Reading

Graded German Reading Texts, A1 to C2

260 short German texts, each chosen for a specific level by measuring how many of its words that level already covers. Every text comes with a sentence-by-sentence English translation you can hide, a glossary of exactly the words that are above your level, and notes on the grammar it demonstrates.

260 graded texts

118 distinct articles

6 CEFR levels

Klexikon source

By level

Read at your level

Texts within a level are ordered by coverage — the first is the one you will find easiest.

A1 · Beginner 30 graded texts Around 71% of the words in a typical A1 text are ones you already know. 83 words average · 1–2 min Start reading A2 · Elementary 30 graded texts Around 80% of the words in a typical A2 text are ones you already know. 81 words average · 1–1 min Start reading B1 · Intermediate 50 graded texts Around 85% of the words in a typical B1 text are ones you already know. 103 words average · 1–1 min Start reading B2 · Upper Intermediate 50 graded texts Around 87% of the words in a typical B2 text are ones you already know. 100 words average · 1–1 min Start reading C1 · Advanced 50 graded texts Around 89% of the words in a typical C1 text are ones you already know. 87 words average · 1–1 min Start reading C2 · Mastery 50 graded texts Around 89% of the words in a typical C2 text are ones you already know. 88 words average · 1–2 min Start reading

Common questions

How are these German texts graded?

By coverage: the share of the text's running words that fall at or below your CEFR level. A text is placed at A2 if an A2 learner already knows roughly four words in five, which is about the point where you can infer the rest from context instead of stopping at every line.

Why does the same text appear at two levels?

Because the text does not change but the reader does. The same article read at B1 and at C1 gets a different glossary — at C1 far fewer words need explaining — so both versions are published rather than forcing one grade on it.

Where do the texts come from?

Klexikon, a German encyclopaedia written for children, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. It is the rare source that is genuinely simple German rather than adult German with short sentences.

Are the translations reliable?

They are machine-generated and machine-checked, not reviewed by a teacher. They are good enough to unblock a sentence you are stuck on; treat a surprising translation as worth verifying rather than as authoritative.

Texts from Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.