by Olly Richards
If you're learning Spanish and you've ever tried to read a novel or even an article in a new language, you'll know how frustrating it is. After countless pauses to refer to the dictionary, you give up — sometimes forever. Sticking with your graded textbooks, boring as they are, seems the only way to go. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Reading is a vital part of language learning, but it doesn't need to be tedious or frustrating. If you're looking for the best books of short stories in Spanish, here's what I recommend:
- Short Stories In Spanish For Beginners
- Voulme 2, Short Stories in Spanish For Beginners
- Short Stories In Spanish For Intermediate Learners
In this article, I'll explain how reading short stories is a powerful way to learn a language and talk you through exactly what you'll get from these graded short story books.
Table of Contents
Why Learning Spanish Through Short Stories Works
Perhaps you've never considered learning Spanish through stories?
I've been teaching and learning languages for years now, and I've found that a method based on input — and particularly short, fictional stories — is amazingly successful.
And the reason it succeeds is that learning with stories is effective, fun and enjoyable too.
The thing is, you don't need to complete boring exercises and read through stylised textbooks to master a language. Instead, you can read exciting, page-turners, short enough to hold your attention but long enough to tell a good yarn.
But why learn with short stories in Spanish? Well, humans have been learning through stories for centuries, and here's why:
- Meaning – When you read stories, it's easy to understand what's happening. You follow the events and don't get hung up on reading isolated words. It's a memorable way to naturally improve your language skills.
- Context – You absorb new vocabulary and grammar in context. That's the best way to understand how these words and conventions are used in real life.
- Emotion – Stories engage you emotionally. You're cheering for the characters, making the language more memorable. Suddenly, study time becomes ‘fun time.'
When you're reading these Spanish stories, they'll draw you in. It's not long before you're hooked, and it's easy to get to the end of the page… and the chapter.
Before you know it, you've finished the book and expanded your vocabulary and grammar. Imagine the sense of achievement.
These are stories you want to read over and over again. And that's the best thing you could do because every repetition breeds better comprehension.
Every time you read, you'll cement those new words and concepts firmly in your long term memory. You'll be studying while your brain just thinks you're having fun!
Introducing… Short Stories In Spanish
I've published three short story books in Spanish:
- Short Stories In Spanish For Beginners
- Vol. 2 Short Stories In Spanish For Beginners
- Short Stories In Spanish For Intermediate
In them, I use my unique StoryLearning® method to teach you Spanish the natural way.
Gone are the rules and practice exercises. Instead, this approach lets you absorb Spanish naturally as you read the eight original stories in each book.
The two beginner books are written for students from beginner to intermediate level. That's A2-B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR.)
The Intermediate books' stories are written with learners who are slightly more fluent in mind (B1-B2 levels.)
All this means that when you read these stories, you are reading at your level. Instead of ploughing through texts that are too advanced, you're able to enjoy the story.
As a result, you won't be dragging your feet. You'll find you can't wait to get to your Spanish reading each and every day.
Click here to purchase your copy now
What's Included In These Short Story In Spanish Books?
These comprehensive books are carefully crafted to be fun and easy to use so you can get the most out of your learning. Here's what you'll find inside:
- Reading practice at your level, so you act and feel like a reader instead of a student.
- Controlled language to aid your progress between levels. You'll find the 1000 most frequent Spanish words in the beginner volumes while the intermediate books introduce thousands more.
- Chapter summaries and comprehension questions help you follow along with the plot and check your understanding of the stories.
- Vocabulary lists are right there so you can quickly check an unknown word without interrupting the flow of your reading.
- Grammar used naturally to introduce new structures without overwhelming or frustrating you.
- Authentic dialogues which introduce conversation and colloquial Spanish expressions to help improve your speaking ability while you read.
- Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations bring the story to life, enhance the meaning and make your reading experience even more memorable.
Reading and repeating stories is a productive way to improve your Spanish vocabulary and comprehension. But, listening to the words at the same time can give you even better results.
So, we've made high-quality new audio recordings available to accompany each book. Now you can improve your listening skills as you read!
What's more, procrastination is a thing of the past with the handy interactive app enabling you to listen, read and learn at home or on the go!
What are you waiting for?
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 international press from the BBC to the Independent, and am a regular speaker at international language events.
What Do Readers Say About These Short Story In Spanish Books?
Students from around the globe love learning with my short story books. But don’t take my word for it.
Here’s how readers describe the experience of learning with short stories:
Language Teachers Love These Short Story In Spanish Books Too
As you can see, language learners around the world love learning with Short Stories in Spanish. 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.
Supplementary teaching materials are available to accompany these books for teachers who want quick, easy, and engaging supplementary materials for their lessons.
If you’re a teacher, click here to find out more.
Short Stories In Spanish FAQs
Is Reading Short Stories A Good Way To Learn Spanish?
Reading short stories is an excellent way to learn Spanish. It exposes learners to authentic language use, diverse vocabulary, and grammatical structures in context. Short stories are manageable in length, making them less daunting for learners than full novels. They provide cultural insights and can be read multiple times to improve comprehension. Additionally, short stories often use conversational language, helping learners grasp everyday Spanish expressions and idioms more effectively.
What Level Are These Books For?
Olly Richards' “Short Stories in Spanish” books cater to different proficiency levels. They typically range from beginner (A1) to intermediate (B1) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. The series includes books specifically labelled for beginners, as well as more advanced collections for intermediate learners. Each book is designed to challenge readers at their current level whilst being accessible enough to maintain motivation. It's important to choose the book that matches your current Spanish proficiency to get the most benefit from the stories.
Short Stories In Spanish: A Great Way To Learn Fast & Have Fun!
As you can see, reading short stories in Spanish 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 fun and natural way, without memorising long lists of words and grammar rules.
So what are you waiting for?
Head on over to Amazon or your favourite local bookshop and grab your copy of my Spanish short story books now!
Click the link below to purchase your copy (available in Kindle & Paperback):
- Short Stories In Spanish For Beginners
- Vol. 2 Short Stories in Spanish For Beginners
- Short Stories In Spanish For Intermediate Learners
Happy reading!
