Learn German by reading

Start reading German with short stories pitched at your level. Contos has 45 German series from A1 (beginner) to B2 (upper intermediate), in Germany German, set in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart and smaller towns. A1 chapters run from 123 to 213 words, every word can be tapped, and chapters 1 and 2 of every series are free.

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How do you start reading German as a beginner?

With a story that is easy on purpose. A1 German in Contos is built from short present-tense sentences with the verb in its normal place, so you can concentrate on the words. Here is the doorbell scene from the first chapter of the flatshare story:

Herr Krause klingelt. Lena öffnet die Tür. Herr Krause ist alt, aber freundlich.

Herr Krause rings the bell. Lena opens the door. Herr Krause is old, but friendly.

From Die WG in der Bergmannstraße, chapter 1 (A1)

Read the chapter through once. Aim to say who is there and what goes wrong. Tap a word only when the story stops making sense without it.
Read the capitals. Every German noun starts with a capital letter, so Tür (door) and Brief (letter) stand out from the verbs around them.
Read chapter 2 tomorrow. Characters, rooms and objects return, so the second chapter is quicker than the first.
Review your tapped words. Contos saves every word you tap as a flashcard, so you review the German you actually met.
Move up with your vocabulary. Contos moves you to A2 at 500 known words, B1 at 1,500 and B2 at 4,000.

Wondering how long it all takes? Our guide to whether German is hard has the official course timings and what makes German easier than it looks.

What should you notice in your first German chapters?

Two habits of German confuse new readers more than any word list. The first is the verb that splits in half. The second is the choice between two words for "you". Both appear within the first few lines of A1 chapters:

Marcus findet das seltsam. Er ruft Leila an.

Marcus finds that strange. He calls Leila.

Wohnung 47, chapter 1. Anrufen (to phone) is a separable verb: ruft takes the usual verb position and an goes to the end of the sentence. If a sentence ends in a small word like an, auf or zu, look back for the verb it belongs to.

"Oh, entschuldigen Sie", sagt Jonas und wird rot.

"Oh, excuse me," says Jonas, and goes red.

Die Bank am Morgen, chapter 1. Jonas has just met Lena on a park bench, so he uses Sie, the polite form of you.

Wie geht es dir? Bist du allein?

How are you? Are you on your own?

Das Licht im Hof, chapter 1. Petra, who knocks on Maya's door the morning after she moves in, uses du straight away. Who says du and who says Sie tells you how close two characters are.

Then there are the articles, which change with a noun's job in the sentence. In the flatshare story, the landlord has einen Brief for Jonas, and Lena nimmt den Brief: the masculine der becomes den when the letter is the thing being taken. You don't need the grammar tables to follow the plot, but once you notice these small changes you'll see them in every chapter.

Which German do the stories use?

Germany German. Many series are set in Berlin, from a flatshare on Bergmannstraße to family flats in Kreuzberg and Charlottenburg, with others in Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart's market hall and the small town of Wertheim. The everyday details are German ones: Brötchen (bread rolls) for breakfast, a Kiosk in the park selling Franzbrötchen, the cinnamon pastries of Hamburg, and a Vermieterin (landlady) who won't explain the door in the cellar.

Learnt some Austrian or Swiss German? You'll have no trouble; the differences you notice will mostly be in food and everyday words.

Frequently asked questions

Can I read German stories for free?

Yes. Chapters 1 and 2 of every German series are free, here and in the Contos app, in your browser or on iPhone and iPad. Contos Premium unlocks every chapter, plus a new series each week.

Do I need to know German cases before I start reading?

No. A1 chapters use short sentences, and you can follow them by spotting the verb and the nouns. Cases become easier to learn once you have seen der, den and dem change in sentences you understand.

Is Contos German from Germany, Austria or Switzerland?

Germany. The stories use Germany German and are set in German cities and towns: many in Berlin, others in Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Wertheim.

Which German story should I read first?

Die WG in der Bergmannstraße, about three flatmates waiting for a mysterious new arrival, is written at all four levels. Browse the rest in German stories for learners.