it’s used in real life.
- Meaning – It is easier to understand and follow a series of relatable events in a story, than a set of theories or raw facts. This is why fiction is great for language learning. It makes the reading experience more enjoyable and your learning more effective as you relate to the language in meaningful ways.
- Emotion – Stories engage you on an emotional level, making the language you read more memorable and your study time more enjoyable. You'll immerse yourself in German culture and get a deeper understanding of the German speaking world.
Cognitive psychology tells us how the brain learns best, and the magic of learning through stories is that you can hardwire the language directly into your brain. It works through the same natural learning process children use to acquire their native language.
Stories not only help you expand your vocabulary, hone your reading skills and learn grammar naturally… they draw you in and hook you, so you actually get to the end of the page, chapter and book.
They allow you to feel a sense of achievement when reading in your new language.
And that’s the beauty of reading easy German short stories….
German stories are fun and entertaining as well as educational. So you can actually enjoy your study instead of feeling it’s a drag. If you read in a foreign language, you'll be able to put your knowledge into context, so you use it in real life.
Introducing… Short Stories In German
I’ve published two short books with German stories:
Olly Richard's Beginner German Short Story Book
Short Stories in German for Beginners
Reading short stories in German is one of the best and most enjoyable ways to improve your language skills fast.
URL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Stories-German-Beginners-vocabulary/dp/1473683378
Author: Olly Richards
4.5
Olly Richard's Intermediate German Short Story Book
Short Stories in German for Intermediate Learners
Reading short stories in German is one of the best and most enjoyable ways to improve your language skills fast.
URL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Stories-German-Intermediate-Learners-ebook/dp/B08CC3P2D3/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Author: Olly Richards
4.6
- Short Stories In German For Beginners
- Short Stories In German For Intermediate Learners
These books are one of a kind because they use my unique StoryLearning® method to teach you the German language naturally.
Instead of learning through rules and practice exercises, this approach allows you to absorb the language naturally while reading entertaining stories at your level.
Each book features a collection of eight entertaining short stories for young and adult learners.
The German stories for beginners book has been written especially for students from beginner to intermediate level (A2-B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference).
The Intermediate book is written for students from a low-intermediate to intermediate level (B1-B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference).
This means you are reading at your level, so you can focus on enjoying reading without ever feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Absolute beginners can get an easy start with German stories for beginners and intermediate learners can progress their skills with the intermediate book.
The result is that learning German becomes easy and enjoyable instead of a painful chore.
Click here to purchase your copy now.
What’s Included In These Short Story In German Books?
I’ve carefully designed these books to be fun, easy to use and comprehensive so you can get the most out of your learning. Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- Enjoyable reading practice specifically designed for your level (beginner or intermediate) so can spend your time with the story instead of with your head in a dictionary. You won't only find fairy tales and classic tales in the book, but stories that are relatable to the real world.
- Controlled language at your level to help you progress confidently between levels. For beginning German learners, the book includes the 1,000 most frequent words in German, along with short sentences. The intermediate book features thousands more!
- Accessible grammar so you learn new structures naturally, without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with the German language.
- Authentic real life dialogues to help you learn conversational expressions and improve your speaking ability while learning German.
- Chapter summaries and comprehension questions to help you follow the plot and understand the stories and go over grammar points.
- Vocabulary units with simplified language so you can quickly look up unfamiliar words without interrupting your flow.
- Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations that bring the stories to life and make what you read more memorable.
Want to practice your German listening while you read? High-quality new German audiobook recordings are also available to accompany each book, so you can improve your listening skills as you read! (Sold separately)
And there’s also a handy Interactive app so you can read, listen and learn all at the same time…at home or on the go! “I don’t have enough time” will never be an excuse again!
Click here to purchase your copy now.
About The Author
In case you’re new here, let me introduce myself. My name is Olly Richards and I’m a language educator, author and polyglot from the UK, who speaks 8 languages.
I’ve created dozens of critically acclaimed language courses and published a bestselling series of short story books in sixteen languages.
I’ve also been featured widely in the international press, from the BBC to the Independent, and am a regular speaker at international language events.
What Do Readers Say About These German Story Books?
Students from around the globe love learning with my story books and making them part of the learning experience. But don’t take my word for it.
Here’s how readers describe the experience of learning with short stories:
Language Teachers Love These German Short Story Books Too
As you can see, language learners around the world love learning with Short Stories in German. But they’re not the only ones…
Language teachers often tell me how much they enjoy using these stories in their lessons because they make learning fun and minimise all those hours of stressful lesson prep.
Want to teach your students real life language through German literature? From conversational German to introducing new grammar structures, and interesting words, the stories can be a great focal point for your lesson if you're a language teacher.
Supplementary teaching materials are available to accompany these books for teachers who want quick, easy, and engaging supplementary materials for their reading comprehension lessons.
If you’re a language teacher, click here to find out more.
Short Stories In German: A Great Way To Learn Fast & Have Fun!
As you can see, reading stories in the German language is one of the best things you can do to improve your language skills.
And best of all… it allows you to learn the language in a natural and fun way, without memorising long lists of words and German grammar rules.
If you're a German learner, what are you waiting for?
Head on over to Amazon or your favourite local bookshop and grab your copy of my short story in German books now!
Click the link below to purchase your copy (available in Kindle & Paperback):
Happy reading!
Have you used captivating stories or fairy tales as part of your language learning journey? Share your experiences in the comments.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
